De Cicco Broccoli
De Cicco Broccoli: 45 days to harvest, 5-10 days to germinate, 12-18 inches between plants, pH 6.0-7.0, hardy in zones 6-9. Fruit runs to about 3-4". Give it full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours) and 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture water. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost for spring crop, or direct sow in late summer for fall harvest. Transplant after hardening off.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter and nitrogen
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 12-18 inches
- Height
- 10-24 inches
- Season
- Warm season annual
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep blue-green
- Size
- 3-4"
- Shape
- Compact central head with numerous side shoots
- Flavour
- Sweet, tender, and mild with excellent texture
In the kitchen
Steaming, stir-fries, fresh eating, soups, freezing. Perfect for continuous harvest cooking.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, diamondback moths
- Diseases
- Clubroot, downy mildew, black rot, alternaria leaf spot
- Resistance
- Good heat tolerance for broccoli, moderate disease resistance
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | July – September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | June – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | June – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | May – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | May – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | April – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | March – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | February – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 31
- Protein (g)
- 2.57
- Fat (g)
- 0.34
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 6.27
- Fibre (g)
- 2.4
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 8
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 91.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.15
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 102
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.191
- Folate (µg)
- 65
- Calcium (mg)
- 46
- Iron (mg)
- 0.69
- Magnesium (mg)
- 21
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 67
- Potassium (mg)
- 303
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.42
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.6
Where to buy seed and equipment
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown De Cicco Broccoli?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits De Cicco Broccoli suits these too.
- Bok Choy 'Joi Choi' 45 days
- EarliSnow 45 days
- Kolibri 45 days
- Mustard Greens 'Southern Giant Curled' 45 days
- Red Giant Mustard 45 days
- Song TJS-65 42 days