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 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..
  • 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

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03 Jan 12, Lisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I note some plants say don't plant with certain types. does this just mean not in same garden bed? or not at same time? so one after the other? or same time but seperate beds? I have yet to start a vegie garden and am trying to decide what i'd like to plant and when. and broccolli and tomato are plants i'd like to attempt growing. thanks for any tips
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08 Jan 12, kate (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
companioning planting is In the same garden bed Each garden bed should have it's own companion planting for whatever vegetables you are planting at that time. If it statesa vegetable with another one, but you can't plant the other one due to a months difference, it doesnt matter, cause once you put that other plant into companion the other original plant, it still works well, due to the timing of the plants for when they are meant to grow
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23 Oct 11, Zoe (Australia - temperate climate)
What soil type does broccoli grow in best?
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16 Oct 11, leah (Australia - temperate climate)
what would be eating my brocolini??? is growing really well but i don't want to share with the bugs!!! what can i use that is natural to keep bugs off?? or maybe plant next to it as deterent?? any suggestions?
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30 Dec 11, tam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I had big problems when first planted out my brocoli with something eating the leaves, no sign of caterpillars or moths, spoke to my uncle who used to pick veggies for living, he suggested mixing up 20ml biodegradable washing up liquid with 1000ml water and putting in a spray water bottle, spray the leaves top and bottom but not the head if developed, it worked nothing has touched my brocoli at all. i re spray every 3 weeks now but at first i sprayed every second or third day depending on rain.
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02 Nov 11, Robert (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
All broccoli in my garden suffers at this time of year from rats. They are quite voracious and eat the heads and shoots but not the leaves. I fix the problem by feeding little green cakes of rat poison held in place with nails on the garden edging. They ate three boxes of the stuff over 4 nights.
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19 Nov 11, dave (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
i had the same problen i fed rat bait for one week it turned out to be possums i got the experts in and traped 7 in 2 days problem solved!
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03 Aug 11, georgi (Australia - tropical climate)
well rotted chook poo is the best but don't forget to also add some potash. dynamic lifter for veges as a short cut and protection from possible e coli
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02 Aug 11, lauren (Australia - temperate climate)
While the information given is fantastic and helpful, especially as i am a novice, none of the plants note how much sun they like which i assumed was quite an important part of growing plants? I would like to grow Broccoli (among others) but my garden space does not get very much sun especially during winter.
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06 Aug 11, jade (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
pretty well all vegies like full sun
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One of my broccolli plants has started to grow a head of yellow flowers. If I cut of the flower head will that plant still yield a brocolli plant? Concerned?

- Tamera

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