Quick greens

Since I have little luck with cabbages, cauliflowers and anything that forms a head, I'm going to explore the confusing world of broccoletto, broccolini,  spigariello and broccoli raab - not to be confused with Cima di rapa - which is related to the turnip. I said it was confusing and I have a niggling feeling that some of these may turn out to be very similar, if not the same.  

I seem to have seeds for most of these, including Real Seeds "Quick Heading Calabrese or Broccoli". "Makes heads about 60-80 days after planting out."  https://www.realseeds.co.uk/broccoli.html

Broccoletti, also known as broccolini or baby broccoli, is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale. It has long, thin stalks with small florets that resemble broccoli heads. The leaves are edible and tender, with a peppery taste.

Broccolini, on the other hand, is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has longer and thinner stalks than broccoletti, with a smaller broccoli-like head at the top. Broccolini is slightly bitter and has a milder flavor than broccoletti. https://www.handycookbook.com/broccolett...n-mystery/

Spigariello is sold by Franchi Seeds https://seedsofitaly.com/eden-project-fr...olearacea/

Sorry if this is a bit muddled - I'm researching as I write. I'll be back tomorrow.

I've grown various broccoli this year with great results. The 'tenderstem' types have been good and the big headed sort, which I thought were autumn cropping, have produced a fine head in early July. The 2 tenderstem were Matsuri and Apollo. I think I prefer Apollo but it is a close race.

From a Which test:- https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/grow-you...fp67N07jrx
What most of us call broccoli is in fact calabrese; but search any of the major supermarkets’ online sites for calabrese and you’ll draw a blank. The term isn’t much used in the UK – we just call everything broccoli, but there are several different types. They are all members of the brassica family – Brassica oleracea to be precise. Calabrese is the large-headed type often sold encased in a tight plastic sheath; broccoli is the sprouting type, whether that’s purple, green or white sprouting; Tenderstem is a trademark name for sprouting broccoli (it even has its own website); and then there is Chinese kale, another cultivar of B. oleracea, which has small broccoli-like florets on thick stems with more leaves than sprouting broccoli. You may also come across broccoli raab, or rapini, a turnip relative whose seed is sold as Cima di Rapa, which translates as turnip tops. It’s popular in Italian cuisine and has a slight mustard flavour, slender stems with small florets and lots of leaf. We included it in our trial but it bolted too quickly to provide any harvest.

That’s all very interesting. I’ll look forward to your updates on how well they, grow, crop & taste. Some of them I’d happily find a little space for in my garden. Some look too similar and 1 looks very unappealing (Aztec broccoli). Just don’t think I’d get on with the texture.

Who knew there were so many varieties. I chose the 'tenderstem' sort because they said they were relatively dwarf. My mesh isn't able to cover 2-3 rows of tall stuff like purple sprouting, plus PSB is in the ground for so long. The calabrese got sown just because I had the seed and got carried away in spring. All are thriving and producing well. Whilst the lack of butterflies around here is lamentable, my greens are happy.

I've always believed that broccoli is frost tolerant but calabrese isn't! That's why it is hard to grow calabrese through a British winter period.