Maceratese Turnip Tops

• Maceratese Turnip Tops
• The maceratese turnip tops plant
• How to Sow Maceratese Turnip Tops
• How to Grow Maceratese Turnip Tops
• Tips for Growing Maceratese Turnip Tops
• Diseases and Pests of Maceratese Turnip Tops
• Properties of Maceratese Turnip Tops
• Nutritional Values of Maceratese Turnip Tops

Maceratese Turnip Tops

Maceratese Turnip Tops is a prized variety originating from the inland hills of the Marche region, grown in the marl and clay soils around Macerata. It stands out from Puglian varieties for its milder, more aromatic flavour, with a persistent yet balanced hint of bitterness, long, deeply toothed green leaves, and especially tender stems.

The maceratese turnip tops plant

Maceratese Turnip Tops does not form a proper head: it is grown mainly for its heart leaves, large, succulent and more numerous than in head-forming varieties. The stems are tender and slender, particularly prized in cooking. It is a herbaceous plant of the Brassicaceae family, capable of producing new shoots after every cut, ensuring repeated harvests over time.

How to Sow Maceratese Turnip Tops

Sowing or transplanting usually takes place from August to October, for a staggered harvest through autumn and winter. This is a medium-late cycle variety (70-110 days) from transplanting, well suited to both direct sowing and transplanting of started seedlings, ensuring a steady harvest until the end of the cold season.

How to Grow Maceratese Turnip Tops

Maceratese Turnip Tops thrives in well-drained soil, moderately rich in organic matter, and grows well in spring and autumn or, with regular watering, through the summer. Good base fertilisation with compost or well-rotted manure encourages lush growth of the heart leaves, this variety's real strength.

Tips for Growing Maceratese Turnip Tops

To get the full delicate flavour this variety is known for, harvest before the flowers open, cutting the heart leaves and tender stems. It is best eaten fresh, or kept refrigerated for no more than 5-6 days, to preserve its taste and nutritional qualities.

Diseases and Pests of Maceratese Turnip Tops

Like other Brassicas, maceratese turnip tops can be affected by flea beetle on young seedlings and by bacterial rot in overly humid foliage conditions. Drip irrigation, which avoids wetting the aerial parts, and good crop rotation are the most effective preventive measures against these issues.

Properties of Maceratese Turnip Tops

Maceratese Turnip Tops provides vitamins A, B and C, folate and a good amount of plant protein, with a nearly negligible calorie content. It has detoxifying and diuretic properties, best preserved when eaten just boiled and dressed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, in the tradition of Marche farmhouse cooking.

Nutritional Values of Maceratese Turnip Tops