When to Plant Broccoli Raab

Broccoli raab is a half-hardy cool-season vegetable. It takes light frosts but not a hard freeze.

Sow it outdoors 1 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. For a fall crop, sow 7 to 10 weeks before the first fall frost. The first harvest comes about 40 to 60 days after sowing.

Example dates

The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.

Broccoli Raab: dates by last spring and first fall frost
TaskLast frost Mar 15first Nov 15Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25Last frost May 15first Sep 30
Sow outdoorsFeb 15 – Mar 8Mar 18 – Apr 8Apr 17 – May 8
HarvestMar 27 – Apr 10Apr 27 – May 11May 27 – Jun 10
Fall: Sow outdoorsSep 6 – 27Aug 16 – Sep 6Jul 22 – Aug 12
Fall: HarvestOct 16 – 30Sep 25 – Oct 9Aug 31 – Sep 14

Growing broccoli raab

Cut the leafy stems while the flower buds are still closed; it bolts fast in warm weather.

  • Spacing: 6 in apart, in rows 18 in apart. In a raised bed, 4 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
  • Days to harvest: 40 to 60 from sowing, then about 2 weeks of picking.
  • Rotation: broccoli raab is in the cabbage family. Plant it where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.

Plan your beds with these dates

Draw your beds, tap squares to plant broccoli raab and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.

Open the garden planner

Questions

Can broccoli raab go in before the last frost?

Yes. Broccoli raab is half-hardy: sow it 1 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost.

How long does broccoli raab take to grow?

About 40 to 60 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 2 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.

Can I grow broccoli raab in fall?

Yes. Sow 7 to 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.

More planting dates

Sources

  1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
  2. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech: Virginia's Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant (426-331 / SPES-673P, 2025)
  3. University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
  4. UC ANR Master Gardeners: Adding Green to Your Garden Right Now (Master Gardener column, 2023)