Broccoli: America’s Favorite Vegetable

Please check out the brief video above, to learn what this premium gardening guide is all about—the video will give you a glimpse into all the content in this gardening guide, including history and background, planting tips, specific plant profiles, recipes, nutrition and health information, and resources to help you be the best food gardener you can be.

Curator’s Corner

Welcome to the healthful, delicious world of broccoli! When Mom said, “Eat your broccoli, it’s good for you,” she wasn’t kidding. Broccoli is often called the ‘Crown Jewel of Nutrition.’ Just a half cup of steamed broccoli contains 70% of your daily vitamin… READ MORE

Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network

Introduction

Ah, versatile and nutritious broccoli. Bright green (and sometimes white or purple), crunchy, and full of flavor, broccoli is delicious raw or steamed, stir-fried, grilled, or roasted. You can enjoy it plain or with dip as a snack; in soups, salads, egg dishes, pasta,… READ MORE

Features

Growing Zones for Broccoli

Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable that thrives in cooler climates. It is generally recommended to grow broccoli in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 to 10. Here are examples of U.S. states that fall within these zones: Zone 3: Some states in this zone are: Minnesota Montana North Dakota Parts of Alaska Zone 4: Some states… READ MORE

Types of Broccoli

When considering the types of broccoli you can grow, the first thing to know is that you can’t go by the name alone. Broccoli comes in two main types: sprouting and heading. Sprouting broccoli has long, slender stems that can be prepared and eaten like asparagus. Heading, with its large crowns of tightly packed florets, is the most popular type grown in the U.S. READ MORE

Growing Broccoli from Seeds, Seedlings, or Cuttings

Can you grow broccoli from seed? Yes. In fact, most gardeners start their broccoli plants from seeds. Especially in cooler climates, many home gardeners start their seeds indoors, so the seedlings are ready to plant as soon as the ground thaws—or summer temperatures start to drop—as broccoli is a cool weather crop. READ MORE