Growing broccoli: tips for beginning gardeners

Author: Elena N. https://floristics.info/ru/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=19 Category: Garden plants Published: April 28, 2016Last edits: January 06, 2021

Broccoli, or asparagus cabbage (lat. Brassica oleracea = Brassica sylvestris) is a type of cabbage, an annual vegetable plant of the Brassica family, in which unopened inflorescences are edible, and not leaves, like other subspecies. Broccoli and cauliflower are close relatives, or rather, broccoli is the genetic predecessor of cauliflower. The broccoli plant was bred by hybridization in the 6th-5th centuries BC. e. in the northeastern Mediterranean, and for many centuries broccoli was grown exclusively in the territory of modern Italy. In Italian, the word broccolo means cabbage stalk (brocco - shoot). The earliest mention of broccoli dates back to 1587 - in the French treatise “General History of Plants”. At the beginning of the 18th century, broccoli came to England under the name Italian asparagus; at the same time, attempts were made to grow broccoli in America, but it did not become widespread there at that time. It was only in the 20th century that commercial production of broccoli emerged in California, and since then the United States has been the largest producer of broccoli. Not far behind the United States are India and China, European countries France, Spain and Italy, as well as Turkey and Israel.

Planting and caring for broccoli

• Planting: sowing seeds for seedlings - in the first half of March, planting seedlings in the ground - in mid-May. Sowing is done by conveyor method every 2 weeks until mid-June, but from April the seeds are sown directly into the ground.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• Soil: almost any slightly alkaline or neutral soil.
• Watering: regular and sufficient, on average once a week, but in hot weather water more often. In the evenings in summer, it is advisable to spray the leaves with warm water.
• Feeding: regular: the first time - two weeks after planting the seedlings with a solution of a glass of mullein or chicken manure and a teaspoon of urea in a bucket of water; the second time - after another 2-3 weeks with ammonium nitrate (1 matchbox per bucket of water), the third time - with full mineral fertilizer two to three weeks after the second feeding. Wood ash can be used as an organic fertilizer.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: cabbage whites and cutworms, slugs, snails, aphids, cruciferous flea beetles, cabbage flies.
• Diseases: blackleg, clubroot, alternaria, white rot, white and dry rot, peronospora, mosaic, vascular bacteriosis and fusarium.

Read more about growing broccoli below.

Care

Now, after you have planted the seedlings, the main question is: “How to grow broccoli in open ground?” Caring for this plant is as follows:

• loosening the soil: do not allow a crust to form on it;
• weeding: it is important to remove weeds in a timely manner;
• watering;
• feeding

Two weeks after planting the seedlings, hilling should be carried out. The procedure can be repeated in about a week. Broccoli seedlings planted on site may be exposed to bright sunlight. Therefore, during the midday hours it should be shaded. On dry and hot days, in addition to mandatory watering, it is also recommended to spray the air around the plants. The more often you do this, the higher the quality of the harvest.

Particular attention should be paid to loosening the soil. The tool used for this procedure should not be buried more than 8 cm into the soil. Otherwise, you risk damaging the broccoli root system. Planting and care in open ground also involves regular watering. Typically, the soil near the plant is moistened every 6–7 days. However, if the weather is hot, watering should be done more often. When watering, you should simply moisten the soil. It is also important to remember about spraying. Sometimes such procedures are more important than watering. This is especially true for areas with dense clay soil.

Broccoli - description

Externally, broccoli is the same as cauliflower, only its inflorescences are green, not cream. In the first year of growth, the broccoli stem reaches 60-90 cm in height, and at its top numerous succulent flower stalks are formed, which are crowned with dense groups of green buds collected in a loose small head. This head is eaten without waiting for the flowers to form. If the buds turn yellow, the cabbage is no longer suitable for eating. After the head is cut off, new inflorescences form from the side buds of the broccoli. Thus, cabbage bears fruit for several months.

In recent years, the broccoli vegetable has become no less popular than white cabbage, beets, carrots, red cabbage and other crops traditionally grown in our gardens. We will share with you information on how to grow broccoli from seeds, how to process the seeds before sowing, how to plant broccoli for seedlings, how to grow broccoli seedlings and how to grow broccoli in the garden, as well as what varieties of asparagus cabbage are popular among gardeners and what are the benefits broccoli.

Harvesting broccoli and storing it

Broccoli heads cannot be overgrown - they must be collected green, without waiting for the buds to open and small yellow flowers to appear.
Overripe broccoli is not suitable for food. The central stem is always cut off first when it reaches a length of 10 centimeters. Then the harvest is “pulled up” from the side shoots. The inflorescences are cut off along with the shoot, since the top of the broccoli stem is no less juicy and tasty than the heads.

It is best to harvest broccoli early in the morning so that it does not have time to wither under the scorching sun. Early summer broccoli harvests are not suitable for long-term storage - they will last a maximum of two weeks in a cool room. They are best eaten immediately or frozen. However, late cabbage harvested in October can be stored at zero temperature in the basement or in the refrigerator for 2-3 months.

There is one more nuance in the process of harvesting broccoli: do not rush to put uprooted plants in a compost heap at the end of the summer season; just leave them lying in the garden bed for a month - take advantage of broccoli’s ability to withstand light frosts. Even plants removed from the ground will use their last chance and set small inflorescences, providing you with another very late harvest.

We wish you success and great harvests!

Growing broccoli from seeds

Sowing broccoli seeds - when to sow

Growing broccoli from seeds begins in the first half of March - this is when broccoli seeds are sown for seedlings. You can sow broccoli seeds using a conveyor belt method, at several intervals every two weeks until mid-June, but from the end of April, broccoli is planted directly into the ground without seedlings. Sowing late-ripening varieties of broccoli in areas with short and cool summers is risky - they may not have time to ripen, so in such areas it is better to grow mid-season or early cabbage.

• Sowing watermelons for seedlings and planting in a greenhouse

Growing broccoli seedlings

Before sowing, the seeds are sorted, selecting the largest ones for cultivation, kept in hot water (50 ºC) for 15-20 minutes, and then immediately immersed in cold water. Then the seed material is immersed in Epin’s solution for 12-15 hours, then washed well under running water, kept in the refrigerator for a day and dried until flowable.

Broccoli is planted in a box 25 cm high, on the bottom of which a layer of drainage material is first laid, and then a neutral or slightly alkaline substrate is poured, consisting of turf soil, sand, ash and humus - the soil for broccoli should be loose and permeable to water. In a well-moistened substrate, make grooves 1-1.5 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm from each other, throw seeds into them, seal them and lightly compact the soil.

Broccoli seedlings are grown in the same way as white cabbage seedlings. Before emergence, the temperature in the room where the broccoli seedlings are located should be about 20 ºC, but after emergence it is lowered to 10 ºC for a week, after which the following temperature regime is set: on sunny days - 16 ºC, at night - 9 ºC, cloudy days – 14 ºC. Air humidity should be high, and the soil should be slightly moist all the time. Prolonged waterlogging can lead to seedlings becoming infected with blackleg.

Broccoli pick

When the seedlings are two weeks old, the seedlings are picked. It is best to plant them in peat pots, in which you will then transplant the seedlings into the garden bed. After picking, broccoli seedlings need to be protected from the sun for several days by constructing a paper shelter, and the room temperature should be increased to 21 ºC. When the seedlings take root, feed the seedlings with fertilizers that include microelements such as molybdenum and boron, and keep them at a temperature of 17 ºC during the day and at 9 ºC at night. Two weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, hardening procedures are carried out on them.

Growing through seedlings

So what do you need to know about this? How to plant broccoli in open ground? The best time for planting seedlings is considered to be from early to mid-March. When it comes to choosing a variety, you should definitely take into account the climate of a particular area. For example, in the northern parts of the country, summers are quite cool and short, so it is better not to use late-ripening varieties for planting. In this case, mid-early and early varieties are more suitable.

To avoid surprises in the future, try to purchase broccoli seeds only in specialized stores. It is better to give preference to fresh seed. It costs more, but the result will be excellent.

Planting broccoli in open ground

When to plant broccoli in the ground

Broccoli seedlings are grown at home for 35-45 days until the seedlings develop 5-6 true leaves, after which they are planted in the garden. Usually the time comes in mid-May, but if the soil in the garden has not warmed up enough or there are still frosts at night, you should not rush to plant.

Choose a sunny site for broccoli. The best predecessors for it are green manure, carrots, onions, grains, cucumbers, potatoes and legumes. You should not plant broccoli after any cabbage and vegetables such as beets, radishes, tomatoes, turnips or radishes - after these crops it is permissible to plant broccoli on the site only after four years.

Soil for broccoli

The soil for broccoli should be neutral or slightly alkaline - pH within 6.7-7.4 units. Soil preparation on the site begins in the fall: manure or compost is added for digging at the rate of 4-5 kg ​​per m². If the soil on the site is acidic, add lime to it.

How to plant broccoli in open ground

Broccoli seedlings are planted according to a 35x60 cm pattern on a cloudy day or in the evening. Add 5-10 g of complete mineral fertilizer to each hole, mix it well with the soil, then lower the seedlings into the hole, sprinkle it with soil, compact it and water it. If you are afraid of return frosts, cover the seedlings with film, because at a temperature of -2 ºC they may die.

Growing broccoli in open ground also involves sowing seeds directly into open ground when the threat of return frosts has passed - in early or mid-May. Seeds should be processed before planting, as we have already described in previous sections. When the seedlings appear, they are thinned out to increase the feeding area for the seedlings. If you don’t want to bother with thinning, sow broccoli according to a 30x50 cm pattern.

When to plant broccoli seedlings

First of all, you need to choose the right date for sowing the seeds. When buying a package of seeds, look at what ripening period - early or late - the variety you purchased belongs to. On average, cabbage grows from germination to technical ripeness in 60-90 days.

Taking into account the climatic conditions of your region, by counting down, determine the sowing date. This is approximately mid-March - for the southern regions, for central Russia and the Urals - the end of March - the beginning of April. For more northern regions of Russia and Siberia, it is better to sow seedlings around mid-April.

About a month after germination, when the seedlings reach 3-5 cm, the seedlings are planted in the ground.

Dates for planting broccoli seedlings according to the Lunar calendar in 2019

Followers of planting according to the Lunar calendar should plant seedlings of all types of cabbage on favorable days in 2022:

• March 8-12, 15-17, 27-29;
• 6-13-, 15-18, 24-26, 29,30 April;
• 1-4, 8-10, 12-14, 17, 18, 21-23, 26-31 May;
• June 5, 6, 9-15, 22-25.

On the days of the new moon and full moon, you should generally abandon all manipulations with plants. It is better to make all landings on the waxing Moon.

How to Grow Broccoli

Broccoli care

Growing and caring for broccoli is almost the same as cultivating cauliflower: you will have to loosen the soil in the garden bed, fight weeds, water and feed the cabbage. Twenty days after planting, and then another ten days later, broccoli bushes in the garden are earthed up, loosening the soil in the root zone.

The peculiarity of cabbage seedlings is that at an early stage of development they are afraid of the scorching sun, and you will have to protect them from it by covering them with spruce branches or old buckets. In addition, when the real heat sets in, you will need to not only water the broccoli, but also humidify the air around it - the more often, the better. Loosening of the soil in the root zone of cabbage is carried out to a depth of 8 cm. It is most convenient to loosen the area and weed the broccoli in the country one day after watering.

Watering broccoli

On average, broccoli in open ground is watered once a week, but when the air temperature rises above 25 ºC, it may be necessary to moisten more often - it should be regular and sufficient, but you should not turn the soil in the area into liquid mud. And remember that you can water the plant not only through the roots, but also through the leaves - spray them in the evenings.

Feeding broccoli

Growing and caring for broccoli involves regular feeding of the plant. The first time cabbage is fertilized two weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground with a solution of mullein at the rate of 1 glass of organic matter per bucket of water. A teaspoon of urea should be added to the prepared solution. Instead of mullein, you can use chicken manure by dissolving one part of it in 20 parts of water. If you sowed the seeds directly into the ground, then fertilizers can be applied no earlier than three weeks after the emergence of seedlings.

• Growing vegetable seedlings

The second feeding is carried out with saltpeter 2-3 weeks after the first feeding. Dosage – 1 matchbox of saltpeter per full bucket of water. At the end of summer, broccoli's need for nitrogen decreases, but the need for potassium-phosphorus fertilizers arises. For the third feeding, 40 g of superphosphate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate and 10 g of potassium sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water.

After cutting the central head, fertilizer is applied to stimulate the growth of side shoots: 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water. 1 liter of liquid fertilizer is poured under each bush.

Broccoli is also fed with wood ash, scattering it over the area in the amount of 1 cup per m².

Growing broccoli in the Moscow region

Readers have asked whether broccoli, which grows well in warm areas, can be grown in areas with short, cool summers. The high cold resistance of the crop makes it possible to grow broccoli in areas with cold climates. Broccoli is successfully cultivated in the Moscow region, the Urals and even in Siberia. Moreover, from the more than two hundred varieties of this type of cabbage existing today, you can choose the most cold-resistant forms and hybrids.

The soil

How to plant broccoli in open ground? Here a lot will depend on the soil. Neutral or slightly alkaline soil is considered optimal. The pH level should be between 6.5 and 7.5. Preparing soil for planting seedlings should be done in the fall. You can also do this in the spring, at least a week before the pick. To do this, dig up the ground to the fullest extent and remove all weeds. It is also necessary to add compost or rotted manure to the soil. If the site has highly acidic soil, you need to add lime. 200 grams of the substance are needed per square meter.

The best time to transplant seedlings into open ground is morning. It is preferable to carry out this procedure in cloudy weather. The optimal scheme is 35 by 50–55 cm. Planting should be done in holes. They are dug out several days in advance, and immediately before the procedure, 0.5 liters of water are poured. You can also add 6–7 grams of nitroammophoska. The fertilizer must be mixed with moist soil. After this, the seedlings are placed in the prepared hole. If you used peat humus cups, you can replant directly into them. After transplantation, the plant is sprinkled with soil, compacted and watered again. It is important to monitor weather conditions. If frost is expected, the seedlings must be covered using plastic or glass jars and bottles. Seedlings can die even with slight frost.

Pests and diseases of broccoli

Broccoli pests

Growing broccoli can be complicated by pest control, of which cabbage, unfortunately, has many. Despite its resistance to parasitic insects, it can sometimes be bothered by aphids, cruciferous midges, cabbage flies, white butterflies and cutworms, as well as snails and slugs.

Aphids are a very common pest that can destroy any plant. Colonies of aphids cover the stems, leaves and inflorescences of broccoli, secreting a waxy substance on them. The leaves become discolored, acquire a pinkish tint and curl. Aphids reproduce very quickly - in one season they produce up to 16 generations, which tirelessly carry out their destructive activities.

The cabbage fly is not as dangerous in itself as its larvae, which damage all cabbage plants and vegetables such as radishes, rutabaga and turnips, are dangerous. Moreover, both adult specimens and seedlings suffer from them. The larvae make their way to the roots of plants, eat them and gnaw tunnels in the stems of plants.

The cruciferous flea beetle and its larvae eat holes in cabbage stems, after which the plants dry out and die. In addition to cabbage plants, these flea beetles also damage horseradish, watercress, daikon and turnips.

The cabbage white butterfly, or cabbage butterfly, lays eggs on the ground parts of cruciferous crops, from which caterpillars emerge that eat the leaves of the plants mainly at the edges.

The cabbage cutworm is a nocturnal moth whose caterpillars damage almost all types of cabbage, as well as onions, lettuce and peas.

Slugs and snails eat the leaves of large cabbage plants, leaving holes in them, and destroy small bushes completely.

Broccoli processing

You can get rid of aphids in various ways: if there are only a few of them, simply crush them on the cabbage leaves, but if the number of aphids is significant, treat the broccoli with an infusion of potato tops or an ash-soap solution. If spraying with plant insecticides does not help, you can always purchase preparations such as Iskra-bio or Actellik, for example, and use them to treat plants according to the instructions.

The cabbage fly is destroyed by spraying broccoli with one percent solutions of Ambush or Rovikurt; Corsair and Anometrine also cope well with the problem.

The cruciferous flea beetle can be repelled with tansy or celandine powder, scattering them between the rows. In advanced cases, you will have to turn to one percent solutions of Actellik or Foxim.

• Iberis: growing from seeds, planting and care

Treatment of broccoli with Ambush, Belofos, Talkord, Anometrine, Rovikurt, Foxim and other similar drugs is effective against cabbage and cutworms in accordance with the instructions.

Broccoli is protected from slugs and snails using agrotechnical methods: make grooves around the perimeter of the bed, pour one of these powders on their bottom: lime, tobacco dust, ground hot pepper or wood ash - this will become an insurmountable barrier for gastropods on the way to the area with cabbage.

In addition to the described pests, under certain conditions, broccoli can be affected by boletus, wavy and black flea beetles, harmful centipede, cabbage moth, cabbage moth, cabbage and rapeseed bugs, root and rapeseed bugs, mole crickets, cutworms, winter and gamma, rapeseed flower beetle, tobacco thrips and dark nutcracker.

The use of chemical and biological preparations is justified only in cases of massive insect infestation, when it is urgently necessary to save the crop. How to grow broccoli without using products harmful to plants and the environment to protect it? The main thing is compliance with the agricultural technology of the crop, as well as strict implementation of care measures that cannot be neglected: pre-sowing treatment of soil and seeds, weeding throughout the season, mandatory autumn digging of the site, removal of plant residues from the bed at the end of the season.

Benefits and nutritional value

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of a Mediterranean product

Broccoli is a dietary product; its calorie content is 34 kcal/100g. Vegetables are a real “vitamin-mineral cocktail” for the body, which contains macro- and microelements, vitamins B, PP, E, C, K, carotene (provitamin A). Proteins contain a number of essential amino acids, for which broccoli can compete with beef and chicken eggs. The main % comes from simple carbohydrates or sugars.

In terms of benefits and diverse chemical composition, broccoli occupies a leading position compared to its closest cabbage relatives. Used in baby food, useful for older people.

This is a means for the prevention and treatment of:

• atherosclerosis;
• vascular and heart diseases;
• nervous disorders;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• malignant neoplasms;
• radiation sickness.

Broccoli has an excellent taste, reminiscent of green asparagus. Hence its second name – asparagus cabbage. And young leaves are not inferior in nutritional value to spinach and kale.

Broccoli has been part of the traditional Italian diet for 1.5 thousand years. A European eats up to 5 kg of healthy vegetables per year. There has been an increased demand for this variety of cabbage all over the world. In terms of consumption, it is only a fraction of a percent inferior to everyone’s favorite – white cabbage.

Broccoli diseases

Growing broccoli in open ground is sometimes complicated by the crop's susceptibility to diseases such as blackleg, clubroot, Alternaria, white rot, white and dry rot, downy mildew, mosaic, vascular bacteriosis and fusarium.

Blackleg is a disease that primarily affects broccoli seedlings, softening the necks of the seedlings, causing them to turn black, and their stems become thinner and lie down.

Ways to fight. Caring for seedlings involves timely thinning of seedlings. It is very important not to allow the soil to become waterlogged. Diseased plants must be removed, and the soil should be spilled with a pink solution of potassium permanganate (3-4 g of potassium permanganate per 10 liters of water), after which the seedlings should not be watered for a week. For preventive purposes, plants are sprayed with Fitosporin, Baktofit, Fitolavin-300 or Planriz.

Clubroot forms oval or spherical growths on broccoli, which become brown and begin to rot as the disease progresses. Specimens affected by clubroot begin to wither and look underdeveloped.

Ways to fight. You will not be able to cure diseased plants, but you can prevent infection of future crops: plant nightshade crops (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, physalis or peppers) in the area after broccoli, and in three years they will clear the soil of clubroot pathogens, and onions, chard, garlic, spinach and beets will do this in two years.

Belle forms a coating similar to spots of oil paint on the stalks, leaves, stems and seeds of diseased plants. As the disease progresses, these parts become brown and dry, and the leaves swell and bend.

Ways to fight. Diseased bushes should be removed immediately, and the remaining plants should be treated with copper-containing preparations. A preventive measure is compliance with crop rotation, as well as weed control.

Alternaria blight appears as small brown necrotic spots on the above-ground parts of broccoli. Over time, they grow and transform into concentric brown spots covered with fungal spores. The disease is transmitted by insect pests.

Ways to fight. Before sowing, warm the seeds for 20 minutes in hot water, as described above. Observe the agrotechnical conditions of the crop - weed the beds and remove plant debris from them in the fall.

Downy mildew, or downy mildew, covers broccoli leaves with yellowish spots, on which a white coating forms from the bottom of the leaf blades.

Ways to fight. As a preventive measure, carry out pre-sowing treatment of seeds, and pollinate the affected seedlings three times at weekly intervals with wood ash, ground sulfur or a mixture of lime and sulfur. In case of severe damage, treat the broccoli with a solution of one ampoule of Topaz in 10 liters of water.

White rot manifests itself on broccoli in different ways: cobwebs on the underside of the leaf blade, rotting of the stems. The most common source of infection is acidic soil, oversaturated with nitrogen, and infection usually occurs in cool weather.

Ways to fight. To combat the disease, plants are treated with preparations containing copper, and prevention involves observing crop rotation, liming acidic soils, timely weeding and removing plant debris from the site.

Dry rot is identified by pale spots with black dots on the leaves of broccoli, and the stem behaves in the same way as with blackleg disease - plant growth slows down, their tissues are destroyed, and dry areas form on them.

Ways to fight. The same measures are effective against dry rot as for downy mildew in broccoli.

The mosaic first appears as barely noticeable spots on the interveinal area. As the disease progresses, the leaves become deformed, a dark green border appears on them, and the leaf blade becomes covered with light-colored necrotic spots.

Ways to fight. It is useless to treat viral diseases; affected specimens should be immediately dug up and burned. As a preventative measure, regularly remove weeds from the garden bed and prevent aphids or other harmful insects that carry mosaic pathogens from settling on the broccoli.

Vascular bacteriosis can be identified by the yellowing edges of the leaves, which gradually become parchment-like to the touch, the veins on the leaves darken, and the affected parts of the plants die.

Ways to fight. Treat broccoli with biological preparations Planriz or Trichodermin as written in the instructions. Warm up the seeds before sowing, observe crop rotation and do not leave leftover broccoli on the plot until spring.

Fusarium wilt, or tracheomycosis, turns broccoli leaves yellow-green, sometimes on only one side. Leaves become lethargic, develop unevenly, become deformed and fall off.

Ways to fight. An effective measure is to treat broccoli with fungicides from the group of benzimidazoles, and as a preventive measure, it is necessary to adhere to agricultural practices and immediately remove diseased specimens from the garden with their subsequent destruction.

Growing broccoli in open ground if not properly cared for will almost certainly be complicated by some of the diseases described above, but caring for broccoli is not that difficult, and following the rules for cultivating this crop can save you not only from broccoli diseases, but also from its pests.

Growing

Caring for broccoli when grown in a greenhouse and in open ground is the same. In the greenhouse, you need to monitor the temperature and humidity - no higher than 80% and 20 ° C, since high humidity, especially combined with heat, provokes the development of diseases, and its lack has a bad effect on the growth and development of plants.

When growing in open ground, it is advisable to shade the plants on very hot days with the scorching sun, and even better to humidify the air; To do this, containers with water, low and wide, are placed near the plantings (so that there is a larger area for moisture evaporation). You can also spray the plants.

Adult broccoli tolerates short drops in temperature (down to -5°C), but long-term hypothermia leads to the appearance of shoots.

Watering

Broccoli requires watering depending on the dryness of the soil - it should be moderately moist, but not turn into liquid mud. In hot weather it may be required every day. It is better to water in the evenings and loosen after that. If watering is carried out, for example, once a week, then the broccoli will grow, but the taste and size of the inflorescences will not be up to par.

Feeding

Fertilizing is very useful for broccoli, although sufficient moisture is still more important for it. You can alternate mineral and organic fertilizers.

By the appearance of cabbage, you can understand what substances it lacks: when there is little nitrogen in the soil, the plant grows slowly, and the lower leaves turn yellow and wither, and if there is a deficiency of potassium, then the leaves become bronze or red in color, their edges dry out, heads of cabbage begin to divided into separate inflorescences.

Healthy broccoli - with leaves that are the color of the variety and florets that fit tightly together

Variant of fertilizer application scheme:

1. The first fertilizing is done about a week after planting the seeds for seedlings or in open ground. For it, urea diluted in water is used (2 tablespoons per 10 liters for 10–15 seedlings).
2. The plants are fertilized a second time after 2 weeks with slurry. It is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4, and the mixture is poured under the roots.
3. The third feeding is done when the inflorescences begin to appear. Use super- or nitrophosphate (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water for 5–10 plants).
4. Fertilizer is applied a fourth time after the central head of the broccoli has been cut. Organic fertilizer is better.

If you can’t feed broccoli 4 times a season, then you can do it at least twice. In this case, you can do without organic fertilizers and use ammonium nitrate (15 g per 1 m2) and potassium nitrate (40 g per 1 m2).

After each application of fertilizers, the soil is loosened and the plants are hilled up.

Video: growing broccoli

Pests and diseases

In general, broccoli is more disease resistant than other types. But in the presence of negative factors and poor care, it is affected by the same diseases and pests.

Cabbage (cruciferous) flea beetles

There are several varieties of this pest; In Russia, black-yellow flea beetles measuring 2–3 mm are usually found. They wake up when the snow melts and before planting the cabbage in the beds, they feed on other cruciferous plants. They are dangerous because they chew holes in broccoli leaves.

The cruciferous flea beetle has yellow stripes on its wings

Prevention and traditional methods of struggle:

• weed cruciferous weeds;
• Cover broccoli sprouts with sand immediately after they emerge;
• sprinkle the plants with ash, tobacco with lime, lime dust - this repels fleas;
• in dry weather, spray the broccoli with a vinegar solution (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water).

For the chemical destruction of cruciferous flea beetles, the following drugs are used:

• Aktellik;
• Bankol;
• Karate;
• Decis.

Cabbage aphid

These pests feed on the juices of cabbage leaves, which causes them to curl and wilt. They lay eggs on weeds in the fall and hatch into larvae in the spring. They are similar to adults, only slightly smaller in size. Adult insects look different - wingless females are white or grayish, 1.9–2.3 mm, winged ones are brown and yellow, 2.15 mm.

Female aphids reproduce by parthogenesis (without the participation of a male) and are already born with “pregnant” eggs.

Prevention and traditional methods of struggle:

• in the fall, remove from the beds all weeds and cabbage remains that should be burned;
• plant plants of the umbrella family in cabbage beds - they attract insects that destroy aphids;

  
  Ladybugs are natural enemies of aphids

• Wipe broccoli leaves with soapy water;
• wipe or spray the plants with infusion of garlic, onion, tobacco, potato or tomato tops.

Chemicals against aphids:

• Decis;
• Karbofos;
• Spark - Double effect.

Cabbage fly

Its larvae eat the roots and stems of cabbage. They are white in color and up to 8 mm in size. The cabbage fly is similar to the common fly, but lighter (gray) and smaller (6 mm).

Prevention and traditional methods of struggle:

• dig the beds deeply in the fall so that the larvae in the ground die;
• you can change the top layer of soil (10 cm) to another soil;
• remove weeds;
• spring cabbage fly lays eggs during cherry blossoms; At this time, you can cover the ground around the broccoli with paper with a hole for the stem. Then the fly will not be able to lay eggs in the ground, and, accordingly, the larvae will not destroy the plants;
• Every week, sprinkle the broccoli and the soil around it with ash, hot ground pepper, and mustard powder.

Chemicals to combat cabbage fly:

• a mixture of DDT and hexachlorane dusts;
• thiophos emulsion;
• chlorophos solution.

Cabbage leaf beetle

The larvae of this pest eat the leaves of cabbage and other cruciferous plants. Adult beetles are green and reach 3–4 mm. They love high humidity.

Leaf beetles are beautiful, but very dangerous beetles for plants.

Prevention and traditional methods of struggle:

• weed cruciferous weeds, destroy the remains of plants of this family;
• sprinkle the plants with tobacco dust with ash or slaked lime;
• spray the plants with a solution of vinegar and salt (mix 1 tbsp of 9% vinegar with 10 liters of water and 400 g of salt). This remedy also helps against other pests;
• Beetles can be collected by hand and glue traps can be placed on the beds to catch them.

For chemical treatment against beetles, universal insecticides are used:

• Aktara;
• Decis;
• Karate.

Cabbage scoop

Gray-brown moth. What is dangerous for cabbage is its caterpillars (depending on age, they are green or brown and yellow), which can gnaw passages in the cabbage and contaminate it with waste products.

In addition to the cutworm, there is another butterfly that harms broccoli - the cabbage white.

For prevention, in the fall, the beds are dug up so that the butterfly pupae are destroyed. The emerging caterpillars are collected by hand early in the morning or in cloudy weather.

There are insects that help in the fight against butterfly pests. Trichogramma (egg-eating riders) destroy their eggs.

Chemicals against cabbage cutworm:

• Phosbecide;
• Karbofos;
• Diazinon.

Slugs

These pests destroy not only cabbage, but also other cultivated plants. Prevention and control methods:

• clear the area of ​​grass and debris, do not allow waterlogging and puddles to appear - slugs love shelter and water;
• sprinkle the soil with coarse sand, grated eggshells, and fine gravel to make it difficult for pests to move;
• sprinkle plants and row spaces with ash and lime;
• For chemical treatment, the pesticide metaldehyde is used.

Toads and hedgehogs eat slugs.

Kila

A common cabbage disease. When clubroot occurs, swellings resembling bubbles appear on the roots of plants. As a result, the plant turns yellow, withers and dies. Most often, the disease manifests itself in acidic, moist soils.

Clubroot on cabbage roots usually develops in acidic soils

The fight consists of liming the soil (300–400 g of lime per 1 m2 of soil). Also, when a disease occurs, feeding is increased. If the plants are sick, then no types of cabbage should be planted in this place for the next 5 years.

Mucous bacteriosis

With this disease, the cabbage turns yellow, becomes covered with mucus, and a rotten smell appears. The heads fall off before ripening. To protect against bacteriosis, it is necessary to properly care for broccoli and fight pests, in particular cabbage flies, which spread rotting bacteria. During development, the plants are sprinkled with ash. If the disease appears, you can apply watering with potassium permanganate, but you should not overuse it, because the beneficial microflora of the soil will also die.

Downy mildew

A fungal disease of seedlings that causes spots on the leaves. They are small, yellowish in color, covered with a grayish powdery coating. The disease often develops with high humidity and watering with cold water.

To avoid disease, you should properly prepare the seeds for planting, as well as provide optimal conditions for seedlings. When downy mildew appears, young plants are sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate and soap (1 tablespoon of sulfate and 1 tablespoon of liquid, preferably tar, soap per 10 liters of water). Repeat spraying 3 weeks after planting in the ground.

Ash and sulfur also help against downy mildew

Blackleg

The disease also affects seedlings, not only cabbage, but also other vegetable crops. With this disease, the stem near the ground turns black and thins; as a result, the plant dies. Most often, “black leg” occurs from waterlogging.

If the disease appears, then carefully, so as not to damage the roots of the plant, remove the soil from under them and replace it with a layer (1.5–2 cm) of sand or ash. After this, the cabbage is watered with a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate. Next, watering is done very moderately, also using a weak solution of potassium permanganate (pale pink). If the disease occurs systematically, chemical disinfection of the soil is carried out.

Vascular bacteriosis

The disease affects all cruciferous plants. It usually appears 2–3 weeks after transplanting seedlings into open ground. Characteristic features of the disease are rapid yellowing of cabbage leaves, which begins at the edges, as well as blackening of the veins (vessels) of the leaves. Affected plants are stunted in growth, young ones die. In winter, such cabbage is poorly stored and rots.

Prevention measures:

• pre-planting seed treatment (you cannot take seeds from diseased plants);
• control of pests that carry bacteria;
• weeding;
• deep digging of beds in the fall and their disinfection if there were sick plants;
• crop rotation (you cannot plant cabbage in the same place again for 4 years);
• before planting, you can add the drug trichodermin to the soil (1 tablespoon per 1 m2 to a depth of 1–2 cm);
• seedlings are sprayed with copper-based preparations when 2–3 true leaves appear.

Sick seedlings cannot be planted; they are destroyed.

The vessels of a plant infected with bacteriosis turn black

Bacterial spot

With this disease, spots appear on the leaves. At first they resemble watery dots, which over time grow and become brown or purple in color. Some spots can reach 3 mm. Often they merge with each other. Severely affected leaves die. Spotting can also appear on inflorescences (gray and brown spots), stems, and leaf petioles.

Prevention measures are standard - proper preparation of soil and seeds, good care. To combat the disease, the same methods are used as for vascular bacteriosis. In areas where diseased plants grew, the soil is disinfected.

Seeds from cabbage affected by leaf spot are unsuitable for planting.

General preventive measures

There are rules that must be followed in any case to make broccoli more resistant to diseases and pests:

• do not plant broccoli after other cruciferous plants;
• lime the soil;
• weed;
• avoid too dense plantings;
• do not plant broccoli in the shade;
• avoid drying out or waterlogging the soil;
• burn dead plants.

Photo gallery: plants that protect against pests

Celery planted between cabbage seedlings will protect it from whiteweed and flea beetle.

Dill planted in a cabbage bed will repel cabbage aphids

Peppermint repels cabbage caterpillars and whiteflies

Parsley repels slugs and snails

Tomato protects neighboring plants from cabbage flea beetles, leaf beetles and aphids

Garlic feathers protect against moths, aphids, cruciferous flea beetle

Types and varieties of broccoli

Broccoli is superior to our beloved cauliflower in many ways:

• she is not afraid of cold weather;
• it is quite resistant to pests;
• broccoli has high yield and remontant ability;
• it is undemanding to growing conditions;
• In addition to broccoli inflorescences, you can also eat its young shoots up to 15 cm long.

Broccoli is found in two varieties: the familiar calabrese form with a dense inflorescence on a thick stem and Italian, or asparagus broccoli, which forms many stems with small inflorescence heads. And in total, as we have already written, there are about 200 varieties of broccoli. According to the ripening period, varieties are divided into early, mid-ripening and late. We offer you the best varieties of broccoli that you can grow on your site.

The most popular early ripening varieties are:

• Tonus is one of the most delicious and productive varieties of broccoli, ripening from 70 to 90 days, with a large dark green head of medium density weighing up to 200 g. After cutting the central inflorescence, lateral shoots weighing 50-70 g quickly grow;
• Broccoli F1 is a medium-yielding hybrid with a large, medium-density malachite green head. This cabbage is consumed both fresh and processed;
• Linda – This medium-height broccoli variety matures in 95 days. The average weight of the head is 300-400 g, the lateral shoots reach 70 g. The Linda variety is used for fresh eating, canning and freezing;
• Vitamin-rich - this broccoli will ripen from 72 to 90 days, it has a dense dark green central head weighing from 130 to 250 g. One and a half to two weeks after cutting the central head, lateral inflorescences with a diameter of 4-5 cm grow;
• Curly head is a variety resistant to major diseases and unfavorable climatic conditions with a dense green head weighing up to 600 g, ripening in 80-95 days. After cutting the main inflorescence, cabbage of this variety quickly forms many lateral heads. The variety is suitable for long-term storage.

In addition to those described, you can try to grow such early varieties of broccoli on your site as Summer King, Comanche, Green Sprouting, Vyarus, as well as hybrids Emperor, Corvette, Laser, Tribute and Fiesta.

The best mid-season broccoli:

• Senshi is a tall variety that ripens in approximately 110 days with a large, hard, dome-shaped head of dark green color, suitable for long-term storage;
• Compacta is a compact variety that ripens approximately 100 days after sowing, with a dome-shaped central head of dark green color. The variety is suitable for dense planting;
• Calabrese - this variety of cabbage ripens within 90 days. The heads of broccoli of this variety are medium dense, dark green in color, weighing up to 400 g, 6-7 side heads reach a weight of 100 g;
• Greenia is an extremely productive variety, forming a rosette of leaves up to 60 cm high and a central head weighing up to 300 g;
• Atlantic - the height of the stem of this variety is 50-60 cm, the heads are large and dense - the central one weighs up to 400 g.

Varieties and hybrids of mid-season broccoli Arcadia, Balboa, Genoa, Greenbelt, Gnome, Green Favorite, Monton, Fortuna and Caesar are also popular in cultivation.

Late broccoli is represented by the following varieties:

• hybrid Lucky - a variety with a large and dense central head weighing up to half a kilogram, green color and delicate structure;
• the Monterrey hybrid is a productive variety with a large central head weighing up to 500 g, but this broccoli does not produce lateral shoots;
• Continental - the central head of this variety is also dense and large - reaches a weight of 500 g;
• hybrid Marathon - these plants have a raised rosette of leaves, the central head is dense, green, with a delicate texture, weighing up to 700 g.

Features of broccoli that you should pay attention to

• Broccoli, like any other cabbage, is light-loving and moisture-loving. The optimal soil moisture for growing it is 70%, and air humidity is 85%.
• Broccoli tolerates heat and frost better than cauliflower. It can withstand frosts from -4 to -7°C. But broccoli does best at moderate temperatures between 16 and 20°C.
• Broccoli grows side shoots from its axils very quickly, so you should not pull the plant out of the ground after cutting off the central head. You will collect additional harvest from the side shoots.
• Unlike cauliflower, broccoli heads do not need to be shaded.
• Broccoli grows well on a balcony or loggia.

Properties of broccoli - harm and benefit

Beneficial properties of broccoli

Since ancient Rome, broccoli has been considered the queen of cabbage due to its beneficial properties. It contains B vitamins, vitamins E, A, PP, K, C and U. Broccoli contains even more vitamin C than lemons and oranges, and vitamin U, which is no less in broccoli than in asparagus, is excellent promotes healing of ulcers. In addition to vitamins, broccoli contains macro- and microelements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium and copper.

Broccoli is rich in beta-carotene, chlorophyll, fiber, amino acids, protein containing isoleucine and lysine, as well as choline and methionine, which prevent the accumulation of cholesterol in the body.

All these vitamins and elements are vital for humans, and in broccoli they are found in the most digestible form for the body. The undoubted benefit of broccoli is that it is an indispensable product for diabetics, since its components normalize insulin levels in the body and protect the walls of blood vessels from damage resulting from high blood sugar. Doctors advise people who have suffered from radiation or live in areas with high background radiation to regularly eat broccoli, as it has the ability to remove toxins, heavy metal ions and free radicals from the body.

Broccoli also helps relieve swelling that accompanies cellulite, and if you include this tasty and healthy product in your diet, your skin will gradually become smooth and toned.

As a result of recent medical research, scientists have found that broccoli, due to the content of sulforaphane, which inhibits the development of cancer cells, is very effective in the fight against diseases such as skin, breast and ovarian cancer, bladder and prostate cancer. This valuable substance is contained not in the inflorescence, but in the shoots and stems of broccoli. In those patients who ate broccoli at least twice a day, tumor growth stopped.

Broccoli - contraindications

Do not use broccoli when preparing vegetable broths, since when cabbage is cooked, substances adenine and guanine that are harmful to humans are released into the water. In addition, prolonged boiling, as well as baking in a microwave oven, destroys most of the beneficial substances contained in broccoli. It is not recommended to fry cabbage in a large amount of fat over high heat, since carcinogens are formed during the frying process, and this makes the product that is supposed to heal become harmful.

In order not to harm yourself from broccoli, it is necessary to eat it fresh or properly prepare it, however, people with high stomach acidity or impaired pancreatic function are not recommended to eat it at all. Postoperative patients also need to be very careful when including broccoli in their diet, since during this period, raw vegetables containing coarse fiber may be too heavy for the body. For those who are healthy but want to become even healthier, we offer several healthy and tasty broccoli dishes.

Casserole. Boil 200 g of broccoli in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain in a colander and dry. 200 g of ham cut into strips. Whip 100 g of cream with egg white. The mold is greased with vegetable oil, broccoli is placed in it, ham is placed on top of it, everything is filled with whipped egg whites, salt to taste, sprinkled with any herbs and grated cheese in the amount of 100 g and baked in the oven at 180 ºC.

Broccoli soup. 400 g of the product is washed, the head is disassembled into small inflorescences and boiled for 2-3 minutes in salted boiling water with any spices. Separately, 30 g of almonds are poured with boiling water for 20 minutes, then peeled, ground in a blender, boiled broccoli is added to the almonds and, gradually pouring in the broth left over from cooking the broccoli, grind the mixture to a puree consistency, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and 10 g walnut oil. Before serving, sprinkle the soup with sesame seeds.

How to cook broccoli to preserve its beneficial properties

To preserve the beneficial properties of broccoli, it should be cooked properly.

Raw broccoli can be added to any salad, thus retaining all its nutritional properties. During heat treatment, some substances, especially vitamin C, are destroyed and there is less of them. To minimize the loss of nutrients, try to prepare dishes from it correctly.

• Cook fresh cabbage for 3-4 minutes, frozen cabbage for 5-6 minutes after placing it in boiling water. After cooking, blanch by draining it in a colander and rinsing with cold water;
• Steam the cabbage for 5-7 minutes, then it will turn out juicy and crispy;
• Make casseroles from cabbage alone, sprinkled with oil, or in combination with other vegetables, cottage cheese with various toppings.

Have a good harvest!

Botanical description

Broccoli (cavolo broccolis) is from the Brassica family. What does broccoli look like? The height of the plant varies from 30 to 70 centimeters. It has fleshy, shortened flowering shoots. As a result of selection, the flowers of this cabbage stopped producing seeds and many flower buds turned into tender breasts of bright green color; it is this part of the plant that is used in cooking. The broccoli leaf has a lobed-wavy shape, and the root system is branched. Fruiting time, depending on the region, is late June - early September.

Characteristics

First of all, it is necessary to note the taste qualities of this plant. The name “asparagus cabbage” is absolutely justified, since when cooked, broccoli tastes like asparagus. It is worth noting that broccoli tastes superior to cauliflower and is versatile in preparation. Broccoli can serve as an excellent side dish for meat, fish, poultry, egg and cheese dishes, and is good as a puree and in first courses.

In addition to taste, broccoli boasts a rich composition of vitamins, macro- and microelements.

It contains:

Physical characteristics: the plant is cold-resistant, loves moisture.

Early ripening

Early ripening varieties are considered to be broccoli varieties, the ripening period of which is 60 - 70 days.

Mid-season

Varieties whose ripening period begins on the 70th - 90th day of planting are considered mid-season.

Late ripening

Varieties that ripen after 90 days of planting are classified as late-ripening.

Red and stem broccoli

Broccoli is divided into three subspecies: classic, stem and red.

Red broccoli is a frost-resistant hybrid, distinguished by the unusual color of its inflorescences - brown. Belongs to late-ripening varieties.

Broccoli Purple Queen

Stem broccoli, also called Italian, is characterized by elongated stems on which small inflorescences form. This species is mid-season and suitable for freezing in cooking.

Broccoli asparagus cabbage

Popular varieties of classic broccoli

There are many varieties of broccoli, they differ from each other in their appearance and gastronomic properties.

Linda

Linda broccoli
This variety of broccoli is mid-season, harvesting occurs 80 days after planting. The mass of the head of cabbage in the aisles is 300 - 400 grams, the fruit inflorescences are dense, not too prominent. The Linda variety is characterized by high taste and has long established itself on the market as one of the best.

Dwarf

Broccoli cabbage Gnome The
Gnome variety is a mid-season variety; ripening occurs 75 - 80 days after planting. The heads of cabbage are quite weighty, the weight of one is from 400 to 600 grams. The inflorescences are almost the same size and have a bright green color. The taste of this variety is excellent. Any type of cooking is suitable.

Fortune

Broccoli cabbage Fortuna
Fortuna is a late-ripening variety; harvesting occurs 90 - 100 days after planting. Valued by gardeners for its unpretentiousness and frost resistance. The head of cabbage weighs 300 - 500 grams, the fruitful inflorescence is bright emerald in color. Gastronomic indicators are high.

Emperor

The variety is distinguished by its non-standard foliage shape. Emperor is a mid-season variety, harvesting occurs already in the third month of cultivation, the average weight is 300 grams. In addition to appearance, it is characterized by low yield, although the fruits have a high taste index.

Lucky

Broccoli cabbage Laki
Variety Laki is an early ripening variety; harvesting can be done within 70 - 75 days after planting in the ground. Very unpretentious, has high resistance to diseases. The heads of cabbage are compact, the weight of one is from 300 to 600 grams, the color of the fruiting inflorescences is silver-emerald. Taste indicators are high.

Diseases and pests control

Like other plants, broccoli is at risk of contracting a variety of diseases. In addition to diseases, broccoli is also exposed to pests. But despite such suspiciousness of the plant, illnesses can be avoided and overcome.

Insects

A number of insects can parasitize broccoli. Each of these pests can cause irreparable damage to the plant and leave you without a harvest.

• Cabbage moth: most dangerous in the caterpillar stage. The green caterpillar reaches 1 centimeter in length, its main goal is to gnaw on foliage and lay offspring after transformation. Chemicals are used in the fight.
• Cabbage spring fly: most dangerous in the larval stage. Due to the fact that the larvae themselves hatch on the ground, they penetrate into the interior of the plant, even penetrating into the fruits. To prevent this, it is necessary to carry out prevention against attacks.
• Thrips: Each variety of this pest causes damage to broccoli. Thrips often infect foliage; they pierce the leaf blade in order to suck the juice out of it. During this process, the foliage becomes deformed and there is a risk of disease infection. Only strong chemicals will help in the fight.
• Cruciferous flea beetle: one of the most important pests of broccoli. A beetle with a black pearlescent shell makes holes in the foliage because it feeds on the leaf blade. This pest can significantly reduce the quality of the crop. To combat it, you can use both folk and chemical remedies.
• Slug: Considered very dangerous to many crops. If you notice that the foliage and fruits are gnawed, then this is the work of a slug. Slugs can simply destroy not only broccoli, but also neighboring crops. All measures to combat this parasite are carried out in the evening and at night.

Fungal infections

The causative agent of such diseases is a fungus. Broccoli is susceptible to the following diseases:

• Ashworm: characterized by the appearance of a silvery coating; the development of the disease is facilitated by warm weather and airborne moisture accumulation. Treatment is carried out with chemicals.
• Downy mildew: characterized by the appearance of a yellowish-brown coating. The disease can develop due to too wet weather. The disease can be overcome with the help of chemicals.

Bacterial infections

Broccoli can also be affected by infections caused by bacteria. These include diseases such as:

• Vascular bacteriosis: characterized by a rapid change in the color of the foliage; black stripes-vessels can be seen inside it. The disease can lead to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the crop. Development is favored by wet weather. Chemicals are used in fighting.
• Mucous bacteriosis: manifests itself in two ways. With the first, the fruit begins to rot from the inside, the second - with the foliage. Warm and humid weather contributes to the development of the disease. Various fungicides are used in the fight.

Vascular bacteriosis

Viral infections

Broccoli is susceptible to a viral disease called turnip mosaic. It is transmitted by pests and sometimes may have no external signs. During an external examination, you can notice something like drawings, and during an internal examination, you can identify black layers. There is no fight against the disease as such, but preventive measures need to be taken against pests.

Possible problems when growing broccoli seedlings

When growing broccoli seedlings, problems sometimes arise that, one way or another, affect the growth and development of the plants, and in the future their quality. If young seedlings turn yellow, this is a clear sign of a lack of nutrients in the soil or an excess of them. So, with potassium deficiency, the tips of plants turn yellow. In addition, yellowing can be caused by infections in the soil, which was not treated before sowing.

Broccoli seedlings are stretched due to lack of light or non-compliance with temperature conditions

If rotting of seedlings is observed, this indicates infection with fungal diseases. If it is a black leg, then the planting first turns brown, and then the lower part of the stem rots and becomes thinner, which leads to the death of the seedling. Quite often you can see cabbage seedlings stretching out. The main reason for this phenomenon is lack of light, incorrect temperature conditions, and high planting density. In this case, it is necessary not only to thin out the plants, but also to provide the necessary conditions for their normal growth.

Black leg is one of the main diseases of cabbage seedlings, in which the stem at the bottom rots and becomes thin, which leads to the death of the plant.

If your seeds have not sprouted at all, then there are not many reasons: poor-quality seed material or non-compliance with temperature and humidity. We can conclude that the bulk of the problems that arise when growing broccoli seedlings are caused by improper preparation of the soil and seeds, as well as non-compliance with the conditions for normal plant development.

Preparing broccoli seeds for sowing

Broccoli seeds need to be processed before sowing, which is carried out for the purpose of disinfection, acceleration of germination and sorting of low-quality seed material.

Sorting

For sowing, it is advisable to select only large seeds, but medium ones can also be used. Small and damaged grains must be removed. Calibration can be carried out using a mesh of suitable size (about 1.5 mm). There is another way: the seeds are placed in a 3% saline solution for 5 minutes. Everything that remains on the surface is thrown away. Seeds that have settled to the bottom are considered suitable for sowing. After this solution, they are washed in clean water.

Broccoli seeds are sorted before sowing, selecting only large and medium grains

Disinfection

To treat seed material against various pathogens, it is soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, after which it is washed. Many gardeners use this method, but there is an equally effective method of disinfection - thermal. To do this, the seeds are poured into a thermos and filled with hot water (+60˚C) for 25 minutes, after which they are washed with cold water.

To disinfect, broccoli seeds are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.

Germination

You can germinate seeds both in ordinary water and in growth stimulants, for example, Heteroauxin, Kornevin, etc. It is possible to prepare a nutrient solution based on wood ash (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water), in which the seeds are soaked for several hours . After processing, they are washed, placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a day, and then dried and planted.

Cabbage seeds are germinated in plain water or in growth stimulants for faster germination