Farm Horizons Farm Horizons 2/16 | Page 19

Farm Horizons • Feb. 8, 2016 • Page 19 New veggie: broccoflower With all of the new seed catalogs pourand pests such as green and yellow cabing out of the mailbox, how about trying bage worms, which chew large holes in Christine something new this year? the leaves. Remove diseased plants and Schlueter Broccoflower is a mix between brocavoid over-watering to control diseases. McLeod County Master Gardener coli and cauliflower. This is a new vegRemove pests by hand or apply products etable that you might want to try. that contain Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), It is also known as “Green Ball” or as recommended by the Iowa State Uni“Green Cauliflower” or Romanesco because of its color. versity Extension. You get 90 percent of your vitamin C for the day from Harvest the broccoflower when the head measures 6 one serving of this power food. It has unusual spiral, lime- to 8 inches across. Cut the head from the main stem and green florets with a crisp texture and distinctive flavor. It leave at least two green outer leaves on the head. Harcan be eaten raw or stir fried (small stalks), or steamed vest while the heads are firm and compact and before (boiling tends to lead to it losing its crispness and taste). you can easily see individual florets. Harvest the brocIt can be substituted for cauliflower e.g. in cauliflower coflower when the head measures 6 to 8 inches across. cheese, or simply eaten individually with melted butter. Cut the head from the main stem and leave at least two Store unwashed tightly wrapped broccoflower in the re- green outer leaves on the head. Harvest while the heads frigerator for up to five days. are firm and compact and before you can easily see inThe trademarked name broccoflower is owned by Tan- dividual florets. imura and Antle, a California company. In 2005, Yuma Seeds are available at johnnyseeds.com or other seed County produced about 250 acres of broccoflower, val- catalogs. n ued at over $1.5 million. You may have noticed this in your local CSA (community supported agriculture) box. A lot of fantastic vegetables that you will not find at a local grocer are appearing as staples in CSAs. This plant prefers partial shade and consistent temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees. A broccoflower grows best in moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH level between 6 and 7. The 6- to 8-inch broccoflower heads are ready to harvest in 65 days when grown from transplants and in 110 days when grown from seed. Prepare the soil in a partially shaded area that receives three to six hours of sun every day. Test the soil and add limestone to raise the pH level, if necessary. Spread a 2inch layer of compost over the soil and work in the compost until you have an 8-inch layer of rich, tilled, welldrained soil. Work in 1 to 2 pounds of 10-10-10 general purpose fertilizer per 100 square feet of planting space unless soil tests indicate otherwise. Transplant broccoflower plants two to three weeks before the last frost date for a spring or early summer harvest. Dig a row in the prepared soil deep enough to cover the broccoflower root crown and long enough to space the plants 24 inches apart. Place the plants in the row, press the soil around the root crowns and water thoroughly. Additional rows should be 24 to 30 inches apart. Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the broccoflower growing season. Apply 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch to keep the soil moist and cool. Provide 1 inch of water each week in the absence of rain, and do not allow the soil to dry out. Apply a thin strip of 10-10-10 fertilizer along one side of each row three to four weeks after planting. Monitor the broccoflower plants for diseases such as downy mildew, which causes stunting and weakening,