Minimum, Optimal Spacing for Green Magic Broccoli

[karstopography]

Online well known seed companies seem to not necessarily agree on how far apart, the range I’ve read has been 12”-24” apart and up to 36” between rows. to plant one green magic broccoli from another one. I was leaning towards 15”-18” apart to maximize my garden space, but didn’t want to crowd them so that production might suffer. 24” apart like one or two seed vendors suggest seems excessive and a waste of space.

Does anyone have experience with green magic broccoli and how to space it?

[rossomendblot]

I haven't grown Green Magic in particular, but usually with calabrese the bigger the spacing the bigger the head. I typical space at 16-18" depending on the shape of bed they're going in, with 18" between rows.

[PlainJane]

Lol, I’m a confessed crowder who’s slowly learning to reform.
First reaction was 12” is plenty of space.
On reflection of last year’s broccoli and cauliflower crop, 14” is better.
Now I’ll have to run outside and see if I need to move this year’s first planting around.

[GoDawgs]

I tried Green Magic for the first time last spring next to the Packman I usually grow at 15'18" spacing. It appears to be what I call a fountain-shaped head as opposed to the more dome-shaped head of the Packman.



Then I tried it again last the fall because sometimes things do better in the fall here and got this:



This fall I have Green Magic, Goliath and Packman growing next to each other for comparison so we'll see what happens. They're still at the 15-18" spacing

[karstopography]

@GoDawgs very pretty broccoli there. I generally get the six pack starter plants when going with broccoli rather than starting my own. Green Magic is one of the few varieties they have around here. Sometimes, there’s six packs with eight, nine plants or more in them that I will separate so it isn’t so bad on the transplant cost math. 15-18” spacing and heads like that like would have me thrilled with those results. Putting broccoli transplants out in the fall, mid October in through November, is the way to go here. Whatever frosts we typically get aren’t bad enough to bother broccoli. I fertilized the heck out of the bed yesterday as I know broccoli and the other cabbage group are heavy feeders. I’ll transplant over the weekend.

[GoDawgs]

I measure out 15" spacing but you know how shovels wander a few inches.

[karstopography]

I transplanted eight Green Magic broccoli plants today. I actually got out a measure to see how I did. Closest spacing was 15”. 19” was the most distant.

I planted four of the broccoli near to my giant pascal celery because I read celery grown close to broccoli makes the broccoli taste even better.

[karstopography]

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Some of the fall brassicas et.al.

Still have some broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collards transplants that could use a few more days in the small containers before setting out.

Feel like a lot progress has been made recently on the fall plantings.

Not done yet, but when is a garden ever done?