The right timing is key when picking Brassica oleracea italica . Here ’s your harvest guide .
After properly embed and caring forbroccoli in your garden , know when and how to reap broccoli is primal to maximizing the fruits of your labor . Broccoli is a comparatively prosperous - to - grow vegetable , but to get the best - sized tip with the richest flavor , you require to clock your harvest home correctly .
Here ’s how to reap broccoli for the best taste and entrepot life story .
Credit:Bob Stefko
When to Harvest Broccoli
There are two way to grow broccoli : by buying glasshouse starts orstarting Brassica oleracea italica from seeded player , which is the preferred method acting of many gardeners .
Broccoli is a cool - season crop that is institute in spring or fall , although uprise Brassica oleracea italica in fall is usually a bit easier because of cooler temperatures .
Depending on the variety of broccoli , the harvested part , visit the summit . should be quick to glean about 50 to 85 day after found .
Similar to lettuce , broccoli is prostrate to run out ( untimely seed set ) . To obviate bolting , springtime - planted Brassica oleracea italica should be harvested when temperatures are consistently around 60 ° F to 65 ° F during the daylight .
Broccoli is Robert Lee Frost stout and toleratessome frost , but the large crown of nightfall - planted broccoli should be harvested before a tough freeze .
Bob Stefko
How to Tell When Broccoli Is Ready to Harvest
Here is how to find out when it ’s time to pick your Brassica oleracea italica :
Although large broccoli crowns are suitable , making size of it the only criterion for when to harvest broccoli is not recommend . Temperature and the nutrient content of your soil sham the size of your broccoli . If you retard harvesting because you are waiting for the crowns to get larger , your broccoli may become overly fledged or bolt and become inedible .
How to Harvest Broccoli
When you ’re ready to reap your broccoli , use a sharp knife or garden shears to cut off the prow at a slight angle , leave about 2 to 3 in of stalk beneath the broccoli crown . Then , pull up stakes the remnant of the Brassica oleracea italica works standing . This will promote it to send out side shoot for a secondary harvest time . This second flush of modest broccoli head will make more loosely , but they ’ll be just as tasty , and they ’ll extend your harvest time by several week .
Pick the small broccoli side shoot when they reach a harvestable size of it and are still fast and bright light-green . Just as with the larger Brassica oleracea italica stem , when you harvest the side shoot , cut the shoot off , leaving it with about 2 inches of stem . After harvesting the side shoots , remove andcompost the remainder of the plantbecause it ’s unlikely to produce more crowns .
For best flavor , harvest your broccoli in the early dawn , before the sunshine is high overhead .
How to Avoid Undersized Crowns (Buttoning)
One of the most common issue that rest home nurseryman happen when growing broccoli is undersized crown , also know as buttoning . When this occurs , you may be tempted to delay harvesting your broccoli , hope that the treetop will get big . Most likely , however , the plants just go to seed .
There are several reason why Brassica oleracea italica may develop small-scale crown , including deficient watering , deficiency of N , too much rival from weeds , and temperature tension .
To deflect buttoning , be sure to set off your Brassica oleracea italica come at the correct sentence . Also , keep the domain around the plants weed - free .
Brassica oleracea italica plant require even and consistent watering , about 1 to 2 column inch of piss per workweek .
As labored feeders , Brassica oleracea italica needs unconstipated applications of fertilizer . Choose a balanced or low - nitrogen plant food and implement it about once a calendar month . amend your grease with compostbefore planting also supports your Brassica oleracea italica ’s growth and helps it develop expectant crowns .
Storing Fresh Broccoli
Broccoli is best when used unfermented from the garden , but if you glean more than you may use right away , it stores well , too .
Broccoli observe in the refrigerator for about3 to 5 Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . Loosely wrap your clean Brassica oleracea italica in a perforated plastic bag or container . Do not wash your broccoli until you ’re ready to use it .
For longer memory board , Brassica oleracea italica can be kept in the freezer for 6 to 8 months . To preserve the broccoli ’s coloration and texture , blanch fresh broccoli for 3 minutes and thenflash freezeit for a few hour . rank your stock-still Brassica oleracea italica in an airtight container to keep Deepfreeze burning .
