Our First Experience With Organic Broccoli Production

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11/11/2022 – This article documents the very beginning of our broccoli research and extension programs which continue twelve years later!

12/9/2010 – To prepare for the big five year East Coast Broccoli project we are involved in (see earlier post), we decided to grow late season broccoli in the new Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit on the research station in Waynesville. We will have a complete report for you in the future, but because of the interest, right now I just wanted to share some pictures and highlights.

The objective in the “big project” is to supply the east coast with crown broccoli over as much of the year as possible. I’ve never grown “crown” broccoli before. Think of what you buy in the supermarket. Those 4 inch x 4 inch heads that are banded together are called “crown broccoli”. I usually produce much larger heads for the tailgate market.

So, we established raised beds with black plastic mulch and drip-irrigation. We sprayed the plastic white using a diluted white latex paint to reduce the heat load from the plastic. We grew five varieties:  Ironman, Patron, Captain, Everest, and Gypsy. We did two plantings, one on July 14th and one on August 4th. Transplants were produced in 200 cell trays. The plants were set in a single row, with 6 inches between each plant. There were four replications.

Flea beetles were an immediate problem. That was not a surprise since we did not have any habitat established around the test site to harbor beneficials.

flea beetle damage on broccoli plant leaves
We tried a number of organic sprays with no lasting results, so we put up row covers.
applying row covers to broccoli planting

The row covers did a great job. We held an official unveiling at a workshop at the end of August and the results were beautiful.

removing row covers in late summer

rows of broccoli at harvest timeThis is what the field looked like at harvest time in September. In the future, we will be trying to hit a midsummer market.

rows of mature broccoli plants
researcher holding a harvested broccoli plant
The broccoli was all carefully weighed and measured. We are analyzing that data now, but you can see from the picture below, that there were big differences between varieties.
example of color differences between broccoli varieties
The bottom line is that we grew good organic broccoli in the late season in 2010.