Brassica oleracea‘italica’ Broccoli

Planting position: Full sun. Ideal for areas with cool winters. Spacing of 60cm between and around plants.
Requires regular watering (less during germination period) and wind-protection. Well-draining, compost-enriched loamy soil and generous layers of mulching. Added 2:3:2 to preparing beds, at a rate of 65g.m ² and apply nitrogen fertiliser to developing plants. Remove the axillary shoots, and 15 cm of the stem, which appear after Harvesting.
Propagate from fungicide dusted seed.
Harvesting is done from 2 -3months after sowing and as soon as the buds are swollen. Cut the heads off with 15cm of the stem, before the opening of the buds.
Pests, diseases and their cures: Aphids and caterpillars - Spray with Malathion. Downy mildew - spray with Dithane. Black leg - soak the soil with mancozeb.

Broccoli is dark green when steamed or boiled, but growing varieties produce heads of green or purple colouring.