Select your climate zone What is my climate zone?

Growing Broccoli

(Brassica sp.)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  S P P         P      

(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.


  • Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 45°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 14 - 20 inches apart
  • Harvest in 10-16 weeks. Cut flowerhead off with a knife. - Recommended soil pH 6 - 7.
  • Compatible with: Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, oregano)
  • Avoid growing with: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard
  • Early stage
  • Nearly ready for harvest
  • Side shoot regrowth after main head cut

Your comments and tips

Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for USA | for all countries
15 Sep 08, Alex (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
My brocolli is about ready to harvest - how low should I cut it to encourage another head to grow?
Reply or Post a new comment
16 Sep 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Alex, Cut it across the stem just above the first leaves. The plant will then send out side shoots.
Reply or Post a new comment
16 Sep 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Jen, you will be able to collect seeds but if you have planted F1 hybrid seedlings they may not reproduce.
Reply or Post a new comment
17 Sep 08, Manuel (Australia - temperate climate)
My broccoli have gone from juvenile heads to spreading out and flowering in a week. What have I done wrong?
Reply or Post a new comment
17 Sep 08, Liz (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Manuel, broccoli do start 'flowering' quite quickly, particularly in warm, dry weather. Try to pick them regularly so that they have to produce new heads for you.
Reply or Post a new comment
17 Sep 08, Kim Flood (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I planted 8 Broccoli seedings for weeks ago. They are now 40cm high and have bolted and gone to seed. They got very small florets (but not edible) before going to seed. What have I done wrong. Do I pull them out, cut the tops off or let them go to seed and collect the seeds. Please help.
Reply or Post a new comment
18 Sep 08, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Kim, those seedlings probably got stressed (by heat/lack of water) - maybe before you planted them. I would pull them out and try some new seedlings, watering daily for the first week after planting and providing plenty of mulch around them.
Reply or Post a new comment
20 Sep 08, Jen (Australia - temperate climate)
Liz, thanks a lot. I don't know if my seedlings were F1 hybrid, and unfortunately, bought them from a large impersonal hardware company which probably wouldn't want to discuss it, but i'll try! :) Currently something is eating my seedlings .. I have them in 2 pots and 1 is surviving better than the other. I have tried placing some twigs of rosemary around them, I go out early mornings to look for the culprit - until today I couldn't find them, but this morning i yielded 1 green grub and 1 fat snail! any clues on natural protection? I don't want to use pesticide if I can help it. cheers, Jen.
Reply or Post a new comment
22 Sep 08, Alex (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
hello, first time broccoli planter. Planted in June. Lovely, big healthy looking plants but still no florettes. What have I done wrong??
Reply or Post a new comment
23 Sep 08, Ben (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I am new to planting broccoli and have recently cut the main head off one of the broccoli plants. I have several side shoots off the same plant, do they get as big as the main head?. The reason i ask is i dont want to leave them too long and let them go to flower.
Reply or Post a new comment
First page < Previous page 11 - 20 of 137 comments Next page >

See comments for all plants

Post a question, comment or tip about Broccoli

Just planted broccoli seedlings 1st time. If they are successful, can I take new seeds from them for a future crop?

- Jen


Where are you?



All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting may not appear immediately

Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

Site design and development by Hutchinson Software