Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before outdoor planting. Sow seeds ¼ inches deep in seed-starting formula. Keep the soil moist at 70 degrees F. Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days.

How to Grow Romanesco Broccoli
romanesco needs well drained soil in full sun. Prepare the seed bed with the addition of organic material and till well. Sow seeds in May if direct seeding. Planting broccoli romanesco in cooler zones is best done from starts. You can sow them in seed flats six to eight weeks before planting out. Young romanesco broccoli care must include regular watering and weeding around the seedling to prevent competitive weeds. Set plants at least 2 feet apart in rows spaced 3 feet from each other Broccoli romanesco is a cool season plant that bolts when exposed to high heat. In temperate zones you can get a spring crop and an early fall crop. Planting broccoli romanesco seed in late July to early August will achieve a fall crop.

This might seem like a lot of space, but you can always sow a quick-to-mature catch crop, such as salad leaves or radishes, in-between the rows while the plants are still young and don't need that extra space.

Romanesco Broccoli Care
The plants need the same care that broccoli or cauliflower require. They are tolerant of some dry conditions but best head formation occurs when they are consistently moist. Water from the base of the plant to prevent fungal problems on the leaves. Side dress the plants with manure and fertilize them with a water soluble fertilizer, twice during the heading period. Cut the heads off when they are the size you desire and store in a cool dry place.

Romanesco cauliflowers need fertile soil – perhaps improved over the winter with plenty of well-rotted manure or compost. A final flurry of bone meal or similar organic fertilizer at planting time will encourage strong root growth.

Help, My Broccoli Has No Head!
This vegetable is referred to as “sprouting” broccoli because once the larger central head is harvested, the plant begins to send out smaller side shoots that head. This is awesome for those of us that love broccoli. It means our broccoli harvest time is lengthened. However, sometimes you may get a big, gorgeous broccoli plant only to discover it won’t head at all. You have planted the broccoli in a sunny area, in fertile, well-drained soil and incorporated plenty of organic matter and a complete fertilizer, so why is the broccoli not producing heads? Reasons for No Head on Broccoli One reason for a broccoli not forming heads or producing small heads is timing. As mentioned, broccoli likes to be kept cool. Plants should be set in the early spring for summer harvest and/or in the early fall. Just as excessive heat may cause the broccoli to bolt, plants may button if they have been exposed to cold weather. Buttoning will cause the plant to produce tiny heads as will stress — like lack of water or nutrients. Extreme temperatures will also bring the production of broccoli to a screeching halt. If your broccoli won’t head at all, other potential culprits are overcrowding, damage to the root system or transplanting seedlings too late with roots that are root bound.

Cabbage Collar for maggots. Plant onion to deter larvae.