How to Pick Broccoli

Co-authored by Lauren Kurtz

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References Approved

Broccoli is a superfood chock full of antioxidants such as vitamin C, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids. If you have a garden and want to introduce another vegetable to your diet, broccoli is an excellent choice to grow at home. Whether you live in a colder or warmer climate, broccoli can adapt to the environment. Depending on the variety, you will need to harvest your broccoli shoots approximately 2 months after you plant. With a little guidance and understanding about these plants, you can pick a great broccoli harvest from home.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing to Harvest

1
Mark your calendar. Schedule an approximate picking time months in advance so you get the most out of your broccoli plant. If you live in a colder climate, plant your broccoli in the spring so you can pick in the early to late summertime. In warmer climates, you have more freedom and can harvest into autumn.^{[1]
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- In general, expect to harvest broccoli about 55 to 60 days after planting.^{[2]
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  Research source} Watch the growth of the broccoli carefully and harvest them when they reach 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) wide.
- Broccoli is a cool-season crop that harvests best in most climates during the spring or fall. Remember this in advance so you can pick during an optimum season.
2
Pick when it is coolest outside. In the morning, your broccoli will be least exposed to sunlight and fresher from a night of rest. In the evening, your broccoli plant will be least wilted from the sun's heat. Either times are the best option to pick, as the middle of the day is when your plant will have least moisture.
- For best taste, pick strictly in the morning before the soil heats up.
- If you live in a colder or less sunny climate, you can pick in the middle of the day without major concerns. Just take care to pick when your broccoli is not wilted.
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3
Measure central head growth. Head growth is the surest sign that your broccoli is ready to pick. The head should be firm and tight, and it should grow to around 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm). Any larger than 8 inches (20 cm), and you risk waiting until your plant is overripe.
- Your central head will cease to grow when it is ready. If you have not noticed head growth in more than 4 to 6 days, your plant is ready to pick.
4
Monitor floret and leaf growth. Floret (or flower) size is another reliable indicator that your harvest is ready. When florets at the outside edge of the broccoli head is around the size of a toothpick, your broccoli is ready for picking.^{[3]
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5
Check the florets for a deep green. Pay close attention to the plant's color when deciding whether to pick it. Your florets should be a deep green. If you see hints of yellow in the florets, your plant has begun to bloom or bolt. Harvest the broccoli immediately if it begins to turn yellow, as your plants may become overripe in several days.
- If your broccoli flower sprouts, it is no longer edible. Ideally, pick your broccoli the day your plant begins yellowing.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Harvesting your Broccoli

1
Use proper broccoli picking tools. When choosing a knife or clipper, make sure your tools are sharp. Clean your tools before you use them, and avoid harvesting your broccoli with any rusty tools. Precise cuts are important when picking broccoli, which will help your plant heal and prevent it from withering before you can re-harvest later on.
- Use gardening gloves or buy a pair, if you haven't already. Gardening gloves can keep your hands clean and protect them from garden insects.
- Do not literally "pick" your broccoli with your hands. Without using tools, your cuts will be uneven and will not allow your broccoli to grow side shoots later on.
2
Remove the heads below the head base. Using a sharp knife, cut around 5 inches (13 cm) below the broccoli heads.
- Try to remove the head in 1 clean cut so your plant can heal and produce more side shoots later. Avoid using sawing motions or cutting with multiple hits, which can decrease your broccoli harvest.^{[4]
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3
Cut below the heads at a slant. Cutting at an angle will allow any moisture to slide down the side, whereas cutting flat causes water to pool on top and rot the center.^{[5]
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Research source} If the plant's center rots, you will not be able to re-harvest later on and will need to pull your plant early.
4
Remember the side shoots.^{[6]
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Research source} Besides the main head, you should see smaller broccoli heads along the sides of your broccoli. Trim these at an angle, too, using either your knife or a pair of sharp clippers. More, smaller side shoots will grow over the next 2 to 4 weeks.
5
Collect your broccoli harvest. Bring a bucket, basket, or bowl to collect your broccoli in after you have picked it. This will help keep your picking organized and allow easy storage later on.
- Throw away any any broccoli that has gone bad. Broccoli heads that smell pungent, is a vivid yellow color, or feels limp to the touch may have rotted before picking.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing Your Harvest

1
Don't harvest your entire broccoli plant at once. If you harvest all the heads and pull your plant at the same day, you will not get the most out of your plant. If you cut at an angle, your plant will grow more side shoots within a few days. Because fresh broccoli needs to be eaten within a small window, you may want to harvest over the course of a week rather than all at once.^{[7]
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- The exception to this is if your plant has yellowed considerably and you suspect it will soon flower. Preferably, plan on harvesting before your plant shows yellow streaks. If it already has, harvest as much as you can immediately but check the stalks in several days for more shoots.
- Picking over several days can seem inconvenient, but you are less likely to waste your harvest.
2
Re-pick several days to a week later. Two to 4 days later, you may notice 1 or 2 smaller heads growing where you cut the first heads.^{[8]
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Research source} Slice these off at an angle again (using either your knife or clippers), then check again in 2 to 4 days for more smaller heads.
- If you do not see any additional shoots, the first harvest may have caused too much damage to the plant. After a week of no shoot growth, pull the plant and compost it.
- This process should continue over the next few weeks, with the heads becoming smaller and smaller each time, until the end of broccoli harvesting season for your climate.^{[9]
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3
Store your broccoli indoors. Wash and dry your broccoli before storing to remove any dirt or potential insects. Store your broccoli in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Blanch or freeze your broccoli if you plan to use it later, as it will wilt after a week.^{[10]
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- Cold and moist is preferable for cut broccoli shoots. Because your refrigerator is dry, put your broccoli in a perforated plastic bag in your crisper.
- Frozen broccoli can be stored in your freezer for up to a year. If you had a heavy broccoli harvest and cannot use all your broccoli in a weak, freezing is your best option for long-term usage.
4
Pull your broccoli plant and put it in the compost. After the first frosts in your area occur, pull your broccoli plant before it begins to rot. Make sure you pull the broccoli plant from the roots to ensure it has been fully removed.
- If you have created a compost pile, you can add the broccoli plant to the pile with other carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials such as leaves, egg shells, coffee grounds, and grass clippings. You can then mix or layer it into your garden when planting later for richer soil.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Where does broccoli grow?

Lauren Kurtz
Professional Gardener
Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.

Lauren Kurtz

Professional Gardener

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Broccoli grows best in zones 3-10. It is a cool season plant and will not flower properly if temperatures go above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Question

Some of my broccoli have small yellow flowers. What does that mean?

Community Answer

The plant is overly ripe. In the store, that indicates the plant heads are old.
Question

My broccoli head are being attacked by those green worms, thus shrinking in size. Is it too late to cut the head off, clean it really well, and cook it, or have those worms affected or infected the plant such that it is not safe to eat?

Community Answer

Those worms are insect larvae. Broccoli (and cauliflower) should be grown with mesh cloth covering the plants. That prevents the adults from dropping their eggs onto the plants. You could try a sharp spray of water from the hose to knock them off. No, they do not infect the plant.

Warnings

Insect infestation is common in broccoli plants during the summer. Harlequin bugs, worms, and grasshoppers can decrease your harvesting yield. Inspect your broccoli plants every day and pick off any bugs you find to keep your broccoli pest-free before picking.

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