How long until broccoli is ready to harvest?

55-80 days. Harvest when head is tight and dark green, before yellow flowers open; cut with 6 inches of stem

When to Plant Broccoli

Brassica oleracea var. italica

vegetableZones 3–10intermediate

Nutrient-dense cool-season crop that produces a main head plus side shoots. Prefers cool weather and steady moisture. One of the most nutritious vegetables you can grow.

Planting calendar

Start seeds indoors

6 weeks before your last spring frost.

Fall planting

10 weeks before your first fall frost.

Best in cool weather; for fall crop, start indoors in midsummer and transplant

Spacing & harvest

Plant spacing: 18-24 inches
Row spacing: 24-36 inches
Days to harvest: 55-80 days
Ready when: Harvest when head is tight and dark green, before yellow flowers open; cut with 6 inches of stem

Companion planting

Plant near

Onion — Deters cabbage moths and aphids
Dill — Attracts beneficial insects that eat cabbage worms
Celery — Repels cabbage white butterflies

Keep away from

Strawberry — Inhibits brassica growth

Get broccoli planting dates for your exact zone

Lawn Guardian turns this guidance into a schedule timed to your USDA zone and this week's actual weather — and adapts every time you log what you've done.

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Sources: Purdue University Turfgrass Science: Use Growing Degree Days to Better Time Your Applications · University of Missouri Extension: Cool-Season Grasses: Lawn Maintenance Calendar · University of Minnesota Extension: Pre-emergent Herbicides for Crabgrass Control in Lawns