This is my first attempt to grow broccoli and my inspiration and the cultivators were provided by Kathy who seeded, hardened and provided me with instructions for planting and care. I further read that broccoli are heavy feeders and that I should not plant them in ground that had within the previous 4 years hosted broccoli, tomatoes or any other heavy feeders and since this is my first year gardening and I had unused ground that I newly developed for gardening use, I only needed to amend and insure that it was as fertile as I could make it in the short time that I had available.
For amending and fertilizing I employed what had become my mainly used products; Happy Frog and Mesquite Valley Growers’ special all purpose blend and a generous amount of calcium from gypsum which also reduces the compaction of the soil. I also employed the cage that I made and used for my lettuce to protect the plants until they out grow it.
Thanks Kathy!
4 years really? Wow, well that should probably explain some things to me.
The calabrese broccoli that I planted a couple of weeks ago is doing very well. I planted 8, and have 4 left. (Thanks to a mouse maurader). It seems to be working into the overall plan of succession planting, though, since I have another batch of broccoli’s ready to harden off, then plant. These are the Windsor variety. They produce a single big crown, but like the cooler temperatures. Maybe I’ll plant twice as many as I hope to harvest…in case the mouse left a blueprint for his relatives. The cage is a really good idea….using my extra sharp hindsight….