Allotment Growing

Growing Romanesco - How to Grow Romanesco

Romanesco is an unusual crop. Not quite a calabrese and not quite a cauliflower but with aspects of both. It has a taste and texture exceeding the finest broccoli and to really appreciate the flavour it should be cooked and served individually with melted butter.

Romanesco broccoli was first documented in Italy (as broccolo romanesco) in the sixteenth century. It is sometimes called broccoflower, but that name is also applied to green-curded cauliflower cultivars.

Cultivating Romanesco

Romanesco is a brassica and the general brassica growing instructions apply. Like most of the brassicas Romanesco is affected by clubroot and, if this is a problem on your vegetable plot, you should read the coping with clubroot article.

Start off in modules, usually around May time and do not allow to check so pot on early until planting out in their final position

Usual spacing suggested is between 45cm and 60cm each way between plants depending on variety but I would suggest that as they are large plants, larger than cauliflowers or calabrese, they really need at least 60cm each way between plants.

They are about as difficult to grow as cauliflowers and really do need careful cultivation to produce well. However, the taste is worth it.

The usual brassica pests need to be catered for.

Harvesting & Cooking Romanesco

When the head has formed you can either break off individual stalks and use as required or take the full head off.

Romanesco is best steamed rather than boiled as it will retain its flavour and texture better. Small spears can also be stir-fried or even eaten raw in salads or with a dip as crudities.

Excellent with just melted butter they also make a fine cheese dish by substituting romanesco for cauliflower in cauliflower cheese.

Recommended Varieties of Romanesco to Grow

It can be difficult to find in seed catalogues, not because it isn't stocked but because the seed manufacturers don't seem to know where to list it. Sometimes it's in with broccoli or calabrese and sometimes it gets thrown in with the cauliflowers. Perhaps it's time they listed it for itself.

Veronica - produces individual florets with lovely spirals giving a magical appearance from late summer to early frosts, from successional plantings. Protect heads against frost with fleece to extend season. Available Thompson & Morgan

Romanesco - Created a great deal of interest when grown at the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute, yet it is very widely grown in Northern Italy. Available Thompson & Morgan

Resources

• General Brassica Information