When to plant broccoli by zone
Brassica oleracea (Italica) is a cool-season crop that is hardy to frost. Rule of thumb: start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 week after the last frost; for a fall crop, sow or plant 10–12 weeks before the first fall frost.
Broccoli planting dates by zone
Each row uses the median 30%-risk frost dates of the major cities in that zone; rows marked * have no major city and use the median of NOAA stations in that zone instead. Frost dates vary a lot within a zone, so use your city page for local dates. In frost-free climates: Sep 1 – Jan 15.
| Zone | Median last frost | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a* | May 29 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — | — |
| 1b* | May 29 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — | — |
| 2a | May 21 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 7 – May 28 | — | — |
| 2b* | May 20 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – May 27 | — | — |
| 3a* | Jun 4 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | May 21 – Jun 11 | — | — |
| 3b* | May 24 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 10 – May 31 | — | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| 4a | May 12 | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Apr 28 – May 19 | — | Jul 5 – Jul 19 |
| 4b | May 5 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 21 – May 12 | — | Jul 12 – Jul 26 |
| 5a | May 4 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 11 | — | Jul 11 – Jul 25 |
| 5b | May 4 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 11 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| 6a | May 4 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 11 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| 6b | Apr 26 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – May 3 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| 7a | Apr 22 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| 7b | Apr 10 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| 8a | Apr 1 | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| 8b | Mar 22 | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| 9a | Mar 11 | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | — | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| 9b | Feb 12 | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | — | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| 10a | Jan 26 | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | — | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| 10b | Jan 27 | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | — | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| 11a | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| 11b* | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| 12a* | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| 12b | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| 13a* | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
| 13b* | Rare | Sep 1 – Jan 15 | |||
Growing tips
- Heads turn loose and yellow in heat — time the harvest for cool weather.
- Fall crops are often easier than spring crops.
- After cutting the main head, side shoots keep producing.
Exact dates for your city
Popular: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fort Worth, San Jose — or browse all cities by state.
Other crops: Tomato, Pepper, Lettuce, Green Beans, Sweet Corn, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Cucumber, Carrot, Onion, Potato, Basil, Spinach, Kale, Peas, Eggplant, Cabbage, Radish, Strawberry, Beets