8 MUST-KNOW Tips For The Best Broccoli & Succession Planting Advice

Today, we're talking about ALL THINGS BROCCOLI: when you plant it, how you plant it, how you harvest it, and tips & tricks.

0:22 Planting Schedule
1:59 Succession Planting
6:41 Seed to Harvest Tips

We get started by looking at some of the broccoli I started in the fall. Especially in zones 9 and 10, it feels so unnatural to be starting cool-season crops as early as August or September when it can still be really warm outside. You need to get them started early enough so they can have a healthy start and make the most of the sunlight hours available.

If you wait to sow seeds until November or December, your plants are going to be small, stagnant, and slow to produce much of anything. If you plant them now, then you won't get any veggies until the spring.

When you do get your seeds going, it's so important to succession plant. For things like broccoli and cabbage, you really only get one main harvest (maybe a couple of offshoot snacks with broccoli). That means you'll want to sow multiple times throughout August, September, and October. Rather than have 10 heads of broccoli be ready to harvest all at once, consider spacing it out so you plant two every other week or whatever schedule makes sense for your eating habits.

You can see we have several broccoli plants of different ages that are mature at different times. There are some that we have harvested and some that won't be ready for a couple of months yet!

Succession planting is also a fun process to observe in your garden. You'll notice how dramatically the number of sunlight hours affects your plants. While a four-week-old seedling sown in August will look large & healthy, a four-week-old seedling sown in December will be much smaller and take longer to reach maturity. Sometimes, it can feel like your plants aren't growing at all!

RECAP
1. For zones 9 and 10, start your seeds in the fall in started pots.
2. Once they are about 4+ inches, you can plant them into the ground.
3. Use shade cloth or row cover if it's still hot out when you transplant them because broccoli prefers cool, moist conditions.
5. When you are ready to harvest, cut the main stem.
6. Don't pull the plant out or cut it at the soil level yet! Side shoots will grow.
7. Leaves are also edible; they're similar to kale.
8. Spray pests off with a jet of water from the hose.

That's everything you need to know! Get out in your garden and enjoy this delicious brassica.

KEEP LEARNING

GET STOCKED UP:

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

#Gardening #Brocolli

[SanDiegoSeedCompany]

How is your broccoli coming along? Let me know what issues you're having or tell me all about your successes!

[nosepose]

I wish i lived in your area. Great information on your channel for zones 9&10. I am in zone 7 so i have to translate but i still enjoy your channel.

[sunnydayz]

I'm in zone 9b Florida, I followed your advice and started my broccoli around mid-Aug. I'm so excited and proud of my broccoli! I've harvested a few of the leaves initially till the heads were ready and I succession planted so I'm still harvesting. I'm definitely following your planting guidance. I'm in the monthly seed club and looking forward to growing w you this year! Your advice has been solid for me. Thank you! 😊

[veggiegirl]

Thanks! I planted my first broccoli plant ever (as an experiment) and it now looks like yours. I wasn't sure when to cut it or if it would grow more. This was super duper helpful! Especially about eating the side shoots and leaves.

[oceanbreezesuburbanfarm]

Oh my gosh! I cut the head off of one and left the plant to see what it would do and got lots of side shoots. Once I harvest these I will keep the plant to harvest the rest of the yummy leaves.

[vonruelmannrottweilers]

I’ve been harvesting my broccoli for about a month now. I have some room now in my greenhouse. Can I start some more now if they are in the greenhouse?

[lisamesillas]

Planted in October. They are coming along slowly. Exactly what you mentioned not enough sunlight. Looking forward to broccoli in the Spring. Better late than never!!
Also, planted Chinese Broccoli Looking forward to both types.

[scottaloha]

Great video! I am growing broccoli and cauliflower in containers. Our first cauliflower was amazing! I never knew that cauliflower is sweet! A few questions:
1. My soil is bad so I am growing them in containers. Is that okay and if so, what is the minimum size in gallons?
2. Once I harvest the head, do I leave it in the ground or do I pull it and plant again? My cauliflower seems to produce a side shoot at the base creating a whole new plant.
3. Do brassicas produce multiple harvest like tomatoes or are they done after one head?
Thank you!

[clairwilliams]

I am in the southern hemisphere, so now it the time to plant broccoli. I loved this video, as always full of useful info! Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.
Some questions please...
Do I treat broccoli rapini/spring raap (not sure of your American English?) the same way? I have heard that it can handle the warmer temps.. I am in a zone similar to your zone 10.
And spouting broccoli?
Regarding succession planting, as someone who lives and eats alone I believe in succession planting to avoid a glut. However, I only started gardening a month ago so I don't know much about it. Can I transplant seedlings that were planted together (and all 10 germinated...damn) to bigger pots or the garden in stages? Will that help some to grow bigger faster?
What are the ideal temps for broccoli to grow? You say plant in the fall, autumn is 3 months long. So should I plant a few seeds every 2 weeks over the entire 3 months of autumn?
Thanking you in advance for answering my questions. They may be basic but we all start somewhere and with limited space and resources to grow, I am keen to get things right.

[domesti-city]

I planted broccolini this year, and it is working well for just me and my landlady. We get to go out in the morning to discover if we're going to have broccoli or sugar peas that day. Had to cover the sugar peas during the recent cold nights, but a light row cover cloth did the trick. The broccolini plants on the Northeast side of the house are definitely struggling with lack of sunlight, while those on the South side are thriving. I didn't succession plant as they just continue to send out shoots as we continue to harvest.

[dcsgarden]

Once you harvest the broccoli head and the side shoots stop producing, can you remove that plant and put a new seedling in the same place?

[mydesertbackyardgarden]

I planted mine in October, mainly. I tried to space out my planting over a couple of weeks. My first one started to bolt, so I cut the top shoot, hoping it would send out side shoots. I have probably a total of 15 -20 broccoli. So far, without heading up, 2-3 have started to bolt. I’m in 9b- phx area, but it hasn’t been a hot fall/winter. I don’t think it’s been above 75° for a couple of months. Any suggestions?

[HillTopRooted]

I didn’t get many side shoots yet. Should I wait to harvest when they start splitting off, like yours or when it’s still a tight ball? Great video💜!

[SunshineCountryChickens]

Ive been plamtimg broccoli and cauliflower once a month or so with poor results, only getting slightly better as the temps decrease, Im in 9a. The sprouts are too leggy, flop over and dont grow, chard not much better. Beets, carrots and radishes are doing well, all in the same area same soil