Calabrese Green Sprouting Broccoli

We are impressed with this variety. Three plants produced more side sprouting heads than we could keep up with; I froze some of the extra. I'm growing it again this year. Does well in sandy loam on the riverbank here in central Wisconsin. Great flavor too. We picked our last heads in early December due to a mild fall season, and this frost-hardy variety of broccoli!

I really didn't understand what a sprouting broccoli was, so at first, I was a little disappointed in this plant. I have been looking, unsuccessfully, for many years for an OP broccoli that thrives here in my speck of Michigan - Zone 6A - sandy soil, so I can save the seeds. I have grown to love this plant. I wander down to the garden every three days and harvest enough broccoli shoots for supper and a few thrown in the freezer. These five plants have produced right up until now - after a couple good hard freezes. I have all the broccoli I need, it's a fine flavored plant, and it was kind of a laid back way of happening. I liked that - and I'm saving seeds.

This is a GREAT variety for us down here in SETexas. I plant it in September and in a couple of months start harvesting. It produces all winter for me. One nice sized head and then MANY small shoots. The taste is very good but of course needs cool, wet weather. I see on another review it was bitterish which I am sure was because of hot weather.

Planted these indoors around the beginning of May and planted the first week of June. Next year I will start seeds earlier. It took off, and the first few broccoli heads we got in August were compact and pungent, almost sulphuric. Given, this is a cold weather crop and it was a VERY hot and dry summer, so it may have effected its growth habit. It REALLY took off once the weather cooled off. Broccoli started sprouting in shoots everywhere off the main plant and tasted MUCH better. I know that Kale, and all other cool weather crops, can also be finicky about the temperature when it comes to flavor, so no surprise there. I think ONE single plant produces enough to make 2-4 batches of brocolli salad for a family of four as the broccoli seems to ramp up production in Sept-Oct. I probably would have gotten a little more if the deer hadn't finally hopped the fence. Never got any large head on this, just a bunch of smaller florets which are perfect for easy use. The stems would make great slaw

I have grown this for several years. The central head is good sized. The size and number of side shoots are fantastic. The shoots, flowers and leaves are very sweet. This is delicious and tender, raw or lightly cooked. We will continue to plant this every year for both a spring and fall harvest.