Romanesco Italian Broccoli

Romanesco Italian Broccoli was first documented in Italy (as broccolo romanesco) in the 16th century, It is sometimes called broccoflower. Very hard to find in an heirloom variety. Nothing is better than the taste of growing your own broccoli, and it really looks fantastic. Plants reach 3' tall and 2' wide. Excellent raw or lightly steamed, and it freezes well. Nutritionally, romanesco is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, dietary fiber, and carotenoids. 70-90 days

This is a "true" broccoli, unlike "Calabrese" broccoli. The former needs to overwinter to produce heads, while the latter forms head in the same year. In northern climates where the temperatures are too low for the Romanesco to survive, the solution is to use vernalization, which is a sort of make-believe plant that went through a mild winter. Sow the seeds indoors under lights until true leaves appear. Harden off under a cloche, in a cold frame, or in a low tunnel for a week to 10 days. Then keep them in their sheltered space for 3 to 4 weeks. The temperatures in the sheltered area (not outside, really inside the cold frame or low tunnel) should ideally be around 40 F. Be careful on sunny days, the temperature can rise quite a bit undercover. The seedlings need to "think" they went through winter and spring. After that vernalization period, the Romanesco will produce their stunning heads.

Pkt Size/Approx, Seeds
0.7 g / 100+ Seeds

•Heirloom
•Annual
•GMO-Free
•Open-Pollinated
•USA-grown Seeds
•Square Foot Garden Spacing 4
•USDA Zones: 3 - 12
•Brassica oleracea var. italica