Broccoli is a sun-loving, cool-season crop that is best grown in the chillier weather of spring or fall. It’s also incredibly good for you and has been dubbed the “crown jewel of nutrition.” Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest broccoli in your garden!
Broccoli is worth growing for its nutritional content alone. This cole crop is rich in vitamins and minerals, and is a good source of Vitamin A, potassium, folic acid, iron, and fiber.
Broccoli takes a long time to mature, so be patient! Once you harvest the main head of a broccoli plant, it will often keep producing smaller side shoots that can be enjoyed for months to come.
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Question
I did spray soapy water on the broccoli leaves as aphids had arrived...the leaves became spotted and dried up a few days after...why is that? I wound up cutting off leaves/stems ...
Squirrels
Those darn squirrels are so cute, but they are nibbling away at my young broccoli leaves! Every day a notice just a couple more leaves gone. It could also be rats, as I do see them around this urban neighborhood which boarders on wilderness. I have never seen a bunny, so I don't think it's bunnies. Deer would just take out the whole plant in one go! That stinky dear spray may be helping a little. any other ideas?
Rabbits!
How the heck do you keep the rabbits from destroying your broccoli??
rabbits galore
The bunnies are tough characters, for sure. Here are our best ideas https://www.almanac.com/pest/rabbits
Note the fencing ideas in particular.
We hope this helps!
GROWING BROCCOLI
I have planted Broccoli on your recommendation in my backyard garden it is doing well. This is the first time I have planted some vegetable. Thank You!
BROCCOLI PLANTATION
Thank you for your article. I'm planning to plant broccoli in my home garden. This was helpful.
Broccoli
My broccoli plants are not forming heads. They are just sprouting top stems with the small flowers. The leaves are healthy and I have mulched the plant How do I get them to produce the broccoli head
no brocc heads
Most broccoli plants produce heads in cool weather; only a few produce in temps over 85F. Additionally, the folks at the Missouri Cooperative Extension Service suggest that broccoli that is planted too late in the spring will experience heat stress and flower early. Transplanting an oversized transplant will often result in premature flowering. Other causes of early flowering include nitrogen stress (too little) or overhardening.
Broccoli shoots
I live in Upstate NY, Zone 5. I harvest the broccoli heads late June/early July. Since then the weather has gotten quite warm, 85-90 degrees for several days. I have left the plants in the garden - is there a chance I will get side shoots once the weather cools off? The plants don't look stressed or have pests. I have in the past, gotten a-lot of side shoots as late into November, but I don't remember having the plant being "dormant" (no shoots) for so long. Appreciate your insight. Perhaps it depends on the weather.
Broccoli Side Shoots
Side shoots should begin to form right away, so if the plant looks healthy otherwise, it’s likely that the heat has stymied their formation. Broccoli is a cool-season crop, after all. Once temps cool off, it’s possible that the plants will kick back into gear and begin to form side shoots, but it might also be the case that they’re done for the season.
why are my broccoli leaves
why are my broccoli leaves turning yellow?/
Broccoli
We planted seeds after last frost. We have greens that have come up but no green heads. What went wrong?
Growing Broccoli
I live in Ontario Canada and have the same problem . Leaves only after 8 weeks and taller than tomato plants . I had to pull them out so tomatoes get their share of the sun . First time trying to grow Broccoli . I also planted from seed .
Why my broccoli seedlings
Why my broccoli seedlings grow faster than cauliflowers?
cauliflower vs broccoli
Not all plants, even those in the same family, grow at the same pace. What’s more, cauliflower has special needs. See here for more information: https://www.almanac.com/plant/cauliflower
No head on broccoli
My broccoli plants have gotten about 18" in height but haven't gotten a head on them. Any ideas?
If your broccoli doesn’t have
If your broccoli doesn’t have any main “head,” there are a few possibilities. Often, it’s related to timing and temperature. Broccoli likes to be kept cool. It’s started in the spring and will bolt and flower in extreme heat. Or, is it too cold? If broccoli has days near freezing temperatures for several days or a cold snap, this is an issue and causes “buttoning” (tiny, immature heads).
Another reason for lack of heading is a lack of nutrients or water. Is your soil nutrient-rich? Spread some some nitrogen such as fish emulsion. Another issue can be watering. Water the broccoli plants deeply and infrequently, about 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
BROCOLLI
hae.an fom Nairobi kenya and was asking if I can get brocolli seeds here locally cause the plant is not that common and have never seen it grow here
Help!!!
I have planted my seeds in a burpee starter container 4 days ago and they have sprouted, if I wait 6-8 weeks before transplanting them outside after hardening them it will be around June 3rd (here in Massachusetts our last frost is around the first week of May). Is that timing ok, or did I really have to start them 6-8 BEFORE the last frost? I don't want to transplant them in June if that's bad timing and they won't grow. Thank you!
Broccoli started...
Read the information above, Franciele. Broccoli likes cool weather. Check your frost date here http://www.almanac.com/tool/frost-dates-calculator, and consider that the date is an average, not an absolute. Conditions in different parts of Massachusetts (as anywhere) can vary widely. As for starting 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost, that’s the idea, but it offers flexibility (two weeks’ worth or so). While we do not write seed packet directions, that time range is suggested to give the grower a wide window of opportunity to get seed started. Ideally, you should have started the seeds six to eight weeks before the first week of May. Watch your plants’ progress; it may be that they will be ready to transplant before June. If this doesn’t work out to your satisfaction, buy some seedlings and plan differently next year—or try to get a fall broccoli crop.
Adding Broccoli!
I have killed indoor plants, so I never thought I would be able to maintain a vegetable garden. For the past 4 years, with the help of your site, tips and the email sowing reminders, I have a garden and am able to provide fresh, pesticide free vegetables to my family, neighbors and others! Thank you to the people who maintain this site. This year we add broccoli!
Broccoli
I live in Amarillo texas. We have had some warmer weather this winter and was wondering when the best time to plant would be. Our days are ranging around 40-80 f and the nights are still in the low 30s with a couple of 20s coming up. Should i wait about 1 more month to sow outdoors?
Tip for getting a second broccoli head
I've been using a technique that most of the time produces a second head after a light harvest of the florets that come after the first head is harvested. By then the plant is large and is often infested with aphids or shows some signs of stress. So long as it has not been permitted to bolt by keeping the florets harvested, this technique works about 80% of the time. It might work for plants that only produce a button head as well.
Simply cut the plant back to the point on the stem where there are two good leaves remaining at the base. Yes, that means that most of the plant will be taken off, leaving only a sad looking stump and a couple of leaves. Side dress with well rotted compost and work that into the top couple of inches of soil. Water it in and just keep the soil moist. I use a 4 inch wood chip mulch to keep it moist and the soil cool.
Within a few weeks a leaf bud followed by a new stalk will appear in the crotch of one or both remaining leaves. If there are two, select the most vigorous and clip the other one. That sprouting stalk will thicken up and will produce a new head in 4 to 6 weeks. Because it is growing as an offshoot it may need staking to keep it off the ground. I have gotten 6 inch heads that are ready to harvest in early fall by doing this and it lets me skip replanting seedlings in the heat of summer. I live in a zone 4; central Canada.
Broccoli HEAD is firm but is yellow with brown spots
Hi... I'm a new gardener. Most of my brocolli plants are doing well but one plant has a floret that has more yellow in it with brown flecks... not mold tho. The floret is firm and it looked like this since it was a bud. I wish I can attach a picture.
Is this floret diseased? Should I just toss it in our compost bin?
Thanks.
Yellow Broccoli Floret
Yes, cut it off and throw it in the compost heap. It sounds past its prime and on its way to making seed.
weather
plz
Broccoli Growing
Is it good to remove the larger leaves from the plant to allow it to give more to the heads
growing broccoli
No, leaf removal does not help growth In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Until the broccoli head is harvested, do not remove the leaves because this is the way the broccoli feeds itself and grows. If you like eating the leaves (which are fully edible), harvest once the main head is gone. This may affect growth of side sprouts, but it’s generally fine.
Need to join almanac
Good workload
got head of broccoli
I planted broccoli and it did grow. Got a head and then some side ones grew but not to big at all. Now I have flowers growing on top. What do I do? Pull out the whole plants or do I just cut them down? Help?!
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