This article will show you how to grow broccoli in the easiest ways!
Broccoli is one of the vegetables that provide the most Vitamin C which helps strengthen our body’s immune system and helps it fight certain types of cancer and heart diseases. It also helps in controlling cholesterol levels and reducing blood sugar.
While broccoli is readily available in supermarkets, don’t you think it would just be so much easier and cheaper if you always had it at home?
Broccoli may not be the easiest plant to grow for a beginner, but it’s not impossible either. Take it as a challenge to grow your own so that you can be proud about it when it finally becomes ready for harvest!
Different Types of Broccoli Seeds
Before anything else, the most important step is looking for the type of broccoli seeds that suits you best.
If you prefer large broccoli heads, the Belstar Broccoli may be a good pick. It produces 6-inch blue-green heads and can be harvested within two months during the spring or fall.
If you’re looking for fast-maturing broccoli seeds, try DiCicco seeds. These are good for harvest in spring or fall and yields 3- to 5-inch blue-green heads. These don’t sprout in uniform, so you could have broccoli heads as early as a month and a half.
Lastly, if you’re looking for something a little more interesting, you could try Purple Sprouting broccoli seeds. They produce multiple 3- to 5-inch purplish flowers that can be planted for three consecutive seasons (early spring, midsummer, and early fall). It takes around two and a half months to be ready for harvest.
There are other varieties of broccoli seeds that you can get from the supermarket or your local suppliers, so make sure to check them out to find the perfect match for you.
How to Grow Broccoli Indoors
Once you’ve found the right seeds for you, it’s time to plant them! There are different methods on how to grow broccoli, whether you have a yard or not.
The first step is to make sure you have moist, well-draining, and fertile soil where you can plant the seeds in. It also has to have a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0.
It is recommended to start sowing seeds in a seedling tray or a pot before transplanting it to your yard. However, you can also direct sow it in your yard once the soil is ready.
You can also opt to soak the seeds in warm water overnight before planting them to make germination faster.
Regardless, the next step is to use your finger to make a small hole on the soil, about ¼-inch deep. Place the seed on it and then cover it with soil and push down gently, just to make sure that the soil envelops the seed.
If you’re planting multiple seeds, make sure you plant them about 18 inches apart from each other. Broccoli plants need to have ample space and nutritious soil in order to grow well and produce good harvest. The general rule for planting broccoli in pots is to have only one seed per square foot.
In watering your plant, if you’re using a seedling tray, simply put water in the tray so that the soil absorbs it from underneath. Throw away excess water that has not been absorbed after 20 minutes.
If you’re direct sowing in your yard, make sure to water at ground level. Remember: your soil should never be too dry or too wet.
(Tip: In warmer climates, mulch can help keep your soil moist.)
As for sunlight, your plant should get at least 6 hours of full sunlight per day. In warm climates, it might be best to keep your plants where there’s some shade so that the soil doesn’t dry up. Keep your pot or seedling tray by your window or balcony so that it gets the required amount of sunlight.
Lastly, watch out for pests or aphids that might hinder the growth of your broccoli plant. It would also be a good practice to check daily for weeds and take them off by hand, making sure to not disturb your growing plant.
Check my other article on Urban Gardening.
Broccoli Growing Stages
Now that you know how to grow broccoli indoors, it’s time to walk you through the general broccoli growing stages.
The first stage is seed germination which takes about 1-2 weeks. The recommended temperature for seed germination is 80ºF (27ºC). Heat pads also help seeds germinate faster.
The second stage is plant development which takes about 3-4 weeks from germination. This is where your plant develops roots and leaves. The recommended temperature for a developing broccoli plant is 60ºF (16ºC).
The third stage is the harvest of flowering tops. The broccoli that we eat is actually the plant’s flower buds. This takes about 1-2 months from germination, depending on the type of seeds you have.
Lastly, if you want to have more broccoli seeds to plant in the next season, you can leave at least one broccoli head and let it develop into a flower and get its seeds when the flower turns brown and dry. Take note, though, that this can’t be harvested anymore.
Now that you have your own homegrown broccolis, it’s time to eat! There are several ways to enjoy broccoli such as grilling, roasting, steaming, or putting it in a salad. You can even eat it raw! If you’re creative and experimental enough, you can come up with new broccoli dishes that suit your taste best.
In this pandemic-struck era, learning how to grow broccoli saves you time and money in going to the market. Plus, you can guarantee that your broccoli would be organic and grown in the best, most natural way. Oh, and watching your plant grow also makes for a good pastime!
At a time where it’s best to stay at home, growing a plant indoors has never been more practical and more enjoyable.
If you enjoy this article read my other post on sustainable backyard farming.
