What broccoli does best for you?

[b54red]

My favorite variety of broccoli was Coronado Crown but it seems that they no longer produce that hybrid variety or either it is out of stock nearly everywhere. I have found another that I like nearly as well and that is Gypsy. It produces large heads that are tight with a fairly small bead. It also produces decent side shoots especially in the spring. I am not a fan of loose or large beaded varieties and am constantly looking for another Coronado Crown which produced huge heads that were extremely tight and small beaded and they also held well in the field.

Bill

[Marcus1]

I grew Imperial last year and was really pleased with it. Thought it was never going to head, plants got almost 3 ft. but when it did in late August the heads were the prettiest I ever grew. Some heads were 12 in. across and very tight and smooth. Didn't get a lot of side shoots, I think cause it was planted too late.

[kath]

As I've said before, I tend to be an impatient gardener, as well as one who dislikes spraying and time spent handpicking pests, so early maturing varieties appeal to me. The ones that have worked the best for me and are still available are Green Magic F1 and Tendergreen F1- I liked them both better than Gypsy, which I've grown for several years. The earlier varieties might not produce the large heads you are looking for (about 6") but the taste is great. I'm also giving Greenbelt F1 a try this year.

kath

[Fred Hempel]

My favorite broccoli is this variety of Spigariello

It's blue. The edible region is the leafy shoot (with or without heads). Each plant typically forms 3-4' high/wide bushes with upwards of 50 harvestable heads throughout the season.

And, it's unique. Important for us, because we can get a decent price. We can't compete with large growers near the California coast, even if we wanted to grow regular broccoli.

[BigVanVader]

Gypsy and Green Magic are both good performers here.

[whistech]

Bill, I've had pretty good luck with Castle Dome for the past 3 years. I buy my seeds from Morgan County Seed and I've only grown broccoli in the fall and early winter here. I think you would like this one.

[guruofgardens]

Coronado Crown was also my favorite broccoli. I sent a member here seeds to grow, hoping to have him save seeds from the plant, just in case they might produce something we might like. I have not heard from him.

Last year I tried Emerald Crown, Bonanza, Green Magic. The only one I liked was Emerald Crown. I do not like Waltham or DiCiccio at all.

[Wi-sunflower]

There was a similar thread here last year. While I never grew Coronado Crown, I was also looking for a new variety as Packman, my first early variety, had been discontinued.

The year before I had tried Blue Wind as a replacement. While early, it was a disease magnet in my garden. And the disease spread to other cole crops but started in the Blue Wind. We make 3-5 plantings / year and it was the same every planting.

Last year we tried Lieutenant, Green Magic, Castle Dome, and Artwork (second year for this) in addition to our regular Gypsy and Arcadia. While we got some good heads from all of them, some varieties did better in 1 planting and awful in another. I was less than impressed with Lieutenant. Castle Dome and Green Magic were just OK, but not for the first spring planting. Frankly I wasn't impressed with either but since I still have seeds they will get another chance. But We have liked Artwork the last 2 years. It doesn't have a very large main head but it comes quick, almost as soon as Packman. And it gives a lot of nice side shoots quite fast.

Carol

[guruofgardens]

I received a couple Green Magic plants that did OK with a good enough harvest to plant again, if I get the free plants! The Emerald Crown was the closest size and tightness of heads to the Coronado Crown. Why do all the stores/nurseries offer the crappy varieties?

[bjbebs]

Carol
Packman is still available through several vendors. My supply is low so I just checked. I harvest cenral heads only off of Packman and then pull plants. Premium Crop stays in the ground for side shoot production. It is then replaced by Packman in July for the fall crop.

[AlittleSalt]

Gypsy is one I have heard of. I have never seen anyone growing broccoli in this part of Texas - not to say they haven't. Broccoli is one of my family's favorite vegetables. I wish I could help.

[b54red]

I have been growing both Gypsy and Arcadia since the fall. I have been very disappointed in Arcadia which did poorly in both winter and spring. Right now the weather is wrecking havoc on my latest plantings as it has turned unusually hot for the past few weeks and both varieties have headed way too early on plants that are just babies. From the ten day forecast it doesn't look like the weather is going to cool down so spring broccoli looks like it will be a bust this year.

Thanks for all the replies. I will see if I can find any Emerald Crown for next year and give it a try. I'm still hoping someone will bring back Coronado Crown. To me it was the perfect broccoli. It had very tight beading, very large heads, tremendous side shoot production, and it held well in the field.

Bill

[guruofgardens]

I’m trying Gypsy this year as the Emerald Crown seeds are either not available or I don’t want to pay $$$$ for them.
Someone should buy a huge bulk of Emerald Crown and disperse them to us! For $$ of course.

[Wi-sunflower]

Arcadia can be problematic in areas of low boron. More so than any other variety we grow. We often add boron pre-plant and whenever we spray for worms.

The only Packman seed I've seen for the last 3 years is old leftover stuff as far as I know and is priced out of line for what it is.

Carol

[guruofgardens]

Just got the Vermont Bean Catalog. Packman is listed as one of the varieties. 100 seeds for $3.65. They also have Belstar, Green Magic, Aspabroc (Broccolini).