Author Topic: Tenderstem broccoli  (Read 3142 times)

pumkinlover

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Tenderstem broccoli
« on: August 04, 2021, 17:22:04 »
This seems to available in the shops and was very nice when we had some recently. What's it like to grow? I was wondering if it stands longer and better than normal broccoli?

Another question, it appears that tenderstem broccoli is a cross between chinese kale and broccoli. Seeds of Italy sell "cima di rapa"  which looks similar but I don't know if the taste is similar?

Anyone tried both and can compare?
« Last Edit: August 04, 2021, 18:25:39 by pumpkinlover »

Obelixx

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2021, 19:09:27 »
Have never seen tender stemmed broccoli here but I do grow purple sprouting which, I assume, has similar properties.

Easy to sow, easy to prick out and grow - if you can keep the chooks off! - and there are now tow kinds for sowing at different times for cropping at different times.   The one I have will start cropping late winetr and into spring so it covers the "hungry gap".
Obxx - Vendée France

Paulh

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2021, 19:32:26 »
I used to grow it / Brokali "Apollo" but found it succumbed too easily to club root. It crops summer into autumn, so there are other greens to grow around then as well, and I decided I would not continue with it. It needs about 2' spacing and grows about the same tall, so it's more compact than broccoli. It cropped heavily when it worked and was tasty.

pumkinlover

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2021, 08:38:46 »
Have never seen tender stemmed broccoli here but I do grow purple sprouting which, I assume, has similar properties.

Easy to sow, easy to prick out and grow - if you can keep the chooks off! - and there are now tow kinds for sowing at different times for cropping at different times.   The one I have will start cropping late winetr and into spring so it covers the "hungry gap".

My chooks don't get anywhere near the plot! I do find PSP okay for the first few pickings then can't keep up!

Obelixx

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2021, 09:13:14 »
My veg plot is a former donkey paddock - 29m x 25m - and fenced and also had a donkey shed in it so I converted that shed to a hen house and built a pen round it.   They were fine in there for the first few weeks after adoption but then grew fitter and more confident and we let them out into the veg plot and also the polytunnel which is dry for them in winter.

We are learning to use insect netting on hoops to protect crops after "training" the hens to like cabbages.  A friend suggested I hang whole cabbages up for them to peck at and thus improve their neck muscles.   Now they have a taste for all things brassica and lettuce too!
Obxx - Vendée France

JanG

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2021, 19:22:39 »
I've grown two varieties of what I take to be tender stem broccoli, sometimes called brokali I believe. One is Atlantis (Kings seeds)and the other Inspiration (Johnsons). There wasn't much difference between the two.

I'm not very impressed. It seems to me they go to seed more quickly than conventional calabrese. I find the stems of calabrese tender and tasty anyway, so in effect you're just getting smaller heads and not all that many more of them.

Cima di rapa is turnip tops bred for leafy eating. Some of it is very quick to mature. You can get 40 day, 70 day, 90 day and 120 day varieties I believe - I might have the numbers a little wrong.

You eat the flowering heads but they are looser and the taste is a little stronger and more bitter than Calabrese or other broccolis, I'd say. There is also kailan kich which is another brassica grown for flowering heads, but Chinese rather than Italian. I regard it as rather similar in taste to Cima di rapa but I haven't really given either a fair try.

pumkinlover

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2021, 08:24:30 »
I've bought the  clima di rapa in the end from Seeds of Italy the 120. I'll grow in the tunnel if it survives the winter storms.

We did enjoy the tenderstem when on a family visit  (it came from Sainsbury's ) thank you for your opinion Jan, good to hear from someone who has grown it.

JanG

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2021, 08:52:33 »
I think the 120 day is supposed to produce the best quality heads so good choice I imagine. Also Seeds of Italy the best source. Hope they go well and you enjoy them. Do report back around the turn of the year (?)

pumkinlover

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2022, 08:29:33 »
Well we tried the Cima de rapi the other day and it was not very nice. Bitter I don't know if I haven't watered it enough, I'd grown it in the greenhouse and maybe hadn't ?
Watering well now and will try again. If we still don't like it, I have 5 rabbits who will say Thank you very much as there isn't much else around for treats for them.

I have been given some seeds of the tenderstem brocolli and will sow them.

Obelixx

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2022, 09:07:18 »
I grew this once in Belgium.  It does need a regular and steady water supply to grow fast and stay tender - no problem there with all the rain.   Even so, I found it a bit bitter and also suffered from flea beetles.

I shall stick to growing kale, cavolo nero and PSB.
Obxx - Vendée France

pumkinlover

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2022, 13:41:31 »
Thank you Obelixx. Has a good water today and  will do regularly to  see if it improves.
At least I know what the problem is now.

JanG

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2022, 06:49:40 »
I think it always tends to have that Asian green slight bitterness. Stir-fried with some ginger, garlic etc I find such leafy greens very acceptable but I don’t think Cime di rapa will ever have the sweetness of calabrese or tenderstem broccoli. I hope the watering dilutes the bitterness to some extent though.

pumkinlover

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Re: Tenderstem broccoli
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2022, 18:29:14 »
First tenderstem broccoli today. Enjoyed it, but only one stem per plant, hope it produces more heads. The seeds are expensive.

 

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