Growing Guide
 
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Broccoli raab

Vegetable (Cool Season) - Cabbage Family

Also known as spring raab
Brassica ruvo
Brassicaceae Family

An Italian favorite with a somewhat bitter taste, this fast-growing, cool-season annual forms loose flower heads similar to broccoli in the axils of lower leaves.

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Site Characteristics
Sunlight:
  • full sun
Can tolerate light shade but will slow maturity.

Soil conditions:

  • requires well-drained soil
Prefers well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter, pH 6.0 to 7.5. Can tolerate slightly alkaline soil. Needs plentiful, consistent moisture.
Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Biennial grown as an annual.

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Height: 1 to 1.5 feet

Bloom time:

  • early summer
  • mid-summer
  • late summer
  • early fall
  • mid-fall

Flower color: yellow

Foliage color: medium green

Foliage texture: medium

Shape: upright

Special Considerations
Tolerates:
  • frost
Special characteristics:
  • not native to North America
Special uses:
  • edible landscaping
Growing Information
How to plant:

Propagate by seed

Germination temperature: 45 F to 85 F

Days to emergence: 4 to 7

Maintenance and care:
Grow similar to broccoli. Direct seed from early spring to late summer, about 1 inch apart and ¼ to ½ inch deep in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. Thin to 4 to 6 inches apart.

Use floating row cover to protect from insects.

Pests:
Cabbageworms - Handpick and destroy. Row covers may be useful on small plantings to help protect plants from early damage. Put in place at planting and remove before temperatures get too hot in midsummer.

Flea beetles - Use row covers to help protect plants from early damage. Put in place at planting and remove before temperatures get too hot in midsummer. Control weeds.

Cabbage root maggot - White maggots (larvae) attack all plants of the cabbage family. Larvae tunnel in and feed on roots of plants. Damage causes wilting early on, death of plants a little later on.

Cabbage aphids - A hard stream of water can be used to remove aphids from plants. Wash off with water occasionally as needed early in the day. Check for evidence of natural enemies such as gray-brown or bloated parasitized aphids and the presence of alligator-like larvae of lady beetles and lacewings.

Other pests:

Slugs and snails
Cutworms

Diseases:
Clubroot - Locate new plants in a part of the garden different from previous year's location. If soil is infested, add lime to raise pH to 7.2.
Varieties