Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong swore by the health benefits of broccoli. So much so, during his cancer fight, he ate up to 8 servings a day of broccoli. That’s eight times more than a normal serving.

No wonder so many research bodies regard broccoli as a superfood.

 

But, besides being a superfood, broccoli is a great tasting vegetable. And it’s so versatile. You can use it in stir-fries….  Rice dishes… with casseroles…raw in salads…. With a steak… the list is endless.

So here’s how you can grow this fantastic plant in your garden. You’ll get the health benefits… and have tasty meals with it as well.

Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable, which means it is harvestable when not many other vegetables are around. However, it does not like hard frosts. You can grow it to harvest in the summer. And also the autumn.

The timespan from seed to eating broccoli is this.

Sowing from seeds to eating: 3 – 4 months.

From transplants: 2 – 3 months.

Plant your seeds up to ½” deep in a nutrient-rich compost. If you are starting the seeds indoors you may have to harden them off to get them used to the outdoors. Hardening-off means that you put the seedlings outside in the day and bring them in at night. Before planting the seedlings outdoors.

They’ll be ready to be transplanted in your garden up to 6 weeks later. Plant your broccoli 18” apart.

Broccoli is very happy to grow in pots or container, but it’s advisable to only grow one per 12″ pot or whatever size pot you have – but would not recommend not to go smaller than 10″. Or in a larger container, you can add several plants.

Fertilize well with rotted down compost. Or add blood and bone meal. A couple weeks later you can add chicken manure pellets. Half a small cup to around each plant.

If you have light soils water copiously. If you have heavier soil then water when needed.

The good news is broccoli doesn’t succumb to many diseases. Slugs can be a problem. So watch for them and treat them appropriately.

You want to grow your broccoli so you harvest immature flower heads. That’s harvesting the plant before it flowers or goes to seed.

Some broccoli plants will produce lots of florets – smaller heads. Other plants will produce larger heads.

Harvest your broccoli when 1) you need some greens. 2. When you judge the head is a decent size – a couple of inches in diameter. Cut the head off with a sharp knife.

And enjoy eating this delicious green.