Harvest to Table

Broccoli is easy to grow and offers not one harvest but several. Each plant grows two to three feet tall with a thick central stalk and several lateral branches. The central stalk is the first to bear a large cluster of tiny, dark green flower buds—the plant’s first harvest. After the central flower cluster is [...]

Broccoli is treated much as cabbage. Grow broccoli as rapidly as possible. Give broccoli plenty of moisture and be sure to feed it through the season–a planting bed amended with aged compost is an important start. While broccoli is hardy at maturity, young plants should not be subjected to frost. For broccoli growing tips see [...]

Start broccoli seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring. Transplant broccoli seedlings to the garden when they are 4 to 6 old, as early as the last frost in spring, after hardening off for 4 days. In mild-winter regions, start seeds indoors in late summer and set them in the [...]

Broccoli can be served raw as an appetizer or in salads. Cook broccoli until it is just tender, still firm and crunchy. Broccoli needs cool weather to grow–warm weather will cause the buds to “rice” or open as flowers. Broccoli is suited for springs that are long and cool or autumns where there is no [...]

Fresh, local broccoli will have a delicate flavor and texture. The key to capturing broccoli at its sweetest is to take it out of the field or garden before the weather warms too much and get onto the table right away. The young emerald-green florets of broccoli can be served raw dressed with vinaigrette or [...]

Quick! Name an edible flower! Ok, which once did you name: nasturtium, pansy, viola, marigold or lavender, day lily, carnation or sage? The petals of each of those can be added to a salad for both taste and show. There are dozens of flowers that are edible. But did you name the most commonly eaten [...]