(Best months for planting Broccoli in USA - Zone 5a regions)

S = Plant undercover in seed trays. P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Keep well-watered as seedlings. If left without water they will bolt to seed and be inedible. The plants should grow to develop plenty of large healthy leaves, then the green flowerheads follow, which are cut for eating. Leave the plant growing after cutting the main flowerhead, and get additional crops from the sideshoots which will develop.

Watch for cabbage white butterflies and remove the eggs and caterpillars as soon as possible.

There are two main types of broccoli. The purple sprouting is hardier. The heading varieties cope well with warmer weather.

Once a plant opens its yellow flowers then it is generally past eating as the flavour gets a bit overpowering and the plant gets very woody. Harvest them sooner rather than later.

'Broccolini' is a variety grown for the edible stalks. Grow fast with plenty of water and food, and pick as soon as possible.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Broccoli

The stem (peeled), leaves, and flowerhead are all edible.

Steam for best flavour. Peel large stalks, slice and steam.
Goes well with blue cheese sauce.

Your comments and tips

16 May 13, Jenny (Australia - temperate climate)

I have planted broccoli seeds and put them in my hothouse. The seedlings have emerged. How big must the plants be before planting them in my veggie patch?

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18 Oct 12, Emily (Australia - tropical climate)

I have just started my first vegi patch so far so good but i have a big bunch of broccoli but i have these tiny grey bugs on them and they all sit in big groups. Ive put down some pellets but they don't seem to be going.

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23 Oct 12, Akhi (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

The bugs are most likely Aphids. They are very adept at hiding under the Broccoli florets and hence very tough to eradicate organically. I ten to grow my Broccoli in late summer- early fall ( when the aphids are begunning to find the cool nights a bit uncomfortable) to harvest in early spring which avoids the bugs.

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09 Oct 12, Terry (Australia - temperate climate)

I live in Perth and have just finished a beautiful harvest of my broccoli. I'm going to plant some more seedlings today. If you are not getting any heads developing give them a dose of Potassium Permanganate. Five or so grains in a 9 litre watering can, weak enough so you can see the bottom of the can. Good for any vegetable or flower not producing flowers! Give it to them twice 2 or 3 weeks apart.

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28 Dec 12, Di (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Thank you for that great tip Terry. I will give the Potassium Permanganate a whirl for the toms I have that don't seem to be putting out many flowers!! Hmmm I just might try it on the caulies too!! Cheers Di.

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21 Aug 12, Deanna (USA - Zone 9b climate)

I have fabulous success with broccoli year after year. I have a couple of tips that help prevent/delay bolting and a question. Tips: Keep broccoli moist. Never let it dry, especially during warmer weather. To retain moisture and drastically reduce weeds, use a heavy mulch. I use hay and I add a layer as soon as the bottom layer starts to break down. One bale of hay will mulch about 100' sq and costs about five bucks. I grow my broccoli with collards, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and onions during the cooler weather and with whatever survives, pops up or I get around to planting (cause we have 5 growing seasons here). Now the question: Although I can grow broccoli that's so green it's blue, is 4' tall and 6' around and produces side shoots for three months...my husband HATES the variety! I'm aware of the difference in the flavor of this particular variety (Waltham 29). It has an extremely dense taste, similar to asparagus, which I love, but Eddie refuses to eat it so it's pointless to grow it! Any suggestions on a heading variety (heat tolerant) that's more like the market variety? I collect my seed, so I try to find heirlooms, open pollenated.

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08 Jun 12, George Gilchrist (Australia - temperate climate)

Live in Perth. Broccoli has very healthy growth, but no heads developing. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.

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11 Jun 12, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

It could be too early in the season for the flower heads to develop, or maybe a bit much nitrogen promoting lots of leaf growth. Have a look down the stems - you might see head buds starting to emerge above where the leaves join the stem.

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28 May 12, Keith (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)

I live in Centurion, not far from Bronkhorstspruit and I use the Summer Rainfall area as my guideline. We did use the subtropical guidelines when we lived near Durban. Broccoli is perhaps the easiest of the Brassicas to grow, but you should start your crop as seedlings in August/ September and transplant each seedling into a 2-3 litre pot of compost in about August. Transplant to your garden - use about a half-square metre per plant, in late September. We still have broccoli heads in late May here now, but we are blessed with warm weather. Frost may strike any day...

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15 May 12, mamorena serothoane (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)

i am in bronkhorstspruit, need to plant broccoli for the first time, i don't have any experience on it, could you please help with the following questions, when is the right time to plant broccoli, which cultivar could be good for my area and lastly what are production programs to follow e.g fertilization, pest control etc.

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