Broccoli: winter crop in year-round rotation

Among the Brassica genus types, broccoli has been one of the popular choices for farmers in cooler climates.

- 

In the past, broccoli was rotated out in summer, but farmers like Danie Barnard have used lower summer temperatures and advancements in cultivars to plant high volumes all year around. Henning Naud é spoke to Barnard about his production approach to satisfy market demand while maintaining high-quality yields.

Resting close to the Outeniqua Mountain range outside the Great Brak River region in the Western Cape, Danie Barnard's farm, Langhoek, has produced a wide variety of crops over the many years it has been in the family. The farm now produces around 14 different crop varieties, including lettuce, green beans, cauliflower, and butternut. These crops are planted seasonally to ensure consistent output while retaining soil fertility.

Previously, Brassicas dominated his planting programme, which limited his income since yields are significantly lower in summer.

THREE-YEAR ROTATION

The farm has 130ha under irrigation, which is carefully utilised for scheduled plantings, depending on where broccoli falls in the rotation.

Barnard runs a three-year rotation period for broccoli, substituting other vegetables such as potatoes and green beans in the interim. Green beans retain stable nitrogen levels in the soil, resulting in accessible nutrients for broccoli growth.

He says: "Because we do not have a large area under production, I cannot afford to only plant broccoli and cauliflower every three years. Moving away from monocultures was vital for me to be able to stay productive."

Maintaining healthy soil conditions is highly important for Barnard due to the risk of soil-borne diseases such as clubroot. "Careful monitoring of your soil is vital if you want healthy broccoli."