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.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
Broccoli
How do you determine when it is mature enough to harvest
When to Harvest Broccoli
Hi Floyd, it is best to harvest broccoli when the buds of the head are firm and tight before the heads flower.
looking for broccoli farmers
I am interested in buying broccoli for shipping weekly
am selling broccoli which are now mature
please contact me
Pulling the Broccoli Plant
When should you pull out your broccoli plant from your garden?
end of broccoli season
If the pant is no longer producing, there is no reason to leave it in the ground. Depending on where you are (and so how much more growing season you might have), you might be able to get a lettuce/greens crop in its place before frost hits.
This page is of great help to
This page is of great help to me as I enjoy growing my own veggies. Thanks
cabbage loopers
How do I get rid of cabbage loopers on my broccoli organically?
losing the loopers
Sue, the best organic way that we know of to get rid of these pests is to pick them off by hand. Look all over the leaves; pick of the loopers and brush off any eggs. Drown the larvae in soapy water.
Not the most fun project but get out there and show them who’s boss! Good luck!
watering
how often do you water broccoli in winter?
Compost mixture
What kind of compost should I use into the soil for broccoli and how to mix the compost?
Waw! its so good... and i
Waw! its so good... and i would like to thank the growers of this Broccol. realy i opprociate for their cultivation,during this season i would like to cultivate some of the vegetables like cabbage, couliflower, sweet paper, spinach, kale okra including Broccoli. so let me to share with expert of site. and i leave in Mogadishu the capital of Somali Republic. also anybody can share with me...
Broccoli not shooting
I bought some broccolli seeds and planted them but they are not shooting up. What could be the reason for this?
overwintering broccoli
Why did my broccoli survive the winter? I am ready to harvest my first crop in Montana. This has never happened before.
If you did not pull out your
If you did not pull out your plants in the fall, the snow that fell this winter likely acted as insulation for your broccoli plants. Many crops can survive under snow such as brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, and cauliflower to name a few.
spring onion, cauliflower, lettuce, onions.
Very very helpful pages and will recommend to friends and family.
transplanting large cauliflower & broccoli
I am wanting to transplant large. full grown and thriving cauliflower & broccoli plants. I am going to try to put them in pots with prepared soil. I am also moving them from Ramona to El Cajon. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this with as little stress & shock as possible? I really hope for them to survive. I have gotten one head of cauliflower that was delicious & would love to get more plus broccoli. I would appreciate any advice. Planning to do this next weekend. Thank you in advance.
Brocolli
We are doing a garden in enterprise Alabama and we started seedlings in a starter box. With all the red clay around here and being a hot climate from March to December how do we prepare the ground and being so hot here do we still keep plants in full sun????
broccoli
For Alabama, looks like one would plant broccoli in February/March for an early summer crop, or July/August for a late fall crop – fall planting seems to be preferred. For best times, contact your county’s Cooperative Extension (see http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-services ). If the plants are maturing in warm weather, you might provide shade cloth during part of the day, and keep the soil moist (but not soggy). For clay soils, test the soil pH and adjust as necessary so that it is between 6.0 and 7.0; a few weeks to months before planting (for example, as soon as soil can be worked in spring without compacting it, or in fall before spring planting), build the soil structure by adding organic matter, such as composted manure; use organic mulch to keep the soil from compacting and to keep it cool.
Broccoli - how to prepare leaves?
You have said that broccoli leaves are good for eating. How do you prepare them?
Thank you
Broccoli leaves can be eaten
Broccoli leaves can be eaten and prepared in the same way as kale, spinach, or other greens. Eat them raw, saute, or even blend them into a smoothie. Enjoy!
Can you tell me.....
How big does a mature broccoli get?
It all depends on the variety
It all depends on the variety and growing conditions. An average plant can get 2 to 3 feet tall and about 8 to 12 inches wide at the crown.
I've harvested Brocolli,what do I do with the plant that's left
So I've grown, I've cut, I've eaten---now what do I do with the plant that's left??? Do I pull out the plant or will it take off again??? Can chooks eat the leaves???
Hi Sarah,
Hi Sarah,
Most varieties have side-shoots that will continue to develop after the main head is harvested. You can harvest from one plant for many weeks if the weather doesn’t turn too cold for the plant to grow. After a killing frost you can pull the stalks. And yes, you can eat the leaves.
Hello! I planted a small
Hello! I planted a small garden in March ( i am in Austin Tx) with my kids and we planted broccoli seeds... they never formed crowns and the plants is beautiful.. about 2feet tall.. only leaves.. what do I do? do I need to start over. cut back the leaves or will it eventually do something?
Be sure that your broccoli is
Be sure that your broccoli is in full sunlight. Also, broccoli does best between temperatures of about 40 and 70 degrees F. Warmer temperatures may deter head formation; it might possibly pick up when the weather cools (although broccoli doesn't survive much below 25F). Otherwise, it could be that they got too much nitrogen, which deters flowering and head formation, but encourages leaf growth. As you wait to see if your broccoli perks up in cooler weather, you might also try a fall planting of broccoli. Some varieties that work nicely in Texas are 'Green Comet' and 'Bonanza.' Around Austin, it looks like for a spring planting, it might be best to plant transplants out in the garden in mid-February through early March, so that the plants don't mature during the heat of summer (which can make it bolt or have other troubles).
There is also a phenomenon called "blindness" which can occur with broccoli, in that it does not develop a terminal bud--there is just a nub in the center; this means that the plant will not form a head, just lots of leaves. It is thought that blindness may occur if the plant was exposed to cold temperatures when young (especially during shorter daylengths), the central bud was damaged by insects etc., or possibly the young plants experienced a drought.
Hello! Please kindly tell me
Hello!
Please kindly tell me the Duration.
The duration from seeding to harvest of bellow vegetable:
1. Potato
2. Bell Pepper
3. broccoli
3. Carrot
4. Strawberry
5. small Cherry (Tomato)
Thanks!
Seng Mr.
I grew some baby broccoli for
I grew some baby broccoli for the first time in my green house in early spring in Montana. I have never done this before and do not know when it is ready to pick
Do you mean Broccolini, aka
Do you mean Broccolini, aka baby broccoli? If so, this might help:
http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Broccoli...
Harvest when buds have matured but have not yet opened or developed color. Harvest the main head early to encourage side shoots. Keep a close eye on the buds, as the plant can bolt quickly.
Pages