If the buds begin to open and the yellow flower petals begin to show, the head is over-mature and unfit for market. Cut the heads with a length of 9 to 10 inches from the base of the stem to the top of the head. The central heads vary from 3 to 6 inches in diameter. A few days after the central head is cut, small lateral, or side, shoots grow out and produce small heads measuring 1 to 3 inches in diameter. These side shoots are seldom of the quality for commercial sale.
Small heads produced by the side shoots are very desirable for freezing and use in the home.
In order to harvest at the correct stage, the field should be cut every 2 or 3 days. It requires 4 to 5 man-hours per acre for each cutting. Field packing is becoming more popular with the advent of in package icing. Here, broccoli is cut and packed on a harvest aid directly in the field. The boxes are palletized and taken to a central icing facility.