🥦 Calabrese

Calabrese is the broccoli you buy in shops, forming a large central head followed by smaller side shoots. It is a quick brassica, ready in around three months, so you can sow several batches through spring and early summer for a long picking season in summer and autumn.

Calabrese dislikes cold checks, drought and transplant shock, which make the heads ‘button’ (form small, tight heads too early). Sow on time, plant firmly and keep the plants watered to get large, even heads.

Varieties to try

Marathon (reliable F1, large heads)Green Magic (early, heat tolerant)Belstar (good uniform heads, side shoots)Aquiles (late summer, good side shoots)

Sow indoors in March and April in modules, 1–2 cm deep, then plant out from late April in an open, sunny, firm bed. You can also sow directly outdoors from April to June in drills 1–2 cm deep, thinning to 30–45 cm apart. Make successional sowings every three or four weeks for a continuous supply.

Choose fertile, well-drained, firm soil with a pH above 6.5, adding lime if needed. Do not dig deeply in spring; settled ground gives bigger heads. Water seedlings well, and cover with fine mesh at once to deter pigeons, cabbage root fly and butterflies.

Top tips

• Sow a few modules every three to four weeks.
• Do not let seedlings get pot-bound before planting.
• Plant firmly into settled soil.
• Use fine mesh from the day of planting.

Water regularly, especially when the heads are forming, as drought causes small, tight heads. Feed with a high-nitrogen fertiliser four weeks after planting, then keep the plants weed-free and well watered. Stake taller plants in exposed gardens.

Check for caterpillars, whitefly and aphids, and protect plants with fine mesh. Clubroot, cabbage root fly and pigeons are all potential trouble. Regular rotation and a firm, limed soil will reduce disease risk, and removing the old stumps in autumn helps break pest cycles.

Top tips

• Water well when the head begins to form.
• Feed with nitrogen about four weeks after planting.
• Cover with mesh the whole time.
• Pull up old stumps in autumn.

Watch out for

Cabbage white caterpillarsPigeonsCabbage root flyClubrootWhitefly

Cut the central head when the flower buds are tight and dark green, at about 10–15 cm across, before any yellow flowers appear. Use a sharp knife and cut a few centimetres below the head at a slight angle. Heads left too long open into yellow flowers and become unusable.

After cutting the main head, side shoots develop from the leaf joints and can be cut over the following weeks, which extends the harvest a lot. Harvest regularly and in the morning for the best flavour and texture.

Top tips

• Cut before any yellow petals show.
• Leave the plant in place for side shoots.
• Cut in the morning when buds are cool and crisp.
• Check plants daily in warm weather.

Calabrese can be steamed, roasted, stir-fried, charred or eaten raw in salads with a good dip. Cut the head into florets and slice the stalk, which is tender and sweet, to cook alongside. Steam for three to four minutes, or roast at 200°C with olive oil, chilli and lemon.

Heads keep for up to five days in the fridge in a bag, though they are best fresh. To freeze, cut into florets, blanch for two minutes, chill in iced water, then drain well and freeze on trays before bagging. Do not wash before storing in the fridge, as damp encourages mould.

Top tips

• Peel and slice the stalk; it is the sweetest part.
• Blanch two minutes before freezing.
• Roast with chilli, garlic and lemon.
• Do not wash heads before storing.