Broccoli in all its varieties matures in 55 to 100 days. Broccoli is harvested when the bud clusters forming the head are tightly closed. The whole head becomes compact and firm. The harvest should occur before the buds open to produce flowers. The broccoli head diameter is also checked for consistency with the variety grown. Before harvest, finger-tips are used to feel the broccoli head to check readiness for harvest.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Although broccoli is a fairly easy to grow crop, when to harvest it may not be that straight forward. We have prepared this feature to assist home gardeners and hobby growers, in general, to determine when to harvest broccoli.
To begin, broccoli is a hardy vegetable botanically known as brassica oleracea var. italica which belongs to the cabbage family. It is called a hardy vegetable owing to its ability to withstand cold temperatures, something not possible with tomatoes, for example.
There are many types of broccoli. The popular names include calabrese broccoli, destiny broccoli, and belstar broccoli.
Regardless of variety, the broccoli head is actually a bloom in waiting. Thus all broccoli varieties follow a similar pattern when maturing for harvest. They all eventually bloom if not harvested in time.
The goal when growing broccoli is thus to harvest the head before it bolts or blooms. The following sections of this feature provide practical steps and indicators to help meet this goal.
Summary of When to Harvest Mature Broccoli
Below is a summary of helpful factors that indicate when to harvest broccoli. These indicators are best used in combination to avoid passing the mark due to varieties, and general crop performance. Furthermore, some of the indicators are explored in detail in the rest of the article.
- Days to maturity (DTM) of specific variety one is growing
- Dense, tight, well formed broccoli head
- Coloration of crown (dark green without a lot of yellow)
- Broccoli variety (cultivar)
- Broccoli head size
- Broccoli head weight
- General looks of broccoli head
- Grower intuition
- Grower past experience
Pattern of Harvesting Broccoli
When to harvest broccoli comes down to a certain set of characteristics associated with mature broccoli.
In a field or garden of substantial broccoli crop, broccoli heads mature for harvest at different times. Depending on how large the field or garden is, it may take up to three rounds of harvesting cuts at different times to harvest all the mature heads.
This means the broccoli heads are first checked for readiness to harvest. Those that are ready are harvested. The pattern is repeated until the whole field is harvested.
Regardless of field or garden size, the maturity of broccoli heads happens swiftly. The broccoli head literally transforms in a matter of days from a small appearance to a fully mature head ready for harvest.
Once a broccoli plant forms a broccoli head, when to harvest the broccoli is a matter of days away. Newly formed broccoli heads must be watched on a daily basis so they are harvested without delay once they are ready.
Terminal heads and lateral heads harvest
Typically, broccoli grows the main head and the secondary heads. The main head is the terminal head. This is also called the crown and is the main prize. The other smaller heads growing on the sides are the auxiliary heads. These are also referred to as side shoots in some literature. The main head matures first and is also harvested first. The main head is typically green at the time of harvest, before it starts turning yellow, an indication of impending bloom.
The removal of the main head stimulates the production of the side heads which follow in line to be harvested. According to Utah State University Yard and Garden Extension, side-dressing the broccoli crop with additional nitrogen fertilizer encourages auxiliary heads development.
That said, auxiliary broccoli heads tend to grow unevenly and thus are harvested at different times. Depending on variety, side heads are harvested at about twice each week.
Broccoli head sizes at harvest
Another useful indicator of when to harvest broccoli involves a few numbers. In general, mature broccoli heads that are ready for harvest range from 5cm to 25cm in diameter or roughly 2 to 10 inches. Although this may be difficult to determine whilst attached to the plant, the heads weigh between 100 and 800g each or 3.5 oz. to 28 oz.
Broccoli side heads range in diameter from 5 cm to 10 cm or 2 inches to 4 inches. Furthermore, they tend to weigh between 100g and 500g each or 3.5 oz. to 18 oz. each. These numbers clearly show the secondary nature of the side shoots. They clearly do not grow in size as big as the main head.
In some large scale commercial operations, depending on variety, the side shoots are simply ignored at harvest. If harvested, the auxiliary heads are often sold bunched up into 400g to 600g or 14 oz. to 21oz bunches.
In any case, when the broccoli buds are observed to start opening or if small flowers start to appear, harvest commences regardless of any of the above numbers.
Broccoli Cultivars and their Harvest Times
Keep in mind that when determining when to harvest broccoli, different broccoli varieties have different maturity times. For example, the University of Illinois Extension identifies some eight Broccoli varieties and their different harvest timings as shown below.
| Variety | Days to Harvest |
| Cruiser | 58 days to harvest |
| Green Comet | 55 days, early |
| Green Goliath | 76 days |
| Patron | 77 days, mid-late season |
| Captain | 79 days |
| Barbados | 81 days, late summer or early fall harvest |
| Arcadia | 86 days, fall harvest |
| Eureka | 87 days, fall harvest |
How to Harvest Broccoli
Broccoli heads are harvested by cutting the heads with a sharp knife at the base with some 15cm of stem attached. The exact place to cut should be above any secondary shoots to allow them to continue growing after the head has been removed. Any foliage still attached to the head after harvest is removed.
Seasoned harvesters cut the stem at an angle instead of flat. This prevents water from sitting on top of the stem and potentially triggering some rot.
Although the heads are much talked about, broccoli leaves are also edible and prepared in the same way as kale. Instead of lettuce leaf wrap, broccoli leaves may also be used as broccoli leaves wraps or can be enjoyed as a soup.
When to Store Harvested Broccoli
When to harvest broccoli is apparently only one side of the coin. Broccoli storage after harvest is equally important and sensitive to timing. Broccoli is a highly perishable vegetable. It must be refrigerated immediately after harvest.
At the right conditions, broccoli can be stored for up to 4 weeks. This is the case when stored at 0 degrees Celsius and 95% to 100% relative humidity. When transported to the market, crushed ice or slurry ice is used to cover the packed broccoli.
When harvesting broccoli at home, the head should not be stored in a tightly closed container or plastic bag. Broccoli, like many other fruits, releases the gas ethylene. Ethylene triggers yellowing in many fruits and vegetables. This will degenerate the broccoli quicker. The packaging thus should allow the stored broccoli to breathe.
How to tell when Broccoli is ready to Harvest (Video)
This short video presents a concise way of telling when to harvest broccoli. It shows what to look for and what to look out for in order to avoid missing just the right moment of harvest.
Conclusion
When to harvest broccoli is informed by a number of factors. Chief among them is the look and firmness of the head of the broccoli. Broccoli is harvested before the buds bloom into flowers. The variety of broccoli planted also determines when it will be ready for harvest. There are many broccoli varieties on the market today. Each one of these comes with its own days to maturity which can be used to estimate harvest timing.
