Broccoli

1. 1

   Choose the type

   Calabrese (Marathon, Belstar): the standard green broccoli, large central head with smaller side-shoots, summer to autumn cropping. Purple sprouting (Red Spear, Rudolph, Cardinal): overwintering, no large head, many small purple-budded side-shoots, cropping February to April. Different sowing schedules — pick one type per bed.

2. 2

   Sow seed

   Calabrese: March to June in modules at 12–15°C; or direct from April. Successional sowings every 3 weeks for continuous summer–autumn cropping. Sprouting broccoli: May to early June only, for cropping the following spring.

3. 3

   Prepare a firm fertile bed

   Full sun, firm soil, slightly alkaline (lime if pH below 6.5). Fork in compost from the previous autumn but not fresh manure. Like Brussels sprouts, broccoli needs a settled bed.

4. 4

   Transplant when 10–15 cm tall

   30 cm apart for calabrese, 60 cm for sprouting types (they get bigger). Firm the soil hard around each plant; water in well. Don't transplant in hot dry weather; choose a damp morning.

5. 5

   Net against cabbage white

   From transplanting until October. Caterpillars strip a plant overnight. Net firmly on hoops with 5 mm enviromesh.

6. 6

   Water and feed

   Water deeply once a week in dry weather; broccoli stops heading if it dries out. A liquid feed in mid-summer keeps it going.

7. 7

   Cut central head when tight

   For calabrese, cut the central head when the buds are still tightly closed and dark green. Once flower buds open into yellow flowers it's gone over. Cut 10 cm of stem; side-shoots will produce smaller heads from the leaf joints for 4–8 weeks afterwards.

8. 8

   Pick sprouting broccoli shoots continuously

   For purple sprouting, cut shoots when the buds are still tight, from late February onwards. Cut at the base of each shoot just above a leaf joint. Picking is continuous through to April; the more you cut, the more it produces.

9. 9

   Re-net for pigeons over winter (sprouting types only)

   Sprouting broccoli stands through winter. From October pigeons strip unprotected plants. Net with proper bird netting on hoops 30 cm above the foliage.

Cabbage white caterpillars, aphids, and pigeons are major threats; netting essential.