Broccoli Spiridon F1 - Brassica oleracea italica

The Spiridon F1 Broccoli Cabbage is a hardy and late variety that produces beautiful heads weighing approximately 450g. Its open habit gives it good disease resistance. Sow in May for harvest in October and November.

Offering pretty firm bouquets, mostly green but sometimes purplish 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 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 cultivated on a large scale in France since the 1980s.

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

Like almost all cabbages (Brussels sprouts being the exception), Broccoli Cabbage is a demanding vegetable that requires excellent fertilization and regular moisture.

NB: This variety is marked F1 for "hybrid F1" as it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be particularly flavorful and/or early while also being resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticized or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are interesting both for their uniformity and their resistance, but 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 bouquet and then the lateral bouquets.

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

The gardener's tip: In recent years, the Cabbage Midge (Contarinia nasturtii), a small winged piercing and sucking fly, has been causing havoc on Broccoli Cabbages in certain regions such as Brittany. We recommend prevention by installing an insect-proof cover, tightly secured on market garden hoops, throughout the flight period, from mid-May to mid-July. These covers are easy to put in place and reusable to protect, for example, your carrot and leek crops.