Broccoli Fiesta F1 - Brassica oleracea italica

The 'Fiesta F1' Broccoli is an impressive variety that produces huge heads while being of excellent taste and heat resistant. The prestigious Royal Horticultural Society has awarded this Broccoli for its qualities. Sowing from May to June for a harvest from August to October.

Offering beautiful firm heads, most often green but sometimes purple or white, Broccoli, commonly called Broccoli, is a vegetable whose flowers are consumed just before they bloom. It belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae) and bears the Latin name Brassica oleracea italica.

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

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

Like almost all cabbages (Brussels sprouts being the exception), Broccoli is a demanding vegetable, requiring excellent base 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 flavourful 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: first, the terminal head and then the lateral head.

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

The gardener's tip: In recent years, the Cabbage Midge (Contarinia nasturtii), a petite-winged piercing and sucking fly, has been causing havoc on Broccoli in certain regions. We advise you to opt for prevention by installing an insect-proof cover, tightly sealed on market garden hoops, 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.