Vegetable · Brassica
Rapini (Broccoli Rabe)
Brassica rapa var. ruvoA fast, assertively bitter cousin of turnip and broccoli, grown for its tender flower shoots and leaves rather than a single big head. It runs to seed the moment hot weather arrives, so it suits a quick spring dash or a cooler autumn crop. The one rule: keep it growing fast — any check in cool, even conditions pushes it to bolt early.
Sow depth
½ in
Spacing
6 in · rows 18 in
Sun
Full sun
Germination
6–9 days
Time to harvest
40–60 days
Difficulty
Easy
When to sow rapini (broccoli rabe)
- Sow from about 5 weeks before your last expected frost until about 1 week after your last expected frost.
- Sow from about 10 weeks before the first expected autumn frost until about 5 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Direct sow shallowly into fertile, moist soil once the sharpest cold has passed.Thin seedlings to 6 in apart; crowding pushes plants to bolt sooner.Sow a second round in late summer for a milder, frost-sweetened fall crop.
Keep growth steady — even moisture and cool weather are what keep it from flowering early.Mulch to keep roots cool and moisture even through any warm spell.Weed while plants are small; established rows quickly shade out competition.
Cut shoots while buds are tight, before any yellow flowers show.Take the central shoot with a few centimeters of stem; side shoots follow for weeks.Harvest promptly once flower buds open — leaves and stems turn bitter fast.
Companion plants
Quick-growing, shallow-rooted neighbors like spinach and beets share the bed without competing during rapini’s brief time in the ground.
Watch out for
Flea beetles — Riddle leaves with small holes in warm, dry spells. Cover with fine mesh from sowing and keep plants growing fast.Cabbage loopers — Chew ragged holes through the season. Hand-pick caterpillars or cover with insect mesh from planting.