Growing broccoli in your home garden is a great way to enjoy this fresh, cool-weather vegetable.
But in order to have the best possible success, you must first thoroughly learn about caring for broccoli plants.
This comprehensive guide on how to grow broccoli is perfect for gardeners of all skill levels. Learn about timing, location, sun, water, soil, pest control, and more.
Broccoli quick care overview
Information about broccoli
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea) is a cold crop and a member of the cruciferous, or mustard, vegetable family. This is related to other favorite foods such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower.
Although it is technically a biennial, most people grow it as an annual. Depending on the climate, production can continue almost all year round. Eventually it will bloom, set seeds, and die.
The head, or crown, consists of a tightly packed mass of unopened flower buds. It is usually dark green, but may also have a blue tint. There are also heirloom varieties that produce purple crowns.
All parts of the plant are edible, and the main head size ranges from 3 to 6 inches depending on environment, variety, and quality of care.
different types
Broccoli varieties vary in heat tolerance, cold tolerance, growth rate, color, and size. They all require the same care. Here are some of the most popular options:
Calabrese – This is the type most commonly found in grocery stores. This is a native variety that grows well in autumn and has large ears and abundant side buds. Early Purple – This fast-growing, cold-hardy purple heirloom variety is perfect for spring and fall planting and produces many side buds after the main harvest. Green Goliath – This variety produces large green panicles measuring 8 to 12 inches, has abundant side buds, and is both heat and cold tolerant. Waltham 29 – This reliable heirloom is drought tolerant and produces a medium-sized blue-green canopy with many side buds.
How does broccoli grow?
Broccoli grows from a central main stem. Only one large crown is formed at the top of each plant.
However, most plants also produce several small heads, or side buds, after harvesting the central bud. Therefore, you can enjoy it for a long time regardless of the season.
How to grow broccoli
Before we get into specific care instructions, let’s talk about when and where to grow broccoli. Timing and location are the keys to success.
Where to grow broccoli
Broccoli can be grown in the ground, in containers, or in raised beds. Pots should be at least 5 gallons, 18 inches in diameter, and have drainage holes in the bottom.
In the garden, choose a location with full sun and well-drained, fertile soil.
When to plant
Broccoli grows best in cool climates. Plant as soon as the ground is workable in early spring, or as soon as the ground temperature is at least 40°F (4.4°C) as measured by a geothermometer.
Aim for 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost date if direct sowing and 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date if sowing indoors.
If you live in a warm location, plant in late summer or early fall. The goal is for the tree canopy to start developing as temperatures begin to drop for fall.
Related article: How to grow broccoli from seed and when to start
Broccoli plant care and growing instructions
Now that you know when and where to grow it, let’s talk about how to care for broccoli. These tips will help you create an environment where they can thrive.
sunlight
Broccoli prefers a sunny location with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Too little can result in long, thin legs and a small crown.
Excessive sun exposure, especially during hot months, can cause blistering and blooming. If a heatwave is expected, use a shade cloth for protection in the afternoon when the sun is strongest.
water
Be sure to give 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water weekly to keep the plant evenly moist. If you don’t have enough, you’ll end up with small, bitter broccoli. Use a moisture meter to measure how much water is in it.
It is also important to water only the base of the plant. If water stays in the growing crown for too long, it can cause rot.
temperature
The ideal temperature range for growing broccoli is 65-80°F (18.3-26.6°C).
Some varieties are more tolerant of high temperatures than others, but high temperatures cause them to bolt and flower, becoming bitter and powdery.
They don’t suffer from the cold until temperatures drop below -3.3°C (26°F), but if it continues, the plant will eventually die.
fertilizer
Broccoli is a prolific feeder and prefers many nutrients, so a balanced all-purpose fertilizer should be applied throughout the growing season.
Fertilize once every two weeks with organic liquid fertilizer or once a month with slow-release granules.
soil
The best soil for growing broccoli is fertile, nutrient-rich, well-drained, and has a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Amend your garden bed with compost to improve drainage, increase nutrients, and add garden lime or acidic fertilizer to adjust pH as needed. You can test it using a pH probe.
Use an all-purpose potting mix and amend it with perlite to improve drainage in the container.
pest control tips
The main pests of broccoli plants are three types of caterpillars: cabbage worms, diamondback moths, and cabbage loopers. However, it can also be affected by aphids, stink bugs, and whiteflies.
Treat small insects with insecticidal soap and pick larger insects by hand. Floating row covers are a good way to protect young plants from insects and prevent moths from laying eggs.
Disease management tips
Diseases such as bacterial leaf spot, verticillium wilt, clubroot, downy mildew, and mildew can be problems for broccoli. They can cause discoloration, stunted growth, and even kill the plant.
At the first sign of disease, spray with an organic fungicide and cut off infected leaves to prevent the spread of disease. Club club disease causes roots to wilt and become gnarled. If this happens to your plant, you need to dig it up and destroy it.
Broccoli harvesting tips
It is important to harvest broccoli before the buds turn yellow or begin to open. Because that means it’s starting to flower or fruit, causing a bitter, powdery flavor.
Approximately 50 to 80 days after planting, when the heads are dense and the buds are dense, it is time to harvest.
Use a sharp knife or heavy-duty scissors to make a diagonal cut into the main stem about 6 inches below the crown. The diagonal cut prevents water from collecting in the wound and causing rot.
However, you can leave the plant alone and continue harvesting the small side shoots until the plant begins to die back.
Troubleshooting common issues
Broccoli is a fun vegetable to grow, but no plant is without its problems. If you encounter any of these issues, use this section to help get your plant back on track.
headless
Either damage, too much shade, or high temperatures can cause a lack of crown development. Insects may eat the head and essentially cut off the main stem, a process called blindness. Row covers can help prevent this from happening.
Heat is also an issue, so it’s important to plant at the right time and avoid extreme summer temperatures. Make sure your broccoli grows with 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
small head
Issues such as extreme temperatures, lack of nutrients, or too little light can cause the crown to become smaller. Outside the ideal range of 65 to 80°F (18.3 to 26.6°C), your head may freeze or stop working.
Place it in a sunny place and fertilize with general-purpose liquid once every two weeks or fertilize with granules once a month to keep its nutritional value high.
yellow leaves
Common causes of yellowing broccoli leaves are disease, pests, and overwatering. Water at the base of the plant to avoid getting water or soil on the leaves. Keep the soil moist, not muddy or wet.
Use row covers and insecticidal soaps to prevent insects and organic fungicides to prevent the spread of disease.
leaf hole
Caterpillars are the main cause of holes in broccoli leaves. Use natural insecticidal soap or pick up large bugs by hand and drop them into a bucket of soapy water.
bolting
Sakai is another term for flowering. Broccoli will set fruit if temperatures remain above 80°F (26.6°C) or if you leave the mature crown on the stem for too long.
Cope with high heat by using shade covers in the afternoon and planting broccoli as early as possible. Harvest ears as soon as they are fully mature or at the first sign of yellow to prevent flowering.
FAQ
Many people find it difficult to grow broccoli due to the season. It grows best in cool climates, allowing heads to grow without the need for the high heat that causes bolts. With the right timing, the right soil, proper watering and sunlight, and enough fertilizer, they are easy to grow.
The trick to growing broccoli is knowing when to plant it. Aim for early spring, just after the ground has thawed, or fall, when the weather is cool enough to allow heads to develop without bolting.
Broccoli is a biennial plant with a lifespan of about 2 years. It produces a single central crown and usually several edible side buds, which persist until they die in sub-zero temperatures or bloom and produce seeds in high heat.
Broccoli is ready to harvest 50 to 80 days after planting, depending on the variety, environment, and growing care.
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