What mistakes should you avoid when planting broccoli?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Successfully growing broccoli means avoiding mistakes that can ruin their potential. Overcrowded plants, poorly prepared soil, and fertilizing too late in the season are all common mistakes. I have revitalized struggling crops around these issues - here are some tips to avoid these from the start.
Soil Preparation
- Avoid compacted or sandy soils lacking organic matter
- Test pH annually, broccoli needs 6.0-7.0 to absorb nutrients
- Rotate beds yearly to prevent clubroot disease
Spacing & Airflow
- Plant seedlings 18-24 inches apart
- Use trellises for vertical growth in small spaces
- Prune yellowing leaves to improve circulation
Fertilizer Timing
- Stop high-nitrogen feeds after heads form
- Switch to phosphorus-rich blends during flowering
- Overfertilizing causes hollow stems and leafy growth
Aphids and caterpillars are prolific breeders. Check the undersides of the leaves every 3 days; I use a 1:10 dish soap-water mix to treat. If the problem is extensive, planting ladybugs or lacewings may help. After planting, use row covers, they block 90% of pests.
Excess nitrogen late in the season delays heading and creates a lot more foliage. I only use blood meal in the first six weeks. After florets form, I switch to bone meal for the phosphorus. In my zone 7 trials, I could double my average head size using this method.
Read the full article: How to Grow Broccoli: Expert Tips for Home Gardens
