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Parnips Growing in Toilet Rolls

When to sow

Calabrese

• Outdoors February to July

Sprouting Broccoli

• Indoors: February to May
  • Transplant Under Cover: March to April
  • Plant Out: May to August
• Outdoors: March to July

How to sow Sprouting Broccoli

• Seeds are generally sown between February and May. Sow two seeds per cell of cell trays in a greenhouse or similar environment until April and outdoors from April. Thin to one plant as soon as the seedlings can be handled.
• Give liquid fertiliser every week. When rootball is well bound together plant out into any fertile garden soil in full sun or very light shade.
• Better heads are produced in cooler summers as hot weather can encourage plants to run to seed prematurely – some cultivars resist this tendency better than others (see Recommended varieties).
• Allow 30cm (12in) between plants and 45cm (18in) between rows. Closer spacing will reduce the number of side shoots formed.
• Before planting add 150g per square metre of general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore, or, if manure or other rotted organic matter has been dug in use half amount of fertiliser.
• From April, seeds can be sown in the open where the plants are to grow; sow three seeds, 2cm (¾in) deep, every 30cms (12in) along the row. When seedlings are large enough to be handled, thin out each ‘station’ leaving one healthy seedling behind.
• Cover seedlings and seed beds with fleece to exclude cabbage root fly, removing fleece in May when risk of damage less.
• Control slugs and snails as they will quickly devour seedlings.