Growing Broccoli

Brassica sp. : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S                    
      T                
    P P                

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

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • 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 7°C and 30°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 35 - 50 cm apart
  • Harvest in 10-16 weeks. Cut flowerhead off with a knife..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, oregano)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chilli, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard

Your comments and tips

28 Jul 23, dz (USA - Zone 10a climate)
I also have broccoli in containers that never produced well - they bolt - and stopped flowering when it got too warm, but are still alive, and one has recently started some new green leaf growth, so I will keep tending them and see if they produce any edible heads this winter.
02 May 21, mary Olenick (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I tried to grow broccoli once in garden boxes. they grew very tall and spindly but the heads didn't amount to much. What am I doing wrong?
04 May 21, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
They were probably too crowded together and not enough light. Broccoli need about 25 - 30 cm square each as a minimum.
28 Feb 21, Richard (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi, how soon should I net my broccoli if at all? Thank you
01 Mar 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
Any time after planting. Rain is the starting point of insects and grubs so keep an eye on them after rain. I would net after the last weeding you are going to do.
15 Feb 21, Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
Can I plant broccoli in the same bed as tomatoes after I have removed the used tomato plants. Also my Broccoli grew big and leafy but the fruit itself bolted and flowered immediately???? They were very well watered and a mild summer here?
16 Feb 21, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
You can grow anything after anything as long as you prepare the soil well for the next crop. People talk about crop rotation, it doesn't have to happen that way, It grew big and leafy because you over fertilised. It probably bolted and flowered because you were growing it into hotter weather. It says here you can plant Sept to Nov. Depending on you temperatures I wouldn't be planting that time of the year unless you have quite cool weather into Xmas. General rule you plant winter harvesting crops late summer early autumn and summer harvesting crops after the cool/cold winter.
05 Jan 21, Mark (USA - Zone 9b climate)
What is a good varietall of broccoli for zone 9b?
06 Jan 21, (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Go to a seed selling website and look at different broccoli. Most broccoli will grow in a variety of climates. Each climate will have a preferred planting time.
31 Aug 20, Jimmy (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I had 5 purple broccoli plants planted in April from seedlings that have grown really well but have failed to develop any heads at all. What went wrong?
Showing 11 - 20 of 311 comments

Hi there, I have broccoli growing and aquadulce broad beans. Are these compatible? I don’t think these beans climb as much as some others but find it hard to distinguish between dwarf and climbing for these. Thank you!

- Denise

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