The oyster mushroom gets its name from its cap which, some say, resembles an oyster. The stem of the oyster mushrooms is perhaps more distinct; it unfurls something like one of those old-time paper lady's fans. The oyster mushroom has...

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Broccoli Growing Problems: Troubleshooting

Broccoli is treated much as cabbage. Grow broccoli as rapidly as possible. Give broccoli plenty of moisture and be sure to feed it through the season--a planting bed amended with aged compost is an important start. While broccoli is hardy at maturity, young plants should not be subjected to frost.

For broccoli growing tips see How to Grow Broccoli or Broccoli Growing Success Tips at the bottom of this post.

Here are common broccoli growing problems with cures and controls:

Seedlings fail to emerge from soil; seedlings are eaten; roots are tunneled. Cabbage maggot is a small gray-white, legless worm to ⅓-inch long; adult is the cabbage root fly, looks like a housefly. Flies lay eggs in the soil near the seedling or plant. Maggots will tunnel into roots leaving brown scars; some plants may be honeycombed with slimy tunnels. Exclude flies with floating row covers. Remove and dispose of damaged plants. Apply lime or wood ashes around the base of plants; time planting to avoid insect growth cycle. Plant a bit later when the weather is drier.

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How to Grow Broccoli

Start broccoli seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring. Transplant broccoli seedlings to the garden when they are 4 to 6 old, as early as the last frost in spring, after hardening off for 4 days. In mild-winter regions, start seeds indoors in late summer and set them in the garden in autumn for winter harvest. Broccoli will come to harvest in 55 to 85 days when grown from transplants and 70 to 100 days when grown from seed.

How to cook broccoli: click here.

Description. Broccoli is a hardy biennial grown as a cool-season annual. It grows 18 to 36 inches tall and has broad, thick leaves and a thick main stalk. Broccoli forms single or multiple flowers "heads " of tiny blue-green flower buds. The flowers heads are eaten before they bloom; buds open to tiny yellow flowers. Broccoli will bolt and go to seed in warm temperatures or when daylight hours lengthen.

Yield. Plant 2 to 4 broccoli plants for each household member.

Site. Broccoli grows best in compost-rich, well-drained soil with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Broccoli grows best where air temperatures range between 45° and 75°F. Broccoli is frost hardy and can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F. In regions where there is heavy rain or sandy soil, aged-compost should be added to the soil to supplement soil nitrogen.

Planting time. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that must come to harvest before temperatures rise consistently above 75°F. Start broccoli seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring. Transplant broccoli seedlings to the garden 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost in spring after hardening seedlings off for 4 days. In mild-winter regions, start seeds indoors in late summer and set them in the garden in autumn for winter harvest. Weather that is too cold or too warm will cause broccoli to go to seed without forming a head. In cold-winter, short-season regions start broccoli in summer for fall harvest.

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Planting Broccoli

Broccoli can be served raw as an appetizer or in salads. Cook broccoli until it is just tender, still firm and crunchy. Broccoli needs cool weather to grow--warm weather will cause the buds to "rice" or open as flowers. Broccoli is suited for springs that are long and cool or autumns where there is no Indian summer. Where winters are mild, start broccoli in fall for harvest in spring. (Tips on cooking and serving broccoli, click here.)

Planting Calendar. Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable that requires from 40 to 90 days to reach harvest depending upon the variety. Broccoli grows best in temperatures that range from no more than 80ºF (27ºC) during the day to about 60°F at night. Broccoli is frost hardy and can tolerate temperatures as low as 20ºF. Temperatures that are too cold or too warm will cause broccoli to bolt without forming a head. Plant broccoli so that it comes to harvest during cool weather.

• Spring crop. Sow broccoli seed 4 to 6 weeks before your region's average last frost date for a late spring harvest.

• Autumn and winter crop. For a fall or winter harvest, transplant broccoli seedlings into the garden in midsummer in the North. In mild winter regions such as the South and Southwest, broccoli can be planted in the fall. In cold regions, broccoli should come to maturity before the freezing weather sets in; protect broccoli in a plastic tunnel for harvest into winter. (Tips on planting the autumn garden, click here.)

Place. Broccoli grows best in full sun, but will grow in light shade. Broccoli is not a suitable crop for very hot climates.

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Broccoli

Fresh, local broccoli will have a delicate flavor and texture.

The key to capturing broccoli at its sweetest is to take it out of the field or garden before the weather warms too much and get onto the table right away.

The young emerald-green florets of broccoli can be served raw dressed with vinaigrette or accompanied by a dipping sauce.

Mature broccoli—both the budded flowers and stems--can be boiled or steamed and eaten cold as a salad or hot as a side dish.

The peak season for broccoli is early fall through early spring. Cool weather sweetens the taste of broccoli so for the best flavor broccoli should come to the table before the weather warms.

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Broccoli

Quick! Name an edible flower!

Ok, which once did you name: nasturtium, pansy, viola, marigold or lavender, day lily, carnation or sage? The petals of each of those can be added to a salad for both taste and show. There are dozens of flowers that are edible.

But did you name the most commonly eaten flower of all?

If you said broccoli, you're right.

Millions of pounds of broccoli are eaten around the world every year. A relative of the cabbage, broccoli is one of the most accepted vegetables anywhere. If you think about it for a minute or two, it's easy to understand why.

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Broccoli Growing Problems: Troubleshooting

How to Grow Broccoli

Planting Broccoli

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