Waltham 29 Broccoli
Waltham 29 Broccoli is a heirloom brassica variety (Brassica oleracea var. italica 'Waltham 29'). Harvest begins around day 65-74; seed germinates in 7-14 days. Set plants 18-24 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.0, zones 6-9, full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours). Plants reach 10-24 inches. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost for spring crop. For fall harvest, start seeds indoors in mid-summer, 12-14 weeks before hard frost.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture especially during head development
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter content
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches
- Height
- 10-24 inches
- Season
- Cool season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep blue-green heads with tight, compact florets
- Size
- 4-6 inch diameter heads, 1-2 pounds
- Shape
- Compact, dome-shaped central head with numerous side shoots
- Flavour
- Sweet, nutty flavor with excellent texture and minimal bitterness
In the kitchen
Excellent for steaming, roasting, stir-frying, and raw in salads. Both main heads and side shoots are delicious.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, cabbage loopers
- Diseases
- Clubroot, black rot, downy mildew, alternaria leaf spot
- Resistance
- Good cold tolerance and resistance to bolting. Moderate resistance to common broccoli diseases.
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | August – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | July – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | July – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | June – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | May – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | April – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 31
- Protein (g)
- 2.57
- Fat (g)
- 0.34
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 6.27
- Fibre (g)
- 2.4
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 8
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 91.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.15
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 102
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.191
- Folate (µg)
- 65
- Calcium (mg)
- 46
- Iron (mg)
- 0.69
- Magnesium (mg)
- 21
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 67
- Potassium (mg)
- 303
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.42
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.6
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Waltham 29 Broccoli?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Waltham 29 Broccoli suits these too.
- Napa Cabbage 'Michihili' 65 days
- Bishop 65 days
- Black Magic Kale 65 days
- Golden Acre Cabbage 65 days
- Copenhagen Market Cabbage 65 days
- Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage 63 days