When should I plant broccoli in temperate Australia?

Sow direct any time from September through to April. Late-summer and autumn sowings (February to April) are the most reliable, because the heads mature in cool weather and hold their quality.

How long does broccoli take to grow?

Allow 15 to 25 days for germination and 60 to 120 days from sowing to a harvestable head, depending on variety and how cool the season is.

What is eating holes in my broccoli leaves?

Almost certainly caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly or cabbage moth. Fine exclusion netting fitted before the plants emerge is the most effective control; picking caterpillars off afterwards is a losing battle.

Why is my broccoli flowering instead of forming a head?

Heat or water stress pushes broccoli to bolt, and heads that form in hot weather open into yellow flowers quickly. Time sowings so heads mature in cool months and keep watering even.

Does broccoli regrow after you cut the main head?

Yes. Cut the central head and most varieties produce smaller side shoots for several weeks, often adding up to more than the original head.

When to plant Broccoli in Temperate Australia

Sow broccoli in temperate Australia from September to April. Method: raise seedlings,sow direct. Seeds germinate in 15-25 days, with harvest roughly 60-120 days after sowing.

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Broccoli is sown direct in temperate Australia from September right through to April — an unusually long window that skips only the depths of winter. Bury seed just 6 mm deep and be patient: germination runs 15 to 25 days, and heads take anywhere from 60 to 120 days depending on variety and season. It is a hungry, hardy brassica that wants firm, fertile soil and full sun. The one non-negotiable in this climate is protection from cabbage white butterfly — plan for exclusion netting from day one, because by the time you see holes the caterpillars are already established.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: September to April.

Growing notes

As a hardy brassica, broccoli shrugs off temperate-zone frosts; the frosts that arrive from May will not harm established plants, and autumn-sown broccoli that matures in the cold often produces the tightest heads. Its enemy is not cold but heat — heads formed in hot weather turn loose and run to flower.

That shapes how to use the September-to-April window. Spring sowings (September to November) mature in summer and need fast varieties plus reliable water; late-summer and autumn sowings (February to April) are the classic choice, growing through mild weather and heading in winter. January sowings sit in between and cope if you can keep moisture up through the heat.

Prepare ground with compost and a little lime, firm it well, and space plants 35–45 cm apart in rows 40–60 cm apart. Broccoli is shallow-rooted, so mulch and steady watering prevent the stress that triggers premature flowering.

Cabbage white butterfly and cabbage moth are the most persistent brassica pests from spring to autumn:

Net beds with fine insect mesh before seedlings emerge
Check under leaves weekly for eggs and small green caterpillars
Remove nearby brassica weeds that host the pests
Keep netting on right through to harvest

After cutting the central head, leave plants in the ground — most varieties keep producing side shoots for weeks.

Broccoli at a glance

Sowing depth	6 mm
Plant spacing	35-45 cm
Row spacing	40-60 cm
Germination	15-25 days
Days to maturity	60-120 days
Frost tolerance	Hardy
Method	Raise Seedlings,Sow Direct

Companion planting

Grows well with

Marigold Nasturtiums Marigold Rosemary Sage Nasturtiums Rosemary Sage

Marigold: Deters cabbage moth and aphids

Nasturtiums: Trap crop for cabbage white butterfly caterpillars

Marigold: Deters cabbage moth; attracts parasitic wasps

Keep away from

Tomatoes Tomatoes Strawberries

Tomatoes: Brassicas and tomatoes compete for same nutrients; inhibit each other

Tomatoes: Brassicas inhibit tomato growth; compete for nutrients

Strawberries: Brassicas inhibit strawberry growth

Common questions

When should I plant broccoli in temperate Australia?: Sow direct any time from September through to April. Late-summer and autumn sowings (February to April) are the most reliable, because the heads mature in cool weather and hold their quality.
How long does broccoli take to grow?: Allow 15 to 25 days for germination and 60 to 120 days from sowing to a harvestable head, depending on variety and how cool the season is.
What is eating holes in my broccoli leaves?: Almost certainly caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly or cabbage moth. Fine exclusion netting fitted before the plants emerge is the most effective control; picking caterpillars off afterwards is a losing battle.
Why is my broccoli flowering instead of forming a head?: Heat or water stress pushes broccoli to bolt, and heads that form in hot weather open into yellow flowers quickly. Time sowings so heads mature in cool months and keep watering even.
Does broccoli regrow after you cut the main head?: Yes. Cut the central head and most varieties produce smaller side shoots for several weeks, often adding up to more than the original head.

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