Broccoli, Raab Fall
75 in stock
Quick Overview
BROCCOLI, Raab Fall –
Brassica oleracea var. italica
FULL SUN Native to Europe and Asia, two distinctly different plants carry the name – one forms a head similar to cauliflower and one forms sprouting side shoots. Italian immigrants brought broccoli to the US in the early 1800s. This is a non-heading broccoli. The shoots and the leaves are consumed. It is AKA Italian Turnip or Turnip Broccoli. In milder climates it can be planted in the fall and harvested throughout the winter.
Broccoli Raab can be sown in the early spring for a summer crop and in early summer for a fall crop. In the spring, plant as soon as the ground can be worked. Soil should be deeply spaded before planting. Rows should be 24 in. apart.
When seedlings are 2 in. high, thin, leaving 12 in. between plants.
Adding lime to the soil before planting will sweeten broccoli.
| Type | Spacing | Planting Depth | Days to Germination | Maturity |
| Broccoli | 12 in. | 1 in. | 10 | 55 |
Broccoli, Raab Fall
Broccoli belongs to the Brassica family of vegetables, the largest vegetable family known which includes cabbages, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, kohlrabi, turnips and rutabaga. In fact, broccoli is nearly identical to cauliflower, the only differences being the green color of broccoli and the fact that cauliflower tolerates heat while broccoli does not. There are fundamentally two types of broccoli: the older variety called sprouting or asparagus broccoli belongs to the Italica group and the heading variety belongs to the Botrytis group. The Italica variety is thought to have developed from a form of European wild cabbage and originated in the Eastern Mediterranean. It made its way to Italy by the 17th century. As it spread to Northern Europe it became known as Italian Asparagus. Italian immigrants brought broccoli to the United States in the early 1800s. The heading variety named calabrese forms one dense head which can be purple or green. Broccoli Calabrese often will not form sprouts once the main head has been harvested.
