We are lucky to have IFAS extension online resources for gardening information. But when it comes to serious gardeners, I feel they need more in-depth information in a specific plant-growing and caring guide. This is why I am writing this guide on growing broccoli in Florida.
Broccoli is still my favourite vegetable that I grow in Florida. This is a complete broccoli growing guide for Florida gardeners. (My years of experience growing broccoli on a single page)
I will cover these in this article:
- When to plant broccoli in Florida ( Both for seed starters and transplanters ).
- Best varieties of Broccoli to grow in Florida.
- Planting, growing, and caring tips.
- Fertilizer.
- Watering.
- Harvesting guide.
When to plant broccoli in Florida
| Region | Planting Method | Recommended Time | Germination Time (for Seed Starting) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Florida | Direct seeding or Transplanting | Start seeds in August–September; Transplant September–October | 5–10 days at 60–75°F |
| Central Florida | Transplanting preferred (or seed start indoors) | Start seeds in September–October; Transplant October–November | 5–10 days at 60–75°F |
| South Florida | Transplanting only | Transplant November–January | 5–10 days (if started indoors) |
Scroll the table sideways to see germination time for seed starting (on a mobile device or small screen device).
In the above table, I have added the planting time for broccoli for North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida.
Tip: Follow the planting time based on your region, as the climate varies across North, Central, and South Florida — follow the schedule (mentioned in the table) that matches your area.
I grow broccoli in Zone 10, and I usually transplant in November. But if you want an earlier harvest, start transplanting in late October.
Best varieties of broccoli to grow in Florida
| Variety | Days to Maturity | Head Size | Heat Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packman | 50–55 | Large | Moderate |
| Green Magic | 57–60 | Medium-Large | High |
| Belstar | 65–70 | Medium | High |
| De Cicco | 48–60 | Small-Medium | Moderate |
| Arcadia | 63–68 | Large | High |
| Marathon | 68–75 | Large | Very High |
The variety order is not sorted. I just picked the best ones and placed them randomly in the chart.
I have seen Waltham 29 listed on the University of Florida IFAS Extension website. I tried it, and honestly, Waltham 29 is the slowest-maturing broccoli variety I have ever grown. This is why I removed that variety from my list.
I discussed with my aunt ( a passionate gardener ), who is from North Florida. She told me that that specific variety is good only for North Florida.
Marathon broccoli is the best one, according to me, and this is my personal opinion. It may take a bit longer to mature, but the head size is really large, and it's easiest to grow.
"Marathon" can tolerate both cold and heat.
Growing Guide
You should maintain a good distance between adjacent broccoli plants to get a better harvest. I will talk about distance, soil preparation, sunlight requirements, fertilization, and a few other tips to grow healthy broccoli in Florida.
Planting guide
The distance between individual plants in the same row should be around 18–24 inches. (This is for the large head varieties that I mentioned earlier)
And the distance between the centers of two parallel rows should be 3 feet.
I know, a lot of gardeners plant denser. But it will affect the quality of the harvest.
I love quality over quantity.
Row 1: ⚬──────⚬──────⚬──────⚬ ← 18–24" between plants
↑ ↑
3 ft (36") between rows
Row 2: ⚬──────⚬──────⚬──────⚬
You can get an idea of how much space is needed for your broccoli plants.
Now it's time to decide where to plant and what type of soil will be best for our broccoli.
Site selection or sunlight requirement
Broccoli grows well in a place where it can get 6 to 8 hours of daily direct sunlight.
In October or November, when the sun is at its peak, you may witness wilting leaves or broccoli just like this:
Do not panic, when it looks like this. Wait until evening and water properly. It will look nice again. You can use shade cloth in day time if you plant broccoli earlier.
Perfect soil for Broccoli
Florida's sandy soil is good for growing broccoli. To get better results, mix cow manure or vermi-compost with the normal garden soil.
If your soil is not sandy and a bit clay type, add some perlite (25%) or you can also use cocopeat as well.
This is my personal recipe:
25% vermi compost, 25% cocopeat, 25% cow manure compost (you may buy online), and 25% regular garden soil.
My garden soil is sandy, so I don't need to add perlite.
Fertilizer for broccoli
My soil recipe contains a lot of nitrogen and other essential nutrients. Thus, you don't have to fertilize your broccoli plant for the first 15 days of transplantation.
Thereafter, you may use balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or a slightly nitrogen-prioritized fertilizer.
On other plants, we usually either feed through roots or leaves (using foliar spray). But broccoli leaves are like elephant ears — water doesn’t stay on them; it just slips off. It's better not to apply any foliar spray on them.
Pest control for Broccoli in Florida
Healthy plants are less attracted to aphids and other pests.
As a Florida gardener, I know it's hard to fight against aphids and mealybugs here.
But hopefully, broccoli usually doesn't attract mealybugs. In the first 20 days of transplantation, there is a chance that small caterpillars might attack your plant. Use neem oil (organic) to fight them.
I can compromise on harvesting quality, but I will never use chemical pesticides.
Watering
Broccoli needs regular watering. We usually grow broccoli in Winter in Florida, and due to the dry weather, the soil dries out faster.
I consider that fact and water my broccoli daily.
My suggestion is to check the soil every evening with your finger. If it's slightly moist, water normally. If it's too dry, water deeply.
I tried growing broccoli in pots last year and noticed that potted plants need more frequent watering.
DO NOT water in the daytime when the sun is on the head and leaves are wilting. Just wait for the afternoon or evening to water.
How to know if broccoli is ready to harvest
This is the most asked question I have read on forums.
I will not specify a size, as different broccoli varieties have different head sizes at maturity.
Look at this picture:
If your broccoli head's texture looks like this, it's ready to be harvested.
You should not wait more than this.
If you wish, you may harvest even earlier. An early-harvested broccoli is okay to eat. But if broccoli is harvested too late, it may not taste good.
I usually consume the leaves as well.
Broccoli is not like cauliflower. You can harvest multiple broccoli heads from a single plant.
The broccoli head that is not yet ready to harvest may look like this:
You can see there are lots of small light green textures. This means the broccoli head will grow bigger in size.
Here is a video of how my dad harvests broccoli with a knife.
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Broccoli harvesting in Florida
