Broccoli is a popular vegetable grown by many home gardeners Its nutrient-dense florets and crunchy stalks make it a delicious addition to meals But broccoli is typically grown as an annual crop, which leads many to wonder – will broccoli grow back next year?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take a deep dive into broccoli’s growth cycle and cultivation to find out if and how gardeners can get broccoli to return for future harvests
The Life Cycle of Broccoli
First, it helps to understand that broccoli is a biennial plant. This means it completes its lifecycle in two years.
In year one, broccoli grows vegetatively, developing leaves, stems, and finally a large central head. Gardeners harvest this primary head for eating.
After the main head is cut, broccoli enters its second season. The plant channels energy into flowering and seed production. Once seeds mature, the plant dies back.
The answer is no for the original plant; broccoli will not keep growing year after year. But gardeners can keep getting broccoli if they take care of their plants and choose the right varieties.
encouraging Regrowth Through Pruning
The main broccoli head won’t grow back, but cutting it in a smart way can allow for a second harvest.
Proper pruning stimulates the growth of side shoots, smaller broccoli heads that emerge from leaf axils after the central head is cut. Follow these tips:
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Cut the main head at an angle above lateral buds to expose them.
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Leave 3-6 inches of stem intact to preserve energy.
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Harvest side shoots once they develop, before flowering.
Repeated careful harvesting of side shoots extends the productive period of a single broccoli plant.
Selecting The Right Variety
Different types of broccoli grow side shoots more easily than others. Look for heirloom varieties that were pollinated by bees, since many hybrids put all of their energy into one big head.
The best choices for repeat harvests include:
- Waltham broccoli – prolific side shooter
- Nine Star Perennial – tolerates cold
- Sprouting broccolis – yield many small heads
- Calabrese broccoli – easily reseeds
These varieties tend to have genetics closer to wild broccoli plants, increasing their perennial abilities.
Optimizing Growing Conditions
To keep your broccoli happy for as long as possible, provide optimal care:
- Full sun (at least 6 hours)
- Rich, well-draining soil
- Consistent moisture, especially after harvesting
- Cool temperatures between 60-75°F
- Regular fertilizing every 4-6 weeks
- Pest monitoring and prevention
When broccoli plants are healthy and vigorous, they produce more abundant and longer-lasting side shoots.
Overwintering Techniques
In cold climates, getting broccoli to come back year after year relies heavily on successfully overwintering the plants. There are a few overwintering options:
- Heavily mulch plants in late fall, remove mulch in spring
- Cover with cold frames or low tunnels
- Transplant into containers and overwinter indoors
- Allow shoots to root in fall; new shoots emerge in spring
Overwintered broccoli crowns will reshoot earlier in spring for an extended harvest period. Just be sure to harden off the plants before full exposure to spring conditions.
What To Expect from Perennial Broccoli
With proper care, some broccoli plants may continue producing for 3-5 years or longer. However, yields and head size will diminish with each successive season.
The first year typically brings the highest yields of full-sized heads. In following seasons, expect primarily small heads and shoots. But the flavor remains excellent!
Overall, regenerating broccoli delivers smaller but still delicious harvests over an extended period. Gardeners in milder climates can achieve near year-round harvests.
Troubleshooting Poor Regrowth
If your broccoli plants fail to regrow well, a few factors could be to blame:
- Overharvesting – Cutting back too severely stresses plants
- Incorrect cutting – Damaging main stem prevents regrowth
- Weather extremes – Cold/heat weakens plants
- Poor care – Lack of sun, water, nutrients limits vigor
- Age – Yields drop off after several years
Adjust care practices and start new, young plants periodically to maintain productivity.
Enjoying Perennial Broccoli
With the right variety, care, and cutting technique, broccoli can yield harvests for years. While individual plants have a lifespan, proper maintenance allows for a perpetual broccoli patch.
Regrowing broccoli is fun for gardeners who are patient and want to taste food that was just picked. If you follow the above tips, you’ll be able to pick your own broccoli for many years to come!
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Did you know you can grow broccoli like a shrub and have garden fresh veggies year-round? Here’s how
My lazy gardening tendencies generally work against me, leaving far too many weeds and more lost vegetables than I care to admit. But, once in a while, they work in my favor.
Because I don’t like gardening, I was lucky enough to find out that broccoli and some close relatives like cauliflower and a few cabbages can be grown like perennial shrubs and give you fresh food from the garden almost all year long.
As of early February 2024, I’m writing this, I still have one patch of broccoli that started out as two seedlings in the spring of 2020. It’s still going strong, giving me a crop of large heads and small shoots every four weeks or so.
It turns out, a number of members of the brassica family — which includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbages, and mustards — are actually shrubs that grow for years in their native Mediterranean habitat. While centuries of human cultivation and hybridization have made most vegetable garden varieties annuals or biennials, some can easily be coaxed to return to their wild, bushy ways.
What and where to buy
Broccoli seeds are widely available from garden centres and online gardening retailers. Young plants are available in spring and early summer from similar sources, but the choice of varieties will be more limited. You can also buy seeds specifically for growing as microgreens.
Very hardy and crops over a long period. Produces large, deep-purple spears with good flavour. The
Very upright plants that crop in late winter and early spring. Easy to pick, medium sized, dark purple spears. The.
Extremely vigorous, heavy-cropping variety with large tender shoots. Produces many side-shoots, for a long harvest. The
Broccoli grows best in fertile, well-drained soil, in sun or very light shade. It forms quite tall plants, so choose a sheltered spot where they won’t be buffeted by strong winds. Avoid soil that gets waterlogged, especially during winter if growing an overwintering variety. If your soil is very acidic, apply lime the winter before sowing, to raise the pH and deter club root disease. Broccoli prefers a soil pH of 6 to 7. You can carry out a simple pH test to find out the pH level of your soil. Before you plant or sow, get rid of all the weeds and add two buckets of well-rotted manure or garden compost per square meter or yard. Ideally do this several months beforehand, to allow the ground to settle. If you do this right before you plant, make the soil firm by walking on it and then raking it smooth.
Alternatively, if youre practicing no-dig, mulch the soil with organic matter ahead of sowing or planting directly into the mulch.
Broccoli seeds can be sown from February to July – indoors from February or outdoors from April. Sow small batches several weeks apart to provide regular pickings over a long season. Broccoli seeds can also be sown throughout the year and placed on a sunny windowsill to grow into microgreens.
From February, you can start sowing broccoli in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. You can continue sowing batches indoors through to June, or start sowing outdoors (see below) from April. Sowing indoors is useful if you want an early harvest, as it gives plants a head start. It’s also beneficial if you have club root disease in your soil, as you can ensure the plants have a well-developed root system before being moved into the ground, so they should be less severely affected. It’s best to use a modular seedtray, to minimise root disturbance when transplanting later. Fill it with peat-free seed compost, water to dampen thoroughly, then sow two seeds per module, 2cm (¾in) deep. Broccoli seeds should germinate within two weeks without additional heat. Thin out the seedlings, removing the smaller or weaker one, to leave one per module. When the young plants are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall with a good root system, move them outdoors – see Planting, below.
Sow broccoli seeds outdoors from April to July – either in a seedbed (for transplanting later – see Planting below) or straight into their final position if you have space. Prepare the ground as explained above, then make a shallow drill about 2cm (¾in) deep and water along the base.
If sowing in a seedbed, sow seeds about 7.5cm (3in) apart – or thin out to this distance once seedlings appear. If sowing in their final position, sow three seeds every 60–80cm (24–31in), depending on the variety, then thin out each cluster to one strong seedling as soon as they are large enough to handle. Protect young plants from slugs and snails, especially in damp weather. For more sowing tips, see our guides below.
Related RHS Guides
Sowing veg outdoorsSow outdoors – step by step
Broccoli is very quick and easy to grow as microgreens on a sunny windowsill. Sow the seeds at any time of year into a small seedtray of damp peat-free seed compost. Water regularly, and in a couple of weeks or less, the tasty fresh green sprouts will be ready to add to salads and other dishes. 5
It’s best to cover broccoli with fine-mesh netting at all times, to protect the crop from pigeons and various insects. Weed between young plants regularly, water during dry spells and support taller plants with sturdy canes.
Water broccoli seedlings and young plants during dry spells to ensure they establish well. After that, you should only need to water during prolonged dry weather. See our water-saving tips below.
Related RHS Guides
Vegetables: wateringCollecting rainwater
Mulch with a thick layer of organic matter, such as garden compost, to help retain moisture and deter weed germination.
If your soil is poor, you can apply an organic high-nitrogen fertiliser when broccoli plants are about 20cm (8in) tall.
Keep the soil free of weeds, so young broccoli plants don’t get overwhelmed by vigorous weeds or outcompeted for water or sunlight.
Broccoli plants generally grow to 60–90cm (2–3ft) tall and usually need support, especially in exposed locations. If these top-heavy plants are buffeted around by the wind, this can loosen the roots and hinder growth. So, before any autumn gales arrive, pile soil up around the base of the stem to increase stability and/or insert a sturdy cane and tie in the main stem, to keep it upright.
I FINALLY Figured Out How to Grow Broccoli & Cauliflower
FAQ
How many times will a broccoli plant produce?
You can harvest your broccoli around two to three times over a period of around three months depending on which varietal you choose to grow.
Can I leave broccoli in the ground over winter?
Once the plant is mature this crop is simple to care for and a small row of sprouting broccoli plants will keep a family going in tasty florets during winter and into spring. Enjoy more Kitchen Garden Magazine reading every month.
What is the lifespan of a broccoli plant?
The lifespan of a broccoli plant, from germination to maturity, is generally around 3 to 5 months. After harvesting the main head, the plant can continue to produce smaller side shoots for several weeks.
Will broccoli regrow the next year?
Cut and repeat As long as you don’t allow the plants to produce flowers, they will continue to grow for years, producing fresh broccoli for you to harvest every 4 to 6 weeks!.
Does Broccoli regrow after being harvested?
Broccoli is a member of the brassica family, which also includes cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables are known for their ability to regrow after being harvested. Broccoli can regrow from the stem and from the side shoots that develop after the main head is cut.
Can you grow Broccoli all year?
You can’t grow broccoli all year, as it is a cool season crop, but you can choose to plant your seeds or plug plants at different times of the year, as above, to harvest broccoli for many months on end.
Does Broccoli grow after flowering?
By cutting off the main head, you can make side shoots that will grow instead. The main head of broccoli will not grow after it flowers. Remember that the flavor of the broccoli head will become bitter if yellow flowers start to form. Remember that a broccoli plant wants to form flowers and produce seeds to reproduce (this is known as “broccoli going to seed”).
How long does Broccoli regrowth take?
The regrowth timeline for broccoli can vary, but typically, you can expect new shoots and side heads to emerge within 1-3 weeks after cutting the central head. But it’s important to remember that the exact time depends on things like the type of plant, its environment, and how it’s cared for.
Does Broccoli make up for the long growing season?
What does make up for the long growing season is the foliage of the broccoli plant. Broccoli leaves cover 100% of your daily Vitamin C needs in a cup size serving. Broccoli greens also provide a healthy dose of fiber, B vitamins, calcium, iron, beta carotene, and a host of other vitamins and minerals.
Do broccoli florets regrow?
Yes, broccoli florets will regrow a few times during the growing season, given the conditions are favorable and the cuts you make while harvesting are fairly clean and not too traumatic to the plant. However, it’s not like leafy greens, herbs, and peppers.