Turnip greens and its inflorescences are mainly cultivated in southern Italy and are undemanding plants, adapting to the soil in which they are planted and not requiring excessive amounts of water. A mild climate and regular amounts of water are the only requests. Let’s find out more about the plant and best cultivation practices.

Turnip greens: an adaptable southern vegetable

Turnip greens, belong to the Brassicaceae family as cabbage and broccoli, are a winter vegetable typically grown in central and southern Italy but easily cultivated in the north as well, but beware of frost that could compromise the harvest.

Suffice is to think that only five Italian regions (Puglia, Basilicata, Molise, Campania and Lazio) account for around 90% of world production. The inflorescences of turnip greens, in Italy, are called “Friarielli” or “Broccoletti” and are widely used in Neapolitan and Roman recipes.

Turnip greens are not overly resistant to cold despite being a purely winter vegetable. In the north it is preferable to choose early varieties to avoid frost damage. Sowing takes place from the beginning of July for about a month in the north of Italy, while in the south sowing lasts until the beginning of October. The plant can reach half a metre in height with yellowish clusters of flowers.

Broccoli rabe: planting scheme and best practices

Soil: broccoli rabe does not need nutrient-rich soil but requires a well-drained and well-tilled, medium-textured soil. The recommended planting system for turnip greens is a space of about 25 cm between each plant, while about half a metre is recommended between rows.

The Broccoli rabe plant requires irrigation, especially in dry and arid soil. In case of heavy autumn rain it is recommended to move the soil to avoid excessive stagnation which can lead to disease.

The cultivation phase of the plant lasts from 2 to 6 months depending on the variety. The “friariello”, i.e. the inflorescence, is harvested when the flowers are still closed in order to obtain and maintain a higher quality.

The plant is also an excellent solution for crop rotation on intensive crops such as tomato and courgette, spring and summer vegetables.

Turnip greens: a proper irrigation

This type of turnip needs to be irrigated often with moderate amounts of water as it fears waterlogging. Irrigation can be carried out using various irrigation methods, but drip irrigation is the best considering a large plot of land and the need not to apply excessive quantities to the plant. It is recommended to water the soil regularly and keep it moist. As already mentioned, excesses and waterlogging should be avoided.

In addition, drip irrigation, as water is an increasingly scarce resource, helps us to limit waste and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our system.

Conscious and regular water consumption will therefore allow us to get the most out of our harvest, while minimising the waste of resources. In addition, when the soil requires it, irrigation can be linked to fertigation, which benefits farmers by avoiding problems of yield and soil fertility over which they often have no power.

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