DibbleGrowing broccoli: from seed to harvest
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before planting out, timing it so the heads form in cool weather. Cut the central head, then enjoy side shoots for weeks. Heat makes the heads loose and uneven.
Planting dates for broccoli by zone
| Zone | Start seeds indoors | Sow or transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April 2 | April 30 | July 2 |
| Zone 4 | March 26 | April 23 | June 23 |
| Zone 5 | March 18 | April 15 | June 13 |
| Zone 6 | March 6 | April 3 | June 8 |
| Zone 7 | February 14 | March 14 | May 19 |
| Zone 8 | July 25 | January 22 | April 7 |
| Zone 9 | August 11 | September 8 | March 7 |
| Zone 10 | August 7 | September 4 | March 7 |
| Zone 11 | October 7 | November 4 | March 7 |
Each date is the start of the best window from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each zone. Dibble tunes them to your garden's own location and lets you adjust frost dates for your own yard.
Companion plants
Good neighbors for Broccoli:
Better kept apart:
Family and rotation
Broccoli is in the brassicas family. Hungry leaf crops. Follow legumes; avoid following other brassicas. Learn about crop rotation.
Related crops
Kale
When to plantRadish
When to plantCabbage
When to plantCauliflower
When to plantBrussels Sprouts
When to plantTurnip
When to plant
Questions
When should I plant broccoli?
It depends on your zone. Broccoli is a hardy crop, so the timing follows your last spring frost. Look up your zone in the table below for exact start, sow, and harvest dates, or open Dibble and set where your garden is to get your own calendar.
How long does it take to grow broccoli?
About 65 days from transplant to the first harvest, with a picking window of roughly 21 days after that.
What grows well with broccoli?
Good companions include Onion, Beet, Potato. Keep it away from Tomato, Strawberry.
Plant at the right time this season
Dibble builds your calendar in under a minute. Free to start, no account needed.