De Cicco Organic Broccoli

Nature & Nurture Seeds

Brassica oleracea

$5.49

Pkt(≈120 seeds)
VALUE SIZE: 1/8 oz (≈ 750 seeds)
Certified Organic
We have been growing De Cicco for 13 years because it is one of the best open-pollinated varieties of heading broccoli. Italian in origin, De Cicco was brought to the US in 1890. It's perfect for gardeners because after producing the main broccoli head, it will produce a continuous supply of side shoots for the rest of the growing season. De cicco has a delightfully sweet broccoli flavor. Allow the side shoots to flower and you can eat them as broccoli raab (flowering tops). In the fall, broccoli leaves can be harvested and eaten like kale. Broccoli is best cooked quickly; soften the stems but don’t let the florets get mushy. Sauté it Asian style with garlic and soy sauce. Slathered in hollandaise sauce, broccoli becomes palatable to any child. 50-60 days.

Start broccoli seeds indoors April 1st at 77°. Days to germination: 5-8. Don’t let plants become potbound in their pots. Transplant outside May 1st, 18” apart. Or, sow broccoli seeds directly outside May 1st. Sow 3-4 seeds together in a group ½” deep, spaced 18” between groups. Keep seeds evenly moist until germination. Thin to the strongest plant in each group. Broccoli plants needs consistent water throughout the growing season. Protect broccoli plants from deer, groundhogs, and rabbits which will devour them. Broccoli plants may be eaten by European Cabbageworm (which is the caterpillar of the small white butterfly that flits around the garden). If they cause significant damage, hand remove caterpillars or spray organic BT.