Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader
Larry your broccoli production is insane! I often hear from fellow urban gardeners that they dont grow broccoli because it takes to much space for the selling price to make it worth it. Obviously if your getting 800 heads from 2 raised beds that isn't the case. I may have missed it but can you explain your process, spacing, ferts etc? My wife loves broccoli and nobody sells it at my market so I may try a few beds this Fall, then if all goes well a big planting for Spring harvest.
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The raised beds (RBs) that I am growing most of my Broccoli in are approximately 16' by 5’. The spacing I use allows me to get 5 rows lengthwise in a RB. To do this I space the rows 5” from the side boards and space the rows 11” apart. Within the row I space the plants 8” apart. I have tried closer spacing, e.g. I have used 8” between rows allowing 6 rows per RB and although it works OK, I find that spacing so close is cumbersome. Therefore, now I stick with 11” between rows and 8” between plants in the row.
I plant the seeds in 3 ˝” square x 3 ˝” high plastic pots. I try to get my transplants fairly mature before placing them in the RB. I like to plant the seeds 45 to 55 days before transplant. The transplants get to the stage which is often defined as root bound. For me this gets them to maximum maturity in a 3 ˝” cup but without them attempting to head. They usually have 6 or 7 true leaves. I do not attempt to break up the roots before transplanting. I don’t find that breaking up the roots speeds things up. If I am not in too much of a hurry I add a bit of fertilizer at the bottom of the hole but I am unsure of how much this actually helps. Once the transplants are established and showing some growth (normally in approximately 7 to 10 days) I side dress with some 10-10-10 conventional fertilizer. I side dress with 10-10-10 again in 14 to 20 days, then a third time when I see the first plants starting to head. I am not at all sure this schedule is optimal, it is just what I do and it seems to work. I have never sprayed for insects or fungus. I haven’t had a problem or if I did to a small extent, I just ignored it. Maybe I have just been lucky. Also I water routinely with a hose. I used to water at the base of the plant but I gave up on that and just water from overhead. It’s easier.
When one crop comes out I attempt to get the next transplants in the ground immediately, in an attempt to maximize the use of my RBs.
I admit my methods are a bit on the crude side but they seem to work for me.
Good Luck
Larry