• Romanesco

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2019 9:38 am**

I tried to grow Romanesco this year. It's technically a broccoli, looks & tastes more like a cauliflower, has a beautiful geometric shape. It never formed a head. Looking at the site where I bought the seeds, many of the reviews said it didn't head up for the growers. I'm sure I did a lot wrong when growing it, but what precisely does it need in order to make a head?

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:15 pm**

It's taste, to me, is beyond the mathematical beauty of the Fibonacci fractal in its spirals. No other broccoli or cauliflower comes close. If I were to name it, it would be Brassica nearlyimpossiblea, as I've never had it head.

What can you do? Read up on it. And, start it early, start it late, and maybe (or maybe not) start it in-between. Remind me to send a seed, or two, or three for your Secret Santa present. I have very few seeds of a few varieties. But someone who is this dedicated to that plant is deserving of it. I've been dedicated to almost giving up on it, for several years now.

Posted: **Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:58 pm**

Actually, Tormato, I still have Romanesco seeds from this year. I have discovered that the Cabbage Butterflies will never let me grow anything in the cabbage family (this year I made a fine mesh "cozy" over the plants , but still got worms on the cauliflower), and have given up on them for now. I'll send you some Romanesco seeds for your Secret Santa gift if you like.

Posted: **Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:06 am**

I had success with the hybrid version called Puntoverde from Johnny Seeds, but they charges an arm and leg, not worth it for me to order again. I still have a few seeds left if you want, and a bunch of other F1s.

I have a preference to lettuce these days, takes up less growing space, faster to grow, easier to digest, less antinutrients like goitrogen and oxalates so cooking isn't required, hard to convince myself to grow much brasiccas anymore.

Posted: **Fri Dec 13, 2019 2:07 pm**

Max,

I believe you're the one who sent me seeds.

Posted: **Sat Dec 14, 2019 2:21 pm**

I have tried this one a few times. I decided that my seeds were crossed or some such thing. Now after reading this thread I think that those pictures on the seed packs are a photo shop creation and that Tormato finds this a mathematical beauty due to the fact that he is one out of a very small fraction that has had the opportunity to actually taste it.

Posted: **Sun Dec 15, 2019 2:13 pm**

I bought some romanesco in a farmer's market in Lancaster, PA. ($1 per head- shoulda bought 100!). They do taste very good and they look as geometrically perfect as the pictures. So somebody can grow it. I know I did not do everything right. Mine got approx. 5 hours of sun daily, and the area was covered by mesh so it was filtered sun at that. The ground was about 6" of mulch, over about 2" of soil, over clay. I dry farm.
Nan

Posted: **Mon Dec 16, 2019 2:37 pm**

$1 per head! Here, I've only tried it 3 times in about 20 years. The price was between 1.99 and 3.99 a pound. The heads were about 5 pounds each. Do the math. And, to me, it was still worth it.

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:49 am**

Nan6b wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:58 pm Actually, Tormato, I still have Romanesco seeds from this year. I have discovered that the Cabbage Butterflies will never let me grow anything in the cabbage family (this year I made a fine mesh "cozy" over the plants , but still got worms on the cauliflower), and have given up on them for now. I'll send you some Romanesco seeds for your Secret Santa gift if you like.

You might try horseradish. It still gets cabbage worms, but they just eat holes in the leaves and fly off or something (they don't make them smelly). It's the root you're after anyway. I've read that the leaves are edible. So, I tried eating some a number of times. They tasted good, whether raw or cooked, but I don't think they were healthy for me, personally. I think I'll stick with the roots. However, if you plant very much horseradish, you may end up with a garden full of white butterflies (from the cabbage worms); that's what happened to us, this year. Fortunately, we didn't have any cabbage, and the butterflies were nice to watch.

Also, have you tried growing kohlrabi? I've had minimal damage from cabbage worms on them (I've had more problems with aphids there). Never had them on arugula, nor radishes.

They really spoil our cabbage, though.

Posted: **Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:52 pm**

I've grown horseradish, and had it take over the garden. I harvested enough for several decades, froze it, and dug out or smothered the horseradish. The leaves are beautiful; I have fed them to my birds. The flowers are quite impressive. Maybe I should grow it in a flower garden.

I haven't tried kolrabi since I got the critter fence securely in place. I do like kolrabi; perhaps I'll try it again soon.

Nan

Posted: **Wed Dec 18, 2019 8:26 am**

Interesting, I've never had a problem with cabbage worms on my horseradish though the Japanese Beetles seem to really like it. I grow my HR in a couple dedicated 3'x3'x24" raised beds that I can mow around to keep the HR spreading in check. I can easily dismantle the beds to make digging the roots out easier in the fall.

I've been tempted to try growing Romanesco. I've even had seeds in my cart a couple times when shopping online seed vendors. I rarely have problems with broccoli and cauliflower so maybe one of these days I'll give it a whirl for S&Gs.

Posted: **Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:07 pm**

Shule wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:49 am
Nan6b wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 6:58 pm Actually, Tormato, I still have Romanesco seeds from this year. I have discovered that the Cabbage Butterflies will never let me grow anything in the cabbage family (this year I made a fine mesh "cozy" over the plants , but still got worms on the cauliflower), and have given up on them for now. I'll send you some Romanesco seeds for your Secret Santa gift if you like.
You might try horseradish. It still gets cabbage worms, but they just eat holes in the leaves and fly off or something (they don't make them smelly). It's the root you're after anyway. I've read that the leaves are edible. So, I tried eating some a number of times. They tasted good, whether raw or cooked, but I don't think they were healthy for me, personally. I think I'll stick with the roots. However, if you plant very much horseradish, you may end up with a garden full of white butterflies (from the cabbage worms); that's what happened to us, this year. Fortunately, we didn't have any cabbage, and the butterflies were nice to watch.

Also, have you tried growing kohlrabi? I've had minimal damage from cabbage worms on them (I've had more problems with aphids there). Never had them on arugula, nor radishes.

They really spoil our cabbage, though.

I've trailed several kohlrabi varieties. There are few hiding areas for cabbage worm larvae. But, that doesn't make up for the lack of flavor. I've tried a few of the giants, like Granlibakken and Supersmelz (spl). I can't remember which of the two it was, but the texture was like eating a neoprene wet suit. (this place could use a "faint" emoji)

Posted: **Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:10 pm**

Lonejack wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2019 8:26 am Interesting, I've never had a problem with cabbage worms on my horseradish though the Japanese Beetles seem to really like it. I grow my HR in a couple dedicated 3'x3'x24" raised beds that I can mow around to keep the HR spreading in check. I can easily dismantle the beds to make digging the roots out easier in the fall.

I've been tempted to try growing Romanesco. I've even had seeds in my cart a couple times when shopping online seed vendors. I rarely have problems with broccoli and cauliflower so maybe one of these days I'll give it a whirl for S&Gs.

When I figure out where the PM area is, I'll be able to send you a few seeds.

Posted: **Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:48 pm**

Tormato wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:07 pm I've trailed several kohlrabi varieties. There are few hiding areas for cabbage worm larvae. But, that doesn't make up for the lack of flavor. I've tried a few of the giants, like Granlibakken and Supersmelz (spl). I can't remember which of the two it was, but the texture was like eating a neoprene wet suit. (this place could use a "faint" emoji)

If it's flavor you're after, instead of eating the bulbs, try the flowers! They're super tasty (sweet and kind of like meat). The leaves are pretty good, too, but different from the flowers.

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