How to Grow Premium Crop Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica 'Premium Crop'
Premium Crop Broccoli is a reliable cool-season brassica prized for its tender heads and robust flavor. Gardeners grow this variety to enjoy fresh harvests during milder weather while benefiting from its excellent disease resistance.
Starting Premium Crop Broccoli: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 4 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
Start seeds indoors four weeks before the last frost date, then harden off seedlings gradually before moving them outdoors once soil temperatures have cooled.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 before sowing. As a cool-season crop, start seeds indoors or direct sow them 2 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost date. Press seeds gently into the soil at a depth of about one-quarter inch. Expect germination within five to ten days if conditions remain consistent.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and head development. Provide 1 to 1.5 inches of water weekly, keeping the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Apply a light layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Feed regularly with a balanced fertilizer during active growth for best results.
Watch for cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, and maggots; use row covers or insecticidal soap early. Prevent clubroot and black rot by rotating crops and ensuring good drainage. Harvest heads when they are firm and tight, typically 82 to 85 days after sowing. Cut the main head at the base and side shoots can follow shortly after.
When to Plant Premium Crop Broccoli
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | August – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | July – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | April – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | March – December |
Companion Plants for Premium Crop Broccoli
✓ Good companions
Repels cabbage white butterflies and provides natural pest deterrent
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that prey on cabbage worms
Provides ground cover and efficient space use without competing for nutrients
Repel cabbage worms, aphids, and other brassica pests with their strong scent
Act as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, protecting broccoli from pest damage
Repel cabbage moths and root maggots with their sulfur compounds
Grows well in broccoli's partial shade and has similar water requirements
Repels cabbage worms and flea beetles while attracting beneficial pollinators
✗ Keep away from
May shade broccoli excessively and compete for nitrogen despite being nitrogen-fixing
Compete for space and nutrients, and may attract slugs that also damage broccoli
Both are heavy feeders competing for nutrients, and tomatoes may stunt broccoli growth
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
