Broccoli

[Gary350]

I learned from a video there are several different size broccoli heads, when buying seeds buy seeds for the size head you want to grow, don't buy seeds that make good side shoots. No wonder I have small broccoli heads google search shows my seeds are for 4" broccoli heads. Here is a picture of a 12" diameter broccoli grown with seeds for large heads & no side shoots. The women also said, trick to growing large broccoli is to hill soil up 12" high on plants same as potato plants and soil needs to have a lot of cow manure. She lives in northern Ohio, USA.

[imafan26]

Actually, I do grow DeCicco and Italian Sprouting for their side shoots. The head is small about 4 inches in diameter. I don't have the climate to grow the larger broccoli. These and Comet have done well. I can't find seeds of Comet anymore. Pacman had good reviews but I couldn't find seeds of those either.

[Gary350]

This woman is right about hilling up broccoli & cauliflower it protects the plants. 5 days of -7° freezing weather killed some of the plant tops but a week later tops are growing back.

I never learned how to grow winter crops my family never did that. I didn't know there are winter crops. Little by little I am learning new things. Sept 1 I will plant 30 broccoli and 30 cauliflower.