Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica · Vegetable
A cool-season crop grown for its tight green heads and the smaller side shoots that follow. Heat makes it flower early, so spring and autumn crops do best. Rich soil and steady moisture give the biggest, tenderest heads.

💧Water1–1.5 in per week, evenly (estimated)
☀️LightFull sun, 6+ hours
🐾PetsNot toxic
Care at a glance
- Light
- Full sun, at least 6 hours
- Water
- 1–1.5 in per week, evenly
- Soil
- Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.0
- Temperature
- Best 60–70 °F; heads loosen above 80 °F
- Spacing
- 18 in apart, rows 24–36 in apart
- Container
- At least 5 gallons, 12 in deep, one plant each
- Harvest
- 60–90 days after transplanting (estimated)
- Lifespan
- Annual (biennial grown as annual)
When?
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last spring frost and plant out 2–3 weeks before it. For an autumn crop, sow in midsummer so heads form in cool weather (estimated).
Step by step
- Sow seeds 1/4–1/2 in deep in cell trays; they sprout in 5–10 days.
- Harden off seedlings for a week before planting out.
- Plant firmly, slightly deeper than in the tray, in compost-rich soil.
- Cover with fine netting to keep out cabbage butterflies and birds.
- Water evenly and mulch; stress causes small, early heads.
- Side-dress with a nitrogen-rich feed about 3 weeks after planting.
- Cut the main head while buds are tight and still green.
- Keep watering after the first cut to get a crop of side shoots.
Common problems
Green caterpillars on leavesCabbage worms; use netting and hand-pick or apply a Bt spray.
Tiny heads form earlyHeat or transplant stress; plant at the right time and keep moist.
Heads turning yellowHarvested too late; cut while buds are still tightly closed.
Wilting plants with swollen rootsClubroot; rotate crops and raise soil pH with lime.
Pets
Broccoli is not listed as toxic for cats or dogs. If in doubt, ask your vet.
Related tools
Similar plants
Sources
This page is general guidance; no pesticide doses are given.