If you haven’t started planting any seeds, June is a great time to do so for several reasons. The high temperatures, long days, and warm soil provide great conditions for rapid germination, strong root development, and fast summer harvests.
When it comes to choosing what to grow in June, there are plenty of options. However, there is one vegetable in particular that, if you want to harvest next year, you should sow before the end of the month.
According to Gardeners’ World, Broccoli is a great crop to grow in June, and in fact, June is the last month you can sow calabrese, the dome-headed broccoli, which is the most common kind found in supermarkets.
Additionally, purple sprouting broccoli is typically sown between April and mid-June and is then ready to harvest between January and May the following year.
The great thing about growing broccoli is that it is fairly easy, and because it’s a versatile, vitamin-rich vegetable, it’s handy to have fresh and on-hand at home.
Broccoli must be grown in fertile soil in a sunny spot. This can be done in open soil, raised beds at least 75cm deep or large containers.
Gardeners’ World also explained that it should be grown in alkaline soil, which you can check with a soil pH test kit. If your soil is acidic, you can make it alkaline by adding lime.
When it comes to watering the crop, it must be done regularly, as broccoli cannot go short of water. The soil around it should also be clear of weeds, as they compete for water and nutrients.
You should try to keep the crop covered with fine insect mesh to protect it against pests and birds, and if you spot yellowing leaves, remove them as they could be the source of diseases.
To harvest the broccoli, cut the main central head first, as this will trigger the development of side shoots. Then you will want to continue to cut side shoots regularly over the next four to six weeks, using a sharp knife to cut where the base of the spear meets the main stem.
Comments are closed.