Broccoli grows best in full sun, but will also produce in a shady garden it just takes a little longer.

For spring plantings start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date. Harden off and transplant the seedlings into the garden 4 weeks before your last frost date.

For fall plantings start seeds indoors 90 days before your first fall frost date. Then transplant into the garden when they are 4-5 weeks of growth.

Make the planting hole 2 inches (5.08 cm) deeper than the plants were growing at. Burring the stem deeper helps to protect the delicate stem of broccoli seedlings and encourages deep root growth.

Space plants 12 to 24 inches (30.48 to 60.96 cm) apart in your garden for best results. The closer the plants are together the smaller the broccoli crowns will be.

Grow broccoli in rich fertile soil, fill the planting hole with liquid fertilizer before placing the seedling inside. Make sure to fertilize again when you harvest the crown. This will help encourage the plant to produce side shoots.

Water regularly if you haven’t had enough rain. Make sure the plants get 1 inch (2.54 cm) of water a week.

Harvest heads of broccoli when they have reached full size but the flowers are still tightly closed. Leave 4-6 inches (10.16-15.24 cm) of stem attached when cutting.