Calabrese De Cicco is a quick-growing Italian heirloom that’s ready to harvest from late spring through to autumn, depending on when you sow. Cut the main head while it’s still small (around 7cm), and you’ll be rewarded with a generous crop of tender, tasty side shoots—perfect for regular picking and very yummy!
SOW: from March to mid-July. We like to start calabrese in pots—seed depth about 10mm—then plant out once the seedlings have 2 or 3 true leaves. Sow in succession every couple of weeks to space out your harvest.
GROW: they will need watering—calabrese doesn’t like getting thirsty. Don’t wait too long on the main head (it stays small, around 7cm); it can be ready from 10 weeks after transplanting. After that, you’ll get loads of smaller, tasty side shoots. Pick regularly to encourage even more.
ENJOY: we like to lightly steam our calabrese and enjoy it fresh but it can also be frozen. To Freeze – blanch for 2 minutes, plunge into cold water, drain and pack.
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