Growing Broccoli and Problems

Growing Broccoli and Problems is the continuation of how to grow broccoli. I am also including a few of the problems you can come across with growing broccoli and also a few of the varieties of broccoli.

The soil needs to be prepared about two weeks before transplanting by raking in about 1 pound of 5-10-10 fertilizer for every 25 feet of row. The time to lime the soil is now, if it is strongly acid, and if you didn't add lime to it the previous fall.

Approximately two weeks prior to the last expected frost, set out your hardened seedlings. They need to be placed 1 1/2-2 feet apart in rows that are 3 feet apart. You should protect the plants against cutworms by just surrounding them with paper collars. These collars can be made just by cutting the bottoms out of paper cups. Push each collar about 1 inch into the soil. Water well, and mulch the soil very well.

For a fall crop you can start growing seedlings in late May or in June in a cold frame or sow them in a garden row. The seeds need to be sown 1/2 inch deep; you also want to cover them with a thin layer of soil mixed with sand or even peat moss to prevent crusting. Thin the seedlings so they stand 1 inch apart. When they reach 5 inches tall, you can transplant them into a garden area where you have harvested a root crop, such as carrots or radishes. Fertilize the soil before transplanting the seedlings.

In order to raise a good broccoli crop, you need to water abundantly and have rich soil. Deep and slow waterings during hot, dry periods and thick mulch will ensure a moist soil. At least once during the growing season, pull the mulch aside, and apply approximately 1/2 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer for every 10 feet of row. Return the mulch and water to soak the fertilizer into the soil. Don't dig in the fertilizer; you may injure the shallow root systems of the plants.

A good sign that the plant is nearing maturity will be a thickened cluster growing near the top of a broccoli stalk. This cluster is the plant's main head and it should be harvested before the opening of the floweretts. The stem can now be sliced off about 5 or 6 inches below the head. Side shoots should now produce smaller clusters for at least two months or more.

Problems with Broccoli
The serious diseases of broccoli are clubroot, blackleg and black rot that can be avoided by crop rotation. Clubroot is a weak and yellow plant that has a swollen malformed root. You can combat this problem by raising the soil pH to 7.2 simply by applying hydrated lime, and water transplanted seedlings with quitozene.

Black rot causes the plants to darken and decay, while black lesions on the stem are clear signs of blackleg. Both these diseases affect the seeds. You need to spray the seedlings with maneb or chlorothalonil. Bacillus thuringiensis or cabaryl can be applied if cabbage worms attack.

Varieties of Broccoli
'Green Comet' and 'Sartan Early' are early varieties of broccoli that a very good and 'Waltham 29' and 'Calabrese' are recommended for fall crops.