Calabrese Broccoli: Brought to America by Italian immigrants in the 1880s. Popular market variety. Tight heads can grow up to 8" in diameter. After the central head is harvested, side shoots follow. 58-90 days from transplant.
I purchased Calabrese Broccoli seed from Seed Savers for 2009. Broccoli stalks aren't all that great for eating (in my opinion), so I plan on cutting the heads off as close to the top as possible and allowing all the side shoots to develop for a second harvest. Broccoli gets pretty big, but not big enough to warrant the 24-36" spacing recommended on the seed packet. I will plant one per square foot in my boxes.
February 6 (12 weeks prior to last freeze): I started the seeds in Jiffy Strips with a popular potting soil, one seed per square. I planted 20 seeds, but only nine or ten actually germinated. Next year I will plant two seeds per square and clip off the extra if both germinate.
March 26 (5 weeks prior to last freeze): According to my schedule, I am supposed to transplant into the garden tomorrow, but the seedlings are smaller than I had expected, and it's snowing again today, so I decided to pot them up in 4" pots and keep them indoors a little longer. Most of the seedlings are just getting their first set of true leaves.
April 13 (3 weeks prior to last freeze): The broccoli has been going outside nearly every day to harden them off. So far, they're doing great, even down to about 26 degrees. I would have transplanted those, but a harder freeze was forecast for this week and I didn't want to risk the plants that have been growing for two months already. The forecast has changed, but I'll probably do that next weekend anyway.
I'm not a fan of the stalks either, but the rest is so good. Mmm... Who knew there was so much to learn about broccoli!
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