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Gardening Tips - Growing Broccoli
A crop that I've come back to after a few years is sprouting broccoli. Having been asked repeatedly by a local chef who regards it highly, we decided to grow a small amount. This is a crop rarely seen on the supermarket shelves and it is not really a popular crop with commercial growers. The main reasons for this are the fact that it takes a long time to mature, takes up a lot of space, can be quite tedious to harvest and doesn't hold its 'good looks' for very long on the market shelf. However, do not be put off by these minor disadvantages as so-called marginal crops such as these can work well for the small scale organic grower. Its delicate flavour and lack of wide availability make it a favourite with discerning chefs who are always on the lookout for something new and different. It also comes in early Spring at a time of year when fresh produce is scarce. A few plants grown by the home gardener will be enough to keep a family supplied with this tasty vegetable for weeks on end.
Purple or white?
Sprouting broccoli is a hardy vegetable, easy to grow and a little attention to detail will pay dividends. There is not a wide variety of choice when it comes to cultivars - mainly just purple and white sprouting types. Personally I favour the purple sprouting type as I think it is hardier and more productive but try both by all means. The seed should be sown in early spring in blocks or plugs for transplanting a month or so later. This crop is of course a brassica and should be included in that part of the rotation. Sow the seed in good sized blocks or plugs as a sturdy transplant is desirable. Ground should have been prepared (manured or composted) well in advance as a firm seed bed is needed. Wind can be a big problem with these tall-growing, top-heavy plants. Just hoe off any weeds and transplant into firm soil at 30" x 30" spacing. A sheltered corner of a field is best if it fits in with your rotation.
Caterpillars
Pests and diseases of this vegetable are few and far between. Watch for slugs early on and in some years the cabbage white butterfly may be a problem. If it is, rub off the eggs from leaves and dispose of any of the voracious little caterpillars if present. Hand control is usually adequate for small amounts. If you are planning on being very ambitious with your planting make sure you have a ready market as the crop will have to be sold quickly. A point worth making here is that not all plants will be identical. Some will produce different 'spears' to others and plants will not all be alike. Some spears produce leafy sides while others may have bare stems. Don't panic - they are all edible.
Harvesting
With our changing climate and milder winters it is difficult to predict exact harvesting dates. Any time from early March onwards the crop may start to produce. Harvesting time can also vary from one plant to the next. Regular picking is the order of the day here - heads should be picked when approximately four inches long. You can snap them off or cut with a knife whichever suits. Arrange all the heads together and put an elastic band around each handful. I put about a half pound in each bunch. I then arrange bunches in a box, spray with cold water and store in the shed. The sooner this crop reaches the table the better so sell as quickly as possible. As the weather warms up in April you will have to harvest more frequently to prevent the plants from flowering. At first you can remove any flowering shoots but this is the beginning of the end.
As soon as the plants are finished pull them up and smash the stems with a hammer or drive over them with your tractor before adding to the compost heap. This will help the plants to decompose faster. If the plants are left in the ground too long they can become a breeding site for mealy aphids.
Price
You will need to get a good price for this crop to make it worthwhile. At the moment I'm selling ours at €4.50 a pound and demand far exceeds supply. So there you have it - a budding new 'cropstar' to take your local culinary scene by storm.
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