When to Plant Broccoli in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Sow August to April. Right now in September you can sow.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Broccoli guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Broccoli

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Broccoli is a cool-season brassica that produces a large central head followed by smaller side-shoots over several weeks. It is one of the most nutritious vegetables available and grows well across most Australian zones during the cooler months. The key to success is timing (avoiding heat-induced bolting) and managing the ever-present Cabbage White Butterfly.

Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
S/T S/T S/T T - - - S S/T S/T S/T S/T

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 13.1°C (optimal range: 10–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Broccoli in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Sow January-April for winter harvest. Purple Sprouting types planted in autumn overwinter and harvest in early spring. Year-round growing possible with succession sowing.

Soil
Rich, moisture-retentive loam with plenty of compost and well-rotted manure. Firm soil preferred. Brassicas dislike loose, fluffy beds.
pH Range
6.0-7.0
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 soak

Companion plants: Celery, Onion, Chamomile, Dill, Rosemary, Sage

Avoid planting near: Strawberry, Tomato, Capsicum, Other brassicas (rotation)

Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Broccoli

Recommended Varieties

  • Waltham 29
  • De Cicco
  • Calabrese
  • Purple Sprouting (overwinter)
  • Romanesco

Key Challenges

  • Heavy frosts can damage mature heads
  • Slow growth in deep winter

Pro Tips

  • Premium broccoli zone, ideal cool-season conditions
  • Purple Sprouting broccoli overwinters beautifully here
  • Fleece/frost cloth protects maturing heads from hard frost

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.

Worth growing?

A 2.4 m × 1.2 m bed fits 6 plants, about $15 worth at today’s Aldi and Coles prices, checked today.

That is roughly 3 kg at $5.00 a kilo.

Draw your broccoli bed → No account needed.

Common Broccoli Pests in Cool Temperate Zones

Cabbage Aphids, risk: MODERATE (score: 51/100)

Organic prevention: Install netting BEFORE you see the first butterfly. Once eggs are laid under netting, you've trapped the problem inside. Inspect leaf undersides weekly for yellow egg clusters and remove immediately.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

What broccoli costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this September: Ginger, Sweet Corn, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

The pest most likely to find your broccoli: Cabbage White Butterfly.

Supermarket Price

Current average retail: $5.00/kg (12-month range: $3.49–$7.90)

Grow your own and save on grocery bills.

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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:

Does broccoli grow all year round in Melbourne?

No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Jan to Apr, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.