Specialty vegetable crops

Technical Development

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Broccoli

Broccoli (Organic Cultivation)

Cultivation Environment :

Broccoli likes cold and dry weather. The ideal temperature for growing is between 18 and 22 degrees, and September to December here is the good time for sowing and planting. The best soil is the thick deep one with a pH between 5.5 and 6.6, rich in organic matter, as well as good drainage and ventilation.

Planting and Spacing :

Use transplanting. Germination takes about 3 days. The seedlings can be transplanted when coming into 2 to 3 true leaves (about 16 to 20 days after sowing).

Row and plant spacing should be about 45 cm (18 inches) and arranged in a triangular pattern.

Application of Fertiliser and Management :

Basal dressing :

Apply 1,000 kg compost, peanut cake and bone meal each 50 kg and 16 kg chitin to each d.c.. 70 kg bio-fertiliser can also be added. *

Use compost, peanut cake and bone meal to prepare the planting bed first. Mix chitin and bio-fertiliser with the soil in the bed evenly 3 days before planting the seedlings.

Top dressing :

Apply fertiliser again 10 days after transplanting. Apply 50 kg organic fertiliser (N:P:K= 2:2:2), and peanut cake and bone meal each 10 kg to each d.c.. Apply the same amount of fertiliser again 3 weeks later.

Light ploughing and earthing up should be done at each top dressing to prevent from toppling and to clear weeds.

*If bio-fertiliser is applied to the basal dressing, the amount of fertiliser applied again for top dressing can be reduced by half.

(1 d.c.= 674 square metres or 7,260 square feet)

Harvesting :

Generally broccoli can be harvested about 70 days after transplanting when the curd is fully grown, thick and firm, while the buds have not flowered. During harvesting, about 8 cm of the thick and tender stalk can also be cut off, and a few leaves be left to protect the curd.

Horticulture Section, AFCD

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