Moisture range
40–60%
Days to maturity
80–100
Light
Full sun
Growing Degree Units
1300 · base 40°F
When to plant broccoli in your zone
Indoor-start, transplant and harvest dates calibrated to your climate.
Growing notes
After you harvest the main head, smaller side shoots will grow for another harvest. Broccoli will continue to grow after the first light frosts in the fall.
Harvest signs
Harvest broccoli when heads reach a usable size, while they are still tight and before flower buds have opened
▶Planting reference— Depth, spacing, pH, light
▶Pests & diseases— flea beetles, imported cabbage worm, cabbage looper, diamondback moth, +5 more
Common pests · 6
Flea beetles: chew small holes in leaves (Seedlings are most vulnerable to injury from this feeding) ↗
Imported cabbage worm: larvae feed on the leaves (Young seedlings and transplants are most vulnerable to injury from this feeding) ↗
Cabbage looper: larvae feed on the leaves (Young seedlings and transplants are most vulnerable to injury from this feeding) ↗
Diamondback moth: larvae feed on the leaves (Young seedlings and transplants are most vulnerable to injury from this feeding) ↗
Cabbage maggots: feed on the roots, injuring the plants, sometimes killing them ↗
Cabbageworms: eat large, irregular holes in the foliage ↗
Companions & antagonists
Plant near:DillMarigold
Keep apart from:Tomato
Common questions
How much water does broccoli need?
Broccoli is water-sensitive — shallow roots and a steady thirst. Keep soil moisture in roughly the 40–60% range and don't let it dry out fully, or growth stalls and leafy crops turn bitter.
Can I grow broccoli in a raised bed or container?
Yes — broccoli does well in raised beds and is happy in a decent-sized container too, as long as drainage is good.
Does broccoli come back every year?
No — broccoli is an annual. It completes its life in one season, so you replant it each year.