Broccoli is a popular and nutritious vegetable that can be easily grown in your garden. It’s the perfect choice for beginner gardeners because it’s one of the more reliable vegetables to grow. Plus, broccoli is packed with vitamins and minerals, making it a wonderful addition to any meal.
The History and Evolution of Broccoli
Broccoli belongs to the diverse Brassica genus including cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. While ancient Romans enjoyed primitive brassicas, broccoli itself originated in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Not until the 1700s did sprouting broccoli arrive in England from Italy.
European settlers later brought broccoli to North America. Italian immigrant farmers grew it along the East Coast for almost 200 years before the vegetable gained mainstream popularity. Over time, broccoli was adapted to grow well in both cool and temperate climates in Europe and the Americas.
Two main types exist – heading broccoli which produces a single large central head, and sprouting broccoli forming numerous small florets on branching stalks. Sprouting broccoli has become more common recently thanks to its continuous harvest potential.
Broccoli flower buds pack dense nutrition including vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, and phytochemicals. Unlike many vegetables, broccoli maintains its nutritional value exceptionally well when frozen. This has fueled the rise of commercially frozen broccoli over the past 50 years.
When cooking broccoli, quick steaming or sautéing preserves crunch and bright flavor. Roasting caramelizes natural sugars for deeper, nuttier essence. The small florets add appealing texture and green vibrancy to stir fries, pasta, frittatas, and more.
Low in calories yet high in nutrients, broccoli has evolved from an obscure Italian delicacy to a diet staple in Europe and North America. Its adaptation to various climates and cooking methods has made broccoli universally beloved for its versatility and health benefits.
Broccoli is very similar to, but quite distinct from, the Cauliflower, although its qualities are much the same (See also Brassicas and Cauliflower). It is, however, much longer in maturing taking nearly twice as long to mature.
Choosing the Right Variety
There are two main types of broccoli:
- Sprouting Broccoli – produces lots of side shoots.
- Heading Broccoli – produces one large head.
When selecting a variety of broccoli for your garden, choose one that is suited for the area you live in. For example, if you live in a cooler climate, opt for a variety of broccoli such as “Early Snowball” or “Green Magic” which are known to thrive in cooler weather. If you live in warmer climates, choose varieties like “Green Goliath” or “Arcadia” which can tolerate warmer temperatures better than other varieties.
Adam’s Early White and Veitch’s Self Protecting are two of the best varieties.
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Alternatives to growing full headed Broccoli is to grow the multi-spear types such as Purple Sprouting Broccoli. It’s the ultimate cut and come gain vegetable, this broccoli keeps on producing for months! Highly recommended for it’s young tender heads and super cut and come again qualities. It also looks good!
Romanesco Broccoli
The Romanesco Broccoli is a stunner in the garden! Tt has a firmer texture and delicate, nutty flavor. Its spiral almost geometric appearance makes it an appealing addition to the veggie patch.
Heirloom Broccoli
Heirloom broccoli has succulent, sweet stems and easy harvest heads which once cut, will send out side shoots and keep on producing for months.
Location Matters
Broccoli loves sunny spots with lots of air circulation and well-draining soil. Be sure to pick an area that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day – but not too much! Too much sun can cause the heads to become tender and turn yellow prematurely. Also, try to avoid planting near tomatoes as they tend to cross-pollinate and can affect the flavor of your broccoli.
Planting Broccoli
Seed may be sown in a seed box or outdoor seed bed, and the young plants transplanted as soon as large enough to handle. The heads should be ready for cutting about Autumn. Broccoli prefers a firm soil and may be grown in heavily matured ground from which a previous crop has been removed, and which has not been re-dug. The general treatment is exactly the same as that recommended for Cauliflower. Broccoli is a bad proposition for the Home Gardener, and it is very much better to stick to growing Cauliflowers which give quite as good, or very much better, results, in less time and with, perhaps, half as much work.
Fertilizing & Watering
Fertilize your broccoli every few weeks with a nitrogen fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus (14-14-14) but avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as this will cause your plants to produce too many leaves instead of heads! And don’t forget to water regularly; try to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Make sure that you water early enough so that the soil has time to dry out before nightfall – wet foliage overnight is an invitation for disease!
Pests and problems to watch out for
Broccoli pests include birds and cabbage caterpillars, which love to eat the leaves on broccoli plants. Spray the plant with a natural insecticide spray or protect with netting.
Soil issues with Broccoli include clubroot which causes the plant to wilt. To avoid this from happening implement crop rotation, where brassicas are grown in different garden beds each year.
Broccoli flowers if left too long or not given enough water broccoli will start to flower or go to seed, they’re edible but they’ll taste bitter.
How to Cook Broccoli for Any Kitchen
- Prep – Trim the end of stalks and any dried parts. Rinse broccoli heads well.
- Steaming – Chop broccoli and steam over boiling water for 4-5 minutes until vivid green.
- Roasting – Toss florets with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 425°F until lightly charred.
- Microwaving – Put in a microwave-safe dish with 2 tbsp water. Microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Growing broccoli isn’t difficult but there are some important steps you should take when planting this nutritious vegetable. Choose varieties suited for your particular climate and location, fertilize regularly with potassium and phosphorus-rich fertilizers, and water wisely! With just a little bit of care and attention, you’ll soon have delicious heads of fresh broccoli growing right in your very own garden.
