It’s no secret that broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica, is one of the most common home garden plants in cultivation.
But did you know that the part of the broccoli plant we eat is made up of thousands of tiny blooms that haven’t opened yet?
If you wait until the broccoli plant is fully grown before picking the head, the flowers have time to open and be pollinated, which could lead to the production of seeds.
These seeds can be collected, stored, and planted over several growing seasons. Saving seeds from your garden is a wise choice with many perks.
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Let’s look at some of those pros and find out how you can save broccoli seeds at home.
Broccoli is one of the most popular vegetables grown in home gardens and commercial agriculture, Its vitamin-packed florets add nutrients and crunch to dishes across cuisines But most gardeners buy broccoli as transplants and may wonder – where exactly do the seeds that produce those seedlings originate from? Let’s trace broccoli seeds back to their source and learn how they form
The Life Cycle of a Broccoli Plant
Broccoli is a cool weather crop that belongs to the brassica family, alongside cauliflower, cabbage, kale and other nutrient-dense vegetables. It is grown as an annual, but technically broccoli is a biennial that takes two years to complete its natural life cycle.
In the first season, broccoli grows vegetatively, producing the familiar green stalks, leaves and crowns that we eat. Given the chance, it will then initiate flowering and seed production in its second season of growth.
Flowering Signals the Path to Seed
After establishing a robust plant structure broccoli will bolt and produce yellow flowers on elongated stalks. This signals the start of the reproductive phase. Pollination must occur for seeds to develop. Insects facilitate cross-pollination between different broccoli plants.
Once pollinated, the flowers give rise to seed pods. These pods swell and ripen over time, taking on a tan or brown hue. Inside are dozens of tiny broccoli seeds awaiting dispersal.
Harvesting Mature Broccoli Seeds
Seeds reach full maturity when the pods become dry and brittle. This occurs 2-4 months after the initial flower buds first emerge, depending on temperatures and growing conditions.
When most of the pods appear dry and brown, the seed stalks can be cut down. Further drying for 1-2 weeks ensures the seeds are ready for extraction.
The pods can then be gently rubbed, threshed or crushed to release the seeds within. Additional cleaning and screening remove residual plant matter. Proper storage keeps seeds viable for future planting.
Saving Seeds from Your Own Plants
Gardeners can harvest broccoli seeds from open-pollinated varieties grown at home. Allow a portion of the crop to bolt, flower and set seed. Follow the tips below:
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Select the best plants with desired traits to maximize quality. Rogue out poor performers.
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Isolate bolting plants from other brassicas to prevent cross-pollination.
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Support heavy seed stalks with stakes to prevent breaking.
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Monitor for pests and disease during the long maturation period.
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Time the seed harvest correctly based on pod appearance.
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Dry and process seeds carefully to maintain viability.
With patient attention through two full growing seasons, you can produce a bountiful supply of seeds adapted to your garden.
Large-Scale Commercial Broccoli Seed Production
The broccoli transplants used by home gardeners and market growers originate as seeds produced in special seed production fields. These vast acreages are managed expressly for maximum seed yields, not vegetable harvests.
Ideal growing regions for broccoli seed production have:
- Moderate summer temperatures below 90°F.
- Sufficient chill for variety vernalization.
- Low humidity at flowering and seed set.
- Dry conditions for maturing seed.
Producing pure, high-germinating broccoli seed requires expertise in isolation distances, roguing, pest control, irrigation, and harvesting techniques. Post-harvest processing and storage are also critical.
The fruits of this meticulous labor are the resilient broccoli seeds that ultimately sprout into home and market vegetable crops worldwide.
From Tiny Seeds Come Great Vegetables
Now you know broccoli seeds originate from the dried pods that form after this versatile vegetable flowers and sets seed. Tracing broccoli from seed to harvest highlights the wonder of plant reproduction. With quality seeds and care, a bounty of nutritious broccoli heads will grace your table.
Anatomy of a Broccoli Plant
When a broccoli seedling sprouts, it first forms a stem that thickens as it matures. This stem becomes the stalk that the head or crown will form on, which is comprised of florets.
Florets are tight clusters of tiny buds that form on individual stalks growing from the central base stalk. When left to mature past harvest time, the buds will open and become flowers.
If you ever put a broccoli head in the fridge after it was past its prime, you may have seen it start to turn yellow. It looks the same on the plant when it’s preparing to bloom.
The warmer the weather, the faster broccoli plants will bolt. Some gardeners don’t like bolting because they see it as a “ruined” plant that can’t be eaten. But bolting is an important process that helps the plant get ready for the next stage in its life cycle.
Stalks often grow two or three times as tall as they started, making a mass of tall stalks that hold the flowers up as they open.
These small, yellow flowers will await pollination. Once the blooms have been pollinated, the petals will drop, and wispy tendrils will take their place.
At first, the tendrils will be thin and immature. There are no seeds yet, and it could be weeks or months before the pods grow and fill out, making them ready to be picked.
As the pods mature, or “cure,” the plant will start to die off and turn yellow or brown. The pods will become visibly plumper, similar to small bean pods, when the seeds have formed inside.
Once the plant has died off and the stalks and pods appear brown, it’s time to harvest!
Why Save Seed from the Garden?
It’s a good idea to save seeds from your garden, whether you’ve done it before or have a green thumb that’s tough as nails from pulling weeds.
When you plan your garden, you might want to add a few extra plants of each type from which you want to get seeds. This way, your main harvest is not reduced by allowing plants to bolt.
See our complete guide for comprehensive information on how to grow broccoli at home.
Most plants in the garden produce a large number of seeds. Actually, broccoli makes so many that you can grow crops on one plant for years and years without having to buy more.
By picking them from the best plants in the garden, you can control the growth of certain traits, like big, tight heads or resistance to disease.
Also, saving seeds is a great idea if you want to grow an organic garden without using pesticides or other harmful chemicals. That way, you can be sure that your plants were not exposed to or treated with these chemicals while they were growing.
Plants can take in chemicals from the soil and from their leaves as well. This means that anything you put in the garden could end up in the plants and, by extension, the seeds they make.
Plants saved from a home garden can also give rise to plants that are healthier and better suited to the area where the parent plant grew. When you buy seeds, they might have come from plants that were grown in a very different environment. This can make it hard for the new plants to grow.
Some home gardeners trade seeds with people in their area. This gives their gardens more variety and makes them more productive for little or no cost.
A lot of heirloom garden plants have been saved and passed down through the work of hobby gardeners. This has created a long lineage that lets us grow the same crops that our ancestors did, sometimes hundreds of years ago.
It’s important to think about the broccoli variety you choose and how far apart the plants should be so that they don’t cross-pollinate and make seeds that don’t grow like the parent plant.
When planning your garden space, aim to keep brassicas separated, because plants in this family can cross-pollinate. So that these problems don’t happen, plant brassicas at least 100 yards apart. Keep cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, and other similar crops away from plants that you want to pick.
Hybrid varieties, which are cross-bred versions of more than one cultivar, should also not be saved as seeds because they may grow into plants that are very different from the parent.
I FINALLY Figured Out How to Grow Broccoli & Cauliflower
FAQ
Does broccoli self-seed?
Where does broccoli sprout from?
What makes broccoli go to seed?
Where do broccoli seeds come from?
Broccoli seeds come from the broccoli plant itself. The plant will produce flowers, which will then produce seeds. These seeds can be harvested and saved for later use. The process of harvesting broccoli seeds is fairly straightforward, but it does require some patience and attention to detail.
Can one eat broccoli that is starting to flower?
Yes, broccoli that is starting to flower is still edible. Although, bolted vegetables often become more bitter tasting. Ideally, aim to cut your broccoli heads at the tight bud stage, when the head is firm.
Do broccoli plants produce seeds?
Yes, broccoli plants do produce seeds. In fact, all flowering plants produce seeds as part of their reproductive cycle. Broccoli is no exception. The seeds are small and are located in the broccoli plant’s flowers. Once the flowers are pollinated, they will produce seeds that can be harvested and used to grow new plants.
What are broccoli sprouting seeds?
Broccoli sprouting seeds are small, dark seeds that produce a fairly strong flavoured sprout. They are good to mix with other sprouts and are considered a superfood. Use them in salads, sandwiches, or smoothies.
What are heirloom broccoli seeds?
Heirloom seeds are seeds of varieties that are at least 50 years old. They are never hybrids or GMOs, making them a natural and healthy choice. Rainbow Heirloom Seed Company offers top-quality heirloom broccoli seeds with high germination rates.
What do broccoli seeds look like?
Broccoli seeds are small, brown, and oval-shaped. They are produced inside a small pod, which is also known as a silique. The silique is a long, narrow pod that contains several seeds. When the broccoli plant has finished flowering, the silique will start to dry out and turn brown. This is a sign that the seeds are mature and ready to be harvested.