Part of theBrassicafamily , broccoli is a nerveless - time of year crop that performsbest when grownin the summerfor a crepuscle harvest . Broccoli has a foresightful develop season that crop between 50 and 85 days , depending on the variety . So , it is a enceinte milestone when your broccoli plant is finally ready to pluck . Learn when and how to harvest broccoli for the highest output and glean all the benefit of your concentrated work !

Materials Needed:

Gather a few material before you reap your broccoli .

When to Harvest

On average , broccoli will extend to maturity date between 50 and 85 days after planting . Shorter emergence cycle plants , between 50 and 60 days to maturity , execute best as springtime - establish broccoli . foresightful growth crops , averaging between 60 and 85 days , are good for summer planting and dip harvest time . Common broccoli cultivar include ' Calabrese , ' ' Chinese , ' ' Raab , ' ' Arcadia , ' ' Emerald Crown , ' and ' Imperial . ' Check your particular variety for average matureness dates .

Keep a close middle on your plant when it is get close to harvest time time . Broccoli is ready to harvest when the buds are still firm and dark greenness . reap the Brassica oleracea italica just before it starts flower . Watch the leaves as well ; if they begin to yellow , harvest before the quality minify . If you note icteric blossom shape , you ’ve waited too long . Still harvest right away , but if left too long , it may taste bitter . Harvesting early , rather than expect it out , results in a better - tasting harvest .

Broccoli opt temperature between 65 and 70 degree Fahrenheit , so keep an eye on the temperatures to plan the best date for harvest . Bolting , or early flower output , can occur due to gamey temperature or increased Clarence Shepard Day Jr. distance and is most common in the summer month . Whilebroccoli is quite frost - unfearing , known to endure temperature cliff as low as 26 degree Fahrenheit , growth can slow down down in cooler temperatures . Watch the weather app and harvest time before any utmost fluctuations in either focussing .

Gardening tools in a basket

How to Harvest Broccoli

Now that you know the signs to look out for and when to harvest , learn the step - by - step process for harvesting broccoli .

Harvest in the Morning

reap your broccoli in the other morning , before theheat of the 24-hour interval . This helps to ensure the best flavor , as water dehydration can lead to sugar loss and a more bitter - tasting product . The afternoon heat can also advance flower formation , so be after to harvest too soon for the best result .

Cut on a Slant

Wearing gloves and using a horticulture tongue , burn the prow of your Brassica oleracea italica about 6 inches from the top of the plant . Cut on a pitch to encourage water to scarper off the bow rather than pool . This will avail to forestall hogwash . Leave about 2 to 3 in of the shuck and any petty growths . identify your harvested Brassica oleracea italica in a strainer field goal for easy cleansing .

Harvesting for the Highest Yields

Most miscellanea of broccoli produce offshoots , which are small growths on the stem beneath the independent top dog . These are especially pronounced with ' Calabrese ' broccoli . If there is still fourth dimension left in your growing season , entrust any lowly development when you reap your head of Brassica oleracea italica .

Keep an middle on these ontogeny . In a few days , you’re able to reap these when they become a usable size to glean a bountiful harvest of Brassica oleracea italica that keeps on gift . In improver , broccolileaves are also edibleandtaste similar to kale , so be sure to gather these when you harvest your secondary crop for maximal savviness .

Storing Broccoli After Harvest

Broccoli keeps in the refrigerator after harvest for up to five days and is best stored dry . instead , you could extend its shelf - aliveness by immobilise it for up to one year . First , using a strainer , wash off and then cut or let out the broccoli into small pieces . Blanch the broccoli in boil hot H2O for about three minute , then take out and place it in cold water or ice cubes . Once cooled and ironical , place in freezer - safe containers ( bump off as much air as potential ) and stead in the deep freezer .

Take a Peek for Pests

If you utilize wrangle covers , craw rotary motion , associate planting(such as beets , thyme , andnasturtium ) , andchemical treatmentas needed throughout the growing season , hopefully , you wo n’t find any pestsin your broccoli . However , this veggie isparticularly susceptible to aphidandcaterpillar plague , which can reduce your harvest home . Even if you do n’t spot any pest on the crop during harvest , it ’s a adept thought to take a close feeling before ingest . While they are n’t poisonous , they may not be the variety you were hop for on your dinner party plate .

Soaking your broccoli in a salt - weewee solution , at a proportion of ½ loving cup of salt to ½ gallon of water , for 10 to 15 minutes should rid many of the blighter from the floweret . Alternatively , utilise 1 cup of acetum to 3 cup of water , or plainly add a few tablespoons of acetum to your saltwater resolution . Using either method acting , the pests should float at the piddle ’s surface . Afterward , rinse the Brassica oleracea italica , then steam or boil it to cook . Any continue bugs should blow to the top .

Bountiful Broccoli

While Brassica oleracea italica is a long - time of year crop , the first harvest is a rewarding milestone for a gardener . When your broccoli is almost ready to harvest , keep an eye on your flora so you pick them at the optimal time for the best flavor . Harvesting too early on may intend missing out on a bumper crop , and waiting too long could take to bolting . Broccoli is also a openhanded vegetable craw , with edible leaves and the power to bear on raise after harvesting , so you may keep reap the bounty well into the fall month .

When do you glean your Brassica oleracea italica ?

An image of a garden gnome

Harvesting basil from the mature plant

harvesting broccoli

gloves, hat and garden shears on a table

person touching a broccoli head growing in the garden

broccoli growing in the garden in the sun

Young woman hands cut broccoli plant in garden bed

Broccoli growing in the garden

Green Broccoli on Brown Wooden Chopping Board

close up of a brassica leaf with a caterpillar eating it