Eating Garden

How to Grow Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica

A cool-season cabbage-family crop grown for tight green flower buds.

By · Updated · How we source and review advice

Already growing? Get care help

At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Takes some care

    3 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

  • Water

    Thirsty

  • First harvest

    50 to 85 days

    from planting out

  • Plant spacing

    8 to 10 in apart

More about this plant

Broccoli needs cool weather, steady water and good soil. Cut the main head while its buds are tight, then leave the plant to make smaller side shoots.

  • Grows over two seasons.
  • Can grow in raised beds, the open ground.
  • A good one to grow together with children.

Make it your plan

Add your location for local planting datesAdd place

A U.S. ZIP uses official NOAA frost records. Other countries use weather-station records, or a climate reconstruction where stations are missing. Coordinates are used once and not stored. We save only a place label and climate summary in a private browser cookie. You can clear it anytime.

What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

A harvest date cannot be estimated from this starting point. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

When to expect a harvest

There is no reliable day count for this starting point. Use the crop’s season and readiness signs below.

The central head is full size and the green buds are still tight. Yellow petals mean it is past its best.

Cool spring or fall weather. Light fall frost is usually tolerated, but hot days and nights during head formation can keep a good crown from forming.

First, gather a few things

  • Broccoli seeds
  • A growing spot with 8 to 10 in between plants
  • A prepared garden bed
  • A watering can or hose

Get ready

Do these before you put the plant or seeds in place.

  1. Start here

    1. Plan for cool weather

    Grow the head before strong summer heat or during the cooler fall season.

Start or plant it

Follow the steps for the way you chose to start.

  1. 1. Sow shallowly

    Cover seed a quarter to half an inch and keep it moist.

  2. 2. Give plants room

    Thin or transplant to about 8 to 10 inches apart.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Feel the top inch of soil. Water when it starts to dry, before the roots dry out.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    Keep moisture steady. About one inch of rain or irrigation a week is a useful start, with more frequent checks in sandy soil.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Heads stay small, loose or bitter and growth slows.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Soggy soil can weaken roots and raise disease risk.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

Looking after it

  • FeedingAn occasional feed helpsUse a soil test and, if needed, feed lightly when plants are about four inches tall.
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 9 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchMulch helps keep the root zone cool and evenly moist.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    The central head is full size and the green buds are still tight. Yellow petals mean it is past its best.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Cut the main head with several inches of stem before flowers open. Leave the lower plant growing for smaller side shoots.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Cool the cut head quickly and refrigerate it. Use it soon for the best texture, or blanch and freeze extra broccoli.

More picking tips

  1. 1. Check tight buds

    Watch the center head closely as it fills. Harvest before any yellow flower opens.

  2. 2. Leave the side shoots

    After cutting the main head, keep the plant watered for smaller later harvests.

Common problems

    Common mistakes

    • Letting heads form in heat

      Hot days and nights can make tiny, loose heads or no crown at all.

    • Drying out young plants

      Water stress makes small, bitter heads. Keep moisture even.

    • Waiting for yellow flowers

      Open flowers mean the head is past its best. Cut while every bud is tight.

    Companion plants for broccoli

    Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

    Good together

    Trials show a real benefit:

    • ThymeIn an Iowa study, thyme planted with broccoli helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm damage.Measured in trials
    • OnionIn an Iowa study, onions planted with broccoli helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm damage.Measured in trials
    • NasturtiumIn an Iowa study, nasturtium planted with broccoli helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm damage.Measured in trials
    • Mustard or arugula (flea beetle trap crop)Spicy greens such as mustard, arugula and napa cabbage draw flea beetles away; mixing three or more works best.Measured in trials

    Extension programs recommend this pairing:

    • Clover ground coverA low clover cover around cabbage-family plants makes them harder for cabbage root fly to find.Recommended by extension programs
    How to choose companion plants

    Questions about broccoli

    Tap a question to see the answer.

    Will broccoli grow where I live?

    Cool spring or fall weather. Light fall frost is usually tolerated, but hot days and nights during head formation can keep a good crown from forming.

    • LightFull sun
    • ShadeCopes with a little shade
    • SeasonA cool season cropUsually grown in spring or fall.
    • FrostSurvives a light frost
    • HeatStruggles in heat

    What soil is best for broccoli?

    • Soil pH6.0 to 7.0A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
    • Soil it likesLoam, Silt
    • DrainageLikes ground that holds moisture
    • RichnessWants rich ground

    Use fertile soil that holds moisture but drains well. Add finished compost or well-rotted manure before planting.

    Follow a soil test. Do not use fresh manure or a fertilizer that also contains weed killer.

    Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

    When and how deep do I plant broccoli?

    When to plant

    Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

    • Start indoors 0 to 2 weeks after the start of your growing seasonStart a spring crop early enough to form heads before summer heat. Use a short-season variety where spring is brief.
    • Sow outdoors 10 to 14 weeks before your first fall frostFor fall broccoli, count back from the variety's maturity time so heads form in cool weather.
    • Ready to pick about 50 to 85 days from planting out.

    What you need

    • How to start itFrom seed or a young plantYou can sow it straight into the ground, or start it indoors first.
    • How deep to plant0.25 to 0.5 in
      Planting depth: 0.25 to 0.5 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
    • How far apart8 to 10 in
      Leave 8 to 10 in between plants. View from above; drawing is not to scale.

    What happens to broccoli through the year?

    Measured from your first fall frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

    1. Sow outdoors

      10 to 14 weeks before your first fall frost

    2. Start seeds indoors

      0 to 2 weeks after the start of your growing season

    How do I give broccoli a better start?

    Simple ways to help your broccoli grow, from the soil up.

    • Start with good soil

      Use fertile soil that holds moisture but drains well. Add finished compost or well-rotted manure before planting.

    • Give the soil a cover

      Mulch helps keep the root zone cool and evenly moist.

    • Make room to grow

      Thin seedlings to 9 inches apart.

    • Feed with care

      Use a soil test and, if needed, feed lightly when plants are about four inches tall.

    Follow a soil test. Do not use fresh manure or a fertilizer that also contains weed killer.

    Why did my broccoli make a tiny head?

    Heat, dry soil, poor feeding or a stressed transplant can all limit the crown.

    Can broccoli handle frost?

    It can keep growing after light fall frost. Protect small plants from harder freezes.

    Will broccoli grow again after harvest?

    Often yes. Leave the lower plant and it can make smaller side shoots.

    When should I cut the head?

    Cut when the head is full and every green bud is still tightly closed.

    Helpful gardening guides

    Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

    Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

    Browse all gardening guides

    Also filed under: Vegetables

    Where this came from

    Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

    Sources & review dates
    Timing
    University of Minnesota Extension, Growing broccoli in home gardens · checked 2026-09-15 · Days to maturity: 50 to 60 days for a heat-tolerant spring variety, 60 to 85 days for a fall one. Broccoli is normally set out as a transplant, so the count runs from planting out.
    University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, cool-season crops are timed to months averaging 55°F to 75°F.
    Back to the essentials ↑