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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Broccoli and Cauliflower questions
  • Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 08:31:02 -0500


On Nov 5, 2009, at 11:53 PM, jay sleichter wrote:

I planted Broccoli and Cauliflower transplants in early August.  The days to maturity say they should have been ready by mid October. 

Days to maturity are often taken from spring crops growing in longer days. You need to add some time for crops growing in the shorter days of September and October.

Also, days to maturity are mostly useful for a comparison guide of different varieties from the same company. It's not uncommon to get significantly different results in different places; especially if you're growing in a different climate from the place where the seed company's trials were done.

I did find one small lopper on a head that I harvested.  What is the best was to rinse broccoli to get these guys out, if they are there?

I've found it useful to get the broccoli underwater in a large tub for half an hour or so (weight it down with something so it doesn't float); this will drown them. Some of the drowned ones will come out of the heads in the soaking tub; any others will be easier to wash out, as they won't be actively holding on. This isn't guaranteed to get all of them if there are lots, but it helps a lot.

Some people put salt in the water; this speeds up the process, but you then need to get rid of the salt again, and find a place to dump the water where you don't mind salt; so I just use plain water.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



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