Growing Broccoli

This winter vegetable is praised for its nutritional qualities and if you live in a frosty area, growing broccoli is a cinch.

Broccoli is from the brassica family, which include cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and the Chinese brassicas like bok choy.

It's a cool season vegetable and forms florets rather than a single large head like a cauliflower which can also withstand warmer temperatures.

If you're wondering about your climate for growing broccoli, it will tolerate frosts of 20°F (6.5°C) and likes daytime temperatures around 50-70F° F (10-20°C) and certainly no higher than 80°F (26°C), or it will bolt to seed.

Depending on your climate, sow seeds early to mid summer, which will take 4-6 weeks before ready for transplanting, or plant seedlings out no later than late summer. Broccoli needs to develop a good size with strong leaf growth before the cool weather sets in. If you get your broccoli growing early enough without suffering excessive heat, it will be ready for use in late autumn and winter.

That's one way for how to grow broccoli, but you can also plant seedlings mid winter to early autumn and get a crop to pick before the high summer temperatures arrive. Seedlings will take 6 to 12 weeks from transplant until harvest time, depending on the variety.

Broccoli will continue to produce new florets so a single plant will produce over a month or so. Cut the middle head off first, when it's compact. Don’t wait for it to loosen and any signs of yellow flowers forming. Always cut the heads off the stem on an angle so rainwater cannot collect and rot the remaining stem.

A few tips on growing broccoli

You will not need many plants as each plant will produce continuously over time, but do consider successive plantings as you don't want it all to mature at the same time. Usually 8-10 plants are enough for the average family over a season. Allow 3-4 weeks between plantings to space the harvest over time.

Sow your broccoli seeds in punnets and prick out the less hardy plants as they sprout. Once they are 7-10cm high (3-4 inches) they can be planted into your garden bed. The bed should have good drainage and be well prepared with lots of organic compost beforehand.

Seedlings should be placed at least 45cm (18") apart. Ensure the winter sun reaches them for at least 5 hours a day.

Watch for caterpillars and aphids as they tend to like to invite themselves to dinner on your broccoli leaves. For solutions to common pest problems see pest control. But here's a handy hint: Before broccoli and cabbages form heads, sprinkle the leaves with cayenne pepper powder. This should deter the little blighters.

Broccoli is a leafy green plant so growing it fast with regular top ups of organic nitrogen fertiliser is a must. Fertilise every 2-3 weeks.

Certain varieties of broccoli are better for warmer areas than others, so check locally for the ideal plants for your garden.

If you have gone overboard with growing broccoli and end up with more than you can use; cut it, blanch and freeze it for use later. It tends to loose its freshness in the refrigerator after a few days.

Back to List of Vegetables to read about other vegetables.