Why doesn't broccoli cabbage set heads? Why does broccoli fade and how to prevent it?

23.07.2023 | Technique

24 Sep. 2014 22:19

Broccoli is extremely healthy; many gardeners grow it. But this year, the editors began to receive questions: why doesn’t broccoli tie its heads?

Broccoli is native to the Mediterranean. The British called it Italian asparagus, since its young shoots up to 15 cm long are also eaten along with the heads, and this cabbage became popular only in the early 1920s in America. In Russia they began to grow it not so long ago.

This is a cold-resistant plant, develops well at temperatures of +16...+20°C and can withstand frosts down to - 7°C. Despite the fact that broccoli is less demanding on soil composition and heat, and at the same time much more productive than cauliflower, there are some nuances and tricks in its cultivation, although the process itself, in general, is not complicated.

The timing of its planting is very important! Compared to cauliflower, it is more sensitive to elevated temperatures. Broccoli is an early ripening crop; depending on the variety, it forms heads in 20-25, and produces a harvest in 27-35 days after planting the seedlings in the ground. With early planting, the period from planting to the start of harvesting extends to 40-50 days. And here is the main secret of growing broccoli: heads are formed only at temperatures up to 18°C. It turns out that if we plant it with seeds, for example, in early May, then transplant it, it will begin to form a head by the end of June, and maybe at the beginning of July. But at this time it is usually already hot here, at best 7 - 8 degrees above +18 degrees! Therefore, the plant sits and waits for favorable times.

In addition, broccoli, like all cabbages, is a moisture-loving plant. In dry times with insufficient watering, its development is inhibited, and the formed green inflorescences quickly bloom. Therefore, in the summer heat it is important to water the plant abundantly and in a timely manner. The inflorescences are cut off without waiting for the mass of the head indicated on the package with the seeds. For example, the recommended weight of the head is 400 g, and it is better to cut it with a weight of 350 g (although, of course, you cannot determine these 50 g by eye). Before flowering, the inflorescences become loose and turn slightly yellow; as soon as these signs begin to appear, you can no longer hesitate! The more powerful the plant itself, the larger its head (8-25 cm in diameter, its size is sometimes reported on the packaging). On sunny summer days, you can shade broccoli, just like cauliflower: break the leaves or tie them over the head, but keep in mind that then you will need to look under these leaves so as not to miss the harvest time.
Broccoli inflorescences are cut with a knife without touching the side leaves. At this time, it is recommended to feed the plant a little. Soon side shoots will appear from the leaf axils. Their inflorescences will be smaller, but in taste they will not be inferior to the main “head of cabbage”.

In the fall, in cool, damp weather, broccoli does not bloom for a long time, growing its green, fleshy central head. Therefore, in our areas, it is better to grow broccoli in such a way that the inflorescences begin to form in May or September, when there is no summer heat.

By the way, if broccoli is grown by seedlings, compliance with the temperature and watering conditions is mandatory, otherwise the seedlings will stretch out and the weak plant will not be able to set heads.

Watering, caring and feeding broccoli.

It is recommended to water broccoli every other day (in hot summers - up to twice a day) in the evening. For normal growth and development of plants, it is necessary to maintain a moist soil layer with a depth of 12-15 centimeters.

For it, you can use organic fertilizers with potassium humate or a solution of mineral fertilizers - 40 grams of superphosphate, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate and 10 grams of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water.

The following fertilizing is carried out after cutting the central head to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots. To do this, dissolve 30 grams of potassium sulfate, 20 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of ammonium nitrate in 10 liters of water).

In addition, broccoli responds well to watering with infusion of nettle or comfrey and adding wood ash to the soil at the rate of 1 cup per 1 square meter.

6 Secrets to a Good Broccoli Harvest

To ensure that broccoli heads set well, be sure to feed the plants with fertilizers containing boron. For this purpose, you can use ash with the addition of boric acid (⅓ tsp per 10 liters of water).

In extreme heat, broccoli heads disintegrate quickly. Therefore, plant this crop together with some other type of cabbage or with vegetables so that the leaves above the bed are always closed.

You need to harvest broccoli while the heads have not yet opened (sometimes they open completely during the night). Therefore, make sure that when collecting the inflorescences are the size of a pinhead and dark green in color.

Broccoli without a “head” Alina STEPANOVA, agronomist

The heads of cabbage never set. Why could this happen?

The main secret of growing broccoli is that the heads form only at temperatures up to 18 ° C. Thus, it is better to sow late varieties in such a way that the setting occurs during a period with not very high temperatures.

As practice shows, in September, when the nights are cold, the development of the head is slower, but it turns out to be much larger.

The fact is that it is moisture-loving and interruptions in watering negatively affect the development of plants. She needs especially a lot of water at the time when the rosette of leaves is formed and the head of cabbage is tied.

Sometimes the formation of the head is delayed by fertilizing too late or too much with fertilizers. If you get carried away with fertilizing, instead of a head of cabbage, you can get a huge bouquet of cabbage leaves.

During the growing season, three feedings are usually carried out.

The first - one and a half to two weeks after planting the seedlings (for 10 liters of water take 0.5 liters of liquid mullein and a tablespoon of complete mineral fertilizer),

And two weeks after that - the second one. The working solution for the second is prepared from 10 liters of water, 30 g of ammonium nitrate, 2 g of potassium chloride, 40 g of superphosphate and 2 g of boric acid.

The third feeding is carried out during the formation of heads of cabbage. To do this, dilute mullein with water (1:8) and add 30 g of ammonium nitrate and superphosphate, 20 g of calcium chloride to 10 liters of solution.

To get dense heads of cabbage, you need to protect them from direct sunlight. This means that as soon as the head of cabbage begins to set, or rather, when it becomes the size of a large apple, it is necessary to break the rosette leaves or tie them over the head of cabbage. In such a cocoon, the head of broccoli will quietly grow and develop.

Failure to fulfill even one of the listed conditions of agricultural technology, much less several, leads to the fact that the cabbage heads do not set.

Growing early broccoli is close to the agricultural technology of cauliflower, but to obtain the main head, broccoli seedlings are planted somewhat denser than cauliflower - at a distance of 20-25 cm between plants. Broccoli can also be grown by sowing seeds in open ground.

Broccoli grows best when shaded by curtains or fruit trees from 12 to 16 o'clock, as well as when the soil is moistened by watering to a depth of 40 cm.

After cutting the main head, side shoots of broccoli develop, which can be removed after 15-20 days. Shading the heads of this cabbage is not required.

There are two main types of broccoli: calabrese and kale. Calabrese has a hard head and a thick stem on which there are many inflorescences.

Asparagus has a large number of stems with small heads. These stems taste like asparagus.

In addition, it contains easily digestible protein, therefore it is a dietary product. Its protein contains methionine and choline, which have an anti-sclerotic effect and slow down the aging process. That's why they call her "cabbage of eternal youth." Broccoli is indispensable in the diet of older people.

Broccoli is not fermented, canned or frozen; it is consumed fresh.

Broccoli is healthy and versatile. When growing it, many summer residents are faced with the fact that the heads of cabbage do not set. To get a harvest, you need to understand the reasons and carry out a number of preventive and therapeutic measures.

When caring for broccoli, gardeners often observe an unpleasant phenomenon - the plant goes into bloom without having time to set its heads. Causes:

poor soil quality;
excess fertilizer (especially during the formation of the head of cabbage);
ambient temperature above 25 degrees;
lack of sun;
late harvest;
lack of nutrition or watering.

The best fertilizer for broccoli is green tea and vermicompost.

Signs and symptoms

It is easy to understand that broccoli does not produce full heads. There are 2 signs:

The head became knotted, but instead of developing, it began to bloom profusely.
The head does not tie at all, the cabbage grows in height.

In both cases, the result from growing broccoli is zero. Therefore, at the first signs, you need to change your care and take measures to treat the plants.

Important!

Blooming broccoli loses its marketable appearance, but remains suitable for food. It retains all vitamins and nutrients.

What to do

If the main head has gone into color, do not rush and immediately remove the plant from the garden bed. In most cases, after removing the central head of cabbage, lateral ovaries begin to form. In this case, it is worth helping the plant and achieving a good harvest.

Traditional methods

During the entire growth period of broccoli, it needs to be fed only 3 times. The first time - a week after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, the second time - after 14 days, and the third time - during the formation of the head of cabbage.

Cabbage responds positively to watering with fermented nettle infusion.

Fertilizing with brewer's yeast is also effective. This type of fertilizer is applied in the evening to well-warmed and pre-moistened soil.

Foliar feeding for ovaries is prepared based on boric acid. 1 teaspoon of powder is diluted with 1 liter of hot water. When the solution has cooled, add another 9 liters of cold water and spray the plants with the resulting mixture.

Chemicals

To ensure that the ovaries form on time and do not bloom, you can use purchased products. Superphosphate and boron have proven themselves well. These substances can be poured into a teaspoon directly under the root.

For irrigation, a urea solution is also used (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

Important!

After each feeding with chemicals, loosening and hilling are carried out.

Prevention

Broccoli requires careful and constant care. Basic growing rules:

Observe planting deadlines. The packaging of the seeds should indicate what type of cabbage it is - for summer, autumn or spring planting. The optimal temperature is 15-19 degrees. Therefore, cabbage is planted in such a way that it has time to form before hot weather sets in (before the beginning of June) or closer to autumn (in this case, the formation of the head occurs in September). In the northern regions, it is permissible to grow varieties intended for summer planting.
The right neighborhood. Broccoli develops well next to cucumbers, peas, dill, beets and carrots. Undesirable neighbors are onions and watercress.
In normal climates, plantings are watered every other day. If the summer is hot, watering is carried out daily, in the evening.
Every year, the place where broccoli is planted needs to be changed.

in September, when the nights are cold, the head of cabbage forms more slowly, but larger;
when the head of cabbage reaches the size of a tennis ball, the leaves must be tied over it;
cabbage plantings must be protected from direct sunlight for the entire period of cabbage formation;
it is necessary to cut off the head in a timely manner (the average weight of the head for a particular variety is indicated on the seed packaging), usually the harvest is harvested when the head of cabbage has reached a size of 10-25 cm, but has not yet bloomed;
the head of cabbage is cut with a sharp knife; after the next feeding, new ovaries will form on the sides of the main stem;
heads cut early in the morning or late in the evening are stored better and longer.

I often hear negative comments about broccoli from gardeners. Basically, they complain that no matter how much they try to plant, it just goes into bloom. Because of this, they simply stop planting it, abandoning the most valuable vegetable.

Broccoli is really very healthy because it contains even more vitamins and microelements than cauliflower! It is rich in substances that prevent cancer and help remove cholesterol from the body.

It is useful to eat it in any form, especially fresh or slightly boiled. But many would be happy to eat it, but are forced to buy it in supermarkets because they either don’t garden at all or don’t know how to grow it.

So, it’s worth learning how to grow it if your health is important to you! And to do this you need to understand what is the secret of success? How and when to remove it correctly, so as not to miss the right moment, which many people miss and when they come to the garden they see a bush already in bloom?

Yes, Broccoli is very insidious in this matter, as soon as you hesitate, everything will bloom. But now we’ll figure out why this most often happens and how to avoid it.

The most important thing is the landing time! Yesterday, a friend of mine boasted to me that broccoli and all other cabbages have already sprouted... And this despite the fact that it is now incredibly hot in the apartments, and it will be possible to plant seedlings in a permanent place no earlier than mid-May!

What will most likely happen to her cabbages? Certainly! She will definitely only see broccoli in a blooming state...

So, in all respects, broccoli is superior to its more popular relative, cauliflower. It is not afraid of spring frosts, it is practically not damaged by pests, it is productive and has an increased repair ability, i.e. after harvesting the main head until frost, every 5-7 days it produces a harvest of numerous small heads the size of a chicken egg.

It is also less demanding on growing conditions. In addition, together with its heads, young shoots up to 15 cm long are also eaten, for which it is nicknamed asparagus cabbage. These seemingly dense shoots in ready-made dishes are so tasty and tender that they resemble soft butter.

There are two types of Broccoli in cultivation. The first one, more familiar to us, is called calabrese and has a hard head of dense inflorescences on a rather thick stem.

Second, asparagus or Italian broccoli, forms many stems with small heads. This cabbage has stems that taste like asparagus and are eaten.

Early varieties of Broccoli

Vyarus– an early ripening variety with a horizontal rosette of leaves. The leaves are gray-green, vesicular. The head is small, green, finely tuberous, weighing up to 120 g, good taste. Forms secondary heads well.

Green Sprouting- early ripening variety. The rosette of leaves is medium-sized. The heads are compact, dense, weighing 0.3-0.4 kg.

Vitamin - early ripening variety. The growing season from germination to technical ripeness is 100-120 days. The rosette is 30-50 cm in diameter.

Emperor F1– an early ripening, very productive hybrid with a growing season of 75-80 days. The plant forms a powerful rosette of leaves.

The heads are large, dome-shaped, with a smooth dark green surface. Comanche

– an early ripening variety, the heads are harvested 90 days after sowing the seeds. The heads are large, hard, green, and keep well on the vine. The variety is resistant to low and high temperatures. Corvette F1

– an early-ripening, magnificent hybrid, the heads ripen 60 days after planting the seedlings. The rosettes of leaves are powerful, resistant to adverse weather conditions, and tolerate dense planting. The heads are large, round, dense, grayish-green, have numerous lateral inflorescences, and are good for freezing. Laser F1

– a very early ripening hybrid, the heads ripen in 75 days. Both the main and lateral heads are dense and have a beautiful dark green color. Samme King

– an outstanding early ripening variety. The central head is large, very dense, convex, and the lateral ones are of medium size. The variety tolerates hot weather well and produces a good harvest both early and late in cultivation.– an early ripening variety with a growing season of 75-90 days and uniform ripening of the crop. Plants are capable of rapidly growing heads. The heads are dark green, medium density, weighing 0.15-0.25 kg, high taste. In cold or hot weather, the color of the heads may take on a brownish-brown tint.

Tribute F1– an early ripening hybrid with a growing season of 85 days. The hybrid is resistant to unfavorable external growing conditions. The heads are medium size, excellent taste.

Fiesta F1– an early ripening hybrid with a vertical rosette of leaves without side shoots. The head is dense, dark green, of excellent taste.

Mid-season varieties of Broccoli

Atlantic– mid-season variety with a growing season of 125-135 days. The height of the stem reaches 50-60 cm. The plant forms a very powerful rosette of leaves and large dense heads. The weight of the central head is 0.2-0.3 kg, the maximum is 0.4 kg.

Arcadia F1– a mid-season, very productive hybrid, 110 days pass from sowing to ripening. The plant is powerful and tall. The head is large, dark green, weighing up to 0.4 kg. It is good for fresh use and for processing.

Genoa– mid-season variety, well suited for compact planting. The head is dome-shaped, with small flower buds, dark green, well preserved on the root.

Dwarf– a mid-season variety with a raised rosette of leaves and leaves that are strongly wavy along the edges. The head is gray-green, medium density, weighing up to 0.3 kg, excellent taste.

Greenbelt– mid-season variety, 105 days pass from sowing to harvest. The heads are medium in size, of excellent quality, with very small flower buds.

Greenia– a mid-season, very productive variety with a growing season of 125-140 days. The plant forms a large rosette of leaves up to 60 cm high. The heads are dense, weighing 0.2-0.3 kg.

Macho F1- mid-early (78-82 days from germination to technical ripeness) amicably ripening hybrid. Recommended for freezing and further use in home cooking.

Calabrese– mid-season variety with a period from germination to ripening of 90 days. It is distinguished by friendly harvest ripening. The heads are medium dense, dark green. The mass of the main head is up to 0.4 kg, then the plant forms 6-7 lateral heads weighing up to 0.1 kg.

Konpakta– a mid-season productive variety, ripens 100 days after sowing. The plants are very compact and suitable for dense planting. The head is dome-shaped, large, with very small flower buds, dark green, well preserved on the root.

Monton F1– mid-season hybrid with a raised rosette of leaves. The head is large, weighing up to 0.8 kg, gray-green, medium density, excellent taste.

Senshi– a mid-season tall variety, 110 days pass from sowing to harvesting. The head is large, dome-shaped, hard, with small flower buds, dark green, and can be stored for a long time after picking.

Fortune– mid-season variety with a raised rosette of leaves. The head is gray-green, medium density, weighing up to 0.15 kg, good taste.

Caesar– mid-season variety. Forms large, very dense, green heads with a purple tint. The density of the heads resembles cauliflower.

Late varieties of Broccoli

Lucky F1- late-ripening hybrid. The head is large, weighing 0.3-0.5 kg, very dense, with a delicate structure. The delivery period for products is very long.

Marathon F1– a late-ripening hybrid with a raised rosette of leaves. The head is large, weighing up to 0.7 kg, green, dense, with a delicate texture, excellent taste.

Good predecessors of Broccoli

Bad predecessors of Broccoli

Preparing Broccoli seeds for planting

Broccoli care

Broccoli loves moist, non-acidic soil, so you can maintain these conditions by mulching. It is advisable to plant broccoli in mixed plantings; good neighbors are peas, dill, cucumbers, carrots, chard, beets, celery, spinach, tomatoes, calendula and nasturtium. Do not plant cabbage next to watercress and onions.

When to cut broccoli?

To prevent the cabbage from going into color, monitor the weight of the head, look at the bag of seeds to see what is written there. If the recommended weight of the head is 400 g, then do not wait for a huge fruit; it is better to cut it at a weight of 350 g, then it will definitely not outgrow and will not have time to bloom.

The head of broccoli should be cut off with a knife without touching the side leaves. It would be good to feed the plant lightly. And after some time, side shoots with heads of inflorescences will appear. They will be smaller, but you can cut them with shoots and cook them.

Why doesn't Broccoli tie its heads?

Broccoli does not form heads even if there is an error in sowing time. The main secret of growing broccoli is that the heads are formed only at temperatures up to 18 o C.

Thus, it is better to sow late varieties in such a way that the setting occurs during a period with not very high temperatures.

As practice shows, in September, when the nights are cold, the development of the head is slower, but it turns out to be much larger.

Don't forget about another important biological feature of broccoli. The fact is that it is moisture-loving and interruptions in watering negatively affect the development of plants.

She needs especially a lot of water at the time when the rosette of leaves is formed and the head of cabbage is tied.

During all this time, Broccoli needs to be fed only three times: the first time one and a half to two weeks after planting the seedlings, and two weeks after that - the second time. The third feeding is carried out during the formation of heads of cabbage. I use vermicompost solution and herbal tea as top dressing. The rest of the time, the plant receives all its nutrition through mulch, which can be dusted with ash.

This, of course, does not have to be done if you plant cabbage in mixed plantings or green manure.

In principle, all the secrets. The main thing is to comply with all the conditions when growing seedlings. This is often not possible to do on the windowsill due to the hot air. Therefore, it is better not to rush, but to plant seedlings later, but in a greenhouse or greenhouse in April-May.

A healthy and nutritious vegetable has long become a familiar dish for many of our compatriots. Rich in protein, vitamins and various valuable nutrients, the culture is not only a storehouse of vitamins, but also the basis of many delicious dishes. Anyone who loves nutritious nutrition with benefits for the body and wants to eat cabbage heads from their own summer cottage needs to know everything about broccoli, growing and caring for it in open ground, which is not difficult.

An annual from the Brassica family. A low plant with a stem length of up to 60 centimeters. Its top is crowned with a large number of peduncles with buds. They form a loose surface of the heads. Unlike cauliflower, of which it is a variety, the plant has small, corrugated leaves.

Asia Minor and the eastern part of the Mediterranean coast are considered the homeland. This vegetable crop was known in ancient times. Residents of the Roman Empire grew it in their fields. Then the inhabitants of the eternal city brought the vegetable to Byzantium. From there it spread throughout the world. Nowadays it is grown everywhere and has gained popularity.

Know! Scientists believe that this type of cabbage never existed in nature. It is believed to be a hybrid. It was cultivated in the Mediterranean back in the 6th-5th centuries. BC. And after several centuries, the vegetable began to spread throughout the world.

Types and varieties of broccoli

There are two types of this vegetable crop:

Calabrese;
Italian (asparagus).

The first variety is a familiar head of cabbage, consisting of many inflorescences. The second option is stems with thick heads. The taste of the plant is very similar to asparagus. This is where the name of the species comes from. More than 200 varieties are known. In Russia, five of them are included in the state register.

Early

After a period of spring vitamin deficiency, these varieties allow you to enrich your diet with useful minerals and vitamins:

Lord F1 – heads can appear until the onset of autumn cold weather. forms dark green heads until frost. Individual heads of cabbage reach one and a half kilograms.
Linda - after cutting off the main large heads (each weighing half a kilo), it forms an additional 6 lateral heads.
Vitamin - it takes about 80 days to ripen. The main head weighs on average 200 g, the side ones can reach up to 5 cm in diameter.
Tone - ripens early and very well. The lateral heads grow back very quickly.

Attention! The harvest obtained from early ripening varieties cannot be stored in the refrigerator for more than two weeks to avoid manifestations of gastrointestinal disorders.

Mid-season

They allow you to diversify the table in the fall and are delicious when fermented:

Monterey is a medium-late ripening hybrid variety with a very large head of cabbage. Its weight can reach 2 kg. Does not form side shoots.
Arcadia is a medium-ripening hybrid. Resistant to cold weather - grows and develops well. The heads are large.
Calabrese is frost-resistant, can withstand cold temperatures down to -7°C. It will take 85 days from the appearance of young shoots to harvest.
Fortuna F1 is a high-yielding hybrid, the weight of the heads reaches two hundred grams. Rich in vitamin A and has a soft, delicate taste.
Gnome is ideal for fermentation; the ripening process takes seventy-five days. A compact plant, the weight of the heads is 300 g.

Late ripening

Allows you to enjoy vegetables in winter:

Parthenon F1 - grown by seedlings. From young shoots planted in the ground in May, ripe heads are obtained within 90 days. High-yielding variety.
Agassi F1 is a hybrid with a long shelf life (up to 5 months). From planting seedlings to harvesting – seventy days.
Continental – excellent taste and good keeping quality. At the same time, the weight of the head of cabbage is about five hundred grams.
Marathon F1 - the plant does not like high temperatures, mainly grown in the northern regions. The first heads of cabbage ripen 85 days after transplanting the young bushes.

Features of growing broccoli

There are several options for harvesting:

through seedlings obtained at home;
seedling method for growing young animals in a greenhouse or greenhouse;
direct sowing in open ground.

Priming

It is preferable to carry out preliminary preparation of the site. In the fall it is dug up and at the same time a full range of fertilizers of various origins is applied. You can add not only minerals, but also organic matter.
In the process of laying the foundations for the future harvest, the plant requires significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. On spring days, on the eve of transplanting seedlings, it is necessary to get rid of weeds and treat the planted area with ammonium nitrate.

The yield also depends on the acid-base indicator of the substrate. It should be in the pH range of 6-7. That is, the soil must have a neutral reaction. If the soil is acidic enough, the heads will become saturated with toxic substances. They will have an increased content of heavy metal salts.

To determine the pH balance, you will need a litmus strip. If necessary, to reduce acidity by one unit, you will need to add three kilos of manure per square area.

Know! Neutral soil type has a beneficial effect on various types of crops. The soil acquires the necessary looseness, becomes airy and it is easier for the roots to breathe in such conditions.

Temperature

The cold resistance of a crop does not indicate the possibility of successful cultivation in open ground under harsh climatic conditions. Sowing traditionally takes place at the end of May. The soil temperature should reach 20⁰C.

Humidity

Cabbage requires plenty of watering. But if the substrate is too moist, the bushes can become infected and develop a dangerous disease - blackleg. This will ruin the harvest. With insufficient irrigation, the heads of cabbage will be too small and loose.

Important! To maintain the proper level of humidity, plantings are mulched. This prevents the rapid evaporation of water immediately after irrigation.

How to Grow Broccoli from Seeds

The seedling method of harvesting is deservedly popular. Sowing is carried out 35 days before planting the seedlings in the garden.

When to sow seeds

To get the first heads of cabbage early, experienced gardeners grow the queen of the beds through seedlings. Plant growth occurs most intensively on cool days. In hot summer conditions, the development of culture is suspended. In this regard, in the southern regions its cultivation is hampered by unsuitable weather conditions.

It is worth starting sowing in winter. In this case, by the beginning of spring you can get strong young animals. Such healthy seedlings will quickly take root and grow.

Soil requirements

The culture prefers a substrate consisting of turf soil, sand, and peat. All components must be mixed in equal parts. It is not advisable to include in the composition a soil layer taken directly from the garden, as well as humus, in order to avoid damage to seedlings by blackleg.

To disinfect the substrate, it can be heated in a water bath or processed in the microwave. It is better to carry out this procedure two weeks before the intended sowing. In this case, the soil microflora will have time to recover.

Important! Do not forget about the need for a drainage layer. Expanded clay or small pebbles can be placed at the bottom of the container.

How to select and prepare seeds for sowing

Bagged seeds purchased at the store are already prepared for planting. If you collect seed yourself, it must be processed.

First, the grains are sorted. Small ones are rejected, and large ones are left. To swell, they are soaked for twenty minutes in warm water. Then the seeds will need to be left for eight hours in a weak pink solution of sodium permanganate. Carrying out this procedure will provide disinfection and protection against various diseases. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use boric acid (half a gram per liter of water) or ash (one large spoon per 1 liter). When preparing the latter option, you need to let the solution brew for two days.

When processing with an ash mixture, the seeds are left in it for 5 hours. Those grains that rise to the surface are not used. Treating grains with a growth stimulator will also benefit future seedlings. After processing, the seed is dried.

Seed sowing technology

You will need to first prepare a container of suitable volume. Peat pots are best suited. You can use a box with dimensions 50 x 30 x 25cm. The substrate should not be cold. Its temperature must exceed 7⁰C.
The seeds are planted to a depth of about one centimeter. The optimal air temperature is 20 degrees. The distance between the grooves (when planting in a container) is 3 cm.

Know! If you don’t want to pick seedlings in the future, you can immediately plant the seeds in peat tablets.

They come in different sizes. In the case of planting cabbage seedlings, 4 cm in diameter is sufficient. The blanks are placed in warm water until they swell, then excess moisture is removed. Place a pair of seeds into the holes made and sprinkle peat on top of them.

Seedling care

After the first growth appears, the air temperature is reduced to 10 degrees. But after a week they increase it to 15⁰C during the day and to 9 degrees at night. If the seedlings are kept warm, above 20⁰C, this can lead to early formation of heads.
Seedlings love light very much.

At the beginning of spring, bushes may lack natural light. After all, “kids” require 15 hours of daylight. In order to ensure proper agrotechnical conditions, phytolamps are placed above the young animals. Conventional incandescent lamps are not suitable for supplementary lighting - they heat the air and have a different spectrum. Proper care means loosening the soil, spraying irrigation and timely application of fertilizers.

Picking seedlings

The procedure is carried out when the seedlings are two weeks old. Until the bushes take root, maintain a comfortable temperature. It is 20 degrees. Then a decrease follows again - 17 during the day and 9 at night. A couple of weeks before moving to the site, hardening of the young animals begins. There is no need to rush with the transplant.

Attention! A sharp change in microclimate and cold weather can trigger the start of the bolting process of cabbage.

Planting broccoli in open ground

The seedlings remain at home until the fifth or sixth true leaf appears. Usually this takes 35-45 days. Young growth is moved to the garden bed in mid-May. But you should be guided by weather conditions. In case of returning frosts or poorly warmed soil, it is better to wait with replanting.

Soil preparation

The soil for broccoli should be neutral or slightly alkaline - pH within 6.7-7.4 units. Preparation of the land 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.

When to plant seedlings

The timing of the movement of young shoots outside depends on the climate and weather in the region. “Kids” are able to withstand frosts down to -7⁰C. In the southern regions, the end of April is considered a suitable period. In the middle zone, seedlings are planted in early May. Medium-ripening varieties are moved outside at the end of May, and late ones - until the beginning of June.

Planting technology

It is advisable to move young bushes to the garden bed on a cloudy day. In clear weather, it is better to choose a time closer to the evening. Planted according to the scheme 35 by 60 centimeters. Up to ten grams of complex mineral fertilizer must be added to each hole. It is thoroughly mixed with the soil, then the seedling is placed in a hole, sprinkled with soil, compacted and watered.

Attention! If the likelihood of return frosts remains, the seedlings are covered with film. Already at -2⁰C the bushes die.

You can sow directly, in open ground, bypassing the stage of growing seedlings. Seeds are processed in the same way as when planted at home. When seedlings appear, the young plants must be thinned out.

Caring for broccoli in open ground

The traditional cycle of activities includes: loosening, watering, weeding, and fertilizing. Three weeks after moving to the garden bed, the young plants are hilled up, loosening the soil under the bushes. This stimulates root respiration. The seedlings do not tolerate the scorching sun. Therefore, at the beginning of the growing season, it will be necessary to create special conditions for them. Protection from rays can be very different - young animals are shaded using spruce branches or old buckets.

In hot weather, it is very important to humidify the air around the seedlings. And again, do not forget about the need for loosening. The root circle is processed to a depth of eight centimeters. It is most convenient to carry out this work one day after irrigation.

Watering

When grown outdoors, irrigation is required once a week. But if the heat begins and the thermometer rises above 25⁰C, watering needs to be done more often. Do not over-water the soil. Watering can be done through the leaves - just spray them with water.

Top dressing

Fertilizers must be applied for the first time 2 weeks after planting young animals in the garden. To do this, a glass of mullein is diluted in a bucket of water and a spoonful of urea is added. You can use chicken manure diluted in water in a ratio of 1:20. When sowing seeds directly into the ground, young animals can be fed only 20 days after germination.

The second stage is the application of nitrate two weeks after the first feeding. Place a matchbox of this substance on a bucket of water. At the end of the season, the need for nitrogen decreases, and the need for potassium-phosphorus components increases. The third feeding is carried out with a solution containing 40 g of superphosphate, ten grams of potassium sulfate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate. All components are dissolved in a bucket of water.

To stimulate the development of side shoots after removing the central head of cabbage, you can feed the plant with a special mixture. For 10 liters of water - ten grams of saltpeter, twenty superphosphate and thirty potassium sulfate. For one bush - a liter of solution.

Know! Ordinary ash is also suitable as a fertilizer. You will need a glass of it per square meter of area.

Growing broccoli in the Moscow region, the Urals, and Siberia

The cold resistance of the crop makes it possible to grow it even in harsh climatic conditions - in areas with short, cool summers. The vegetable produces an excellent harvest not only in the Moscow region, but in the Urals and Siberia. It is possible to choose the most suitable varieties, taking into account the characteristics of the region. In the conditions of central Russia, the following varieties have proven themselves well:

Kolobok;
Emperor;
Tone;
Comanche.

For cultivation in Siberia and the Ural region in unprotected soil, only early ripening varieties are suitable:

Macho F1;
Lazarus F1;
Fiesta F1;
Vyarus.

Broccoli has bloomed - what to do?

The prerequisites for the appearance of flowers on cabbage are:

Lack of moisture in the air or substrate.
Sharp temperature fluctuations (not only cold weather is scary, but also heat).
Lack of nutrition - fertilizers must be applied in a timely manner.
Variety type based on ripening speed (early ripening ones win).

Having realized the reason that prompted the plant to bloom, it is necessary to take measures to save the harvest. So, what measures can serve to prevent this phenomenon. It only takes about 35-50 days from moving the seedlings to the garden bed until the harvest is obtained. Timely disembarkation is of great importance. The best conditions for the development of seedlings are the temperature range from 16 to 25⁰C. At higher values, cabbage begins to bloom.

Early varieties have an advantage - climatic conditions do not have time to influence the formation of heads so much.

If the bushes still have time to bloom, the flowers are torn off, and the ground around the plants must be loosened. There is a high probability of side sprouts forming. They will be smaller in size than the one that appeared on the central shoot.

Know! If there is no chance to save the bushes, you can sow a second time. By autumn there will still be an opportunity to get a harvest.

If cabbage planted at the end of April or beginning of May blooms, it can be left to collect seeds. To do this, you simply do not need to cut the head of cabbage. Its maturation is monitored. Around the end of September, the seeds will turn black and can be collected. The seed material is thoroughly dried in a cool place.

After what crops is it better to plant broccoli?

The best predecessors are cucumbers, potatoes, grains, legumes, carrots, and onions. Various types of green manure are also suitable. They saturate the soil with nutrients. After them, cabbage grows well. You should not plant cabbage after beets, radishes, turnips, radishes, and tomatoes. It is advisable to wait at least four years and only after that can you plant broccoli in this area.

Harvesting, storage

It is necessary to have time to remove the heads of cabbage before the buds open and yellow flowers appear. Only the green head is suitable for eating. Typically, ripeness occurs on the 80th day after sowing. The main head of cabbage can weigh up to 400 g and be up to twenty centimeters in diameter. In just a few days, an excellent vegetable can turn into inedible.

Harvesting begins with trimming the main stem. Its length should be about fifteen centimeters. You shouldn't get rid of the bush right away. With proper care, the remaining shoots produce an excellent harvest. After some time, you can begin to cut off the side branches. All inflorescences are removed along with the shoots. They are also very juicy and nutritious.

Harvesting is carried out early in the morning, before the dew has dried. Or you can reschedule the event until very late in the evening. The presence of moisture allows the heads of cabbage to remain fresh longer and not wither. The stems are cut obliquely with a sharp knife.

Know! Experienced gardeners grow broccoli in the basement. This requires watering the plant abundantly the day before digging. It is better to choose plants with a developed rosette of leaves.

The shelf life of the vegetable varies depending on the variety. Early ones, with a short ripening period, are not characterized by keeping quality. They can keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Mid-season and late - will last three months in the refrigerator or cellar. The most reliable way to preserve crops is freezing. In this form, all useful substances and vitamins are preserved.

Pests and diseases of broccoli (treatment)

Does not suffer from insects too often. But sometimes you have to deal with the invasion of various pests - the plant can become food for aphids, cabbage flies, cutworms, white flies, cruciferous midges, slugs and snails.

Aphid colonies can destroy even a healthy, strong plant. Insects secrete a special secretion similar to wax. The leaves turn pinkish and curl. Aphids reproduce rapidly - up to sixteen generations per season.

Larvae and adults of the cruciferous flea beetle gnaw holes in the shoots. After this, the bushes begin to dry, wither and subsequently die. You can scare away the pest by scattering celandine or tansy powder between the rows of plants. If such a measure does not have the desired effect, treatment with a 15-fold solution of Phoxim or Actellica will help.
Caterpillars of the cabbage white moth and cutworm, emerging from the larvae it lays, eat the edges of the leaves. Insecticides will help out - “Talkord”, “Rovikurt”, “Belofos” and others.

An invasion of slugs and snails can destroy the entire future harvest. They cause noticeable damage to adult bushes, and can completely destroy young seedlings. Simple methods will help in the fight against mollusks. An insurmountable obstacle to their path can be areas sprinkled with lime, ash, hot pepper powder, and tobacco dust. It is enough to make small depressions around the perimeter of the beds, where you can pour similar substances and the crop will be protected.

The use of chemical plant protection products is appropriate only in the case of a large colony of pests that threatens the crop. An important preventive measure will be compliance with the rules of agricultural technology for growing crops.

Attention! Do not forget about disinfecting the seeds before planting; you need to regularly weed them. In the fall, be sure to dig up the area and clear it of remaining plants and their shoots.

Vegetables can be affected by various ailments. Among them:

clubroot;
peronosporosis;
vascular bacteriosis;
dry and white varieties of rot;
Alternaria blight;
blackleg;
fusarium;
bel.

Seedlings usually suffer from blackleg. The main reason is excessive soil moisture. It is also necessary to thin out crops in a timely manner. Density of seedlings promotes the development of the disease. The necks of young growth become soft, turn black, and lodging of seedlings is observed.

Affected bushes are removed. The earth is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate (3 grams per bucket of water). After this, irrigation is not carried out for a week. For preventive purposes, you can treat with Planriz, Fitosporin, Baktofit, and Fitolavin-300.

Clubroot appears in the form of growths. They are oval or ball-shaped. Over time, they become brown and the process of rotting begins. As a result, the bushes wither and look stunted.

It will not be possible to rid the plantings of the disease. But as a preventive measure, you can plant potatoes, physalis, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes in the place where broccoli grew. Natural soil cleansing will take three years. If you plant garlic, onions, chard, beets, spinach, then it will take only two growing seasons to rid the soil of the pathogen.

If there are spots of plaque on the plants that look like traces of oil paint, these are signs of leucorrhoea. As the disease develops, the affected areas turn brown and dry out. Leaves may swell and become deformed. Diseased plants are quickly disposed of, and the remaining ones are treated with products containing copper. It is necessary to do weeding in a timely manner and follow the rules of crop rotation - this will serve as a preventive measure.

Harmful insects spread a disease called Alternaria. Brown spots on shoots and leaves increase in size and become covered with spores of a fungal pathogen. A set of preventive measures includes soaking the seed in warm water before planting, regular weeding in the summer and clearing the beds of plant debris in the fall.

Yellow spots indicate infection with peronosporosis. It is also called downy mildew. The spots on the back of the leaf are whitish. Sick young animals are pollinated three times at weekly intervals with ash, sulfur powder or a mixture of lime and sulfur. If the situation is serious, you can treat it with Topaz. You will need one ampoule per bucket of water.

Rotten stems and a cobweb-like coating on the back of the leaves are signs of white rot. The source of infection is an acidified substrate with a high nitrogen content. The prevailing cool weather promotes infection. Copper-containing drugs will help cope with the disease. A preventive measure is correct crop rotation, liming the soil if necessary, and weeding.

Light spots with black spots are manifestations of dry rot. The bushes stop developing and dry out. It is necessary to combat this disease in the same way as with peronosporosis.

The main signs of mosaic are spots on the leaves. Over time, they develop a dark green edging and necrotic spots. The leaves themselves are subject to deformation. There are no measures to combat this disease - diseased bushes are removed and burned. Prevention includes weeding and systematic pest control. They are the carriers of the mosaic.

If the edges of the leaves turn yellow and they themselves become like parchment, this is vascular bacteriosis. Gradually, the veins darken and the affected shoots die. Treatment with Trichodermin or Planriz is required. Sluggish, deformed leaves of a yellow-green hue signal the development of fusarium. Urgent treatment with benzimidazoles will save the situation. Prevention is the timely disposal of affected specimens.

Possible problems with growing broccoli

Broccoli seedlings may suddenly turn yellow and there are a number of reasons for this:

Nutrient imbalance.
Infection in the soil (if it has not been disinfected).

Rotting of young animals is usually caused by blackleg disease. Seedlings stretch when there is a lack of light, dense seedlings and unsuitable temperature conditions.

Important! During the ripening period, it is better to cover the heads from sunlight. Otherwise they will grow small.

The heads of cabbage must be cut before they open. Over time, the heads become coarser and begin to taste bitter.

Little tricks of experienced gardeners

If you plant dill next door, aphids will avoid the cabbage beds.
Planted close, the tomato will protect the cabbage from leaf beetles.
In the case of direct sowing in open ground, it is better to thoroughly press the soil with the palm of your hand. This will allow the roots to strengthen in the future.
It is preferable to choose the sunniest place.
A small planting can be protected from the cabbage butterfly under a fine mesh net. The insect will not be able to get close to the leaves and lay larvae on them.
It is possible to plant cabbage a second time in the same area only after a few years.
When planting, you can add a little baking soda and pepper - this will protect the young from the invasion of harmful insects.
Cabbage fly larvae cannot tolerate salt. Half a glass of the substance per bucket of water will get rid of uninvited guests. This amount of solution is enough to treat twenty bushes.
Young growth is best mulched. This will maintain an optimal level of moisture in the soil, reduce the number of emerging weeds and protect the roots from overheating.
After watering, the soil can be loosened. This will enrich the substrate with oxygen.
Hilling up bushes promotes the development of lateral roots. This strengthens the plant.

To treat plants against various pests, you can use simple folk recipes. For example, infusion of tomato tops. A decoction based on hot pepper (several pods per liter of boiling water) is also considered an effective remedy.

Garlic-tobacco infusion is one of their effective recipes. First of all, you should try to overcome the attack with harmless natural decoctions. If all else fails, chemicals are used.

Broccoli beneficial properties and contraindications

The vegetable has long been considered the queen among all types of cabbage. Contains vitamins and microelements. The presence of vitamin U deserves special mention. This substance promotes active healing of ulcers. One hundred grams of heads contain about ninety percent of the daily requirement of vitamin C. However, when stored in the refrigerator, after a couple of days the concentration of ascorbic acid is halved.

Amino acids, fiber, and chlorophyll also make the vegetable a valuable dietary product. The presence of methionine and choline in the composition normalizes lipid metabolism. Eating broccoli helps regulate insulin levels in the blood. This is important for people with diabetes.

Know! This is a product with “negative” calories. The body spends more energy on its digestion than it receives during absorption. One hundred grams contains only thirty kilocalories.

When living in unfavorable environmental conditions and in areas with high levels of radiation activity, doctors recommend eating broccoli dishes. This helps remove harmful substances, toxins, and heavy metal salts from the body.

Eating vegetables helps eliminate swelling. They are one of the main causes of cellulite. With regular consumption of this variety of cabbage, the skin becomes more toned over time.

Also, recent research has found that the active substance sulforaphane, contained in the shoots and stems of broccoli, helps fight certain types of cancer.

Contraindications for eating broccoli

It is not recommended to use the vegetable when cooking vegetable broths. During the cooking process, substances hazardous to human health, guanine and adenine, are transferred into the water. Long-term heat treatment (baking in the oven or microwave) destroys most of the vitamins and other beneficial elements. When frying over high heat, carcinogenic compounds are formed. This is how a dietary product becomes harmful to health.

To avoid troubles and get the benefits of eating the vegetable, it is better to eat this type of cabbage fresh or prepare dietary dishes according to all the rules.

Attention! If you have increased acidity of the gastric juice or problems with the pancreas, you should not eat broccoli.

Conclusion

Every summer resident who wants to grow a rich harvest should know how to grow broccoli and care for it in open ground conditions.