VEGETABLES > Brassica oleracea italica > HARVESTING

IN THIS GUIDE

BROCCOLI GUIDES

A large head of a broccoli plant growing against the vegetable’s leaves.

Eating After FloweringFeedingGrowing From SeedHarvestingPreventing BoltingProblems

Brassica oleracea italica – that food that your parents made you eat and you ’ve now grown to like – is a great plant life to grow in your garden .

However , it ’s only if you ‘ treat it right ’ after harvesting that Brassica oleracea italica will deliver that super tasty knockout punch .

A head of broccoli sprouting from its leaves that are in the background

We lay out how , underneath .

When To Harvest

Broccoli assortment mature and are ready for harvest time within a fairly narrow timeframe , which is commonly from 8 - 12 week .

The best sowing and growing season for Brassica oleracea italica means that peak harvesting season is July through to September .

However , this harvest time of year can run all the way from April through October depending on your region ’s climate , the cultivar you are develop , and whether you originate the ejaculate indoors .

Broccoli head that is growing surrounded by its leaves.

As your Brassica oleracea italica plants are coming along , you need to reap a handsome harvest .

So be on the watch - out for chick , slug and snails , any of whom can put bear to your crop .

deliberate protecting your Brassica oleracea italica patch with bird netting .

A broccoli plant growing in a garden that has a small head and lots of big leaves.

As the time to maturity approaches for your broccoli variety , keep a thrifty heart on your plant .

It is well to harvest a week too early than a week too late .

When the independent ( upper ) heads are fast and well - formed , each one showing those familiar little knob , it is time to glean .

A hand picking a small head of broccoli from its plant.

For most cultivars , the size of it should be a chip bigger than a cricket ball and the colour should be a rich , deep shade of common .

If you wait too long , Brassica oleracea italica can bolt and in warmer regions or during a heat wave the chances of bolting are outstanding .

you’re able to forestall run out by provide good afternoon shade and by not letting the soil dry out .

A close-up of the head of a broccoli plant with its leaves growing in the background.

The sign of yellow on a head means that that flora has started to bolt .

If a plant bolts , abbreviate off that stalk and harvest the rest of the plants .

1) The First Harvest

harvest time broccoli in the other morn to mid - morning .

Use secateurs or a sharp knife , whichever accommodate you better .

On each plant , cut the upper , main head with its stalk down to about 12 cm without trouble the remainder of the plant .

A broccoli plant head with a hand holding one of its florets.

Do not cut horizontally ; cut back at a slant .

A sloped control surface means water can not pool on top of the chaff and bring about stem rot .

2) The Second Harvest

retain watering and feeding the plants as you were .

supervise the side stalks now for your 2nd ‘ side ’ harvest .

These side heads will not become as large as the main , upper heads ; when they are 50 - 75 % of the sizing of the master heads that you had glean , they are just to go .

A single floret of a broccoli plant that is being held in front of plants growing in a raised bed.

Because the small side heads will ripen at different rate , this second harvest can be adopt progressively , on an as - needed basis .

The timeframe is from three to five weeks from the sidereal day you took the earlier , master crop .

If in question , simply take this side harvesting four weeks from the first one . This time around you may cut each head with most of its stalk .

A small part of a broccoli plant that has been harvested with a grassy garden and greenhouse in the background.

As before , be watchful for bolting .

3) Washing And Storage

If you plan to stack away your broccoli for a few solar day , do not wash off it – just put it in a penetrate polythene bag , squeeze out all the air from it , and put that in the electric refrigerator ’s crisper .

It should be delight in three twenty-four hour period .

If you plan to store your broccoli for long , this is one vegetable that is amenable to freezing for up to several months , provide it is prepped right .

You will first need to clean it , as described below .

Then it needs to be reduce into small man , and blanched and wink - cool .

Yes , that ’s a specialised method and it ’s easier enunciate than done .

As for wash this veggie , small insects and other germ may be conceal between the florets and in the crevice .

If you are amply convinced that your garden does not harbour such pest , you could wash the veggies for five minutes by cast them in a colander while holding it under operate piddle and lap the veggies .

Otherwise put lukewarm water in a container and add orchard apple tree cyder acetum or K permanganate as appropriate to the amount of water , and mix .

Put the broccoli in this answer for 10 - 15 bit , and sporadically swoosh it around .

After you remove it , wash it under cold running water .