When to plant Broccoletti in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Raise broccoletti as seedlings and transplant, sowing from September to November for a spring crop or January to April for an autumn and winter one. Seed germinates fast, in 5–10 days, sown 5 mm deep in trays or punnets. Harden the seedlings off and set them out 30–40 cm apart in rows 40–50 cm apart. This fast, leafy brassica is ready in just 60–90 days, cut as tender shooting stems rather than a single tight head. The generous autumn window suits temperate gardens in Melbourne and Adelaide well, since the plants finish in cool, mild weather with fewer pests.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: September to April.
Growing notes
Broccoletti thrives in the mild shoulders of the temperate year. The autumn sowings from January to April are the most reliable: plants mature as the weather cools, sweetening the stems and dodging the worst of summer pest pressure. Spring sowings from September to November work too, but you are racing the heat, and plants that hit warm weather bolt to flower before they crop.
The main failure mode is cabbage white butterfly. Broccoletti is a prime target, so drape the bed in fine exclusion netting from the day you transplant — once caterpillars are chewing the growing tips the crop is quickly ruined. Netting also keeps cabbage aphids off the shooting stems, which are otherwise hard to wash clean.
Feed generously. This is a leafy, hungry brassica that wants steady nitrogen and consistent moisture; a mulched bed and a weekly liquid feed keep the stems tender rather than stringy. Let the soil dry out in an Adelaide spring and the plants toughen and bolt. Harvest by cutting the central stem first, which prompts a flush of side shoots over several weeks. Pick regularly and the plant keeps producing rather than running to flower.
Broccoletti at a glance
| Sowing depth | 5 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 30-40 cm |
| Row spacing | 40-50 cm |
| Germination | 5-10 days |
| Days to maturity | 60-90 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Plant Seedlings |
Common questions
- When is the best time to plant broccoletti in temperate Australia?
- Sow from January to April for the most reliable autumn and winter crop, or September to November for a spring one. Autumn sowings mature in cool weather that keeps the stems sweet and reduces bolting. Raise seedlings and transplant them 30–40 cm apart.
- How do I stop caterpillars eating my broccoletti?
- Cover the bed with fine exclusion netting from transplanting onward, since broccoletti is a favourite of the cabbage white butterfly. The netting blocks the moths from laying eggs on the leaves. Check under leaves regularly and squash any caterpillars that slip through.
- Why did my broccoletti bolt to flower so quickly?
- Bolting is usually triggered by heat and moisture stress, common with spring sowings that run into warm weather. Sow in autumn instead, keep the soil evenly moist and mulched, and harvest young. Once the weather turns hot the plants naturally rush to flower.
- How is broccoletti different from broccoli?
- Broccoletti is grown for its tender flowering shoots and slim stems rather than one large head, so it crops faster, in 60–90 days. You cut the central stem first, which triggers repeated side shoots over several weeks of picking.
Track broccoletti in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.
Add to my garden