Days to Maturity: 8 to 12 microgreens; 60 to 90 full size
An organic Italian heirloom variety, Broccoli Calabrese is a popular choice for microgreens as it's easy to grow, in soil or hydroponically. The microgreens grow lush and turn green very quickly, especially under grow lights. Ready in under 2 weeks, these miniature broccoli plants get nice and tall, so they're easy to harvest. They develop a crisp texture and a unique mild flavor, with no bitterness. Best consumed raw, these crunchy greens are perfect additions to salads, sandwiches, smoothies, avocado toast ... the list goes on. Broccoli is considered a superfood for its nutrient rich content, and broccoli microgreens have an even higher nutritional content than broccoli crowns.
To grow as a microgreen, scatter seeds across the grow medium and spray heavily, soaking seeds and medium. Cover with a microgreen grow tray to blackout the seeds. After germination, remove the grow tray and expose the growing broccoli greens to light. Harvest the microgreens using a sharp blade or scissor to cut just above the medium line.
Grown to full-size, the dark green heads are full of delicious, sweet, nutty flavor. Calabrese is a member of the crucifer or brassica family. It forms a compact, stocky plant with large crops of side shoots. To get the most side shoots, harvest the central head then lay the plant over on its side, and the side shoots will keep coming until the heat of summer.
Garden broccoli grows best in a sunny location with organically rich, well-composted, consistently moist, well-draining loams but can survive dry spells. Calabrese is open pollinated and produces seed that will grow true to variety, ideal for seed saving.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
