When to Plant Broccoli in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Canberra), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Broccoli guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Mar
- Days to harvest
- about 11 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 45 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Shop price
- $6.90/kg at one shop
Broccoli is a cool-season brassica that produces a large central head followed by smaller side-shoots over several weeks.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cold / Highland
- Jan S/T
- Feb T
- Mar T
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov S
- Dec S/T
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Cold / Highland zone right now, Broccoli included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Broccoli in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moisture-retentive loam with plenty of compost and well-rotted manure. Firm soil preferred. Brassicas dislike loose, fluffy beds.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun (minimum 6 hours). Tolerates partial afternoon shade in warmer zones.
- Spacing
- 45cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent deep watering 2-3 times weekly. Brassicas are shallow-rooted and stress quickly in dry conditions. Inconsistent watering causes hollow stems and poor head formation. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses ideal.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill
- Keep away from
- Capsicum, Garden Cress, Lemongrass, Peach, Pear, Rue, Strawberry, Tomato
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before brassicas go back in. The cabbage family is hungry for nitrogen and shares club root and other soil diseases.
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Broccoli
Recommended Varieties
- Waltham 29
- Marathon
- Purple Sprouting
- Belstar
Key Challenges
- Short frost-free window
- Hard frosts kill immature plants
- Slow growth at altitude
Pro Tips
- Start seeds indoors/under cover to maximise growing season
- Cloches and frost cloth extend the season both ends
- Purple Sprouting types that overwinter are excellent here
Pests and problems for Broccoli in Cold / Highland
- Bacterial Spot Watch
- Helicoverpa / Corn Earworm / Tomato Grub Watch
- Diamondback Moth Watch
- Cabbage White Butterfly Watch
- Damping Off Watch
- Fusarium Wilt Watch
- Clubroot Maintain pH above 7.0 for all brassica beds. 4+ year brassica rotation. Never compost brassica roots. Buy seedlings from reputable sources... Watch
- Downy Mildew Adequate spacing for air circulation. Water at base, never overhead. Morning watering so foliage dries quickly. Avoid crowded plantings. Watch
Harvesting Broccoli
When ready: Central head should be 10-15cm diameter with tight, dark green buds. Harvest BEFORE any yellow flowers appear. Individual buds should be compact and firm, not swollen or loose.
How to harvest: Cut main head with 10-15cm of stem attached using a sharp knife, cutting at an angle to shed water from the cut surface. LEAVE THE PLANT IN THE GROUND - side shoots will develop from leaf axils and produce smaller broccoli heads for 4-8 weeks after main head harvest.
Storing and preserving broccoli
How to keep it
- Freezing (blanched). Cut into uniform florets. Soak in salted water 30 minutes to evict any hidden caterpillars (essential for organic broccoli). Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Ice bath immediately. Drain thoroughly, pat dry. Lay on tray to flash-freeze, then transfer to freezer bags. Keeps: 12 months.
- Dehydrating. Blanch florets 3 minutes, ice bath, drain. Spread on dehydrator trays. Dry at 55C for 8-12 hours until crisp. Rehydrate in soups and casseroles, or powder for adding nutrition to smoothies. Keeps: 12 months.
- Fermentation (Lacto-fermented). Cut into small florets. Pack into jar with 2% brine (20g salt per litre water). Weigh down below brine surface. Ferment at room temperature 5-7 days. Refrigerate. Keeps: 3-6 months (refrigerated).
- Pickling. Blanch small florets 2 minutes. Pack into sterilised jars with garlic, chilli, dill. Cover with hot brine (1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp salt). Water bath 10 minutes. Keeps: 12 months.
What broccoli costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Broccoli
When do you plant broccoli in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Jul
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Jun
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to Aug
Can you grow broccoli all year round in Canberra?
No. In the Cold / Highland zone the planting months are Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Broccoli in Canberra?
Sow in trays in early summer and plant out from December to March so heads form in cool autumn weather. Spring plantings tend to bolt as they head up in summer heat.
What soil temperature do Broccoli need?
Broccoli germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Broccoli are ready to harvest?
Central head should be 10-15cm diameter with tight, dark green buds. Harvest BEFORE any yellow flowers appear. Individual buds should be compact and firm, not swollen or loose.
What are the best Broccoli varieties for Canberra?
Recommended varieties for the Cold / Highland zone include: Waltham 29, Marathon, Purple Sprouting, Belstar.
What grows well with Broccoli?
Good companion plants for Broccoli include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill.
Are broccoli salt tolerant?
Only a little. Broccoli are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.