Broccoli is one of the good vegetables that you can consider adding to your vegetable garden. The Broccoli is simple to grow just like its relatives such as cabbage, kale, and cauliflower.
Broccoli undergoes 4 basic stages of development. And all four stages usually take 50-70 days to complete from seed planting to harvest. The vegetable is usually planted in early spring after the last spring frost, which means the temperature is approximately about 60-65°F. How much does it cost to fix a leaking roof?
Just like other Brassica family members such as cabbage and cauliflower, broccoli too thieves well in cool-weather summer. However, each stage of growth in the life cycle of broccoli requires a different range of temperatures.
For more detailed information about temperature requirements, read on to find out while I’m discussing each growing stage of broccoli under a separate heading.
The four growing stages of broccoli include:
1. Germination stage
Broccoli is grown as an annual vegetable, meaning it can be grown and harvested in a single year. The germination stage is the first developmental stage in the life cycle of broccoli where broccoli seeds resume life in the presence of moisture, nutrients, sunlight, and temperature.
Broccoli seeds are started indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Use a seed starting tray to seeds. Alternatively, you can use any container that is well-drained and suitable for starting seeds indoors.
The ideal temperature for growing broccoli is between 65-85°F. Under normal conditions, broccoli seeds will begin to sprout 5-10 days.
Read also: Here Is What You Need To Know About Arugula Growing Temperature
2. Seedling stage
This is the second stage in the growth cycle of broccoli. The seedling stage lasts for 4 weeks during which all necessary structures required for water and nutrients absorption and food synthesis have developed.
Seedling is simply a young embryonic broccoli plant that has started growing leaf-like and root-like structures. Unlike, during the germination stage, the seedling stage of broccoli requires you to keep the temperature between the range of 60-65°F.
Related: Learn more about how plants grow from the germination stage to the ripening stage
Feeding may be required with a slow-releasing fertilizer that contains less amount of nitrogen. You need to leave your broccoli seedlings indoors until they tale at least 3-4 weeks old. After this time, you can transplant them to a larger container or garden soil. (Tip: learn how to transplant plant from one place to another here.)
Another important thing that you need to maintain is regular watering. If you are using a germinating tray, it will be easier because everything comes pre-installed including the watering stuff. However, whatever the case may be the best rule of thumb is to moisten the top inches of the soul. But, avoid overwatering.
Read also: 6 Problems You Need To Remember When Growing Arugula
3. Vegetative stage
During the vegetative stage, broccoli seedling will differentiate, elongate, and expand to form a true set of leaves, roots, and stems. During this stage, the broccoli plant is matured enough to take nutrients and water from the soil and also synthesize food using sunlight through photosynthesis.
The vegetative stage usually lasts for a short period of time before flowers set in. Feeding is required with low nitrogen fertilizer. Avoid feeding your broccoli with fertilizer that contains a high amount of nitrogen. Nitrogen can make your broccoli not produce heads. Alternatively, you can feed your Broccoli with compost that contains a high amount of carbon materials.
Read also: How To Grow Arugula In Containers In 9 Easy Steps
4. Flowering stage
The last event that takes place in the life cycle of Broccoli is a flowering stage. This stage usually starts between 45-65 days after planting. Depending on the variety, make sure you harvest broccoli heads before flowers set in that is if you are growing for vegetable purposes.
When broccoli started producing flowers, it cannot be harvested. You have to wait until it starts to produce seeds. The seeds can be collected and saved for future use. Seeds of broccoli can be harvested when the color turns brown and the seeds are dried.
Read also: Learn About Cauliflower Growing Stages
Conclusion
In this article, I looked at the different growing stages of broccoli. I hope you will find this guide very helpful in understanding the growing stages of broccoli. Let me know if you have any questions.
