PlotChallenge
Broccoli

Home › Crops › Broccoli

When to plant broccoli

Heads go loose and flower in heat, so time spring plantings to finish before high summer. Side shoots follow the main head.

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The rules we use

Frost
Takes a light frost. Can go out 3 weeks before the average last frost.
Start indoors
5–7 weeks before planting out
Soil warm enough
Weekly mean around 7°C45°F or more
Heat limit
Average highs above 29°C84°F while it matures (it bolts)
Days to harvest
About 65 days from planting out in warm weather; longer when it is cool
Picking
About 4 weeks from one planting

General guidance, kept on the cautious side. Varieties differ: check the seed packet. How the dates are worked out.

At a glance

Grows outdoors in
89 of 89 cities
Earliest start (north)
San Diego, January 1
Latest start (north)
Phoenix, October 25
Can go in this week
22 cities

Broccoli: city by city

Sorted from the earliest start after midwinter to the latest. Southern-hemisphere cities follow, with their seasons six months on.

Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday

Northern hemisphere
San DiegoCalifornia
San FranciscoCalifornia
Las VegasNevada
TucsonArizona
AustinTexas
San AntonioTexas
DallasTexas
El PasoTexas
MemphisTennessee
PortlandOregon
BirminghamAlabama
Little RockArkansas
AtlantaGeorgia
CharlotteNorth Carolina
RaleighNorth Carolina
NashvilleTennessee
TulsaOklahoma
SeattleWashington
WashingtonDistrict of Columbia
RichmondVirginia
LouisvilleKentucky
Oklahoma CityOklahoma
LondonEngland
CardiffWales
BaltimoreMaryland
Kansas CityMissouri
AlbuquerqueNew Mexico
BristolEngland
VancouverBritish Columbia
St. LouisMissouri
ManchesterEngland
Salt Lake CityUtah
PhiladelphiaPennsylvania
DublinIreland
BelfastNorthern Ireland
CincinnatiOhio
IndianapolisIndiana
ColumbusOhio
New YorkNew York
PittsburghPennsylvania
OmahaNebraska
BirminghamEngland
Des MoinesIowa
GlasgowScotland
BoiseIdaho
ClevelandOhio
ChicagoIllinois
EdinburghScotland
SpokaneWashington
BostonMassachusetts
DetroitMichigan
MinneapolisMinnesota
DenverColorado
BillingsMontana
MilwaukeeWisconsin
MadisonWisconsin
PortlandMaine
TorontoOntario
BuffaloNew York
FargoNorth Dakota
MontrealQuebec
BurlingtonVermont
OttawaOntario
EdmontonAlberta
HalifaxNova Scotia
WinnipegManitoba
CalgaryAlberta
AnchorageAlaska
San JoseCalifornia
CharlestonSouth Carolina
Los AngelesCalifornia
JacksonvilleFlorida
SacramentoCalifornia
New OrleansLouisiana
OrlandoFlorida
MiamiFlorida
TampaFlorida
HoustonTexas
FresnoCalifornia
HonoluluHawaii
PhoenixArizona
Southern hemisphere
HobartTasmania
CanberraAustralian Capital Territory
AdelaideSouth Australia
SydneyNew South Wales
MelbourneVictoria
AucklandNew Zealand
BrisbaneQueensland
PerthWestern Australia

Swipe sideways to see the whole year →

Dates

CitySow indoorsPlant outHarvest
San Diego CaliforniaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
San Francisco CaliforniaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Las Vegas NevadaNov 15 – Dec 20Jan 3 – Mar 16Mar 31 – Jun 2
Tucson ArizonaNov 27 – Jan 1Jan 15 – Mar 3Mar 25 – May 21
Austin TexasDec 12 – Jan 16, Aug 12 – Sep 11Jan 30 – Mar 23, Sep 30 – Oct 16Apr 4 – Jun 7, Nov 20 – Dec 17
San Antonio TexasDec 12 – Jan 16, Aug 14 – Sep 13Jan 30 – Mar 15, Oct 2 – Oct 18Mar 31 – May 30, Nov 21 – Dec 17
Dallas TexasDec 22 – Jan 26, Aug 7 – Sep 3Feb 9 – Mar 30, Sep 25 – Oct 8Apr 16 – Jun 14, Nov 17 – Dec 13
El Paso TexasDec 22 – Jan 26Feb 9 – Mar 11Apr 20 – Jun 1
Memphis TennesseeJan 5 – Feb 9, Jul 21 – Aug 20Feb 23 – Apr 13, Sep 8 – Sep 24May 5 – Jun 28, Oct 29 – Nov 30
Portland OregonJan 9 – Feb 13Feb 27 – Sep 3Jun 5 – Dec 3
Birmingham AlabamaJan 10 – Feb 14, Jul 27 – Aug 20Feb 28 – Apr 4, Sep 14 – Sep 24May 2 – Jun 20, Nov 5 – Nov 25
Little Rock ArkansasJan 10 – Feb 14, Jul 26 – Aug 19Feb 28 – Apr 9, Sep 13 – Sep 23May 3 – Jun 24, Nov 4 – Nov 24
Atlanta GeorgiaJan 13 – Feb 17, Jul 5 – Aug 9Mar 3 – Apr 16, Aug 23 – Sep 22May 5 – Jul 1, Oct 10 – Nov 22
Charlotte North CarolinaJan 19 – Feb 23, Jul 8 – Aug 12Mar 9 – Apr 12, Aug 26 – Sep 18May 10 – Jun 28, Oct 14 – Nov 17
Raleigh North CarolinaJan 20 – Feb 24, Jul 6 – Aug 10Mar 10 – Apr 17, Aug 24 – Sep 18May 13 – Jul 3, Oct 11 – Nov 18
Nashville TennesseeJan 20 – Feb 24, Jul 22 – Aug 12Mar 10 – Apr 11, Sep 9 – Sep 16May 14 – Jun 28, Nov 1 – Nov 17
Tulsa OklahomaJan 20 – Feb 24, Jul 25 – Aug 14Mar 10 – Apr 17, Sep 12 – Sep 18May 13 – Jul 2, Nov 5 – Nov 18
Seattle WashingtonJan 21 – Feb 25Mar 11 – Aug 29Jun 15 – Dec 1
Washington District of ColumbiaJan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 1 – Aug 5Mar 13 – Apr 28, Aug 19 – Sep 16May 24 – Jul 14, Oct 7 – Dec 2
Richmond VirginiaJan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 7 – Aug 11Mar 13 – Apr 18, Aug 25 – Sep 15May 18 – Jul 4, Oct 13 – Nov 18
Louisville KentuckyJan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 5 – Aug 8Mar 13 – Apr 24, Aug 23 – Sep 12May 21 – Jul 10, Oct 11 – Nov 17
Oklahoma City OklahomaJan 24 – Feb 28, Jul 25 – Aug 13Mar 14 – Apr 13, Sep 12 – Sep 17May 12 – Jun 28, Nov 5 – Nov 16
London EnglandJan 24 – Feb 28Mar 14 – Sep 1Jun 14 – Dec 5
Cardiff WalesJan 25 – Mar 1Mar 15 – Sep 1Jun 20 – Dec 9
Baltimore MarylandJan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 27 – Aug 1Mar 16 – Apr 29, Aug 15 – Sep 16May 25 – Jul 14, Oct 2 – Dec 5
Kansas City MissouriJan 26 – Mar 2, Jul 9 – Aug 4Mar 16 – Apr 24, Aug 27 – Sep 8May 25 – Jul 10, Oct 18 – Nov 16
Albuquerque New MexicoJan 26 – Feb 23, Jul 17 – Aug 6Mar 16 – Mar 30, Sep 4 – Sep 10May 23 – Jun 25, Oct 30 – Nov 17
Bristol EnglandJan 26 – Mar 2Mar 16 – Aug 30Jun 20 – Dec 6
Vancouver British ColumbiaJan 27 – Mar 3Mar 17 – Aug 24Jun 16 – Nov 19
St. Louis MissouriJan 28 – Mar 4, Jul 9 – Aug 4Mar 18 – Apr 20, Aug 27 – Sep 8May 23 – Jul 7, Oct 16 – Nov 9
Manchester EnglandJan 28 – Mar 4Mar 18 – Aug 24Jun 21 – Nov 30
Salt Lake City UtahJan 29 – Mar 5Mar 19 – Apr 22Jun 6 – Jul 16
Philadelphia PennsylvaniaFeb 1 – Mar 8, Jun 23 – Jul 28Mar 22 – May 2, Aug 11 – Sep 12May 31 – Jul 18, Sep 28 – Nov 24
Dublin IrelandFeb 2 – Mar 9Mar 23 – Aug 21Jun 28 – Nov 24
Belfast Northern IrelandFeb 3 – Mar 10Mar 24 – Aug 17Jun 27 – Nov 21
Cincinnati OhioFeb 5 – Mar 12, Jun 23 – Jul 28Mar 26 – Apr 30, Aug 11 – Sep 6May 30 – Jul 16, Sep 28 – Nov 8
Indianapolis IndianaFeb 5 – Mar 12, Jun 2 – Jul 7Mar 26 – May 9, Jul 21 – Sep 4Jun 2 – Jul 24, Sep 7 – Nov 9
Columbus OhioFeb 7 – Mar 14, May 30 – Jul 4Mar 28 – May 9, Jul 18 – Sep 3Jun 4 – Jul 24, Sep 4 – Nov 10
New York New YorkFeb 8 – Mar 15, May 16 – Jun 20Mar 29 – May 26, Jul 4 – Sep 12Jun 8 – Aug 9, Aug 21 – Dec 4
Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaFeb 8 – Mar 15, May 30 – Jul 4Mar 29 – May 7, Jul 18 – Sep 3Jun 6 – Jul 23, Sep 4 – Nov 11
Omaha NebraskaFeb 8 – Mar 15, Jun 16 – Jul 21Mar 29 – May 2, Aug 4 – Aug 30Jun 6 – Jul 19, Sep 21 – Nov 4
Birmingham EnglandFeb 8 – Mar 15Mar 29 – Aug 19Jun 29 – Nov 24
Des Moines IowaFeb 10 – Mar 17, May 26 – Jun 30Mar 31 – May 9, Jul 14 – Aug 29Jun 7 – Jul 25, Aug 31 – Nov 3
Glasgow ScotlandFeb 11 – Mar 18Apr 1 – Aug 11Jul 6 – Nov 17
Boise IdahoFeb 13 – Mar 20Apr 3 – May 6Jun 15 – Jul 27
Cleveland OhioFeb 15 – Mar 22, May 3 – Jun 7Apr 5 – Jun 6, Jun 21 – Sep 4Jun 12 – Nov 26
Chicago IllinoisFeb 16 – Mar 23Apr 6 – Aug 30Jun 15 – Nov 14
Edinburgh ScotlandFeb 16 – Mar 23Apr 6 – Aug 9Jul 12 – Nov 14
Spokane WashingtonFeb 17 – Mar 24, May 24 – Jun 28Apr 7 – May 28, Jul 12 – Aug 15Jun 25 – Aug 15, Aug 29 – Oct 29
Boston MassachusettsFeb 19 – Mar 26, May 17 – Jun 21Apr 9 – Jun 1, Jul 5 – Sep 2Jun 18 – Aug 15, Aug 22 – Nov 23
Detroit MichiganFeb 19 – Mar 26Apr 9 – Aug 30Jun 16 – Nov 14
Minneapolis MinnesotaFeb 22 – Mar 29, May 4 – Jun 8Apr 12 – May 22, Jun 22 – Aug 22Jun 17 – Aug 6, Aug 9 – Nov 1
Denver ColoradoFeb 23 – Mar 18, Jun 30 – Jul 19Apr 13 – Apr 22, Aug 18 – Aug 23Jun 19 – Jul 19, Oct 12 – Oct 22
Billings MontanaFeb 23 – Mar 30Apr 13 – May 9Jun 25 – Aug 2
Milwaukee WisconsinFeb 24 – Mar 31Apr 14 – Aug 25Jun 23 – Nov 12
Madison WisconsinFeb 26 – Apr 2Apr 16 – Aug 21Jun 23 – Oct 24
Portland MaineMar 1 – Apr 5Apr 19 – Aug 20Jun 28 – Oct 29
Toronto OntarioMar 1 – Apr 5Apr 19 – Aug 21Jun 26 – Oct 23
Buffalo New YorkMar 2 – Apr 6Apr 20 – Aug 27Jun 27 – Nov 9
Fargo North DakotaMar 3 – Apr 7, May 10 – Jun 14Apr 21 – May 29, Jun 28 – Aug 13Jun 25 – Aug 13, Aug 15 – Oct 14
Montreal QuebecMar 4 – Apr 8Apr 22 – Aug 18Jun 26 – Oct 23
Burlington VermontMar 5 – Apr 9Apr 23 – Aug 21Jun 30 – Oct 29
Ottawa OntarioMar 6 – Apr 10Apr 24 – Aug 15Jun 28 – Oct 16
Edmonton AlbertaMar 14 – Apr 18May 2 – Jul 25Jul 13 – Oct 3
Halifax Nova ScotiaMar 14 – Apr 18May 2 – Aug 19Jul 15 – Oct 31
Winnipeg ManitobaMar 15 – Apr 19May 3 – Aug 4Jul 6 – Oct 6
Calgary AlbertaMar 17 – Apr 21May 5 – Jul 22Jul 20 – Sep 24
Anchorage AlaskaMar 18 – Apr 22May 6 – Jul 13Jul 22 – Oct 13
San Jose CaliforniaJun 21 – Jul 26Aug 9 – Jun 8Sep 26 – Aug 22
Charleston South CarolinaJul 10 – Aug 14Aug 28 – Apr 16Oct 15 – Jun 30
Los Angeles CaliforniaJul 15 – Aug 19Sep 2 – May 26Oct 20 – Aug 9
Jacksonville FloridaJul 24 – Aug 28Sep 11 – Mar 26Oct 29 – Jun 9
Sacramento CaliforniaAug 5 – Sep 9Sep 23 – Apr 10Nov 18 – Jun 28
New Orleans LouisianaAug 6 – Sep 10Sep 24 – Mar 24Nov 12 – Jun 7
Orlando FloridaAug 11 – Sep 15Sep 29 – Mar 10Nov 16 – May 24
Miami FloridaAug 12 – Sep 16Sep 30 – Mar 27Nov 17 – Jun 10
Tampa FloridaAug 13 – Sep 17Oct 1 – Mar 14Nov 18 – May 28
Houston TexasAug 14 – Sep 18Oct 2 – Mar 23Nov 20 – Jun 6
Fresno CaliforniaAug 15 – Sep 19Oct 3 – Mar 27Dec 9 – Jun 14
Honolulu HawaiiAug 19 – Sep 23Oct 7 – Mar 19Nov 24 – Jun 2
Phoenix ArizonaSep 6 – Oct 11Oct 25 – Feb 18Dec 24 – May 8
Hobart TasmaniaJun 16 – Jul 21Aug 4 – Mar 14Nov 17 – Jun 21
Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryJul 17 – Aug 21Sep 4 – Mar 8Nov 22 – May 17
Adelaide South AustraliaNov 8 – Dec 13Dec 27 – Dec 13Jan 1 – Dec 31
Sydney New South WalesNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Melbourne VictoriaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Auckland New ZealandNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Brisbane QueenslandDec 24 – Jan 28Feb 11 – Oct 12Mar 31 – Dec 26
Perth Western AustraliaJan 1 – Feb 5Feb 19 – Nov 6Apr 8 – Jan 20

Other crops

TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansPeasLettuceSpinachKaleCabbageCarrotsBeetsRadishesOnionsGarlicPotatoesSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley