Broccoli

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by Gardenlover, Apr 28, 2008.

  1. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a
    How long does it take to mature for harvest?
    I live in southern ontario and have bought some ready to plant...I undersatnd that broccoli is a little cold hardy so it can be planted early may in my area.
     
  2. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
    http://aihoo.notlong.com/ 25 June 2007 Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Celery First of the season.

    I am in your area and my broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts are now in the ground (25 April) Zone 5. Broccoli and cauliflower produce heads about the end of June. I detected no frost damage last year, and we had two rather severe frosts after planting. Brussel sprouts can withstand almost anything.
     
  3. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a
    good stuff!

    what do you use for your broccoli to grow? (fertilizer, manure)
     
  4. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
    I just use vegetative compost supplied by the city, and my own which is a small amount. also a clover cover crop in the fall, and I apply wood chips for aeration, which decompose in about a year. This is my fifth year and I have seen no diminishing in plant growth. If I consider the wood chips may be a problem, I supply a small sprinkling of Urea for the nitrogen. Whether this is effective or not I really don't know, but it makes me feel better.
     
  5. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a


    Very interesting stuff.

    I have seen/heard of using "vetch" as a green manure in getting the same results as you with the clover....very good nitrogen!

    Can you coach me on how to use "vetch" to my advantage as a green manure. When do I apply it, how long do you leave it in the soil to get results?

    If you ever get your hands on ammonium nitrate...you will see faster results than the urea. Urea will volatize within 24 hours if not handles properly in the field. I always put my urea into the soil either by rainfall, irrigation or burrying it.
     
  6. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
    In a small garden any growth in the eary Spring can be a misery to remove with a rototiller. I have experience with the red annual clover, both single cut and double cut. It is only partially winter killed in some cases, but by weed whacking the green stems, it can be successfully worked into the soil. The last thing one wants with a rototiller is long green vegetation. Turning over with a plough would be great, but such does not exist for a typical home garden.

    The vetch sure looks interesting, both for fixing nitrogen and fibre, but my first thought is those tenacles twisting around the shaft on the rototiller. Any clover alive and a reasonable height will do the same, but it is minimal and has weaks stalks. I like something that will be effectively Winter killed, and clover seems to meet this criteria in most cases.

    I have looked at vetch growing along the highway and it certainly has a mass of vegetation after a few years, and it would add a lot of fibre to the soil if worked into the soil- with a plough that turns the soil over.

    The typical home garden really requires some type of powered plough, but such is not available except the shovel, and anything with a handle, utilizing muscle power is very hard labour, and is not all that effective.

    For all these reasons, I suspect annual clover in the home garden is probably the best cover crop to utilize.
     
  7. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a
    when is it best to use the cover crop for us in ontario?
    our soils are frozen all winter.

    If I was to use vetch in my garden as a cover crop, when would I plant it?
    May or october?

    I use the shovel to dig my soil over every spring/fall. Yes it is labour intensive.
     
  8. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
    I plant the cover crop as the ground becomes clear of food crop. The latest date for me is about the end of September, but I like to plant is as early as possible. Last year I had good cover since the Fall season was quite warm.

    One can leave a portion of the garden free each year and alternately plant cover crops. This is usually not an option for the home gardener, since space is usually limited.

    Do you grow Olives trees?
     
  9. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a

    Yes...in europe.



    how long should it be in the ground for?
    I know when vetch matures it flowers. If sown in the fall, for us here in ontario that probably gives us a little over 2 months before the vetch is covered in snow and frost. It will die before the ground thaws in the spring assuredly.
     
  10. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,669
    Likes Received:
    100
    Location:
    Brantford,Ontario, Canada
     
  11. Gardenlover

    Gardenlover Active Member

    Messages:
    309
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Southern Ontario, Canada Zone 6a
     

Share This Page