When to Plant Broccolini in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Broccolini 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.
- Planting window
- Oct to Apr
- Days to harvest
- about 11 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (gai laan). You eat the tender stems, the leaves and the small flower buds.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate
- Jan S/T
- Feb S/T
- Mar S/T
- Apr T
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct S
- Nov S/T
- Dec S/T
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Broccolini in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Deep, well drained soil with compost, well rotted manure and blood and bone (Bunnings). Choose a spot that did not grow brassicas last year (Baag).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Seed Station, Bunnings).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 30cm between rows
- Watering
- Water deeply 2 to 3 times a week, and more in warm or dry weather (Bunnings). Baag says to check by pushing a finger into the soil. Without water the plants bolt (Gardenate).
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill
- Keep away from
- Tomato, Climbing beans, Capsicum and chilli, Eggplant
- 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.
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Broccolini
Recommended Varieties
- Broccolini
- Broccoletti
Key Challenges
- Late frosts on young plants
- Slugs and snails
- Caterpillars
Pro Tips
- Harden seedlings off
- Cover on frosty nights
- Net every plant
Pests and problems for Broccolini in Cool Temperate
- Common Garden Snail Watch
- Slugs Slugs and snails Watch
- Aphids Watch
- Clubroot Rotate brassicas. Baag advises not growing brassicas in the same spot as the previous year, and Bunnings notes rotation reduces clubroot... Watch
- Fungal diseases in warm, humid weather Space plants well for airflow, water at the base and rotate beds (Bunnings). Watch
- Caterpillars Caterpillars Watch
Harvesting Broccolini
When ready: Pick the main stem while the buds are still tight and green, before they open into yellow flowers (Gardenate: pick as soon as possible).
How to harvest: Cut the stem with a sharp knife. Leave the plant in the ground. Side shoots keep developing and can be picked for several weeks (Bunnings, Gardenate).
Storing and preserving broccolini
How to keep it
- Refrigeration. Bunnings says broccoli keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. We have assumed the same for broccolini. No freezing instructions were read. Keeps: Up to 5 days (broccoli).
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 Broccolini
When do you plant broccolini in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Jun
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Feb to Jun
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Apr, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to Jun
Can you grow broccolini all year round in Melbourne?
No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Jan to Apr, Oct to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Broccolini in Melbourne?
Seed Station gives no cool temperate calendar. We have used its cool mountain months, October to March, for this zone too. Start seed in trays and plant out 4 to 6 weeks later. Protect young plants from late frosts.
What soil temperature do Broccolini need?
Broccolini germinate best when soil temperature is between 7°C and 30°C.
How do I know when Broccolini are ready to harvest?
Pick the main stem while the buds are still tight and green, before they open into yellow flowers (Gardenate: pick as soon as possible).
What are the best Broccolini varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Broccolini, Broccoletti.
What grows well with Broccolini?
Good companion plants for Broccolini include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill.
Are broccolini salt tolerant?
Only a little. Broccolini 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 Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.