Oregon · Washington · Idaho
When to plant broccoli
Plant in the garden: Portland and Seattle Mar 15 – Apr 19; Spokane Apr 15 – May 20; Boise Apr 1 – May 6; Bend May 12 – Jun 16.
Your dates in
Broccoli is a cabbage-family plant grown for its flower head: the green crown is a tight cluster of unopened flower buds, and the thick stem underneath is just as good peeled and cooked. It's eaten raw, steamed, roasted or stir-fried. If the buds open into small yellow flowers, it has gone past its best, though the flowers are edible.
Puts broccoli on your free plan, with dates for your town and a spot in your beds.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 18 inches apart
- Planting depth
- Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot
- Frost
- Handles light frost
- First harvest
- About 70 days after planting
Harvest the main head while buds are tight; side shoots follow for weeks. West of the Cascades, purple sprouting broccoli planted in summer stands through winter and gives shoots in early spring.
Broccoli planting dates
| Towns | Start seeds indoors | Plant in the garden | Plant again for fall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR, Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Spokane, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID, Astoria, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Bend and Redmond, OR | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 12 – Jun 16 | — |
Dates for six main cities. For any of the other 80 towns, type it in the box at the top of the page or browse all towns.
| Gresham, OR, Oregon City and West Linn, OR, Portland, OR, St. Helens and Scappoose, OR, Wilsonville and Canby, OR | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro and Beaverton, OR | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Corvallis and Albany, OR, Eugene, OR, Salem, OR | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cottage Grove, OR | Feb 6–20 | Mar 27 – May 1 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| McMinnville and Newberg, OR | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Ashland and Talent, OR | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 8 – May 13 | Jul 16–30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grants Pass, OR, Medford, OR, Roseburg, OR | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Astoria, OR, Brookings and Gold Beach, OR, Coos Bay and North Bend, OR, Newport and Lincoln City, OR, Tillamook, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|
| Bend and Redmond, OR, Klamath Falls, OR | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 12 – Jun 16 | — |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burns, OR | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 14 – Jun 18 | — |
| Lakeview, OR | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 7 – Jun 11 | — |
| Madras, OR | Mar 3–17 | Apr 21 – May 26 | Jul 12–26 |
| Prineville, OR | Mar 16–30 | May 4 – Jun 8 | Jun 30 – Jul 14 |
| Baker City, OR | Mar 9–23 | Apr 27 – Jun 1 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise and Joseph, OR | Mar 8–22 | Apr 26 – May 31 | Jul 9–23 |
| Hermiston, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Hood River, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| John Day, OR | Mar 12–26 | Apr 30 – Jun 4 | Jun 26 – Jul 10 |
| La Grande, OR | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 9–23 |
| Ontario, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Pendleton, OR, The Dalles, OR | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Bremerton and Port Orchard, WA, Everett, WA, Kent, Renton and Auburn, WA, Seattle and Tacoma, WA | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Shelton, WA | Feb 9–23 | Mar 30 – May 4 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Anacortes, WA, Bellingham, WA, Friday Harbor and the San Juans, WA, Mount Vernon and Burlington, WA, Oak Harbor and Whidbey Island, WA | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|
| Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA, Forks, WA, Long Beach and Ilwaco, WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Angeles, WA, Port Townsend, WA | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Sequim, WA | Feb 3–17 | Mar 24 – Apr 28 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Centralia and Chehalis, WA | Feb 4–18 | Mar 25 – Apr 29 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview and Kelso, WA, Vancouver, WA | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Chelan, WA, Wenatchee, WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leavenworth, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 8–22 |
| Omak and Okanogan, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 15–29 |
| Winthrop and Twisp, WA | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 17 – May 22 | Jun 30 – Jul 14 |
| Ellensburg, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 15–29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ephrata and Quincy, WA, Walla Walla, WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Goldendale, WA | Mar 3–17 | Apr 21 – May 26 | Jul 3–17 |
| Moses Lake, WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 16–30 |
| Sunnyside, Grandview and Prosser, WA | Feb 13–27 | Apr 3 – May 8 | Jul 14–28 |
| Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Yakima, WA | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 10 – May 15 | Jul 12–26 |
| Colville, WA, Pullman, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 10–24 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 20 – Aug 3 |
| Bonners Ferry, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 12–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Sandpoint, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 6–20 |
| Lewiston, ID | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moscow, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 10–24 |
| Boise and Meridian, ID | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmett, ID | Feb 12–26 | Apr 2 – May 7 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| McCall, ID | Apr 6–20 | May 25 – Jun 29 | — |
| Nampa and Caldwell, ID | Feb 11–25 | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 |
| Burley and Rupert, ID, Twin Falls, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 12–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 9–23 |
| Pocatello, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 19 – Aug 2 |
| Rexburg, ID | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – May 20 | Jul 2–16 |
| Salmon, ID | Mar 1–15 | Apr 19 – May 24 | Jul 2–16 |
Broccoli year at a glance
| Task | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start indoors | Jan | Feb | ||||||||||
| Plant | Mar | Apr | Jul | Aug | ||||||||
| Harvest | Jun | Jul | Sep | Oct | Nov |
Around Portland. Colder towns, especially east of the Cascades, run a few weeks later; the table above has your town's planting dates.
How to grow broccoli
- Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
- Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
- Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 18 inches apart. Plant starts at the depth they grew in the pot.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
- Plant again on your city's dates for a fall harvest.
- Harvest: Cut the main head while the buds are tight and dark green. Side shoots follow for weeks.
Growing broccoli in your part of the Northwest
The same plant behaves differently on the wet west side, the foggy coast and the dry, colder east side.
West-side valleys
Willamette Valley, Puget Sound, southern Oregon
Grow a spring crop and a summer-planted fall crop, which is often the better one. Clubroot can show up in acidic west-side soils; liming to about pH 7 helps. Overwintering sprouting broccoli planted in summer can give spears in early spring.
Coast
Oregon and Washington coast
Cool summers suit broccoli. Heads form slowly and evenly, and side shoots keep coming for weeks.
East of the Cascades
Columbia Basin, Yakima, Boise, Spokane, north Idaho
Heat makes heads loose and quick to flower, so time plantings to mature before July or after the heat breaks in fall. Set out transplants rather than sowing seed for spring.
High desert and mountain towns
Central Oregon, high eastern Oregon valleys, McCall, Salmon
Broccoli grows well through summer here because nights stay cool. Harden off transplants well; young plants that sit in long cold spells can form tiny button heads.
Broccoli in a Northwest garden
A broccoli head starting to form in the middle of the plant. Photo: Janelle Burklund, contributor 
A full-size head, ready to cut while the buds are still tight. Photo: Janelle Burklund, contributor
More broccoli varieties
More widely sold picks that do well somewhere in the Northwest. The tag says which part of the Northwest suits each one best.
Packman
Large, domed main heads early in the season, followed by plenty of side shoots. A reliable, widely sold choice for spring and fall plantings.
Both sides
Green Magic
Smooth, dark green heads that hold up better than most when warm spells arrive. A good pick for spring plantings that may mature in early summer heat.
Both sides
Purple Sprouting
Planted in summer, it grows through winter west of the Cascades and sends up many small purple shoots in late winter and early spring, when fresh greens are scarce.
Coast and west side
De Cicco
Smaller central heads followed by a long run of side shoots. Open-pollinated and productive, it suits gardeners who want steady small harvests.
Both sides
Belstar
Firm, blue-green domed heads and good side shoot production. Adaptable to spring and fall planting, it is a common grower favorite.
Both sides
Waltham 29
An open-pollinated broccoli bred for cool weather, best for fall harvests. It produces medium blue-green heads and good side shoots.
Both sides
How much to grow
How many to plant
For a family of four, 8 to 12 plants in spring and as many again in midsummer for a fall crop.
What to expect
One main head of about ½ to 1 pound per plant, plus side shoots for several weeks.
Storing the harvest
Keeps about a week in a bag in the fridge. Blanch and freeze extras for up to a year.
What to plant after broccoli
Around Portland, the broccoli harvest wraps up around July. These crops can still go into the same bed, and they come from a different plant family, which helps with rotation.
- Radicchio Jul 9–30
- Carrots Jul 23 – Aug 6
- Beets Aug 6–20
- Swiss chard Aug 6–20
- Mâche Aug 13 – Sep 17
- Spinach Aug 20 – Sep 10
- Lettuce Aug 20 – Sep 3
- Cilantro Aug 27 – Sep 10
Radicchio 
Carrots 
Beets 
Swiss chard 
Mâche 
Spinach 
Lettuce 
Cilantro Portland dates. Pick your town at the top of the page for yours.
Key numbers
- Soil 50°F or warmerPlant out
- 6.0–7.0Soil pH
- 1–1.5 inches a weekWater
- Cabbage wormsBiggest risk
Top care tip: Keep watering after you cut the main head, because side shoots keep coming for weeks.
Growing notes
What makes the difference in Northwest gardens, in plain language.
Soil and feeding
Broccoli is a hungry plant. Give it rich soil with a few inches of compost and a balanced vegetable fertilizer at planting, then a light side-dressing of nitrogen about a month later as heads begin to form. Aim for a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Many Northwest soils west of the Cascades are naturally acidic, and liming toward the upper end of that range also helps discourage clubroot, a soil disease that causes swollen, knotted roots and wilting plants.
Why broccoli flowers early or makes tiny heads
Broccoli heads are flower buds, so anything that pushes the plant to bloom early ruins the crop. Stress is the usual cause: transplants left too long in small pots, a hard cold snap right after planting, or dry soil. The plant gives up on growing big and makes a small, early head that quickly opens into yellow flowers. Plant young, healthy starts, keep them watered, and harvest as soon as the head looks full with buds still tight. Fall crops planted in mid to late summer often give the best heads in the Northwest, because they mature in cool weather.
Worms, aphids, and harvest
The green caterpillars on broccoli come from the small white butterflies seen all summer. Insect netting stops them from laying eggs, and that's easier than picking worms out of the florets later. Gray aphids hide in the heads in late summer; check often and spray them off with water. After cutting the main head, leave the plant in place, since side shoots keep coming for weeks. Purple Sprouting is planted in summer and overwinters west of the Cascades for a spring harvest. Store broccoli unwashed in a bag in the fridge for about a week.
Good neighbors and crop rotation
Good neighbors
- Lettuce. Grows under young broccoli and is picked before the plants fill in.
- Dill and calendula. Their flowers draw wasps and hoverflies that prey on cabbage worms and aphids.
Keep apart
- Other cabbage-family crops in the same bed every year. Shared pests and clubroot build up; rotate.
Cabbage family: Grow cabbage-family crops in a different bed each year and come back to the same spot only every three or four years. Clubroot, which swells and knots the roots, lives in the soil for many years once it arrives, and root maggot pupae wait in last year's bed.
Pests and problems
What most often goes wrong with broccoli in Northwest gardens, how to spot it and what to do.
Cabbage worms
Signs: Green caterpillars hidden in the heads and holes in the leaves.
What to do: Insect netting from planting. Soak heads in salt water for a few minutes to flush out stragglers.
Cabbage root maggots
Signs: Transplants wilt, stall and turn bluish.
What to do: Row cover or stem collars from planting day.
Aphids
Signs: Gray clusters in the heads in late summer.
What to do: Hose them off and grow fall broccoli, which ripens after aphid season peaks.
Common questions about growing broccoli
When should I plant broccoli in Oregon, Washington and Idaho?
Plant in the garden: Mar 15 – Apr 19 in Portland and Seattle, Apr 15 – May 20 in Spokane, Apr 1 – May 6 in Boise and May 12 – Jun 16 in Bend. Pick your town at the top of the page for your own dates.
Why is my broccoli flowering before the head gets big?
The plant was stressed, usually by heat, dry soil, or being root-bound in its pot before planting. Once the yellow flowers open, the head won't improve, so cut it and eat what you can. Next time plant younger starts and keep the soil evenly moist.
Does broccoli grow back after you cut it?
Not a new main head, but most varieties send up smaller side shoots for several weeks. Cut the main head with a slanted cut, leaving the plant and its leaves in place. Keep watering and the shoots will keep coming.
How do I get rid of worms in my broccoli?
Soak cut heads in cool salty water for 15 minutes and the caterpillars float out. To prevent them, cover plants with insect netting from planting day. Organic sprays made from Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) also work on small caterpillars without harming people or pets.
See what else to plant in January, February, March, April, July or August.
Kale
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Bok choy
Kohlrabi
Collards
Mustard greens