How to plant and care for broccoli for a good harvest

When to plant broccoli

For friendly germination of seeds and normal development of seedlings, the temperature of the soil and air must be at least 15 degrees. Therefore, in most regions, broccoli is planted at the end of May. This culture ripens quite quickly: it takes from 60 to 80 days, depending on the variety. So you can plant it until the end of July.

How to Prepare Broccoli Seeds

To speed up the germination of cabbage, you can resort to a little trick. Soak the seeds for 20 minutes in water at a temperature of about 45 degrees, and then place them in ice for 5 minutes.

If the package says no soaking is required, start sowing immediately. The manufacturer has already treated with a special nutrient.

How to prepare your garden for planting broccoli

Choose a well-lit area that hasn't grown cabbages of any kind in the last 4 years. 2-3 days before sowing, apply 8-10 kg of rotted manure, 1 kg of wood ash and 1 tablespoon of superphosphate for each square meter of beds. Dig up the soil onto the bayonet of a shovel and level the surface with a rake.

How to plant broccoli

Moisten the bed well and start sowing.

Make holes

At a distance of 35-40 cm from each other, dig small holes in the ground 1 cm deep. If you are planning plant cabbage in several rows, the distance between them should be at least 60 cm.

plant broccoli

Put a few seeds in each hole to increase the chances of germination. Sprinkle them with soil and lightly compact the surface of the soil with the palm of your hand.

Wait for shoots

Usually sprouts appear within 4-6 days after sowing. When the broccoli produces two or three true leaves, carefully remove the weaker seedlings, leaving one plant in each hole.

How to care for broccoli

This is the most unpretentious of all types of cabbage.

Water the broccoli

Try to do this every other day, and in the heat - daily. The surface of the soil should always be moist, but you do not need to turn the bed into a swamp. Water broccoli early in the morning or in the evening, at sunset, along the aisles - this way water will not fall on the plants, which will protect them from decay. At least once a week, finish the procedure with light loosening of the soil around cabbageto provide its roots with oxygen. This can be done with a chopper with small teeth or even a regular fork.

Feed Your Broccoli

Fertilize in the morning or evening while the sun is still out so that the cabbage does not get burned. It is necessary to pour nutrient mixtures under the root, trying not to get on the plant itself. Broccoli will only need two feedings.

• When the cabbage has five true leaves, feed its urea at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water.
• As soon as the head begins to form, dilute 2 tablespoons of nitrophosphate and 2 g of boric acid in 10 liters of water.

One plant needs 2 liters of each of the nutrient solutions.

When and how to harvest broccoli

Focus on the ripening dates that were indicated on the package with seeds. It is important not to delay the harvest: if the broccoli blooms, it will greatly worsen it taste. Therefore, as soon as the size of the cabbage suits you, and all of it is covered with green unopened buds, cut off the central head with a sharp knife, capturing about 10 cm of the stem. From the remaining lateral shoots, new heads will develop, which will allow harvesting several times per season.