Growing broccoli from seed is pretty easy with the right knowledge. Apart from growing broccoli, you get to enjoy planting this vegetable for various benefits. Broccoli vegetables are not only tasty but also packed with lots of nutritious advantages and it is great for the heart!
In this guide, we will be enlightening you on everything you need to know about growing broccoli from seed. So let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Best Time to Plant Broccoli Seeds
Broccoli plants do well in the cool season. The most appropriate time to plant your broccoli seed is through the fall, winter, and also early spring or before the last frost date.
Growing Broccoli From Seeds: Procedures
Broccoli is not so difficult to grow. Here are some tips and procedures for growing broccoli.
Planting Broccolis
The first step is choosing a good quality seed variety for planting. Get a growing container with good drainage holes. For the potting mix, you can make use of peat moss, vermiculite, and compost with some manure and fertilizer. Plant your broccoli in a slightly acidic soil pH of 6 to 7.
Light and Watering
When planting broccoli, begin by sowing the seeds indoors. The seedlings will begin to germinate from the soil from about 5 to 10 days. The growing seedlings will need about 5 to 7 hours of light per day.
Broccoli grows very well in evenly moist soil or environment so you need to water your plant evenly. Make sure the soil is never dry and not too soggy either.
Transplanting
You can now go ahead with transplanting in your garden after 8 weeks. By this time, your seedlings become tall and will need more room. They also begin to develop their first true leaves. Transplant the seedlings when the temperature ranges from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Broccoli and Friends Sprouting Seed Mix
Read more about Growing Plants – What does a plant need to survive and grow
Hardening Off Your Broccoli
One crucial step is the hardening off right before you transplant and introduces them to the garden. This is because they are used to living in a comfortable indoor environment. Therefore, they need to be accustomed to rough outdoor conditions.
You do this by gradually exposing them to indirect sunlight in a shady area for a few hours per day. Then you later expose them to direct sunlight and wind for some hours gradually.
After a while, they should be prepared to experience some outdoor conditions in the garden.
Fertilize
Give your seedlings a good start with a balanced fertilizer as they begin to grow new leaves. Fish emulsion is a good fertilizer for your broccoli.
Space Your Broccoli
Give adequate spacing between your plants. Broccoli can grow in an enormous way with a large central head so make sure they are not overcrowded. Give them a space of 12 to 14 inches apart.
Harvest
The journey from seed to harvest time can take about 60 to 96 days depending on the variety of seed planted, make sure you take a look at the seed pack you purchased to have an idea of the variety you obtained. Adequate fertilization can boost germination results and quicken harvest time.
Harvest your nutritious fresh vegetable with a sharp knife when the central head is fully established.
