Calabrese
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Calabrese is the green broccoli of the supermarket — large, domed central heads followed by a succession of smaller side shoots. Faster and less demanding than purple sprouting broccoli, it is sown in spring and harvested from midsummer. Pick before any yellow appears in the florets for the best flavour.
SowingStart indoors
Sunlight☀️ Full sun
Water💧💧 Moderate
Days to harvest60–90
Soil pH6.5–7.5
Spacing30cm × 45cm
Planting Calendar
Sow indoorsSow outdoorsTransplantHarvest
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sowing
Sow indoors in cell trays from March to May, or direct outdoors from April onwards. Calabrese dislikes root disturbance, so cell-raised transplants are preferable to pricking out from seed trays. Transplant at the 4–5 true leaf stage.Planting Out
Firm transplants in well — loose planting leads to wind-rock, which disrupts root development and causes poor hearts. Space 30cm within rows and 45cm between rows for standard-sized heads. Closer spacing (25cm) produces smaller heads more suited to single-serving use.Side Shoots
After cutting the central head, leave the plant in the ground. It will produce a succession of smaller side shoots over the following 4–6 weeks, extending the harvest considerably. Feed with a nitrogen-rich liquid feed after the central head is cut to encourage vigorous side shoot development.Soil: Firm, fertile, well-drained soil. Firm planting prevents wind-rock and improves head formation.