brassica family

Calabrese

Brassica oleracea Italica Group · Moderate

The green-headed crop commonly sold as broccoli, producing a main head followed by smaller side shoots.

Sow

Sow under cover or in a seedbed from late winter through spring.

Plant out from late April into early summer.

Summer to late autumn, before flower buds open.

Practical growing notes

A high-value crop with useful secondary shoots after the main head.

Protect from caterpillars, pigeons and cabbage root fly.

Keep the bed moving

A robust cut-and-come-again leaf crop that can bridge summer, autumn and the following spring.

A succession-friendly salad crop, especially useful as loose-leaf or cut-and-come-again types.

A quick cool-season leaf crop for spring and autumn, with repeat pickings from small sowings.

A low-maintenance overwintering crop planted as named, disease-free cloves.