How to properly grow broccoli outdoors?

Many summer residents fell in love with asparagus cabbage: its inflorescences have an interesting delicate taste and rich chemical composition, and the low calorie content allows them to be included in the diet without fear of harming the figure. The list of advantages of the culture is headed by its unpretentiousness - growing broccoli in the open field will require minimal labor. Its inflorescences ripen quickly. It will be possible to enjoy them when 2 months have passed from the moment the seedlings are placed on the beds. But you should not rush to harvest cabbage bushes from the garden. If, having received the main harvest, you continue to care for broccoli, until the end of the season, numerous new formations will appear on it - small but edible and useful heads.

Preparation of planting material

Sowing seeds of asparagus cabbage can be carried out directly to the beds. But more often it is grown through seedlings. Although this method is more labor intensive, its important advantage is that valuable crops can be harvested faster. You can get viable seedlings in a greenhouse or at home by placing containers with sown broccoli on the windowsill, insulated balcony or loggia.

In order for the seedlings to be friendly and healthy, pre-planting seed preparation is carried out.

1. First, they are placed in water heated to 50 ° C. It may be clean, but it is better to dissolve a little potassium permanganate in it, which will help disinfect the seeds.
2. After 15-20 minutes, they are taken out and immediately placed in a container of cold water, where they are kept for 1 minute.
3. Further, broccoli seeds are treated with special biological preparations - growth stimulants and fungicides. The planting material should lie in the solution prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions for at least 12 hours.
4. Then it is placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. To make planting the seeds easier, they need to be dried. Then they will be well separated from the fingers.

The next stage is soil preparation. Ordinary garden soil is suitable for broccoli, but it is better to add wood ash to it (1-1.5 cups of fertilizer are stirred in 1 bucket of soil). It will provide the seedlings with the nutrients they need and help reduce soil acidity. Professionals advise using a substrate of components mixed in equal amounts for planting broccoli seeds:

• garden land;
• humus;
• peat;
• sand.

The main condition for plant health is loose soil and good drainage. With stagnant moisture, the planting can be destroyed by a black leg.

Getting seedlings

Sowing seeds of asparagus cabbage is carried out in a substrate disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate at the end of March or in early April. At home, it is recommended to plant them in separate containers. This will protect the broccoli root system from damage when the plants are moved outdoors. In addition, in individual pots, seedlings are more powerful and develop better, because they do not have to fight with neighbors for light and nutrients.It will also be easier to care for them: there is no need for thinning and picking seedlings. If a common container is used, then 5 cm is left between the seeds in a row.

Advice

You can plant broccoli seeds that have already hatched into the ground. Use a paper towel or cloth to germinate them. Having well moistened the material with water, sprinkle seeds over it, and then cover it with a plastic bag. It will take 2-3 days, and they can be planted in a pot.

In order for broccoli seeds to germinate, the room temperature is kept between 18-20 ° C. When the seedlings hatch, it is reduced to 8-10 ° C. The seedlings need coolness only in the first week of their development; in the future, the optimum temperature for them is 15-20 ° C. They do not need special care. It is enough to put containers with broccoli seedlings in a bright place and water abundantly, preventing the soil from drying out and waterlogging. At the age of 30–38 days, young asparagus cabbage can be placed in the beds. By this time, she produces 4-5 full leaves.

Broccoli is a cold-resistant crop, its bushes can withstand up to -7 ° C. Therefore, you can plant its seeds immediately in the garden, providing them with greenhouse conditions by covering the beds with film or special material. They will help and protect young asparagus from insect pests. If you sow broccoli seeds in the first decade of April, then by mid-May the seedlings will be sufficiently developed to be placed on a permanent site. In this way, hardened seedlings adapted to outdoor conditions with a higher survival rate are obtained. The shelter is removed from the beds when the seedlings get stronger.

Another way of growing crops is practiced in the Urals - to plant broccoli seeds directly in open ground. This can be done from May to June. Shallow holes are dug at the site with an interval of 50 cm. Several seeds are placed in each, covered with a layer of soil and watered abundantly. When the seedlings hatch, they leave the strongest sprout. The first harvest of broccoli will bring in late summer or early fall, and additional mini-inflorescences can be harvested from it until October.

Landing in the ground

Broccoli is afraid of the bright sun, it is better to plant it in slightly shaded places. It will bring a bountiful harvest on fertile, humus-rich, non-acidic soils with a light porous structure. If the pH is not high enough (from 3 to 6), liming of the soil is carried out. Eggshell powder, chalk or lime will help neutralize acidity. Proper broccoli farming involves maintaining crop rotation. Do not place it in areas where cruciferous vegetables were planted last season. But it will develop well in the soil after potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, and various legumes.

The area where you plan to plant broccoli is best prepared in the fall. It is dug up, applying fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus. Both organic and mineral compositions are suitable for culture: manure, humus, superphosphate, potassium nitrate. It is not critical if there is no way to carry out the autumn preparation of the beds. Top dressing will provide broccoli with the nutrients it needs.

You need to plant asparagus cabbage in deep holes. The soil in them should be well moistened - by 30 cm. Between adjacent holes, leave 30-40 cm of free space. The row spacing should be wide - not less than 45-60 cm. If the soil has not been enriched with fertilizers in advance, ash and humus or compost (1 handful) are thrown into each hole.

Then a seedling extracted from a pot or from a greenhouse, together with an earthen lump, is placed in it. Trying not to bare its roots, they are carefully straightened. Broccoli requires planting at a medium depth - the stem of the plant is immersed in the soil until the first leaves. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in cloudy weather and in the afternoon. Finish it with watering.To facilitate the care of the plantings, the soil under the plants is mulched. A layer of fine straw, dry grass, or wood shavings will help trap moisture, keep plantings from overheating, and stop weeds from growing.

Advice

Broccoli seedlings with a developed root system, consisting of many thin shoots, take root better and are less sick. In height, they should reach 15-20 cm.

After landing

So that the planting of broccoli does not end with the death of young plants, they must be protected from the scorching sunlight. Shelter can be made from old buckets or spruce branches. Artificial shading is left for 7-10 days until the seedlings take root. Caring for asparagus cabbage is simple. Her agricultural technology consists in procedures familiar to all summer residents. The plantings are regularly looked after:

• watered;
• feed;
• weed;
• spud;
• loosen.

The secrets of the high yield of broccoli have been revealed for a long time. Frequent watering and fertilization guarantee success in growing crops. It is better to moisturize plantings in the evening hours. At the stage of formation and development of inflorescences, the procedure is carried out every other day. If the summer is hot and dry, the broccoli bushes are watered daily - in the early morning and evening, when the heat subsides. The rest of the time, one hydration per week is sufficient. Watering the asparagus cabbage needs abundant watering, the soil should be at least 15 cm wet.

Broccoli will need a lot of nutrients for vigorous growth and abundant fruiting. It is advisable to use organic compounds for feeding: infused mullein, chicken droppings. Additional nutrition is provided for asparagus every 14 days. Such care begins from the moment her bushes take root in a new place and start growing. When inflorescences begin to form, they switch to mineral fertilizers. Three components are stirred in 10 liters of water:

• superphosphate (40 g);
• ammonium nitrate (20 g);
• potassium sulfate (10 g).

The resulting composition is watered with plantings at the root. Then the care in the form of dressings is suspended. It is renewed after the main inflorescence is cut from the cabbage. The same mineral preparations are used for fertilization, but in a different proportion. During this period, plants need 3 times more potassium and 2 times less phosphorus and nitrogen. If you continue feeding, the side shoots of the asparagus cabbage will begin to grow actively and it will be possible to harvest an additional crop from it.

Advice

After each watering and fertilization, the soil under the broccoli bushes must be thoroughly loosened.

Harvesting rules

Cut off the asparagus inflorescences when they are green. It is important to closely monitor their condition, as the head quickly overripe, in just 2-3 days. If you miss the moment, it will cover with small buds, which will then turn into yellow flowers. You can no longer eat such a vegetable. First, the main stem of the broccoli is cut. By the time of maturity, its length should reach 10 cm.After its removal, an additional crop can be harvested, formed on the lateral shoots. Not only the broccoli inflorescences themselves are edible, but also the upper part of the stem.

Collecting heads is best done in the morning, as they wither under the influence of sunlight. Broccoli inflorescences that ripen early are not suitable for long-term storage. You can do with them in 2 ways: immediately cook or freeze. A crop harvested in mid-autumn can be stored for up to 3 months. It needs coolness to stay fresh. You will need to put the heads in the refrigerator or basement.

Broccoli has an interesting twist. Even after being removed from the soil, its bushes are capable of forming new ovaries. If, in the process of preparing the garden for winter, pull them out by the roots and leave them in the beds, then after 1 month it will be possible to cut off the last juicy inflorescences from them.

Asparagus has not yet gained great popularity among summer residents, but this culture deserves attention.Eating the flowers regularly is good for your health, and preparing them is quick and easy. Broccoli dishes will add variety to the diet, because there are many recipes for them. It can be boiled, fried, stewed with other vegetables, steamed, used as a filling for pies.

Caring for asparagus cabbage will not take much time. They grow it not only in the garden. At home, you can get inflorescences rich in vitamins all year round by planting seeds in wooden boxes and putting them on a balcony or loggia. Broccoli is almost not afraid of cold weather, in the open field it is rarely affected by pests, it loves damp weather. It is enough just to water and feed the plantings on time, and you can enjoy the fruits of your labors until late autumn.

Broccoli is recommended by many nutritionists. This Mediterranean culture can grow not only at home, but also in the garden, especially since it is incredibly useful - it contains many minerals and vitamins.

How to grow broccoli. Planting and grooming secrets

Features of broccoli cabbage

This culture is known primarily for its anti-cancer and dietary properties, in addition, it stimulates the process of blood formation. Broccoli is especially beneficial for those suffering from diabetes or heart disease, and because of the high fiber and folic acid content, cabbage is also recommended for pregnant women.

Broccoli cabbage - useful properties

Nutritional value and chemical composition

Note! It is believed that even a "lazy" summer resident is able to grow broccoli. The culture is easy to care for, as you yourself will see by reading the instructions and recommendations given in the article. But first, we advise you to find out what the plant is.

Broccoli is a cruciferous crop whose stems can reach 0.8-0.9 m in height. At the top of the stems, many buds are formed - they are edible. Outwardly, the culture resembles cauliflower, but compares favorably with it in that it forms several heads at once.

Growing broccoli in the garden

There are two types of broccoli, consider them.

1. Asparagus... It has a large number of heads of cabbage on thin stems. Edible in this case are just the stems, which are very similar to asparagus (hence the name). Inflorescences can be both green and purple.
2. Calabrian... A fairly large head of cabbage, located on a massive stem. Very similar to cauliflower, only the inflorescences are green. Although there are varieties with white inflorescences.

Types of broccoli cabbage

Broccoli Romanesco

The described culture is considered one of the most unpretentious representatives of the family. She should not be shaded because she loves light. Moreover, too small heads can form due to shading. The acidity of the soil should be between 6.7 and 7.4 pH. Potatoes, onions, pumpkins, carrots, cucumbers, legumes and cereals can act as a precursor to the plant.

Express analysis of soil acidity

Note! If cabbage grew on the site, then over the next four years other plants need to be grown there.

The process of growing broccoli, as already noted, is extremely simple. The culture can be grown even on the windowsill, although this is not what we are talking about now. Today you will learn how to grow broccoli in your vegetable garden.

Stage one. Seed preparation

Sift the dried seeds, leaving only the largest of them for planting. The seed treatment procedure consists of several stages, let's get acquainted with them.

Preparing seeds for planting

Step 1... First, immerse the seeds in water, the temperature of which is about 50 degrees, for 20 minutes, and then in cold water, but for a minute.

Step 2. Submerge the seeds in solutions that contain beneficial trace minerals. In parallel, this will serve as additional protection against various infections.First of all, prepare a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g) and boric acid (0.5 g) by mixing the components with 1 liter of water. Then insist the seeds in the resulting product for 12 hours.

Preparing a solution for soaking seeds

After that, immerse them in another solution prepared in advance (dilute 1 tablespoon of wood ash in 1 liter of water, then leave for 48 hours), and leave for another five to six hours.

Step 3. Rinse them with clean water.

Step 4. Refrigerate for 24 hours.

Step 5. Spread the seeds on a clean cloth to dry out slightly. Never overdry!

Step 6. Everything, now you can plant seeds.

This can be started already in March-April. As for the March seedlings, they need to be picked and planted in a greenhouse, after which - in open soil. You can immediately plant the April one in the garden without resorting to a greenhouse.

Sprouted seedlings

To obtain a harvest throughout the season, seeds for seedlings should be sown in two or three periods, the interval between which should be 12-15 days. Thanks to this, you will be able to harvest until the onset of autumn. In addition, in May, seeds can be planted seedlessly, that is, in open soil, but subject to warm weather.

In the photo, the process of planting seedlings in the ground

Stage two. Seedling

You can grow seedlings in a greenhouse or in small boxes. For this, boxes with a height of 25 cm and dimensions of 30x50 cm are suitable.

Wooden box for seedlings

Prepare the soil for seedlings as follows: mix sand with turf and peat in equal proportions, and sprinkle the resulting mixture in the boxes, having previously laid the drainage there.

The best soil for seedlings

It is also recommended to add a little wood ash to the soil to neutralize acidity and provide all the necessary trace elements.

In the photo, ash for adding to the ground

24 hours before sowing, water the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate to avoid the development of a disease called "black leg". But in the future, it is better not to use potassium permanganate - because of it, the acidity of the soil will increase, which will not "like" broccoli.

You can also use small pots for seedlings.

Seedlings in a honeycomb box

If boxes are still used, then for planting the seeds, make furrows 1-1.5 cm deep in about 3 cm increments.The distance between plants within one furrow should be at least 2.5 cm.After planting, maintain the temperature at 20 degrees , after emergence, reduce it to 15 degrees and maintain it at this level until the very transplant. Water seedlings sparingly, once every two days. Do not overmoisten the soil, because this, again, will lead to the development of a "black leg", while a moisture deficit is dangerous for a bad harvest.

"Blackleg"

Note! If the seedlings grow poorly, you can feed them with a solution of potassium chloride, superphosphate, and nitrate (20 g each for a bucket of water). It is important that feeding is carried out only after the second leaf is formed.

We carry out top dressing after the formation of the second leaf.

Stage three. Dive

Diving, as well as transplanting, the described culture does not tolerate well. Nevertheless, many gardeners still recommend diving broccoli and, if possible, planting it in the soil along with a clod of earth. In the greenhouse, diving can be carried out 14 days after seedling formation. But due to the fact that after picking the growth of crops slows down, the procedure can be performed immediately before transplanting.

Dive broccoli seedlings

You need to dive broccoli in two cases:

• if the seedlings are too thick;
• if the seedlings can already be transplanted, but the air temperature is less than 15 degrees (arrows may form with prolonged cooling).

When diving, the stems descend along the cotyledonous leaves. After 30-40 days, the seedlings can be planted.

Stage four. Transplanting

Prepare the beds in advance.

Preparing the beds

In the fall, carefully dig them up and add humus (one bucket per square meter) or fertilizers listed in the second stage (30-40 g each). If the acidity of the soil is increased, then liming before digging (as an option - you can do this in early spring, a few weeks before sowing). With the onset of spring, add compost (10 l / m2) to the beds.

Compost for soil fertilization

Note! Start replanting in the afternoon, preferably in cloudy weather.

Table. Instructions for planting seedlings

Step 1	Start transplanting when the seedling height is 10-15 cm.
Step 2	Water the soil well, then start transplanting. You should first dig up and fertilize the garden as described above.
Step 3	Dig holes 8 cm deep with a distance of 30-60 cm. The soil should reach the level of the first leaves, but do not cover them. If we are talking about a miniature variety, then the distance between the pits can be up to 30 cm.
Step 4	Monitor soil temperature. Apply a mulch consisting of compost, bark and leaves to keep the soil cool. Pinch off the main root a little to form a good root system afterwards.
Step 5	After planting, thoroughly water the soil with water.

Seedless growing method

In this case, treat the soil in the same way as for seedlings. The seeds are prepared in the same way. Plant in damp and fertilized soil. When the second or third leaf appears, thin out the shoots, after which about 40 cm should remain between the plants.

Stage five. Care features

How to care for broccoli

Water the broccoli daily or every other day, preferably in the evening. Loosen the soil after watering. In hot weather, you can create partial shading, but humidification is more beneficial, so you can place large, low tanks of water next to the beds. In addition, spraying can be carried out using a spray bottle.

Plants may well grow with less watering (even weekly), but the heads in this case will be small, and their taste will be unusual. Various feeding are also useful, one of the possible schemes is given below.

First feeding. It is carried out six to seven days after disembarkation, although it is possible immediately. Urea solution should be used as fertilizer (2 tablespoons per bucket of water - this is enough for about 15 seedlings).

Urea for feeding broccoli

Second. Should be carried out two weeks later with manure diluted with water (1: 4). The resulting mixture is poured under the root.

Third... It is carried out when inflorescences begin to form. It is necessary to use a superphosphate solution (1 tablespoon per bucket of water - this is enough for about 15 plants).

In the photo, the preparation of a urea solution for feeding broccoli

Fourth... Top dressing is applied after the central head is cut.

After each fertilization, carry out hilling and loosening.

Hilling and loosening the soil after fertilization

Although if you cannot carry out four feedings, then nothing terrible will happen, since broccoli is more demanding on moisture than fertilizers.

Stage six. Protection from pests and diseases

Broccoli is quite resistant to these negative factors, and if you followed all the recommendations below, then you have already carried out prophylaxis against a number of diseases. Alternatively, you can use natural remedies. So, if you plant between celery plants, then protect the broccoli from the earthen flea. Dill, in turn, will protect against cabbage aphids, while peppermint will protect against cabbage.

Caterpillar - cabbage

In addition, you can spray the plants with a decoction of tomato tops (3 liters of water per 1 kg).

Tomato tops decoction - cooking

To combat the cruciferous flea, use chemical preparations (for example, "Iskra"), but at least 20 days before the inflorescences are tied.

Video - Features of growing broccoli

Stage seven. Fruit picking

Harvesting Broccoli

You will be able to harvest about three months after planting the seeds, however, the fruits from one plant can be removed throughout the season, since new shoots will grow after cutting.

In the photo there are yellow broccoli sprouts, but you cannot cut them off yet

Collect only green heads. If yellow flowers are observed, it means that the fruits are overripe and unsuitable for consumption.

1. Determine the moment of harvest by inflorescences: if they become loose, then the flowers will bloom the next day.
2. There are more nutrients in dense fruits, even if they need to be boiled longer.

Rules for cutting broccoli

Start harvesting early in the morning when the flowers are juicy. Early fruits can be frozen or stored for several days in the refrigerator, while autumn harvest is suitable for long-term storage in the cellar.

Video - Planting broccoli in the garden

Similar in appearance to cauliflower, broccoli is recognized for its excellent taste, low calorie content and health benefits. Nowadays, many gardeners plant broccoli as the main crop on their land. Broccoli not very whimsical in cultivation and care in the open field, and at the same time it brings a pretty good harvest even in the fleeting, cold summer season.

Features of broccoli cabbage

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The main feature of broccoli is its famous dietary and anti-cancer properties. It also has a positive effect on the formation of blood in the human body. Broccoli is indispensable in the diet of people with diabetes or various heart diseases. And due to its high content of folic acid and fiber, it is recommended for pregnant women.

Remember! Even those people who devote little time to caring for vegetables on the site can easily grow broccoli.

Let us first analyze what constitutes broccoli.Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. Its stems grow to 0.8-0.9 m in height, as seen in Photo, forming a lot of buds at the top - the edible part. Unlike cauliflower, broccoli forms several heads at once.

There are two types of broccoli:

1. Asparagus. It has many heads of cabbage on thin stems that resemble asparagus. The stems are edible. Blooms in green or purple inflorescences.
2. Calabrian. It has a strong stem with a fairly large one head of cabbage. It resembles cauliflower, but blooms in green or white, depending on the variety.

Among the cruciferous family in growing conditions seedling broccoli is considered the simplest and most unpretentious. The main thing is to plant it in places with sufficient light, otherwise too small heads may grow. And the pH of the acidity of the soil should be from 6.7 to 7.4. The predecessors of broccoli cabbage are:

• Cereal crops;
• Legumes;
• Cucumbers;
• Potato;
• Onion;
• Pumpkin.

Remember! You cannot plant broccoli in the place where cabbage has grown for four years.

There are two known planting methods:

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1. From seed;
2. From seedlings.

Each of the methods is good in its own way and is suitable for obtaining a high-quality harvest of broccoli on the land.

Growing from seedlings

Growing from seedlings - a very popular, convenient way to predict the number of the final harvest and to save the maximum of plants during growth.

Prepare broccoli seeds in early spring.To do this, with the appearance of the first warm spring days, the seeds are sorted out, leaving only whole and large specimens. Next, the seeds are planted in boxes. in home conditionsfilled with a neutral or slightly alkaline substrate.

Advice! To make the soil most favorable for seeds - loose, permeable, drainage is placed down the boxes.

Seeds are laid out in pre-prepared small grooves at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. The optimum air temperature in a closed room should be from + 20 ° C and above. It is possible to reduce the temperature after the seedlings emerge, but not less than + 10 ° C.

The planted seeds germinate quickly, so after about 14 days they will need to be transplanted (dived). They are usually transplanted into small peat pots. When the time is right, the broccoli will be planted in the ground along with the pots.

Planting grown cabbage on a garden bed after 30 days after sowing, when 5-6 leaves appear in broccoli seedlings. Planting seedlings in the Moscow region and regions with a cold climate is carried out no earlier than May, when the surface of the earth warms up well.

Watch the video! Sowing broccoli seedlings

Agricultural technology for growing broccoli from seeds

To get rid of the cultivation seedlings and its subsequent transplant, you can immediately plant seeds in open ground. This planting of seeds occurs at the end of April in regions with a warm climate, and on sunny days in May in regions with a cold climate. Seeds are planted to a depth of 2-3 cm in moist soil, then the cabbage will sprout much faster. To get a harvest in regions with a cold climate, for example, in the Urals, it is necessary to buy only early and cold-resistant varieties of cabbage. If you plant cabbage of late harvest varieties in such regions, then it will not be there, since the broccoli will not have time to ripen.

Broccoli care

Growing and caring for a crop such as broccoli is no different from cultivating other types of cabbage. This is an unpretentious crop, but timely watering, fertilizing with fertilizers and regular loosening are necessary.

Watering

To water broccoli must be at least once every seven days. In order for the culture to please with a plentiful, juicy harvest, it is watered not only at the roots, but also along the entire length of the stem, and the leaves are also sprayed.

Top dressing

Fertilization must be carried out at least three times per season:

1. The first feeding is carried out 14 days after planting. seedlings in the garden... In this case, chicken or cow dung is used as organic fertilizers.
2. After several weeks, the second feeding is done with a solution of nitrate (in 10 liters of water, disperse 1 tsp. Of saltpeter).
3. The third feeding follows after the formation of the first inflorescences and it is done with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (nitrophoska - nitrogen 11%, phosphorus 10% and potassium 11% - 50 g per 10 liters of water).

Pests and diseases

Growing broccoli and caring for it can be complicated by pests - lovers of this type of cabbage:

• slugs;
• aphids;
• cabbage butterflies;
• cabbage flies.

Various parts of young cabbage are susceptible to the following diseases:

• blackleg;
• keel;
• rot;
• peronosporosis;
• mosaic.

Important! In the fight against harmful insects, chemical solutions are used. Moreover, they are used only on healthy inflorescences, patients are deliberately removed before processing.

Harvesting rules

Heads of cabbage cabbage broccoli harvested while they are still green. If the inflorescences turn yellow, they are left to obtain seeds from them, since they are no longer suitable for food.

After cutting the head, do not pull the broccoli out of the ground, as new shoots quickly grow from the side sinuses, from which a new crop appears.

It is clear from the article that it is not difficult to get a good harvest when growing such an unpretentious and healthy crop like broccoli.

Watch the video! How to grow broccoli in the country: the secrets of success

Broccoli stands out from the rest of the cabbages for its beauty, exquisite taste, usefulness and demanding character. It is cultivated on all continents, but especially appreciated in Europe. In Russia, the vegetable is only gaining popularity.

Broccoli loves oily, non-acidic soil, mineral nutrition, water and heat, but does not like heat. For a good harvest, the seedlings must be strong, and the varieties must be modern, better hybrid.

Preparing to plant broccoli

To feast on broccoli all summer and fall, and freeze delicious heads for the winter, you will have to tinker with the seedlings. The first seeds are sown at home, in February and March. The next batch is sown in a greenhouse or open ground in April - June. If you sow varieties of different ripening periods at the same time, some of the cabbage will get under the summer heat and will not form heads.

Growing broccoli seedlings allows you to:

• set up a vegetable conveyor;
• grow varieties that are different in terms of ripening;
• protect young plants from cold and pests.

Broccoli seedlings take root after transplanting and quickly catch up, and then overtake cabbage planted with seeds in open ground. Moreover, the latter often lags behind in growth due to damage caused by cruciferous fleas.

It is necessary to choose the right sowing time. The overgrown seedlings will form a small head, which will quickly crumble. Spring seedlings should be 40-50 days old, summer seedlings 30-35 days old. Spring is planted in the garden in early May, summer - in mid-May, when the beds are freed from early crops. Good seedlings have 4-5 leaves, hardened, not elongated.

Broccoli seedlings love good lighting, but prefer a short day regimen. It can be grown in a solar-heated polycarbonate greenhouse - there will be enough heat, light and moisture for delicate plants. In addition, in the greenhouse, young cabbage is protected from cruciferous flea beetles, the malicious pests of seedlings.

Planting broccoli

Strong, hardened seedlings are planted in open ground. Planting is best done in cloudy weather or in the evening. A handful of humus and ash is introduced into the holes.

When transplanting, plants are buried to the cotyledon. With the threat of spring frosts, the garden bed is covered with dense agrofibre.

The distance between plants for early and middle varieties is 45x60 cm. Late varieties form large and powerful leaves, so they need more space - 70x70 cm.

Cabbage is not planted after cabbage. Best Precursors for Broccoli:

• legumes;
• pumpkin;
• onions;
• celery;
• early potatoes.

The broccoli bed can be "diluted":

• cabbage;
• peas;
• onions;
• cucumbers;
• beans;
• beets;
• chicory.

Tomato and celery will keep pests away from broccoli.

Care

Caring for broccoli is almost the same as caring for cauliflower. The plant is in dire need of light and watering. Air must flow to the roots. For this, the topsoil is kept loose. The bed is weeded every week. Plants are spud at least once a season so that additional roots appear on the stem.

Early varieties set heads in 56-60 days, mid-ripening in 65-70. If the summers are cool, the ripening period is lengthened. In the fall, plants that have not had time to grow full-fledged heads can be dug up by the roots and placed in the basement, where they will ripen. With a slight autumn frost, vegetables can be covered with agrofibre or polypropylene bags.

Fertilizers

Broccoli is demanding on the soil. The heads will not be large on sandy soil, but the plants feel great on loam. For culture, fertile, structured, "live" soil is ideal. Such soil does not require digging. On drip irrigation, you can grow heads of record weight on it.

The best fertilizer for broccoli is organic. In the fall, ash and organic matter are introduced into the garden: compost, mowed grass, chicken droppings, fallen leaves. In the spring, organic matter will partially decompose, improving the structure and fertility of the soil.Cabbage does not like sour soil - such soil in the fall needs to be calcified or brought in ashes.

Lime must be done with care. Broccoli needs manganese. If you add a lot of lime to the soil, the element will go into an insoluble form and become inaccessible to plants. When applying ash, such problems do not arise.

So, the soil for broccoli should be fertile, warm, loose, airy, moisture-consuming and moisture-permeable. This is not difficult to achieve if a lot of organic matter is applied for 3-4 years in a row. In medium-fertile soils, they are applied under 10-15 kg of organic matter, on chernozems, 5 kg per square meter. On sandy soils, the organic rate is increased by 1.5 times.

In addition to organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizing will be required. At the beginning of development, the vegetable needs nitrogen and phosphorus, in the middle - in potassium. An excess of phosphorus leads to looseness of the heads, therefore, superphosphate is introduced not for digging, but in the form of dressings.

Cauliflower and broccoli are sensitive to micronutrient deficiencies. With a lack of boron, the apical buds die. Lack of magnesium leads to hollowness of the heads.

Broccoli is a big lover of molybdenum. If it is not enough, the head will not form and the leaves will grow deformed.

In order not to scrupulously select individual macro- and microelements and not to engage in spraying and burying powders into the soil throughout the season, you can add any complex fertilizer to the soil in the fall, for example, nitrophosphate. And micronutrients should be given in the form of foliar dressings, choosing a fertilizer in which they are in an organic (chelated) form.

Watering

Broccoli has shallow roots and large leaves that evaporate a lot of water, so it is moisture-loving. It is desirable that the top 40 cm of soil in the garden bed is moist - then the heads will grow faster. Even a slight overdrying will provoke grinding of the heads and reduce their quality.

The vegetable loves refreshing sprinkling, but not every summer resident can afford to water the cabbage with a hose every day. To save water and time, you can set up a drip irrigation system and mulch the garden with organic matter.

Growing tips

If broccoli fails year after year, you need to find errors in agricultural technology. Here are some typical flaws:

• infertile soil - sandy, not filled with organic matter, with a low humus content;
• outdated varieties;
• seedlings of poor quality;
• early sowing with seeds in the ground, when the temperature has still risen to a sufficiently high level;
• getting seedlings under spring frost - unlike white cabbage, broccoli does not tolerate cold;
• thickening, due to which the heads of cabbage are not tied;
• lack of moisture;
• lack of trace elements, especially molybdenum, which gives the heads density;
• attack of pests and diseases;
• planting seedlings in open ground in an excessively hot and dry period.

Broccoli outgrows quickly - faster than cauliflower. Dense heads become loose, amorphous, or even bloom in 2-3 days. Therefore, they need to be cut off in time, without overexposing in the beds.