Eating Garden

How to Grow Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica

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

At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Takes some care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

  • Water

    Thirsty

  • 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.

Optional local dates

Planting dates where you live

The growing guide above works anywhere. This section adds local frost dates when we have them.

Optional local dates

Get planting dates for where you live

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Helpful gardening guides

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.

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.

Step by step

  1. Plan for cool weatherGrow the head before strong summer heat or during the cooler fall season.
  2. Sow shallowlyCover seed a quarter to half an inch and keep it moist.
  3. Give plants roomThin or transplant to about 8 to 10 inches apart.
  4. Keep water steadyGive about an inch a week and do not let young plants dry out.
  5. Check tight budsWatch the center head closely as it fills. Harvest before any yellow flower opens.
  6. Leave the side shootsAfter cutting the main head, keep the plant watered for smaller later harvests.

Common mistakes

  • Letting heads form in heatHot days and nights can make tiny, loose heads or no crown at all.
  • Drying out young plantsWater stress makes small, bitter heads. Keep moisture even.
  • Waiting for yellow flowersOpen flowers mean the head is past its best. Cut while every bud is tight.

Water

Thirsty

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

  • Too dry
  • About right
  • Too wet
  • If it goes drySuffers quickly when dryHeads stay small, loose or bitter and growth slows.
  • If it stays wetDislikes sitting wetSoggy soil can weaken roots and raise disease risk.

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.

Harvest

You will know it is ready when: The central head is full size and the green buds are still tight. Yellow petals mean it is past its best.

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

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

Is this right for you?

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

Soil

  • 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.

The year at a glance

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

Questions people ask

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.

Also filed under: Vegetables

Where this came from

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

Sources & review dates
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