🥦When to Plant Broccoli (2026)
Cool-season brassica. Transplant before the last frost for spring crops.
- Type: Cool-season
- Method: Transplant
- Days to harvest: 65
- Spacing: 18" apart
- Sun: Full sun
- Companions: onion, beets, lettuce
Is Broccoli right for your USDA zone?
Broccoli is a cool-season crop, which means it thrives in the mild temperatures of spring and fall. Gardeners in zones 3a through 7b get the longest broccoli season — you can plant in early spring and again in late summer for a fall harvest. In warmer zones (8a-10b), grow broccoli as a winter crop from October through February when temperatures are coolest.
Broccoli needs about 65 days from transplant to harvest, so any zone with at least 79frost-free days can grow it successfully. Check your zone's specific dates in the table below.
Broccoli planting dates by zone (2026)
| Zone | Start Indoors | Sow / Transplant | Harvest From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Apr 10 | May 1 | Jul 5 |
| Zone 3b | Apr 10 | May 1 | Jul 5 |
| Zone 4a | Apr 5 | Apr 26 | Jun 30 |
| Zone 4b | Mar 31 | Apr 21 | Jun 25 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 26 | Apr 16 | Jun 20 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 21 | Apr 11 | Jun 15 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 16 | Apr 6 | Jun 10 |
| Zone 6b | Mar 11 | Apr 1 | Jun 5 |
| Zone 7a | Mar 6 | Mar 27 | May 31 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 1 | Mar 22 | May 26 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 18 | Mar 11 | May 15 |
| Zone 8b | Feb 8 | Mar 1 | May 5 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 21 | Feb 11 | Apr 17 |
| Zone 9b | Jan 6 | Jan 27 | Apr 2 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 27 | Jan 17 | Mar 23 |
| Zone 10b | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Mar 7 |