Rudolph Broccoli is a frost-hardy cultivar of Brassica oleracea that matures in 150 days from transplant, offering gardeners a reliable cool-season crop packed with vitamins C, K, and bioavailable calcium. Unlike many broccoli varieties, this one reaches full harvest maturity over a longer season, making it particularly well-suited to fall and winter growing in temperate regions. Plant it in full sun with consistent moisture, spacing plants 4 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, and you'll be cutting tight, dense heads that continue producing side-shoots long after the main crown.
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Rudolph delivers more than just one harvest. Once you cut the main head, the plant keeps producing secondary shoots that you can harvest regularly throughout the season, extending your harvest window well beyond the initial 150-day window. The combination of frost hardiness and this prolific side-shoot production makes it an exceptional choice for gardeners who want continuous harvests rather than a single crop. It's also a nutritional powerhouse, with calcium that your body absorbs far more efficiently than from milk itself.
Rudolph is grown for fresh harvest of its edible flower heads and tender stems. Gardeners cut the main crown when it's tight and dense, then continue harvesting the side-shoots as they develop. The entire head and several inches of stem are edible, making it useful for fresh cooking, steaming, roasting, and incorporating into a wide range of cuisines.
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Start seeds indoors in conditions that maintain soil temperatures between 65 and 75°F. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they've developed true leaves and the danger of hard frost has passed. Days to maturity are calculated from the transplant date.
Transplant seedlings outdoors when soil temperatures are stable and frost risk has diminished. Space transplants 4 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart. Harden off seedlings gradually before planting to strengthen them.
Direct seed in April or in late summer for fall harvest. When direct sowing, add 25 to 35 days to the stated 150-day maturity since this timing is calculated from transplant date, not from seed germination.
Harvest the main head when it's tight and dense, before yellow petals begin to appear. Use a clean, sharp knife and cut at least 6 inches of stem, making the cut at a slant to prevent water from pooling on the cut surface. Harvest immediately if you notice yellow petals opening, as this signals the head is beginning to flower. After removing the main crown, cut side-shoots regularly and consistently to encourage the plant to produce more throughout the season.
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