Ok, Heres one I have not tried! So whats your best advice? What are its issues? All I know is I like it with velveta cheese! LOL!
So lets go! Show me how its done! I have seed....sooooo springs coming.. but I also understand it can be a fall crop...
Could it be done in a container? Im talking big bucket finish.
blossombuddy, I'm going to try a new variety for me this year--Broccoli of Calabria. Also, broccoleto. I've just ordered the seeds. I know that these veg need to have their growing site rotated, so I would think growing in a big bucket or container would be fine. I also know that they need good soil, and regular water so that would still be good for a container. I usual grow mine with soaker hose in raised beds. The roots go fairly deep for me but not deeper that a long carrot, so once again the big bucket would be fine. I'm really wanting spring to come early here myself, so now I've jinxed it and we won't see spring 'till May;~)! Boohoo!
Start your seeds so the seedlings can be set out while still on the small side. In your zone I imagine that mught be about the 23rd of April roughly.
For fall plantings start your seeds the last of June for setting out about 25 days later.....water the fall crop well. Don't raise just one variety......spread out the maturity times.
I start my Spring crop in my greenhouse starting in early January. I like strong healthy plants before I put them out about April 1-15th. I grow packman mostly though I have grown others that make bigger heads, I like the color and flavor and compact heads of packman. broccoli also loves lots of manure or organic matter.
Have fun, it is deffinitly worth growing.
Usually my last frost date is the 15-19 of April, but I have seen it snow on Mothers day here too do go figure. I cant really start any seeds in the GPS until the temps stay in the 50s. I can start them in the house...then harden them off..
Well I think it will be fun to try some in big nursery cans. I figure I will probably have to stake them though.
Blossombuddy - I think broccoli would grow just fine in a large pot, although I have never tried to do so.
I grow "Bonanza" because it does well for me. When I had access to horse manure, it grew huge heads, but since my friend's horse died, (RIP) the heads have been much smaller.
I sowed seed July 25th in a raised bed, covered with a shade cloth. That sowing returned 75 plants, which I transplanted in October to the area where the sweet potatoes grew all summer. I am still picking broccoli, despite several cold snaps.
Horse and chicken poo am I! Got plenty of horse poo.
I grew cherry maters last year in haning baskets and used straigh horse poo in them and they did fine. Still have to fertilize though.. after awhile of course the poo aint worth anything! LOL!
Im not doing row covers...
Blossombuddy - I have to cover the seeds or the birds eat them! What I use is actually called "floating row covers"
You mean you wanna do this, in a bucket?
And, uh, that's a SELF-watering, homemade colander eBucket...Just water through that tube, and sit back and watch your broccoli grow!
Like This!
I'll be pouring cheese in about 3 more weeks!
Doing the happy dance! ^^_^^_^^_^^
Linda
P.S. Mix in one TBSP. of Bloodmeal (Nitrogen) to the top 4" of your container soil. They LOVE the stuff!
N, for what's growing above the ground
P, for what's growing below the ground, and
K, for good growing just all around!
If ya'll want instructions on constructing homemade colander eBuckets, just holler! It takes about 5 minutes to put one together, once all your components are in place...and, once they're constructed and lined up, you could probably plant about 10 of them in an hour...each one is roughly one square foot and accommodates a broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage plant very comfortably!
This message was edited Dec 23, 2009 9:14 AM
Like this!
Gymgirl, you alway have such good ideas! That bucket looks cool! Yes, please do post the instructions.
PS. For a second I thought you were mixing the bloodmeal in with the cheese. =P. Boy, that's what I get for not reading the entire sentence!!!!! I skipped down to the NPK definitions as I am always drawn to any kind of chemistry! Then, whoops, skid to a halt and got to read that first sentence again! Had myself going there for a sec!
Terri et al,
The instructions for what Molamola designed is on this thread. They're working like a charm. Best design yet for getting the water in the reservoir below to wick up to the soil above and allow the plants to "self-water." They take up as much water as they want/need. No chance of over- or under-watering, long as you keep the eBucket reservoir filled. Once water comes out of the overflow hole, you know you've got enough water in the reservoir.
Then, simply:
CHECK for water/fertilizer needs,
PROTECT from temp extremes, and
INSPECT for buggies
They'll do the rest!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1011889/ (Beginning of thread)
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1056426/ (continuation of thread)
This message was edited Dec 23, 2009 9:43 AM
I have broccoli growing now and have been harvesting for about 6 weeks. I am growing:
Green calabrese: don't care for these. The heads were tiny, lots of side shoots but I grow for market.
DiCicco: just coming in
Green Goliath: wasn't impressed
PacMan:love this one for ease of growing, love the flavor too
Belstar: almost ready, looks great, very even growth across the bed
Early Dividend: not as good as PacMan
This photo was taken Nov 11th. I need to take some recent photos
Although my broccoli were all transplanted around the same time, it was interesting to see them mature. The ones at one end of the row, enjoyed full sun all day, and matured first. The ones at the other end of the row were shaded by our neighbor's trees because in the fall the sun is lower in the sky - they developed heads later.
I'm still cutting heads on a daily basis, although I've pulled a few because they have stopped producing side shoots. Come spring, I plan to put sweet peppers in their place.
I wanna be Calalily and HoneybeeNC when I grow up....
...and I want Calalily to come and set out my garden - my rows are all crooked - not that the veggies mind :)
Yeah, Honey, those rows are STRAIGHT!
Calalily, you and my hubby would get on great, he insists on making al our rows, he likes them straight. And I can't walk a straight line to save my life and I don't even drink! Well, off to do some baking, feelin like an elf.
My dad always said you can get more plants in a crooked row.
We plant only Gypsy. A nice big head, then huge side shoots all summer. We were still harvesting side shoots in October from the April planting. Then 20º did it in.
I made compost out of it in early November. It is now under 2 feet of snow & more coming this weekend.
Broccoli is on the right side.
Bernie
You market gardeners sure enough found your calling. Just beautiful crops. That mustard is gorgeous too. I'm glad to know that Gypsy does side shoots. Mine isn't trying yet and I was thinking of doing away with it. I'll give it more time now.
Linda those buckets are really rockin. Maybe you'll get another monster cabbage in half the time.
I just pray that the buckets work as well for you guys. I get the colanders from the Dollar Tree stores. And a packet of straws only costs $1 too.
OMG! Im gone for a couple days and you guys write me a book! LOOOOOVE IT! I got lost in all that reading!
Well, yeah, buckets, but I was just thinking the 1600 nuresry cans I have, but man that looks like a better plan that you have up there!
Refresh me again on the instructions! LOL! I need a pictorial! Yano, start ta finish!
I think the chicken poo tea will do those critters justice! Nitrogen city that stuff is!
Soz ok, need to get a 5 gallon pail... got a few...but no lids
Blossom (I loved that show -- hate it ended...), if your nursery cans are an adequate size (at least 11-14" diameter), you might try retrofitting them into eBuckets.
All you need is an overturned pond basket or whatever would fit snugly into the bottom that you could perforate somehow. The concept is to create a bubble over the water reservoir that would lift the soil out of the water. Only the soil that's packed around the sides would stay in constant contact with the water -- this becomes your wick.
Anything above your bubble or basket or colander is part of the soil bed and would be moistened from the wicking action of the soil that's packed around the sides, that stays in contact with the water at all times.
Hope I haven't confused you.
LMK
Linda
Here's a link to making great self watering containers!!!
http://www.josho.com/gardening.htm
Thank you.. sounds like a plan! Gonna be a bit before I start them.. I have ice and snow now in my zone so will need to work on selecting my planting dates! Last frost date here is usually around the 15 of April, but it has been known to snow on mothers day.. sigh!
Bernie, I remember you telling me about Gypsy and when I ordered seeds I couldn't remember the name!
Bud does the straight rows for me. He measures from set stakes in the garden, puts in stakes for the rows and runs a string. I can't make a straight line either.
Sometimes if I'm in a hurry I'll make the rows myself. He will come out to the garden and try not to look at the crooked ones. I told him my mission on earth is to help him get over his obsession with straight and plumb!
Here are the broccoli plants now, photo taken yesterday.
How does it work picking beans with the rows that close together ?
Everything looks great!
Our landscape this morning.
Took this one through the window screen. This is overnight snow on the steps.
Bernie, the beans aren't hard to pick, the beds are about 4ft wide and I can reach the middle from either side. They're raised enough to make it a little easier to pick. I have more beans in a different garden where the beds are only 2ft wide. Those are nice!
I wanted to see snow when we were in MN, but when it hit 21 I wanted to go home. It snowed the next day.
Straight rows or not, the gardens shown in the photos look superb! Sigh, someday for me too, Gymgirl!
Calalily - Mentally, I've decided that by the time I've set stakes, and run a string for a straight line, I can drag my trowel through the dirt and set seed. Then I'd have to gather all that string together in such a manner that it could be reused for the next straight line.
Just thinking about it makes me shudder (LOL)
I hear yah, Honey, but they LOOK so nice!
Gymgirl - Yes, they sure do. Somehow the straight rows make the veggies look more appetizing, too. I can still taste this Charantais melon :)
Here's a pic where you can see a wee corner of my bed/grid. It does look neat!
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhh, I wasted $16 on lathe material that was cut crooked, and NOW you show me closeups of your half-rounds?
What's up with that Kelley???!!!!!
It is neat.....^^_^
This message was edited Dec 30, 2009 4:01 PM
lol Linda - it was el cheapo at the Home Depot - lol. I went for cheap so when it breaks it's cheap to replace - lol...
And four hours fighting with crooked lathe trying to make it work. My squares measured from 10" to 13" and only one was 12x12!
I finally gave up and used the screws and twine to lay out my squares. It took more time, but I kept repeating a montra: "If it's worth doing, it worth doing right!" Well, now I have true 12x12 squares.
I planted my turnips, and two varieties of spinach seeds before the dark and cold ran me inside for some heat!
I covered the bed with some hardware cloth to discourage our roaming neighborhood cats. And then it started raining last night.....
