Do you want to learn how to grow Aquaponics Broccoli? Then read this guide to know how to do it. Broccoli is inherited from the Roman Empire and now grows worldwide for its popularity as one of the healthiest foods due to its low calorific values.
If you know how to grow Aquaponics broccoli, you will have 100 percent chemical-free broccoli from your own garden.
Why Should We Include Broccoli in Our Diet?
Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family, and its taste is similar to spinach or kale but a little sweeter than them.
- 100 gm. Raw broccoli provides 2.82 g of protein which is more than most other vegetables we eat.
- It is also a vital source of vitamin A and C, and consuming it slows down aging and helps in reducing weight.
- It also helps control blood sugar levels, reduces cholesterol, and also aids in digestion which improves our health and immunity.
Why Aquaponics For Growing Broccoli?
Broccoli is a winter vegetable with enormous health benefits, making it an excellent choice for growing Broccoli in Aquaponics, a portable farming technique that can be practiced anywhere.
Due to its lower height, broccoli occupies less space, but growing broccoli is moderately complex due to its heavy shoot and high nutrition needs.
Aquaponics is the best choice for growing broccoli due to its nitrogen cycle, which converts ammonia from fish waste to beneficial nitrates for broccoli roots to develop into a healthy plant.
Aquaponics Broccoli is harvested within 2-3 months, while traditional broccoli takes at least four to five months.
Aquaponics Broccoli Farming
Broccoli is considered a super food, like family other green members kale, cabbage, collard, kohlrabi, and savoy require lots of nutrients to grow.
Thus, Aquaponics uses techniques like D.W.C., ebb, and flow, and NFT is most suitable to farm it.
We must consider the optimum farming factors responsible for its quick and efficient growth as its yield may affect due to negligence.
Optimum Growing Conditions for Broccoli
Optimum growing conditions and factors for broccoli cultivation are:
1. Optimum Temperature:
Broccoli is a nutritious green plant; the optimum temperature of water and air for broccoli is 12◦ Centigrade to 18 ◦ Centigrade. Above 21◦ Centigrade, it will bolt.
2. Optimum ph.
The ideal p.H for growing broccoli is between 6 till 7.
3. Sunlight requirements:
To grow healthy broccoli in an Aquaponics system, we must give them sunlight for at least six hours every day.
4. Fish amount:
1 kg of fish per 70 liters of water rather than the typical 1 kilograms of fish for every 100 liters
5. Aqua species we can use:
Aqua species we can use in Broccoli Farming are: The most suitable fish to grow broccoli is tilapia; however, we can use goldfish as an alternate if tilapia is not available easily.
6. Types of Broccoli seeds:
The most popular Broccoli in Aquaponics is Calabrese Broccoli, Sprouting Broccoli, Chinese Broccoli, Belstar, Destiny, DiCicco, Eastern Magic, Green Magic, Romanesco, and Sun king.
7. Harvest amount from Aquaponics:
We can expect to harvest at least one large head of broccoli from each plant.
8. Germination time:
It takes 7 to 10 days at 10 to 30 ◦ Centigrade to germinate before we can plant them.
9. Harvesting Time for Broccoli:
Two to 6 months.
Cultivating and farming seasons for specific Aquaponics Broccoli:
| Broccoli Seed Names | Cultivating and Farming Seasons |
| Calabrese Broccoli | It is a fast-growing crop that is highly recommended to plant in late winter or spring and mature in 60-90 days. |
| Sprouting Broccoli | It exists in white and purple, which is slightly bitter and has more stalks. We can seed over the colder months and harvest in the springtime. |
| Destiny Broccoli | It is a heat-tolerating hybrid Plant in early spring and harvested in fall. |
| DiCicco Broccoli | It is a small to medium in size Broccoli that is planted in spring and matures in less than 100 days. |
| Eastern Magic Broccoli | It is blue and green. We can seed over the colder months and harvest in the springtime. |
| Green Magic Broccoli | It exists in a dark green color. It is planted in late winter or early summer and harvested in 60 days. |
| Chinese Broccoli | These are also called kai-lan or Chinese kale, planted early- to mid-spring, harvested for 35 days, and grow well in warmer environments. |
| Romanesco | It looks more like cauliflower with thick stalks and can be planted in late July or early August and mature in less than 100 days. |
| Sun King Broccoli | It is a heat tolerant variety that grows in winter or spring and is ready to harvest in 60 days. |
| Belstar Broccoli | It is an organic hybrid that can be planted in summer and can be harvested in spring. |
Germination steps for Aquaponics Broccoli:
• We should start our seed germination by soaking them in water at room temperature.
• After that, drain them and place them in Grow sponges, Peat pots, or Rockwool cubes.
• Then, transfer it into a growing tray and maintain 10 to 30 ◦ Centigrade temperature in your room with moderate sunlight.
• After one week, when they start sprouting, transfer them to your Aquaponics system for further growth.
Methods for growing Aquaponics Broccoli
Aquaponics techniques like D.W.C., ebb, flow, and NFT are most suitable for farming Aquaponics broccoli.
Still, the method of Media bed using Gravels as a growing medium with a good flood and drain system works best for it.
Due to heavy head and plant size, floating rafts and vertical towers are unsuitable for growing Aquaponics Broccoli.
1. Media Bed Aquaponics System
In this system, we will plant Broccoli seedlings when they have two to three true leaves in a regular stone or pebbles-based growing medium with a suitable flood and drain system.
The Broccoli plant roots in grow bed can direct access to the nutrients water as it is a high nutrient demanding plant.
The roots filter and clean the water before returning it to the fish tank to assist the aquatic species in growing and providing nutrition.
The Media Bed Aquaponics System is easy and ideal for broccoli; ensure that the tank’s pH is between six and seven. High p.H levels caused by contaminants in our grow media might hinder broccoli growth.
Water is transported between the fish tank, and the broccoli grows bed through a bell siphon and pump. It is advantageous to pluck the broccoli when they are thick and strong.
2. Nutrient Film Technique
In this system, we will plant Broccoli seedlings in grow pipes where broccoli seedlings will develop in less nutrient water in continuous water cycles.
Here we will again introduce grow medium for our seedling to grow instead of a tank; here, it is in planters of our seedling in each hole of the growing pipe.
Nutrient-rich water reaches grow pipes after passing sump, then physical and bioactive filters to grow pipes then again to filters, sump and then fish tank.
It is a water-efficient technique as water is recycled between the grow pipes and fish tank, which benefits them. In the cycles, this process is repeated till our broccoli is ready.
3. Deep Water Culture (D.W.C.)
Deep Water Culture is the most fantastic choice for commercially cultivating Aquaponics Broccoli since broccoli grows is higher in demand and needs methods that grow them quickly on large yield.
Broccoli seedlings are placed on floating surfaces with their containers where they float, and they will absorb nutrients by remaining suspended in that oxygenated, nutrient-rich water solution.
Two tanks are usually used in this method, so in one tank, we will add our selected fish, and in the second tank, where our broccoli plant’s roots will be immersed in nutrient-rich oxygenated water in their individual growing pots.
It is a critical factor that we must monitor the p.H and temperature throughout the process so we can have healthy fish and broccoli.
4. Ebb and Flow:
Ebb and flow, also known as Flood and Drain, is the final recommended method for farming broccoli. It is of intermediate difficulty. Broccoli production is inexpensive.
Here we will use a series of containers to grow broccoli inside a water pumping cycle, using a timer pump to supply nutrients and water. Broccoli roots will soak them in nutrient-rich water from the fish tank.
Overflow tube ensures maintenance of circulation of nutrients water at the desired level. Keep your system sunlight around 6 hours per day with partial shade as broccoli, like other flowering plants, sunlight to grow.
Harvest in the morning by cutting 6 inches of stem heads from the plant when they are firm and tight after two to five months, depending on your variety.
How to Grow Aquaponics Broccoli FAQS
Q: How Fast Does Broccoli Grow In Aquaponics?
Broccoli takes two to six months to develop
Q: How Can We Grow Broccoli In Aquaponics?
The most suitable for growing broccoli is a media bed. Other Aquaponics techniques are D.W.C., ebb & flow, and NFT for farming Aquaponics Broccoli.
Q: What are the finest Broccoli seeds for Aquaponics?
The most popular Broccoli in Aquaponics is Calabrese Broccoli, Chinese Broccoli, and Sprouting Broccoli.
Final Thoughts
Aquaponics Broccoli farming has been very successful due to its high nutrient demands.
When we can figure out how to grow Aquaponics Broccoli, we may be able to control the world’s obesity rates and overall well-being by eating it cooked or raw.
My name is Olivia, and I live in the United States and love having plants in my garden. Lots of plants are there on my balcony, indoor and outdoor garden also. Here I am trying to share useful gardening tips, how to grow and care for various plants, etc.
