Broccoli is a popular vegetable for home gardens. Learn how to grow and harvest broccoli and what it means if your broccoli heads flower.
My Broccoli Plant Is Flowering: Is This Normal?
Published on Apr. 17, 2025
Italian immigrants brought broccoli (Brassica oleracea italica) to America in the early 1800s, and gardens haven’t been the same since. And that’s a good thing. Can you imagine life without broccoli? If you want to grow this vegetable, you need to harvest the heads at the right time or the heads of broccoli might flower. Read on to learn why your broccoli is blooming.
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Broccoli Planting Advice
Start seeds indoors five to seven weeks before the last frost. Transplant seedlings 18 inches apart, planted a little deeper than they were outdoors. Or sow seeds directly, just before the last frost, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and 18 inches apart. Space rows 36 inches apart. To speed up the process, you can also start with plants from the garden center.
Broccoli is ready to harvest in about 55 to 60 days, when the central head is 4 to 6 inches in diameter.
Why Is My Broccoli Flowering? Is It Edible?
“My broccoli is blooming. Is this normal?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Caitlin McGibbon of Black Diamond, Washington.
Gardening expert Melinda Myers says, “Yes. If left on the plant too long, especially in hot weather, the green broccoli buds open into yellow flowers. Broccoli that has flowered is edible but often somewhat bitter.”
Backyard tip: For better-tasting broccoli, harvest when the green buds are still tightly closed.
How to Harvest Broccoli
“When harvesting broccoli heads, cut the stalks at an angle to prevent the remaining stalk from filling with water and decomposing. The side shoots can then produce better broccoli,” says reader Deborah Moyer of Liberty, Pennsylvania.
How to Store Broccoli
Store unwashed broccoli in an open bag in the refrigerator up to four days. Broccoli kept in storage for too long may look OK, but it can develop strong and unpleasant flavors.
To freeze, cut the head into bite-size chunks; leave a little stem on each piece. Cut stems into 1-inch lengths. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water, then plunge in ice water for 3 minutes. Drain; store in airtight freezer bags for up to 6 months.
About the Expert
Melinda Myers is the official gardening expert for Birds & Blooms. She is a TV/radio host, author and columnist who has written more than 20 gardening books. Melinda earned a master’s degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
