Broccoli

Broccoli seed may be small, but it produces a mighty plant with dense nutritional value! Broccoli originated from a wild mustard plant and was domesticated into the broccoli we know today sometime in the 1500s. Broccoli was brought to America around the 1700s but did not gain popularity until the 1920s. Thanks to its commercial success, you can now find broccoli on most menus around the world.  Broccoli plants produce delicious, nutritionally dense food lasting several weeks that you can enjoy in various ways. We love to use our homegrown broccoli fresh in salads and raw in dishes. The flavor of homegrown broccoli is unparalleled to commercial broccoli.  By growing from broccoli seed, you have a wide range of varieties from which to choose. Broccoli can be categorized as heading broccoli, broccoli raab (rapini), or broccolini. The differences are in their growth habits. Heading broccoli produces large main heads similar to those found in grocery stores. It can produce side shoots of smaller heads after you've harvested the main head. Broccoli raab and broccolini produce large amounts of smaller shoots with no central head.  It is best to succession plant broccoli seed for a continuous harvest. Broccoli prefers cool temperatures, high fertility, and even moisture. Mulch heavily around plants and protect them with row cover if high temperatures are expected. Row cover can also help to reduce soil evaporation in hot, dry climates. If you have not grown broccoli, it's a wonder to watch it grow and later taste its deliciousness in the kitchen! Freshly grown broccoli is tender, sweet, and packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.