August 25, 2007

Plant of the Week
The Newest 2007 Texas SuperStar

by
David Rodriguez

Green Magic is a hybrid which matures in 85 days from transplanting. It is a superb early variety that produces high quality, attractive smooth dome heads with tight green beads. Heads can weigh between 350-400 gm and has good resistance to white rust. It is a hybrid selection from Calabria strains. Three plantings may be considered: late August through mid-September, late September through mid-October, and a late planting for early spring around mid-February. Green Magic is the only broccoli selection for Central/South Texas that will perform successfully in early spring.

‘Green Magic’ broccoli was first put on the San Antonio market in the fall of 2004, but because of the hottest October in history, the quality of early (Aug-Oct) planted broccoli was not what we had experienced in our testing. The later planted ‘Green Magic’ broccoli was high quality and it performed wonderfully that following spring and thereafter. Broccoli performs best when it experiences cool growing conditions.

Broccoli is a very nutritious and healty food source. One cup (91 grams) of fresh brocolli finally chopped is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It’s a good source of: Protein, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Selenium. It’s also a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium, and Manganese.

More information on growing ‘Green Magic’ broccoli and the Texas SuperStar program may be found at these links:

http://www.plantanswers.com/tomato_broccoli07.htm

http://www.texassuperstar.com/plants.html

Remember, Learn and Have Fun!

David Rodriguez is County Extension Agent-Horticulture, Bexar County. For more information, call the Master Gardener ‘Hotline’ at (210) 467-6575 or visit our County Extension website at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu, click under Horticulture and Gardening.