Broccoli – Nutritionally Rich Vegetable

Broccoli – Nutrient-Rich Vegetable

Most of us are certainly familiar with this unique vegetable, but just ten years ago it was almost unknown in our country. Today it is available year-round on the market, from domestic or foreign production. Broccoli is a very juicy and tasty vegetable, from which we consume not only its undeveloped flower florets but also the fleshy flower stem. Broccoli leaves are heavily bloomed, green to dark green in color, growing to a height of 40-80 cm. It is most commonly compared to cauliflower, which it only slightly trails behind in yields and overall sales.

Broccoli is very nutritionally valuable, with high content of vitamins C, E and A, in which it even surpasses cauliflower. Furthermore, it is a source of fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium, and also has high mineral content. In the highest concentration of all brassicas, it contains sulforaphane, which inhibits cancer growth. Thanks to its calcium content, broccoli has anti-sclerotic effects and has a positive influence on duodenal ulcers. The high fiber content also promotes healthy digestion. You can purchase 100% broccoli oil here.

Although it may not seem so, broccoli can be fully utilized in a wide range of possibilities. We can cook it, consume it raw, blanched, it can also be frozen, dried or preserved. Just like cauliflower, it can be a main dish, not just traditionally a side dish. If we want to store broccoli at home in a cool place, low temperature is recommended, around 5°C and only for a few days. With longer storage, broccoli dries out, the florets bloom and change color to yellow.

Growing broccoli is not particularly demanding; during germination it should be in an environment with a temperature around 18°C, after emergence at least 12°C. Early crops are harvested as early as late May, as are summer crops from April sowings. If we have broccoli for autumn harvest, we sow it as late as mid-June, making it one of the latest-sown brassicas. Broccoli likes regular watering, because if broccoli dries out, regular florets do not form and this vegetable is completely devalued.

If we decide to grow broccoli in the garden, it will reward us with a continuous harvest from June to November. We harvest when the plant forms a compact head without developing buds. Harvest with a shorter stalk, 10-12 cm is recommended. Broccoli should be around 20 cm after harvest, including the stalk. If we don't harvest the side shoots, they will form terminal heads within two to four weeks. Harvested heads are very juicy, but we must store them in spaces with lower temperatures and without sunlight exposure. Therefore, broccoli wilts, yellows and deteriorates quickly at normal temperatures. With a larger harvest, especially in autumn, it's advisable to separate the large heads, blanch them and after seasoning, freeze them.

Its environmental requirements are not particularly specific; it prefers heavier soil with sufficient water supply. Sandy soil with adequate humus also suits broccoli. Broccoli tolerates lower temperatures very well, both immediately after planting and during harvest. However, at high temperatures or with insufficient moisture, it forms smaller heads. Given that broccoli roots reach deeper into the soil, it can be watered at longer intervals. At lower temperatures and higher air humidity, broccoli forms the highest quality firm heads. In our conditions, autumn harvests from June sowings are most suitable, while summer varieties are least advantageous, as there's a risk of bolting and pests are more aggressive during this period. Broccoli is very beneficial vegetable for your gardens and subsequently for wide-ranging use in your kitchen.

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