Broccoli Growing Guide

5 Steps to Broccoli Planting Success

• Choose a sunny spot away from strong winds. 
• Prepare your soil with organic matter like sheep pellets and compost. 
• Add a layer of vegetable mix to plant into. Broccoli can be planted in autumn, early winter and early spring in New Zealand, depending on your region.
• Plant broccoli at least 50cm apart. 
• Feed your broccoli over the growing season with vegetable food and water regularly.

Follow our full guide below to a bumper crop of homegrown broccoli.

Bursting with goodness, these hardy no fuss vegetables are brilliant crops to plant in the winter garden. This superfood is jam-packed with valuable nutrients and minerals.

Prepare

Supermarkets are never without this top crop, but it’s nice and easy to grow and is a great choice for novice gardeners.

Varieties range from the green-headed ones we are all familiar with, through to the purple and white sprouting and miniature types.

Broccoli don’t like temperatures over 25 degrees, so check you are planting at the correct time.

Check out our Tui Broccoli Seed - Marathon F1 for a fast maturing, disease-resistant crop.

Plant

Like building a house a good foundation is the key to success in your garden. The better the soil, the better your plants will grow. If you are starting with an existing garden bed dig in organic matter like Tui Sheep Pellets and Tui Compost to your soil. Then you can add a layer of Tui Vegetable Mix. If planting in pots and containers, fill with Tui Vegetable Mix.

The best times to plant are early in the morning or late in the day, so the plants aren’t exposed to the hot sun straight away. Always water plants well before and after planting.

Find a full sun, sheltered position to plant and space at least 50cm-70cm apart, to ensure the crops can fully mature and are not fighting for space, fertiliser and water. If you planted broccoli or a certain variety of brassica last year don’t grow them in the same spot as pests and diseases can be lingering in the soil, read our Crop Rotation Guide here.

Planting in garden beds

• Water plants thoroughly before planting and allow to drain.
• Dig a hole, approximately twice the depth and width of the root ball of your plant.
• Partly fill the hole with Tui Vegetable Mix.
• Gently loosen the root ball of your plant and position the plant in the centre of the hole.
• Fill in with Tui Vegetable Mix.
• Press soil gently around the base of the plant.
• Water your plant well.

Planting in pots and containers

• Water plants thoroughly before potting and allow to drain.
• Partly fill your container with Tui Vegetable Mix.
• Gently loosen the root ball of your plant and position the plant in the container.
• Fill your container with Tui Vegetable Mix up to 3cm from the top.
• Tap the container gently on the ground to settle the mix.
• Press soil gently around the base of the plant.
• Water your plant well.

Protect your plants from the elements with layers of Tui Pea Straw Mulch, to help keep their roots moist and keep your garden weed free.

Nourish

Feed your plants and they will feed you. Plants use nutrients from the soil as they grow, so replenishing the nutrients ensures your plants grow to their full potential.

Select a fertiliser specially blended for your crop like Tui Vegetable Food. Non-heading of broccoli which is when the plants produce loads of leaves and no crop, can be an issue with too much nitrogen fertiliser, which can happen when animal manures are used solely to fertilise vege gardens. Broccoli need potassium and phosphorus to form the head, so Tui Vegetable Food contains these nutrients too. Feed broccoli planted in pots and containers with Tui NovaTec Premium fertiliser.

Well watered, well nourished veges will have a better chance of keeping insect pests and diseases at bay.

While your broccoli are growing regularly apply a dose of Tui Organic Seaweed Plant Tonic to give them a welcome boost.

Harvest broccoli when the heads are still tight, once they start spreading they lose flavour. Cut off the head before you pull out the root, otherwise you could end up with dirt all through the head! If you leave the plant in new, smaller heads will appear in a few weeks below the first one and continue to sprout for the rest of the season. The whole plant is edible too. Broccoli stalks are so fresh and tasty!

Be vigilant and stop unwanted insects and diseases from ruining your plants. Slugs and snails can be an issue - lay Tui Quash slug and snail control around young plants.