One of the most rewarding and economical vegetables you can grow, Green Calabrese will crop from late summer right through autumn, producing densely packed clusters of deep bluish-green buds of up to 15cm (6in) diameter atop thick, tender stems and rich green leaves that are just as good to eat. Harvesting the broccoli heads will encourage further florets to grow lower down the stem - a great cut-and-come-again vegetable! With a milder, more subtle flavour than sprouting broccoli, 'Green Calabrese' makes a colourful and tasty ingredient whether prepared raw for salads or dips, or steamed, boiled or stir-fried. It makes great soup, too - an ideal way of using up any leftover stems and leaves. Excess crops will freeze well, so you can enjoy this versatile veg through the winter, long after its generous season has finished. Commonly regarded as a 'superfood', all parts of the plant are highly nutritious - a great source of fibre and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals. The leaves hold the highest levels of antioxidants and vitamins, and the stalks contain the most fibre - far too good to waste! Easy to grow, broccoli will thrive in an open, sunny position in fertile, well draining, moisture-retentive soil. Ideally, dig in some well-rotted manure into the growing site in the autumn before sowing. There is no need to dig over the soil too much immediately before planting as undisturbed soil offers a firm roothold for brassicas and will help them establish quickly and well. Successive sowing will extend the cropping season. Fast-growing, they will reach a mature height of up to 60cm (24in). Supplied as a packet of 200 (approx.) seeds ready to sow either indoors from March to May (for planting out May-June), or outdoors from March to May directly into their growing position. Harvest from September to November.
Broccoli 'Stromboli' is a generous cropper that resists blindness, so you can be sure that each and every plant will earn its place on your vegetable plot!
Outstanding crops of calabrese with an excellent flavour. Plant in succession for a continual harvest, summer into autumn. The central floret is followed by several sideshoots. Height: 45cm (18). Spread: 40cm (16).
Tasty and nutritious Organic Broccoli 'Green Sprouting' (Calabrese) provides a wonderfully long harvest of flavoursome heads along with a great crop of tender side shoots. Enjoy a fantastic harvest from late summer onwards - pick the side shoots regularly and these generous plants will continue to produce more throughout autumn.
Broccoli ?Green Magic? produces flavoursome rich green heads which are packed full of health benefits. Loved for its reliable performance, superior flavour and showing good resistance to white rust, its no wonder this variety has earned a prestigious RHS AGM.
With strong clubroot resistance, Calabrese 'Komodo' F1 is a reliable variety that will guarantee a decent harvest. This F1 Hybrid is a vigorous grower that produces dense, dark green heads from July, and continuing well into the autumn.
This top performer offers the longest cropping period from late May through to October, producing blue-green domed heads. It shows good tolerance to hollow stem and resistance to bolting. Suitable for closer spacing or if growing space is tight.
This hardy variety has been selected for top flavour, heavy yields and resistance to clubroot and mildew. It produces tight domed heads on clear smooth stems and will produce plenty of side shoots after the central head is harvested. Sow several times through spring for successional harvests from August through to November.
So sweet you can eat the stems raw! A true pure broccoli similar in look to Cima di rapa (wild broccoli). Expect three or four harvests per plant.
New breeding in 'sweet green and tender stem' broccoli. Vigorous, upright plant habit produces a well branched, flat central head Once central head is cut will initiate a mass of sweet and tender sideshoots. Harvest July-October.
This outstanding, versatile variety is reliable in almost any soil or situation. Calabrese ?Marathon? produces crops of medium sized, firm blue-green heads that freeze particularly well.
Excellent flavoured, well domed, small beaded heads of good colour. Broccoli Belstar F1 keeps in good condition for a long time, producing plenty of side shoots once the centre head is cut. Plant in succession for summer-autumn harvesting. Andrew Tokely says: I always sow this broccoli early in the year and harvest large tasty heads before they can be attacked by caterpillars. Once the main head is cut, I give the plants a good watering, so over the following weeks and months a secondary crop of tasty smaller spears are produced making this a very worthwhile crop