Broccoli Corvet Seeds

Broccoli Corvet Seeds (Brassicaceae Brassica oleracea)

Price for Package of 200 seeds.

Delicious, 18 to 28", bluish-green close-beaded heads are 3 to 6". Bears until frost, with many side shoots. Brought with Italian immigrants in the late 1880s. Good for home or market, freezing and canning. Corvet which matures in about 60 days after transplanting. It gives you the best of both worlds – the primary head is large and firm, but after its removal there is a succession of secondary spears.

Seed Saving

Broccoli usually self-incompatible and must be cross-pollinated by insects. This means there must be a number of plants flowering at the same time. All of the Brassica oleracea crops are the same species and will cross with each other. To maintain purity you have to ensure that only one type flowers at once. The alternative is to isolate them, either by distance (1000 yards for different varieties, 1500 yards for different crops), or by caging them (don't forget they need insects for pollination). Save the seed from at least 5 plants to maintain some genetic diversity.

Seed is produced in long pods and should be gathered when the older bottom pods first start to split open. Watch them carefully as they shatter easily when they are fully ripe. Cut the seedpod bearing stems and dry them in a warm place (I put small quantities in a paper grocery bag so I don't lose any seeds). The large seeds are easily handled and cleaned. Of course, it is essential that they are thoroughly dry before storage.

Seed Viability in Years: 3-4 years