When to plant broccoli
Broccoli is a half-hardy, cool-season brassica that matures in about 55–75 days from transplanting. Start seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, then set out transplants about 2–4 weeks before the last frost. Because the right calendar date depends on your local frost dates, pick your ZIP or city on the home planner to see exact broccoli planting windows for your location; the per-location pages list them city by city. Windows are extension-guide planning ranges, not guarantees.
Broccoli at a glance
| Category | cool-season brassica |
|---|---|
| Frost tolerance | Half-hardy |
| Start indoors | 6–8 weeks before last frost |
| Plant out | Transplant out 2–4 wk before last frost |
| Days to maturity | 55–75 days (from transplant) |
| Min. soil temp | 45°F |
| Second (fall) crop | Yes — count back from first fall frost |
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Broccoli planting windows by city
The exact dates depend on each location's average frost calendar. Here is broccoli across 40 locations spanning the climate range — open one for its full printable calendar, or find your own dates with the ZIP planner.
| Location | Zone | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adak, AK | 8b | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 3 – May 17 | Jun 27 – Jul 17 |
| Fort Payne, AL | 7b | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 25 – May 15 |
| Saratoga, AR | 8b | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 22 – May 12 |
| Top-of-the-World, AZ | 8a | Jan 1 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Mar 23 – Apr 12 |
| Half Moon Bay, CA | 10a | Jan 1 | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 5 – Mar 25 |
| Rohnert Park, CA | 9a | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 27 – Apr 16 |
| Ellicott, CO | 6a | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 2 – Jun 22 |
| Millsboro, DE | 7b | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 1 – May 21 |
| Yankeetown, FL | 9b | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 27 – Apr 16 |
| Volcano, HI | 11a | — | year-round | — |
| Boise, ID | 7a | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| Effingham, IL | 6b | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 10 – May 30 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 6a | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 18 – Jun 7 |
| Minneapolis, KS | 6b | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 17 – Jun 6 |
| Bayou Blue, LA | 9b | Jan 1 | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 4 – Mar 24 |
| Glen Burnie, MD | 8a | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 7 – May 27 |
| Elk Rapids, MI | 6a | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 27 – Jun 16 |
| Dawson, MN | 4b | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | May 30 – Jun 19 |
| Cayuga, OK | 7a | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 12 – Jun 1 |
| Cleveland, MS | 8b | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Apr 10 – Apr 30 |
| Island Park, ID | 4a | Apr 20 – May 4 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 12 – Aug 1 |
| Hickory, NC | 8a | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Apr 27 – May 17 |
| Litchville, ND | 4a | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Jun 6 – Jun 26 |
| Plainview, NE | 5b | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 27 – Jun 16 |
| Capulin, NM | 5b | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 13 – Jul 3 |
| Gabbs, NV | 6b | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 28 – Jun 17 |
| Madrid, NY | 4b | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 26 – Jun 15 |
| London, OH | 6a | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| Perkins, OK | 7b | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 30 – May 20 |
| Shedd, OR | 8b | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Apr 10 – Apr 30 |
| Seltzer, PA | 6a | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 13 – Jun 2 |
| Custer, SD | 5a | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 19 – Jul 9 |
| Lynchburg, TN | 7b | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 4 – May 24 |
| Early, TX | 8a | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 18 – May 8 |
| Ozona, TX | 8a | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 23 – May 13 |
| Fillmore, UT | 6a | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 31 – Jun 20 |
| Hillsville, VA | 7a | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 22 – Jun 11 |
| Green Bluff, WA | 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 18 – Jul 8 |
| Gordon, WI | 4a | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Apr 24 – May 8 | Jun 18 – Jul 8 |
| Elk Garden, WV | 6b | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 27 – Jun 16 |
How to time broccoli
Broccoli is a half-hardy cool-season brassica. Half-hardy crops tolerate light frost, so they can go out a few weeks before the last spring frost but should be protected from a hard freeze. Start seeds indoors about 6–8 weeks before your last frost, then transplant out 2–4 wk before last frost. It matures in roughly 55–75 days from transplanting. It also works as a fall crop: count back from the first fall frost by its days-to-maturity plus a short buffer.
Find your own dates on the home planner, browse all crops, or read the methodology for the offsets and citations behind these windows.
Frequently asked questions
- Is broccoli frost-tolerant?
- Broccoli is a half-hardy crop. Half-hardy crops tolerate light frost, so they can go out a few weeks before the last spring frost but should be protected from a hard freeze.
- How long does broccoli take to grow?
- About 55–75 days from transplanting to first harvest, depending on variety and weather. Days-to-maturity ranges are typical values from U.S. Cooperative Extension planting guides.
- When should I start broccoli seeds indoors?
- Start seeds indoors roughly 6–8 weeks before your average last spring frost, then transplant out set out transplants about 2–4 weeks before the last frost. Look up your local last-frost date on the planner for exact calendar dates.
- Can I grow broccoli as a fall crop?
- Yes. Broccoli is commonly grown as a second, fall crop by counting back from the average first fall frost by its days-to-maturity plus a short buffer. The per-location pages show a fall planting window where the season allows one.