Novantina Broccoli Raab is a vigorous cultivar bred for larger florets and sweeter flavor than traditional varieties, ready to harvest in just 60 days. This frost-tolerant Brassica thrives in cool-season gardens, growing 12 to 18 inches tall with an upright branching habit that yields multiple harvests from a single plant. Direct sown 2 to 3 weeks before your last frost, it rewards gardeners who succession plant every two weeks with a steady stream of tender greens and florets throughout spring and early summer.
Full Sun
Moderate
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18in H x 6in W
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Moderate
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The standout feature of Novantina is its larger florets paired with a genuinely milder, sweeter taste compared to other broccoli raabs, along with dramatically improved branching that lets you harvest side shoots repeatedly. Growing to a compact 12 to 18 inches, it fits easily into small beds and containers while producing more usable foliage and flower buds per plant than traditional varieties. The 60-day timeline from seed to first harvest, combined with excellent frost tolerance, makes it one of the fastest routes to cool-season greens.
Novantina broccoli raab is harvested for both its tender leaves and its larger, milder florets, which makes it more approachable than spicy traditional varieties for fresh eating, sautéing with garlic and olive oil, or adding to pasta dishes. The baby leaves can be cut as early as 20 days for salads and stir-fries, while mature plants at 40 days and beyond offer substantial side shoots that continue producing after the main head is harvested.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Direct sow seeds 2 to 3 weeks before your last spring frost. For sturdier individual plants, thin to 4 inches apart; for tender baby greens and bunched harvests, leave plants closer together and cut in bunches. Succession sow every 2 weeks for a steady harvest throughout the cool season.
Begin harvesting baby leaves at 20 days for tender salad greens, or wait until 40 days for mature leaves and developed florets. The main central head is ready when florets are tight and uniform in color. After removing the main head, side shoots will continue developing; harvest these when they reach 4 to 6 inches long and florets are still compact. Broccoli raab flowers quickly in late spring and through summer, so harvest regularly to prevent bolting and extend the harvest window.
Once the main head is harvested, Novantina's excellent branching habit produces multiple side shoots from the leaf axils. Continue harvesting these secondary florets as they reach harvest size; this encourages the plant to keep producing rather than putting all energy into bolting.
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