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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10 Mar 09, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Megan, Nathan, The books say to plant broccoli 40-50 cm apart, though I usually plant them 30 cms apart I also plant some white flowers and also marigolds in between the broccoli to try to hide their smell from the cabbage moths. It does slow the moths down, but netting also keeps them off, along with a good hunt around for any stray caterpillars laid by very persistent cabbage moths.
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10 Mar 09, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Tamera you should cut off the flowering head - you'll still get other smaller broccoli around it. Broccoli is simply the flower head that had not yet flowered. It tends to taste a bit bitter when the yellow flowers are out, so it's best to harvest your broccoli before it flowers. Cutting the the broccoli heads encourages more broccoli to come. So don't leave the flowers on the plant or it may stop producing broccoli.
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09 Mar 09, Megan (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
how do you plant broccoli?
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08 Mar 09, Tamera (Australia - temperate climate)
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?
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07 Mar 09, Mary Wright (Australia - temperate climate)
I planted brocolli in December - lots of leaves and strong stalks but no heads yet. When are these likely to appear, or, do I have a problem?
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05 Mar 09, Kate (Australia - temperate climate)
Those pesky white cabbage moths decimated the last lot of broccoli I planted in October, and it was growing so well before they attacked. I tried bird mesh with quite small holes but they still got through. I tried Dipel which is a natural fungus that kills the caterpillars after they start to eat leaves treated with it, but you have to keep reapplying and make sure you get the whole leaf including underneath, plus it washes off easily. To get caterpillars off before you cook the broccoli, I have read that a little vinegar in luke warm water will get them off. Re veggies that grow in partial shade - try green beans and other kinds of beans - I read they are happy in semi-shade, although you would need to be careful that the tree doesn't take all the nutrients and water.
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03 Mar 09, nathan (Australia - temperate climate)
what is the space you should plant the broccoli apart from each other
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07 Feb 09, georgie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
a general question about veges: are there any veg which will grow in a mainly shaded garden under a tree. get patchy afternoon sun only
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30 Jan 09, Liz (Australia - temperate climate)
Does anyone have tips for keeping crows off vegetable gardens?
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23 Jan 09, Peter (Australia - temperate climate)
GREEN CATERPILLARS; these are from the white cabbage butterflies. The best organic method to this problem is to make lightweight frames of chicken wire. The butterlies are too large to get through and land on the leaves to lay their eggs.
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Hello When you say PLANT in garden is that the seed to plant in the garden where they going to grow or seedlings ? Many Thanks Lee-Ann

- Lee-Ann Connolly

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