Broccoli Italian
Sprouting

How to grow

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Background

Sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea italic) is a type of broccoli that is grown not for its big single head, but for its abundant edible sprouts.

A member of the mustard family, Sprouting Broccoli is derived from the wid mustard that grow prolifically around coastal Europe Native.Mustards have been cultivated for over 8000 years, with

The ancient romans cultivated it 1000s of year ago,The name Broccoli means “Bucktooth” in latin, most likely a colloquial term reffering to the broccoli’s projecting shoots.

But it took a suprisingly long time to spread to the rest of the world.

It wasn’t recorded in England until 1720, where it was known as Italian Asparagus, and it was first recorded in America another 100 years after that.

Health Benefits

Turns out your parents were onto something all those years ago, Broccoli is good for you! It’s jam packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre!

Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, that protects from chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Potassium, which regulates blood pressure protecting against heart disease and stroke.

Folate, a B vitamin that is important for cell growth and development.

Dietary Fibre, which we all know is important for digestive health.

Growing Tips and Tricks

When to plant

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Tropical: Mar – Aug

Sub-tropical: Mar – Aug

Arid: Mar – Aug

Warm: Mar – Aug

Temperature: Mar – Aug

Cold: Mar – Aug

Seed Sowing

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Spacings: 50cm

SOW depth: 5mm

Direct SOW: Yes

Transplant: Yes

Location: Sprouting broccoli likes to grow in full sun and well-drained soil.So choose a spot that gets at least 6 hours of sunshine.They can be grown in the ground or in containers.

Watering: Sprouting broccoli needs to be watered regularly, but be careful not to overwater.The soli should be moist, but not soggy.

Pests and Diseases

Leaves getting eaten? Sounds like cabbage moths! Ways to prevent this is with insect excluding mesh, making sure that you’re not growing over the warmer months and keeping your plants nice and healthy.

Fluffy mass under the leaves, with discoloured spots on top? Sounds like downy mildew. You can treat it with an. organic copper fungicide. Make sure that you allow plenty of space for light and airflow between plants and avoid too much overhead watering.

Harvest: Sprouting broccoli are ready to harvest around 60 days after planting. To harvest, begin with the central stem as this will encourage more sprouts to grow out the sides. Harvest stems when buds are formed but before they open into flower. Regular picking will extend your harvest!

Culinary Options

So much more versatile than traditional broccoli, the crisp tasty sprouts lend themselves to steaming, roasting, frying or even eating fresh, straight from the garden.

Here are some recipes that use sprouting broccoli:

• Fried up with some eggs and a piece of toasted sourdough as a delicious breakfast.
• Fried with garlic, butter and lemon juice as a delicious side for a roast.
• Steamed, lightly dressed with some olive oil and dipped into hommus.