Broccoli production in Kentucky has grown by nearly seven fold from 2012 to 2017 (USDA, 2017). According the University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification farmers market price report, the average price of broccoli has increased in both urban and rural farmers markets. From 2017 to 2018, the price of broccoli increased 25% in rural markets and 32% in urban markets. Although still small compared to other states, there is potential for further growth with the increase in the use of season extension methods and technologies as well as farm-to-school programs. Broccoli is cold-hardy and is a useful rotational crop for solanaceous crops, such as tomatoes, to help break pest and disease cycles. Many Kentucky growers often find that planting broccoli in the spring to be very difficult and some often avoid it entirely. The soil can often be too wet to prepare beds for planting and temperatures fluctuate between very cold and very hot. The current planting date recommendation for spring-planted broccoli is early April for central Kentucky. 

Extension vegetable specialist, Rachel Rudolph, discussed with several growers about their chosen planting dates for broccoli and what they would consider “late” or “early” planting. They also discussed obstacles, one of which is pesticide applications. Although necessary in many respects, pesticide applications are expensive and time-consuming. In collaboration with Dr. Ric Bessin, Dr. Rudolph designed a field study that would evaluate different planting dates for spring broccoli. The objective of the study was to determine if better pest management could be achieved by planting earlier in the spring season without sacrificing marketable yield and quality. Broccoli was planted on three different dates: late March, early April, and late April. The study was conducted in 2020 and repeated in 2021. During the two years of this field study, Drs. Rudolph and Bessin observed that the earliest planted broccoli required less pesticide applications and had higher marketable yields compared to the other two plantings. In both years, there were multiple frosts which the cold-hardy broccoli tolerated. In the second year of the study, the late planting (late April) had no marketable broccoli heads.

Not only was the broccoli planted in March better looking and more productive, it also required less management and resources. It was harvested at least two weeks earlier than the early April planting, which is the current recommendation. Planting earlier in the spring would allow growers to take advantage of farm-to-school sales as well as early farmers markets or CSAs. Utilizing the right broccoli varieties, this can be done without the use of season extension tools or technologies which could be used for other crops. This study has provided evidence for the need to revise the current planting recommendations in order to help growers be more productive and successful, as well as have more access to different markets.