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Broccoli - Calabrese

SKU: BO23601A
CA$3.90
CA$3.90
Unavailable
per item
Approximately 315 seeds per gram
Brassica oleracea
Lot# BO23601
Calabrese Broccoli is an old Italian Heirloom broccoli that dates back to the 1800s.  It grows to an average height of 76-91 cm, (30-36") with a spread that is 30-40 cm (12-16") wide. A deliciously old-fashioned broccoli, it boasts dark, bluish-green central heads about 12.7 cm (5") across. Tall, erect, 76-91 cm (30-36") plants give way to multiple side shoots once the central head is cut. It is an excellent choice for extended harvests for home gardeners.  After cutting the main head, more side shoots develop, producing many more small to medium-sized heads throughout the summer.  
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Planting Instructions:  
  • Start indoors March-April or late April-May for summer harvest in 2 to 3 months.   Sow indoors, 3 or 4 seeds per pot 3-5 mm (⅛-¼") deep, under very bright light and maintain a 15-21˚C (60-70˚ F) temperature.  Keep soil moist but not overly wet.  Thin to the strongest plant.  Harden plants off for at least a week. Transplant in ground when seedlings are 5-15 cm (2-6”) tall and when they have 2 to 4 true leaves.  Set seedlings 2.5-5 cm (1-2”) deeper in the garden than they were in the pots. Space transplants 45 cm (18") apart in rows 45 cm (18") apart.
  • Soil Conditions:  Well worked rich, loose well-drained soil. Ideal pH: 6.0-7.0 
  • Planting Depth:   Sow seeds 3-5 mm (⅛¼") deep. Space rows 45 cm (18") apart.  
  • Germination:  5-10 days.
  • Height at Maturity: Broccoli reaches 76-91 cm, (30-36") tall.  Spread is about is 30-40 cm (12-16") wide.  
  • Days to Maturity:   60-90 days.
  • Watering:    Broccoli requires a regular supply of water, at least 2.5-5 cm (1-2”) of water a week.  This will ensure good growth, whether they are grown in single or wide rows. The amount of rain that falls during the week will help supplement how much you should water your garden.  Soil should remain mildly moist.
  • Sun/Shade:  Full Sun     
  • Spacing after Thinning:  Space broccoli when transplanted, to one plant every 45 cm (18”) when the seedlings are 5-15  cm (2-6”) tall with 2 to 4 true leaves.
Additional Information
Continue the watering schedule to keep the soil moist during the growing season, but cut back on watering as the broccoli reaches maturity in 48 to 70 days.  Harvest the main broccoli head when it’s 7.6 cm (3") in diameter to encourage more side florets.   Cut the head with about 10 cm (4") of stalk. New flower heads will soon form in the leaf axils and all around the lower stalk. These will be much smaller than the initial head, but keep harvesting and they will keep producing. Water the ground under the plants and not the broccoli itself to make it less susceptible to soil-borne diseases.