Waltham Sprouting Broccoli

Great heirloom broccoli variety for the home garden that dates back to 1951. Harvest the main, medium sized head once it has grown to size and then enjoy weeks of multiple side shoot harvests of tender succulent sprouting broccoli. Fantastic for fresh eating or stir frys. Sturdy plants with good cold tolerance. Sow early in Spring or in July for fall harvest. 75 days to maturity (~50 seeds)

Meticulously grown for us by Julie of Winnow Seed co.

Certified organic in British Columbia. IOPA # 1606, 1105, 1920.

How to Save Broccoli Seed

Fast Facts

Latin: Brassica oleracea

Cross Pollination: Other broccoli varieties, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard, kale, kohlrabi, all other Brassica oleracea varieties

Isolation Distance: 800 feet

Minimum Population Size (variety maintenance): 20-50 plants

Minimum Population Size (genetic preservation): 80 plants

Learn more about cross pollination, isolation distance and population size, and why they matter in our blog post Seed Saving 101

Seeding and Care

 Grow as you typically would for a fresh broccoli crop. Space plants 12” apart and refrain from harvesting your best broccoli heads for eating, as you want to pass on the best genetic traits possible in the seeds you collect. Allow your selected broccoli heads to flower and set seed pods. 

Seed Harvest

When the majority of pods have formed and filled out, but before they dry and go brown, cut the plants and lay on a tarp to dry. It is important to harvest the plants while there is still a tinge of green to the plants, as they are prone to shattering, meaning the pods will burst open as they dry and the seeds will fall to the ground. Birds eating your brassica seeds is a surefire sign that it’s time to get in there and harvest.

Seed Cleaning

Thresh the seeds by laying the entire dry seed stalks on a tarp and stomping and shuffling on the plants to crack open the pods and detach the seeds. It’s important that seeds are very dry at this stage to prevent them being crushed by the threshing process. Shake the threshed material through a screen, allowing the seeds to pass through and the larger debris to remain on the top. Then, winnow using wind or a fan, pouring seeds from one container to another while allowing the lighter chaff to blow away.