Broccoli Belstar F1 - Brassica oleracea italica

The 'Belstar F1' Broccoli Cabbage is a variety awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society, which produces beautiful small bouquets that are firm and with excellent taste. Productive and resistant, this Broccoli can be harvested over a long period. Sow from April to June for a harvest from June to October.

Offering beautiful firm bouquets, primarily green but sometimes purple or white, the Broccoli Cabbage, commonly known as Broccoli, is a vegetable whose flowers are consumed just before they bloom. It belongs to the large Brassicaceae family (formerly Cruciferae) and has the Latin name Brassica oleracea italica.

Although introduced to France by Catherine de Medici under the name Italian Asparagus, Broccoli has only been widely cultivated since the 1980s.

Originally from southern Italy, this cabbage is now very popular with its mild flavour as it lends itself to many preparations. It is best consumed quickly, cooked with steam, and then prepared in various ways: sautéed, gratin, quiche, mashed, soup, etc. It is a low-calorie vegetable and rich in vitamin C.

Like almost all cabbages (Brussels sprouts being an exception), Broccoli Cabbage is a demanding vegetable, requiring excellent fertilisation and regular moisture.

NB: This variety is labelled F1 for "F1 hybrid" because it results from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be particularly tasty and early while resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are attractive for their uniformity and resistance. Still, unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to the next generations: it will, therefore, not be possible to recover the seeds for later sowing.

Harvest: Broccoli is harvested by cutting with a knife in two stages: the terminal bouquet and the lateral bouquet.

Storage: Broccoli Cabbage does not keep very well. It is best to consume it quickly after harvesting. It can be kept for a few days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it after blanching for 3 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: In recent years, the Cabbage Fly (Contarinia nasturtii), a petite-winged piercing and sucking fly, has been causing havoc on Broccoli Cabbages in certain regions. We recommend opting for prevention by installing an insect-proof cover on market arches, tightly sealed, throughout the flight period, from mid-May to mid-July. These covers are easy to set up and reusable to protect, for example, your carrot and leek crops.