Broccoli Background

Broccoli Background

Broccoli is a vegetable crop that lends itself well to small-scale
and part-time farming operations. Initial investment is relatively low,
and many field operations, such as land preparation, planting, and harvesting,
can be custom hired. Equipment needs on a small-acreage farm are not
very great, and most of the equipment can be used for other purposes.

Broccoli can mean different things to different people. When most people
think of broccoli, they are thinking of sprouting broccoli (often referred
to as Italian or Clabrese broccoli). Heading broccoli is not a broccoli
at all it is a late season or overwintering cauliflower. Another broccoli,
broccoli rabe, does not produce a head and is used as a greens crop.
This publication will cover the production and marketing of sprouting
broccoli.

Native to the Mediterranean region, broccoli was cultivated in Italy
in ancient Roman times and was introduced into England about 1720. Unlike
cauliflower, broccoli is a fairly new crop to American consumers. Broccoli
was first grown commercially in California, and the first ice-packed
crop was shipped east in 1924. However, broccoli did not become a crop
of any significance in the United States until after World War II.

The United States is the world's largest producer of broccoli. Most
of the broccoli harvested in the U.S. is sold as fresh produce. In 1998,
the U.S. produced 133,000 acres of broccoli with a value of $554 million.
(USDA Statistical Services bases value of production on total acres
harvested times average price.)

The leading broccoli-producing states are California (90 percent of
the crop), Arizona, Texas, and Oregon. Broccoli also is grown on a large
scale in Italy, northern Europe, and the Far East. In recent years,
Pennsylvania produced 1,200 acres, valued at $5 million.

Marketing of Broccoli

Fresh-market broccoli traditionally is sold whole from open bulk containers,
in portioned amounts of small florets, or as several small heads wrapped
together with a rubber band. Six basic marketing alternatives are available
to the broccoli grower: wholesale markets, cooperatives, local retailers,
roadside stands, pick-your-own operations, and processing firms.

In wholesale marketing, producers often contract with shippers to market
and ship their broccoli for a predeter-mined price. If you do not use
a contractor and ship your broccoli to a wholesale market yourself,
your product will be subject to the greatest price fluctuations. Marketing
cooperatives generally use a daily pooled cost and price, which spreads
price fluctuations over all participating producers. Local retailers
are another possible market, but you must take the time to contact produce
managers and provide good, quality broccoli when stores require it.

Roadside stands (either your own or another growers) and pick-your-own
operations provide opportunities to receive higher than wholesale prices
for your broccoli, but you may have some additional expenses for advertising,
building and maintaining a facility, and providing service to your customers.
With pick-your-own operations, you save on harvest costs, but you must
be willing to accept some waste. Depending on your location, processors
may or may not be a marketing option. Processors are less likely to
contract with small-acreage growers (those with less than 10 acres),
and processing prices are much more volatile than fresh-market prices.

For more information on marketing, consult Agricultural Alternatives:
Fruit and Vegetable Marketing for Small-scale and Part-time Growers.

Site Selection for Broccoli

Broccoli grows best on well-drained soils that have good water-holding
characteristics. If you grow broccoli on sandy soil, irrigation is important
for optimum plant growth and proper main head and side shoot development.
Soil should have a pH of 5.8 to 6.6.

Planting and Fertilization of Broccoli

Because broccoli is a cool-season crop, it generally is planted in
the spring. You should begin planting when soil temperatures reach at
least 50 degrees and the possibility of hard frosts (28 degrees or less)
has passed in the area. Flower heads (the edible portion of broccoli)
develop relative to ambient temperatures, and in the heat of summer,
broccoli heads maturing in July may produce flowers and seeds more quickly
(four to six days) than those maturing in the cooler spring and fall
periods. Broccoli heads must be closed and tight (no yellow petals showing)
to be considered good quality.

While broccoli generally is transplanted in the spring, it can be sown
directly from seed in late summer or early fall, when soil temperatures
are in the high 60s and ambient air temperatures are in the 80s. Under
these conditions, seeds generally emerge in less than seven days. Adequate
soil moisture is essential for optimum broccoli-seed germination. In
southern Pennsylvania, transplanting can begin in late March and in
northern Pennsylvania, in mid-April. Successive plantings can occur
every two weeks through August.

Optimal plant populations for broccoli are 14,000 to 24,000 plants
per acre. Therefore, the amount of seed per acre that you should buy
varies with plant spacing, final plant stand, and percent germination
of purchased broccoli seed. Depending on the planter type used (random
or precision), you should sow 0.5 to 1.5 pounds of broccoli seed per
acre 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. When transplanting,
you should have a minimum of 11,000 plants per acre. Spacing decisions
depend upon the row spacing of your equipment, your ability to irrigate,
the planting date, and your specific market requirements (small or large
heads).

Fertilizer rates should be based on annual soil test results. If you
are unable to conduct a test, the recommended N-P-K application rates
are 70-100-100 pounds per acre broadcast or 35-50-50 pounds per acre
banded at planting. Cruciferous crops such as broccoli require more
boron than non-cruciferous crops. You should check soil boron levels
if broccoli stems are brown and hollow. Severe boron defi-ciency can
produce browning on head surfaces. These affected heads are not marketable.

Pest Control for Broccoli

Weed control can be achieved with herbicides and a good crop-rotation
system. Broccoli competes fairly well with weeds, but should be kept
weed free until plants reach the preheading stage. Many pretransplant
and postemergence herbicides are available for broccoli, depending on
the specific weed problem and the broccoli growth stage. If infestation
levels are mild, cultivation can minimize weed problems.

Insects are a major problem in broccoli production. Flea beetles, cabbage
loopers, imported cabbageworms, diamondback moths, and aphids all can
cause crop losses. Monitoring insect populations with traps or by scouting
will help you determine when you should use pesticides and how often
you should spray.

Several broccoli diseases can cause crop losses. Black rot, blackleg,
bacterial head rot, downy mildew, and alternaria have been observed
in Pennsylvania broccoli fields. Many of these diseases can be prevented
by having a good crop-rotation program and by using disease-resistant
varieties.

Harvest and Storage of Broccoli

Broccoli is hand harvested at a cost of about $150 per acre. There
are no mechanical harvesters for broccoli. To ensure marketing a high-quality
product, you should check the broccoli heads for worms, which tend to
hide underneath the florets. You also will need to grade the plants
for size (head diameter generally averages 6 inches) and for flower
bead tightness. Broccoli should be cooled with packed ice or a hydro-cooler
immediately after harvest. Broccoli that is cooled and maintained at
32°F and 95 to 100 percent relative humidity can be stored for 10
to 14 days. If broccoli is stored this long, however, it will begin
to lose its dark green color and firmness.

Information provided by Penn State's Agriculture Alternatives. http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu