Welcome to our section on tips for growing broccoli.

1. Growing Broccoli

Here we will give you advice, tips and guidance on sowing, growing and harvesting broccoli in the Uk and the rest of the world. Growing broccoli in the Uk is common with all gardeners. You can try growing broccoli in raised beds, pots and containers or in the ground at home or in the allotment.

2. Sowing and Planting broccoli

When growing broccoli it is from seed. There is three types of broccoli that you can try growing. These are white and purple sprouting broccoli. There is also the green calabrese broccoli, this is the one you see in supermarkets. The sprouting varieties are grown over winter and harvested in spring. Where as the green calabrese broccoli is harvested in autumn (fall)

3. When to plant

Growing broccoli from seed usually starts from mid spring to late spring in the UK

4. Varieties of broccoli

There are many types of broccoli that you can try growing at home in the kitchen garden or in the allotment. These are:-

Calabrese broccoli

• Green magic
• Marathon
• Belstar
• Crown and sceptre

Purple Sprouting broccoli

• Claret
• Early Purple
• Red Spear

White Sprouting broccoli

• Early white
• White Eye
• White Star

5. Planting broccoli

When it comes to sowing broccoli it can be quite tricky as the broccoli seeds are very small. They need sowing at 1cm deep and 15cm apart. You can either sow the broccoli seeds straight into the ground or in the greenhouse. The calabrese broccoli variety is best sown straight into its place it is actually going to grow.

6. Growing broccoli

Both varieties of broccoli prefer a nice fertile ground that is well drained. Once the broccoli has grown to around 10-15cm tall they need transplanting into their final growing positions. They need planting around 45cm apart – this is to keep them weed free in between and to give them the space to grow. If you have started your plants indoors they need hardening off first before planting out as the cold will shock them. Keep the broccoli plants watered well in dry periods. Also try keeping the soil mist by adding mulch to the soil. You can help the growing of the broccoli by feeding them in summer.

7. Harvesting

Harvesting the growing broccoli is the best bit especially when it’s on your Sunday dinner. It takes around 42-45 weeks for broccoli to grow so its not a fast grower but it is worth it. Make sure you harvest the broccoli when the flower shoots are formed but before they open, this is because broccoli plants start flowering.