How to grow Broccolini
Updated October 2026
Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan (Chinese broccoli), bred by Sakata Seed in Japan and sold as seed under the variety name Aspabroc. Instead of one big head it gives a long run of slim, tender stems with small florets and a mild, asparagus-like flavor. Grow it like broccoli in the cool season and keep cutting.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Broccolini
Not to be confused with: Broccoli rabe (rapini) is a different, more bitter green related to turnips. Sprouting broccoli and gai lan are also sold under similar names.
Where to plant
Like broccoli, broccolini grows best in cool weather, in full sun and fertile, well drained soil. Heat makes the shoots flower quickly and turn tough.
Sow or transplant from fall through winter in Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the desert and Southern California. In the Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic, plant in late winter to early spring and again in midsummer for fall. Across the North, the Midwest, the Mountain West and Alaska, plant in spring a couple of weeks before the last frost and again in midsummer for a fall harvest.
How to plant
- Start seed indoors about 6 weeks before planting out, about a quarter to half an inch (6 to 12 mm) deep.
- Plant out young transplants about 12 inches (30 cm) apart, in a bed dug with plenty of compost.
- When plants are 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) tall, draw soil up around the stems to the first big leaf, which steadies them and encourages side shoots.
- Cover young plants with fabric row cover to keep off cabbage butterflies and flea beetles.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist, giving about 1 to 2 inches of water a week, ideally at the base or by drip. Mulch helps hold moisture and keep the soil cool.
Feed with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks through the season, as continuous cutting draws heavily on the plant.
Pruning and care through the year
- Cut the central shoot first, as soon as it forms a small head. Each plant then sets 3 to 5 side shoots.
- Cutting lower on the stem gives fewer but larger side shoots; cutting higher gives more, thinner ones.
- Keep picking before the yellow flowers open, or the plant slows down.
Harvesting
Begin about 50 to 60 days after transplanting, when the small heads are fully formed but before any buds open, cutting each stem with a good length of tender stalk. In mild weather the harvest continues for about four weeks.
Refrigerate the stems straight away and use them within a few days. The whole stem is tender, so there is no need to peel it.
Companion planting
Grow broccolini with the same companions as broccoli.
Good companions
- Beet A low, quick crop for the space between plants.
- Onion Narrow and low, so it fits between rows.
- Celery Likes the same rich, moist soil and cool season.
- Dill Its flowers feed small wasps that parasitize caterpillars.
- Rosemary A sun loving herb for the bed edge.
- Sage Another aromatic herb for the edge of the bed.
- Chamomile Small flowers that draw hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
- Nasturtium Flowers for pollinators; it can draw aphids away.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to broccolini.
- Tomato A warm season crop with different timing; traditional charts keep it apart.
- Strawberry Traditionally kept apart from cabbage family crops.
- Climbing beans Tall pole beans shade the bed and are traditionally grown elsewhere.
Pests and diseases
Broccolini shares all the pests and diseases of broccoli.
Pests to watch for
- Cabbage worms Green caterpillars chewing holes in the leaves and shoots.
- Aphids Gray green colonies under the leaves and among the florets.
- Whitefly Tiny white insects that fly up from the undersides of leaves in warm weather.
Diseases to watch for
- Clubroot Stunted plants that wilt on warm days, with swollen roots.
- Downy mildew Yellow patches on the upper leaf and gray fuzz underneath in cool, damp weather.
- Black rot Yellow, V shaped patches at the leaf edges with blackened veins.
Common questions
Is broccolini the same as baby broccoli?
It is often sold as baby broccoli, but broccolini is a specific hybrid of broccoli and gai lan, bred by Sakata Seed and sold to gardeners as Aspabroc.
How do I harvest broccolini?
Cut the central shoot as soon as it forms a small head, then keep cutting the side shoots every few days before their buds open. Each plant sets several side shoots, and harvest can continue for about four weeks in mild weather.
When should I plant broccolini?
In cool weather, just like broccoli: fall through winter in the South and Southern California, and spring and late summer in the North.
Why is my broccolini flowering so fast?
Warm weather. Broccolini runs to flower quickly in heat. Harvest every few days and time plantings so the cutting season falls in cool weather.
Should I hill up soil around broccolini?
West Coast Seeds suggests drawing soil up around the stems to the first big leaf when plants are 8 to 10 inches tall. It steadies the plants and encourages side shoots.
Sources we checked: Sakata Home Grown: Broccolini ideas; UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Broccoli (includes Broccolini); West Coast Seeds: Aspabroc F1 Broccolini growing notes; Utah State University Extension: Broccoli in the Garden.
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