There is nothing quite like growing broccoli. Nutrition alone makes this delicious vegetable a prize in the garden. The flavor of homegrown broccoli, however, far surpasses what you get from the grocery store. You might be thinking, surely it doesn't taste that much different. It does, it really does!
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Broccoli is a cool season crop that grows best in the cooler months of the year. It is in the Brassica family, much like cabbages, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. Plants in the brassica family need a long growing season, which makes them a little difficult to grow in the spring in growing zones like mine that get warm fairly quickly in the spring. Fall planting of these plants usually work best for zones that are on the warm side.
This year I was a happy broccoli mama! This spring has been much cooler than normal, making a fantastic spring garden. With the cool spring and lots of rain, my broccoli harvest was the best to date. I live in East Texas, growing zone 8b and our springs are usually very warm and short. This year was different, and the brassicas loved it! So did I!
Some Broccoli Varieties to Try
- I have had the best success with Green Magic Broccoli. This variety produces large heads and grows well in the South.
- Calabrese Broccoli grows medium to large heads. In my experience, this variety goes to seed pretty quickly when Spring starts to warm up. Fall tends to be the nest time for me to grow this variety.
- Belstar is a variety that I am excited to try this Fall/Winter. This variety grows well in the South and can be grown through the winter.
- Sun King is known for being heat tolerant and producing tons of side shoots.
There are so many more that you can try. Some varieties will do better it certain growing zones than others.
When to Grow Broccoli
Depending on your growing zone (you can look up your growing zone here) broccoli is best planted as early as late winter for a spring crop to late august for a fall crop. In some areas early to mid-spring is the ideal time to plant broccoli. In my experience, trial and error will help you learn when the best time to plant in your area is.
Always check with your seed pack to know when to sow broccoli seeds.
Related➡️ How to Grow Tomatoes and How to Grow Cabbage
Spring Planting
For Spring Planting, I start my broccoli seeds indoors in December and plant them out in February. In late April and early May I am harvesting beautiful heads of broccoli. I like to follow a planting calendar to help keep track of when to start seeds and when to plant them out. Keeping up with the weather also helps a lot.
In general start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost.
Since broccoli prefers cooler weather, and can withstand a light frost, it is best to plant out before your last frost date in the spring. Broccoli takes a while to mature so planting early before it gets too warm in spring is ideal.
Fall Planting
Since the soil is warm enough to germinate seeds, you can sow your seeds directly in the ground for your fall planting. Or you can start them indoors and transplant them out. I like to start my fall broccoli indoors to better keep an eye on them. Since I live in such a hot climate, I find it is best to keep them indoors and plant them out when the weather cools down. In cooler climates you can probably get by with direct sowing your broccoli.
- Directly sow seeds in late July. Sow ¼" deep 18-20 inches apart.
- Start seeds indoors in late July. Plant out when the weather cools down, around 4-6 weeks after starting seeds indoors.
Aim to plant your broccoli starts out at least 4 weeks before your first frost to give them ample time to get established.
Where to Grow Broccoli
Broccoli likes to grow in full sun. Aim to plant broccoli in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. To prevent leggy plants broccoli needs 6-8 hours of sun every day.
Broccoli needs nutrient dense soil to develop those beautiful heads that we all love. Amending with fresh compost at planting as well as fertilizing with a good all-purpose fertilizer will ensure your broccoli plants develop nice healthy heads for eating.
How to Plant Broccoli
Broccoli is a heavy feeder and requires ample space to grow. Plant broccoli with a spacing of 18-20 inches. The more room you give them the healthier the plants will be.
Fertilize at planting time and again 3-4 weeks after planting. Continue feeding regularly for the best production.
Keep plants well-watered, aiming for 1-1 ½ inches per week.
Harvesting Broccoli
Harvest broccoli heads while they are still firm and tight. This may take a few times to get this right. I know I have let far too many broccoli heads grow too long hoping for larger heads resulting in loose broccoli heads that are near flowering.
Harvesting broccoli heads in the morning while the plants are full of moisture and the weather is still cool is the best time. This will help the broccoli longer in the refrigerator.
Don't toss those broccoli leaves after harvesting the heads. Broccoli leaves are edible and delicious! Young broccoli leaves are great in salads. You can sauté broccoli leaves and add them to soups, quiches and many more dishes. I treat broccoli leaves like I do kale. If you don't plan on eating the leaves, toss them to your chickens. They make a great chicken treat!
Alternatively, you can leave the broccoli plant in the ground, and it will continue produces small broccoli florets, great for snacking on or adding to a stir-fry.
Recipes Using Broccoli
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Chenee says
I've never grown my own broccoli before but I've always wanted to. These are great tips. Thanks for sharing!
Casey says
I had no idea you could start broccoli seeds so early! I'm excited to get started this year and have fresh broccoli in my garden all spring and summer long!
Ned says
This is so cool! I was talking about growing more in a garden this year with my wife and she loved this post. Thank you!
Gianne says
This was a game changer! The step-by-step instructions and tips made the process seem so much more manageable. I can't wait to get started!
Sky Pilgreen says
So glad you found this guide helpful!
Lima says
What a great resource for growing broccoli. I have been thinking of growing some this year - this is so helpful!
Sky Pilgreen says
Thank you!