Broccoli

Broccoli

vegetable

Harvest the central head while buds are still tight; side shoots continue for weeks. Protect with row cover against cabbage moths.

At a glance

USDA Zones
3–10
Sun
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Water
Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry
Soil
Loam
pH
Neutral, alkaline
Spacing
18 in. between plants
Space needed
A 2×2 ft block of the bed
Days to maturity
About 70 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

ActivityJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Plant
Harvest

Plant  Harvest

Good companions

Keep apart from

Recommended varieties

  • Calabrese
    65 daysboth

    Classic Italian variety — big central head plus prolific side shoots.

  • Premium Crop
    65 daysboth

    All-America winner — uniform large heads, great for small gardens.

  • Waltham 29
    75 daysboth

    Reliable heirloom with excellent cold tolerance for fall harvests.

  • Di Cicco
    48 daysboth

    Heirloom that skips a large central head and goes straight to side shoots.

Add Broccoli to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.

Open the planner →