How to grow broccoli in the garden: basic rules and nuances

Broccoli is a subspecies of cauliflower from the cabbage family, belongs to the most ancient vegetable crops. Ancient Rome, about two thousand years ago, knew how to grow broccoli properly. From this state it was brought to Byzantium, after which it was found in other countries. Now it is a widespread vegetable all over the world. Many gardeners would like to receive an answer to the question of how to grow broccoli in the garden.

Description

Broccoli is a one-year-old plant with a stem 60-90 cm high. The yield of the vegetable is high, and its extra formed heads on the lateral shoots are provided. According to the shape of the head, the plant is similar to cauliflower, but its inflorescences are less dense, and the leaves have a corrugated surface.

Types of broccoli

There are more than 200 varieties of this vegetable. The most famous are the two: Calabrese and Sparzheva, or Italian. The first variety is the most common. Broccoli of this variety has a thick stem and a solid head of dense inflorescences.

Vegetables of the second grade form a number of stems, which have small heads. The stems of this plant are also edible, their taste resembles asparagus.

In addition, there are other varieties of broccoli.

Early-maturing varieties

Such varieties include:

• The Emperor is F1. It has a high yield. The heads are dome-like, large in size, have a smooth surface.
• Vitamin. The heads of this variety are green, have an average density and dimensions.
• Vyarus. Vegetables of this sort have small heads with excellent taste qualities, gray-green bubble leaves form a horizontal rosette.
• Corvette F1. Has powerful leaves, large dense head of gray-green color, is not afraid of unfavorable weather conditions. Has many lateral inflorescences, can be frozen.
• Comanche. A very good variety, blooms later than other varieties, is not afraid of low and high temperatures.
• Laser F1. It is characterized by rapid maturation, the heads are dark green, dense.
• Samme King. Excellent variety, suitable for late growing, perfectly tolerates heat.
• Tone. It has excellent taste characteristics.
• Tribute F1. The heads are of medium size, suitable for growing under adverse climatic conditions.

Medium-ripening varieties

In this category, the following varieties of broccoli have proven themselves:

• Atlantic. Has a high stem, a powerful rosette of leaves, large heads.
• Balboa F1. This variety is characterized by a large bright head, excellent taste qualities.
• Genoa. Suitable for compacted planting, differs in domed head with small flower buds.

• Greenbelt. It has a large size and a dense head.
• Green Favor F1. This is an exceptionally high-yielding variety.
• Caesar. A large and dense head of green with a purple hue.
• Arcadia. Has large gray-green heads, perfectly tolerates low temperatures, high-yielding.

Late-ripening varieties

These varieties are less common. Most deserving of attention in this category are the following varieties:

• Lucky F1. A plant with a large head and a very delicate taste.
• Marathon F1. The head is green in large sizes, it has a delicate texture and good taste qualities.
• The Continental. Has a green knobby head of large sizes. Great taste.

Beneficial features

Due to its useful properties of broccoli, it has a curative effect on the human body. The use of this vegetable in food contributes to the removal of slags and heavy metals, and also prevents the accumulation of cholesterol, prevents and treats atherosclerosis, diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, gastrointestinal diseases. All the unique properties of the plant can be used, knowing how to grow broccoli in the country.

Broccoli is a wonderful antioxidant that can kill cancer cells. In addition, by including in the diet this kind of cabbage, which is able to produce serotonin in the body, you will notice a significant increase in vitality and mood.
The use of broccoli has a positive effect on visual acuity, and is also beneficial for people with a disease such as cataract due to beneficial effects on the lens and retina.

Valuable elements and vitamins, present in cabbage, have a beneficial effect on the thyroid, heart, liver, duodenum.
Such useful qualities of this vegetable make many think about how to grow broccoli in the garden.

Composition

This vegetable of the cabbage family consists of 90% of the water. In addition, it contains proteins, fiber, fats, carotene, as well as vitamins of the K, PP, U group and vitamin C.

Broccoli cabbage is rich in minerals - zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron. Like other representatives of the cabbage family, this vegetable has selenium in its composition.

Without even listing all the elements that make up the broccoli, we can conclude that it is of great benefit to the human body.

Cultivating cabbage is not difficult, it is even a novice gardener.

Seed preparation

Before growing broccoli from seeds, they must be prepared, sorted, leaving the largest and full.

Before sowing, they must be heated in hot water for at least 15 minutes. After that, the seeds are placed for one minute in cold water, and then soaked for eight hours in a solution of boric acid, manganese. Suitable and infusion of ash, which should be soaked for 5 hours. After that, the seeds are washed and placed in a refrigerator. After such treatment, they must be dried, and can be sown.

How to grow broccoli?

Broccoli cabbage is not so demanding of growing conditions as cauliflower. In addition, its resistance to diseases and pests is much higher. But a high yield can only be obtained if the soil is thoroughly and deeply cultivated.

Growing seedlings can be started in the middle of spring. Before growing broccoli, it is necessary to prepare the soil. Treated non-acidic soil is good for cabbage. In order to reduce the acidity of the soil, chalk or lime is introduced. In the wooden box fall asleep prepared land, level and compact. Then seeds of cabbage are planted in it. After five to six weeks, the seedlings are planted in the open ground. Since the plant is photophilous, it is necessary to choose not shaded places.

Before planting seedlings in the ground, prepare the holes, the distance between which should be about 40 cm, between the rows are left about half a meter. The wells are watered with water, then seedlings are planted in them, they are filled up with earth and tamped lightly. Preliminary in the holes add mineral fertilizers and ash. After all these simple actions, you will get an excellent harvest of broccoli.

How to grow seedlings right in the garden? To begin to grow cabbage on seedlings this way it is possible in April, covering it with a film. Seedlings of cold cabbage are not terrible, so she will feel comfortable in the street. In addition, after such hardening, the plant is better suited for transplantation and less susceptible to diseases.

How to grow broccoli in a crooked way? Sow cabbage in the ground can be in May and June to a permanent place. To do this, make holes in which they put a few seeds, watered. After the seeds ascend, they leave the best shoots. Harvesting with this method occurs in August-September.

Before growing broccoli in the garden, you need to remember that bad predecessors for it are cabbage, turnip, radish. You can plant in place of legumes, potatoes or carrots.

Many gardeners who are thinking about how to grow broccoli in Siberia, make one major mistake is wrong selection of a variety for this region. For example, when choosing a late-maturing variety, the head is laid when it is already cold and freezing starts. In Siberia, it is necessary to plant broccoli of such varieties in heated greenhouses. Then by the middle of autumn the plant will have strong heads of large sizes.

Care

To get a good harvest, you need to know how to properly grow broccoli and how to care for it. Broccoli needs regular watering and weeding. In the heat it is necessary to spray it with water. In addition, it is necessary to feed the growing cabbage. For the first time it is done 10 days after planting by a dilute mullein with urea. The next top dressing is done after the fruit starts to be tied. Use for this niter. It is more convenient to feed ready-made fertilizers, which can be purchased at the store. In order for the roots of the plant to lack oxygen, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil.

Diseases and pests

Kill the seedlings of cabbage can keel. To avoid this, do not put it on the place of turnip, radish, radish and other types of cabbage.

Fight slugs will help finely crumbled egg shell, which should be scattered around the plants.

You can get rid of caterpillars by planting marigolds where broccoli is grown. The smell of these plants is not tolerated by pests.

To protect cabbage from cruciferous fleas, use ash, pepper, tobacco. But in the hot and dry spring this is not always effective, in this case you need to cover the plants until they are stronger.

When to harvest?

Harvesting takes place in several stages. First, the central head is cut with fully formed but closed buds.

In hot weather, it is necessary to harvest every two or three days, since high temperatures lead to rapid growth and opening of buds. If the weather is cloudy and damp, you can collect cabbage less often - every 7-10 days.

After the main inflorescence was cut off, lateral begin to develop faster. Cut them as you grow.

Gather the cabbage early in the morning, until it wilted on the scorching sun. Harvest, collected in the early summer, is not suitable for long-term storage, so cabbage should be eaten immediately or frozen.

Broccoli, which was collected in October, is stored in the basement or in the refrigerator for two or three months. In addition, when harvesting, there is another important point: torn from the roots of the plant should be left in the garden for a month. With a plant capable of tolerating frost, even removed from the earth, the inflorescence will start, providing one more late harvest.

Cultivation of seeds

In order to collect the seeds, it is necessary to leave one inflorescence of large size. After the plant, it is necessary to look after, hoe and tie it for stability.

When the pods turned yellow, and the seeds became dark, you can cut the testes. Usually this happens in September.

Storage

Store broccoli in the cellar, not breaking off the outer leaves. In the absence of a cellar, the vegetable can be stored for a short time in the refrigerator, placed in an open cellophane bag. Freezing cabbage is not desirable, while losing its taste and benefits.

This vegetable is not exacting in growing and grooming, but at the same time it brings a lot of benefits to our body. Therefore, knowledge of how to grow broccoli in the garden, will be needed for those who want to grow it for their own needs.