Description
HOW TO GROW BROCCOLI
Broccoli Seed is a cool-season crop. Grow broccoli so that it comes to harvest when temperatures average not more than 75°F (23°C) each day.
You can plant a spring and early summer crop in late winter or early spring. Plant a fall or winter crop in mid to late or summer or early fall.
• Start broccoli seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring for spring planting.
• Start broccoli in the garden in mid to late summer to grow a late fall or early winter crop. In mild winter regions, plant in fall for winter harvest.
• Transplant broccoli seedlings to the garden when they are 4 to 6 weeks old, as early as the last frost in spring, after hardening off the seedlings for 4 days.
• In mild-winter regions, start seeds indoors in late summer and set them in the garden in autumn for winter harvest.
• Broccoli will come to harvest in 55 to 85 days when grown from transplants and 70 to 100 days when grown from seed.
About Broccoli. Broccoli is a hardy biennial grown as a cool-season annual. It grows 18 to 36 inches tall and has broad, thick leaves and a thick main stalk. Broccoli forms single or multiple flowers “heads ” of tiny blue-green flower buds. The flowers heads are eaten before they bloom; buds open to tiny yellow flowers. Broccoli will bolt and go to seed in warm temperatures or when daylight hours lengthen.
Broccoli Yield. Plant 2 to 4 broccoli plants for each household member.
Site. Broccoli grows best in compost-rich, well-drained soil with a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Broccoli grows best where air temperatures range between 45° and 75°F. Broccoli is frost hardy and can tolerate temperatures as low as 20°F. In regions where there is heavy rain or sandy soil, aged-compost should be added to the soil to supplement soil nitrogen.
Broccoli Planting Time. Broccoli is a cool-weather crop that must come to harvest before temperatures rise consistently above 75°F. Start broccoli seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost in spring. Transplant broccoli seedlings to the garden 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost in spring after hardening seedlings off for 4 days. In mild-winter regions, start seeds indoors in late summer and set them in the garden in autumn for winter harvest. Weather that is too cold or too warm will cause broccoli to go to seed without forming a head. In cold-winter, short-season regions start broccoli in summer for fall harvest.
