Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Botanical Name
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Hardiness
Annual
Height
2 to 3 feet
Width
2 to 3 feet
Flowers
Early to mid summer: yellow
Light
Full sun
Soil
Moist, well-drained
Planting and Care
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Transplant when plants are 4-6 weeks old and have 4-5 sets of true leaves. Space plants 12 to 20 inches apart. Mulch soil to conserve moisture. Use floating row covers to protect young plants from pests.
Harvesting
Check broccoli every few days once the flower buds (the part we eat) form. They quickly go from quarter size to harvest size. Harvest when the head is full size, but before the yellow flowers appear. It is still edible, just not as tasty. Cut the stem 6 to 7 inches below the flower. Leave side shoots that will develop into smaller heads for later harvest.
Problems
Aphids, cabbage worms, flea beetle, slugs, cutworms, cabbage root maggo, clubroot
Varieties to Consider
'Green Comet' - heat tolerant
'Green Goliath' - tolerant of heat and cold, spring or summer planting
'Green Goliath' - tolerant of heat and cold, spring or summer planting