01
Sprouting broccoli
February to April clearance
This is a valuable spring handover. Start successors in modules if the broccoli is still producing side shoots.
UK succession guide
What to plant after broccoli.
Broccoli belongs to the brassica family. The strongest follow-on choice depends on the exact clearance date—not the crop name alone.
Check my date and regionShort answer
Start with these credible options.
These are useful directions, not automatic recommendations. Use the tool to check whether the sowing window still fits.
- 01
Peas
Sweet harvests early in the season and a clear handover into summer crops.
Read the growing guide → - 02
Lettuce
Fast, compact and easy to stagger for continuous harvests.
Read the growing guide → - 03
Carrots
High household value and flexible sowing in small batches.
Read the growing guide → - 04
Beetroot
Compact, colourful and easy to sow in batches.
Read the growing guide →
When the space opens
Sprouting broccoli commonly finishes from late winter into spring; green-headed calabrese usually clears in summer or autumn.
- What the bed is like
- A long-occupied brassica space with thick stems, firm soil and possible pigeon, caterpillar or clubroot history.
- The key decision
- First identify the crop. UK “broccoli” often means sprouting broccoli, while supermarket-style green heads are calabrese and clear at a different time.
Choose by clearance date
The answer changes as the season moves.
These bands are starting points. Use the seed packet and the personalised tool for your region, cover and exact date.
02
Calabrese
July to October clearance
Earlier clearances suit leaves; later ones move toward winter spinach or autumn-planted garlic.
03
Delayed final shoots
Variable spring clearance
Do not keep a declining plant for one tiny shoot if the whole bed is needed. Compare the remaining crop with the value of the handover.
Clear the old crop well
Reset the space before replanting.
- 1
Harvest the last useful shoots
Cut remaining edible side shoots, then remove the thick stem and rootball rather than leaving a brassica stump in the bed.
- 2
Inspect the roots
Swollen or distorted roots can indicate clubroot. That finding is more important than any generic successor list.
- 3
Use the spring opening
For sprouting broccoli, have pea, lettuce or beetroot modules ready so the long-occupied space changes over quickly.
Avoid a poor handover
Two details worth checking
Avoid another brassica when disease matters
Cabbage, kale, cauliflower, radish and turnip share the same family. Rotate away where practical after a pest or soil-disease problem.
Broccoli and calabrese are not interchangeable here
The search terms overlap, but the clearance month drives the next sowing window. Use the calabrese page when that is the crop you grew.
Questions small growers ask
Specific answers for this handover
What can I plant after purple-sprouting broccoli?
Once the final shoots finish in late winter or spring, peas, lettuce, carrots and beetroot can all fit the new season, provided soil and local sowing conditions are suitable.
Should I leave broccoli roots in the soil?
Lift at least one rootball to inspect it, especially where clubroot is possible. Sound fine roots can decay, but the thick crown usually obstructs the next planting.
Can I plant cabbage after broccoli?
Both are brassicas and share pests and diseases. A different family is the safer rotation choice where you have enough space, particularly after any clubroot symptoms.
Sources and scope
Checked growing guidance
Season, variety and local conditions can move a clearance date. SowNext uses these sources conservatively and keeps the exact-date tool as the final check.
Before sowing
Three checks matter more than a fixed list.
- CalendarWill the successor establish before its conservative regional cut-off?
- Crop familyChanging family is useful where pests or soil disease have been a problem.
- Space and lightA credible date is not enough if the crop cannot physically fit or receive enough sun.