Growing guide
How to grow broccoli in Ireland
Broccoli means more than one crop. Calabrese makes a substantial green centre head in summer or autumn, often followed by sideshoots. Sprouting broccoli produces picking spears and includes varieties for other seasons, notably spring. A small module-raised calabrese crop is manageable for a first attempt. Choosing the type matters more than one generic number of days to harvest.
On this page
At a glance
- Start with
- Seed or young plants labelled calabrese or sprouting broccoli
- Best position
- Fertile, moisture-retentive ground that drains freely
When and where to start
Indoor sowing. Sow calabrese in modules from February to June; March or April avoids the earliest protected starts. Sprouting broccoli is generally sown April to June, with the intended harvest season governed by variety.
Direct sowing. Calabrese can also be direct-sown and thinned. Modules are convenient, not the only possible method.
Planting out. Plant calabrese from late March to late July, protecting early crops appropriately. Sprouting types go out May to July. Wait for sturdy plants and workable ground rather than forcing the earliest date.
Planting and spacing
Move seedlings before roots become congested. Acclimatise protected plants gradually and water rootballs before planting.
For calabrese with room for sideshoots, Teagasc gives about 60 cm rows and 40–45 cm between plants. Dense small-head layouts are a different method and suppress sideshoots.
Sprouting broccoli has separate needs: some summer types use 60 × 45 cm and an overwintered crop 60 × 60 cm. Match the variety and season rather than inheriting calabrese spacing.
Routine care
Maintain steady growth and water in dry weather. A check to young plants can lead to a small premature head; avoid wilting transplants and cramped modules.
Use fertile soil as the foundation, but excessive nitrogen does not improve every crop. Tall sprouting plants may need stakes in wind and pigeon protection through winter.
What to watch for
Inspect leaves for aphids and caterpillars, including beneath physical covers. Leave room for expanding foliage.
Warm weather can make heads loosen quickly. Yellow flowers opening from the buds mean the ideal picking stage has passed; do not wait for all plants to mature together.
Harvest and storage
Cut the calabrese centre head while buds remain closed and compact. Leave suitable plants for sideshoots. The guide gives roughly 65–85 days from planting for calabrese, not for every broccoli type.
Pick sprouting spears before flowers open and continue as new shoots develop. Use heads promptly; regular picking is more useful than keeping an ageing head on the plant.
Common questions
Is purple sprouting broccoli calabrese?
No. Its habit and season differ; choose seed for the picking period you want.
Should I pull plants after cutting the centre head?
Not immediately if the variety can produce sideshoots. Wider-spaced calabrese suits this approach.
Will ordinary calabrese supply winter heads?
Do not assume so. Irish calabrese is primarily a summer and autumn crop; suitable sprouting varieties serve other seasons.