Broccoli
From Allotments4All
Sowing
- Seed depth: 6mm
- Germination soil temperature: 27 C
- Days to germinate: 4-7
- Sow indoors: 6-8 weeks before last frost
- Sow outdoors: Early summer for autumn crop
- Plant outdoors: After last frost
Growing
- pH range: 6.5-7.5
- Growing soil temperature: 16-18 C
- Spacing in beds: 40cm in a staggered pattern
- Watering: Moderate and even
- Light: Full sun for best yeild, will tolerate partial shade
- Nutrient requirements: N=moderate; P=high, K=high
- Rotation considerations: Avoid following with brassica
- Good companions: Beetroot, carrot, celery, chard, cucumber, dill, dwarf bean, lettuce,
- mint, nasturium, onion family, oregano, potato, rosemary, sage, spinach, tomato
- Bad companions: Runner and french beans, strawberry
- Seed Longevity: 3 years
There are two different types of broccoli, Sprouting Broccoli, white or purple and Calabrese, which, confusingly, is the stuff you buy at the shop marked "broccoli". Both come from the same family, Brassica oleracea Italica Group. Like most brassicas they like soil rich in organic matter and must be rotated to avoid disease.
Important Facts about Broccoli
In a Halloween episode of The Simpsons, Homer is killed by eating broccoli. When examining the body, Dr. Hibert said that broccoli was one the of deadliest plants, that warned people with its bad taste.
United States President George Bush (41st) was known to have an active disdain for broccoli, having actually said so in an offhand remark during his presidency. In response, a powerful broccoli agriculture lobby sent several tons of it to the White House.
Also, in the TV sitcom Seinfeld, Newman refers to broccoli as a "Vile weed!". In the animated series Family Guy's episode "I Never Met the Dead Man", Stewie Griffin invents a weather control device in an attempt to wipe out global production of the vegetable.
Dana Carvey did a sketch on Saturday Night Live where he sung an entire song about broccoli to Sigourney Weaver. The sketch was a big hit, and the song became quite popular.
Broccoli even appeared as a contestant on a cartoon game show on an episode of MTV's Liquid Television. The character could only repeat its name, and did so for every answer it gave.
There is also an episode of The Powerpuff Girls in which a species of aliens called the "Broccoloids" are attempting to take over the Earth. They hypnotise all adults that eat broccoli, thus leaving only the disobedient children to protect the planet. The only way to defeat the Broccoloids, as The Powerpuff Girls and the children of Townsville soon find out, is to eat them all.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.
