How far apart to plant broccoli
Virginia Cooperative Extension and Colorado State University Extension set broccoli 12 to 24 inches apart in the row, with rows 18 to 36 inches apart. In a raised bed, 18 inches each way is the published bed spacing, and the UC Master Gardeners' square foot guide gives each plant a full square foot. Seed goes 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.
The wide range has a reason. The crop record notes that plants set 1 foot by 1 foot still produce, but the heads are smaller and fewer side shoots follow once the main head is cut. Give broccoli the wider spacing if you want side shoots for weeks after the first harvest.
How many broccoli plants fit a raised bed
| Bed | 18 in each way (square) | Square foot method (1 per sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 ft | 4 | 16 |
| 4 × 8 ft | 10 | 32 |
| 3 × 6 ft | 8 | 18 |
| 4 × 12 ft | 16 | 48 |
At 18 inches, a 4 ft wide bed takes two rows of plants, and the calculator keeps at least half a spacing, 9 inches, clear at every edge. The square foot column fills every square to the edge; that is the tight 1 by 1 foot planting that gives smaller heads. In a single garden row at 18 inches, 10 feet holds 6 plants and 25 feet holds 16.
Rows or a bed?
In rows, the calculator starts at 18 inches in the row and 27 inches between rows, the middle of each published range. That fits 5 plants in a 4 × 8 ft bed, half the square pattern, because the extra walking space between rows is counted as bed. Use rows in an in-ground garden where you hoe between them; use the square pattern in a raised bed.
Broccoli in a container
The crop record lists one broccoli plant per 5 gallon bucket, with at least 10 inches of soil depth, from Colorado State's container gardening notes. Texas A&M AgriLife's container guide (E-545) grows one plant in a 2 gallon pot, so a 5 gallon bucket gives the roots room to spare.
Spring and fall crops
Broccoli handles cold down to 28°F, and Utah State University Extension sets transplants out 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost. Heads turn loose and bitter in summer heat, so spring and fall plantings do best. Colorado State counts about 65 days from transplanting to harvest, and Virginia Tech expects 4 to 6 lb per 10 feet of row.
Find your transplant dates on the broccoli seed starting page. To mix broccoli with lettuce, onions or other crops in the same bed, plan it in the raised bed planner or the square foot gardening calculator.