Spring Rabe Japanese broccoli, also called rapini, is a broccoli rabe variety which has both the qualities and taste attributes of mustard and broccoli. It produces large flower shoots as well as raw or cooked edible leaves and stems whose sweet flavor improves in the cold season. Great for autumn and winter planting.
Scientific Name: Brassica rapa ssp. nipposinica
Plant Life Cycle: annual to biennial herb
Optimal Germination Temperature: 18C
Germination time in days: 5-10 days
Indicative Days to maturity: 40-90 days
Sunlight: Full Sun or partial shade
Soil requirement: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil
Sowing and cultivation: Sow directly outdoors after last chance of frost has passed from May to October into well prepared soil in a sunny spot when temperatures reach around 16-18C. Sow seeds thinly into drills 1 cm deep and 38 cm apart.
