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Broccoli is a cool-season crop that loves the sun! It is best grown in the spring or fall and food growers try to fit it into their planting schedule because it is:
Incredibly healthy
A good source of Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fiber.
Once you harvest the main head of a broccoli plant, it will often keep producing smaller side shoots. Summer heat can cause bolting, so grow in spring and fall.
Broccoli is attacked by multiple pests and diseases in the Chicago area. Many local home gardeners in or around Chicago have given up growing broccoli and focus instead on other greens like kale, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, Chinese broccoli and Bok Choy. See a visual guide to 10 varieties of Asian greens at https://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-to-10-varieties-of-asian-greens-98840 Article “What is Chinese cabbage?” is at https://www.thespruceeats.com/chinese-cabbage-info-694681
Prevent clubroot: Broccoli is prone to a root fungus called clubroot that can be prevented by careful planting and planning.
WARNING: clubroot fungus is extremely contagious and can be spread to other plants with hands, tools, and anything that comes into contact with it. Also, it can come with seedlings that you purchase from garden centers - and once you have it in your raised bed, there is no way to get rid of it. Don’t worry about it attacking other plants in your bed - they are safe, So, beware of these risks and consider if it might be worth it to consider an alternative veggie.
Plant in a space that was not previously used for a cabbage family crop. The fungus stays in the soil over the winter.
Sterilize the soil to kill the clubroot fungus if your broccoli planting area is small and you don’t have other spaces you can use instead. Heating the soil to 200º should work.
New Service
Get your lists of questions ready…
We are very excited to be able to offer customers personalized garden mentoring with our new team member and Kitchen Gardening Guru, Raffa Crevosay, Horticulturist and Certified Crop Adviser. We will send details about our Soil Health/Garden Coaching services soon. If you’d like details ASAP, write lesley[at]deep-roots-project.org an please put “coaching” in the subject line.
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Questions?
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