New additions

When Tropical Gardening Works
New!

Coir Used As a Potting Medium
New!

Obtaining Free Mulch For Your Garden - Uses And Methods Of Getting It
New!

Over Wintering Chilli Pepper Plants

Organic herbs

Organic vegetables

Help keep the GardenZone free:

Sitemap

Articles about Vegetable Crops for the Garden

Visit our Forum

About us

Links page

Add URL

Privacy

Disclaimer

Organic Gardening:

How to grow organic Calabrese

Homegrown calabrese has a taste!

Calabrese (Green sprouting broccoli/Italian broccoli)

Brassica oleracea Italica group

Family: Cruciferae (Group 2)

Calabrese is also sometimes called Italian broccoli or green sprouting broccoli, but it is a different type, and requires different treatment to produce good results. It's also much quicker to get a crop from calabrese - and the difference in taste between the home grown and the virtually tasteless stuff you get in shops is amazing - there's absolutely no comparison.

Purple and white sprouting varieties of broccoli are deal with on a separate page. All heading varieties are dealt with on the page on cauliflower.

Site and soil

Choose an open, unshaded site with fertile, well-drained and moisture retentive soil, which should be slightly acid (min pH 5.4, but see note on clubroot - add lime if necessary to adjust pH). Brassicas have a high nitrogen requirement and also need very firm soil. To ensure sufficient nutrient levels, it is best to topdress or apply a liquid feed such as seaweed fertiiser during growth.

Because brassicas are prone to soil infections, for example, Clubroot, it's important to use a minimum 3 year rotation plan.

Recommended varieties

early: Green Comet F1, Express Corona F1, Mercedes F1
mid season: Citation F1, Shogun F1, Premium Crop F1, Green Duke F1, Corvet F1

Ideal pH 6.2-6.6.

Calabrese does not like root disturbance, so unlike other types of broccoli, it should be sown direct 2.5-5cm (1-2") deep in rows 30cm (12") apart. When the seedlings come up, thin to 15cm (6") apart in the row.

Calabrese can be sown successionally from late March to early July. Early spring crops may be produced by sowing an early variety in modules in late August or early September. Transplant to a cold frame or greenhouse (or outdoors in mild areas) and harvest February to April.

Water seedlings daily in dry weather. Hoe to keep weed free. Mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Catch crops may be sown between rows early on, eg. radishes, lettuces, seedling salad crops.

Crop covers such as fleece should be used at the latest once the crop is 5cm (2") tall, if aphids or caterpillars are to be avoided. Do not assume that because a pest was not a problem the previous year, it will not become one this time.

Water up to 4 gallons per sq yard per week in dry weather.

Harvest maincrop from June until the plants are killed by frost. A topdressing with blood, fish and bone or growmore 100% organic after cutting the central spear encourages the development of side shoots.

Pests

Mealy aphids and caterpillars are the most troublesome pests.
Pollen beetles may also be a nuisance.
Crop covers should prevent access.

Note on clubroot

Soil may remain infected for 20 years; steps to avoid introduction include:

good drainage
rotation
liming acid soils to a pH around 7
working in high levels of organic matter
ensuring clean plants are used - source must be known to be free of disease (best grown at home in sterile medium)
boots and tools used on infected land must be thoroughly cleaned before use on clean land

Once infected avoid growing any brassicas except fast maturing types such as Texsel greens or cut and come again oriental seedlings. If you have no other land available, and you must grow types with a lengthy growing season, you can try sowing seed in modules, and potting up until the plants reach a height of 10cm (4") before planting out. A root drench may also help.

If you're interested in healthy food, you may also be interested in our sister site, The Health Site, Your Online Health Channel.

Top of page

Site creation by: TheWebsiteDesign.Co.UK