Brassica
Broccoli (Calabrese)
Brassica oleracea (Italica)
Main head plus weeks of side-shoots — net it against pigeons and caterpillars.
Full sun
Regular
Rich, firm
Easy
Yes
Heads & sideshoots
Biennial
Hardy
15 L
25 cm
Herb
Chives
Chive's sulfur compounds repel cabbage moths and aphids that plague broccoli plants.
Allium
Garlic
Garlic's pungent sulfur deters cabbage moths, flea beetles, and aphids from infesting broccoli florets.
Flower
Calendula
Calendula petals attract hoverflies whose larvae consume broccoli-damaging aphids and cabbage moths.
Situations where this plant is a reliable fit — from someone's kitchen sill to a wind-blown rooftop.
Balcony
A few pots on a flat outdoor perch — some sun, some wind.
Grow bag
Cheap flexible bag, 20–40 L — hungry crops with big roots love these.
Reused bucket
A salvaged 10–20 L bucket with drainage holes — a proper productive pot for very little cost.
Raised bed
A traditional plot or timber-sided bed — deepest root run, widest planting choice.
Where to source
Get growing in United Kingdom
Shop local first
The best plants come from a real nursery, and the best trowel comes from the old-fashioned ironmonger down the road — people who know their stock and can advise. Try local first, both for the plant and the kit. It keeps small growers and small hardware shops alive.
Searching near London
For pots, compost, seed trays, twine and other kit — Amazon has the essentials if the local option isn't right. Not a plant nursery; use the local map above for the plant itself.
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