Growing Brassicas

Brassicas for Autumn Planting

 With our summer crops finishing, we are finding that there is lots of space to fill in our vegie garden. Brassicas are the heroes of an autumn vegetable patch- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, mustard greens, kohlrabi, turnip, and also Asian greens such as pak choy, bok choy, choy sum (brussels sprouts are in this family but it is a little late to be sowing them). Brassicas are nutritious and delicious and teeming with antioxidants. As long as they are protected from the white cabbage butterfly (and their numbers start to decrease when the weather gets cool), they are easy to grow and are wonderful to use in the kitchen.

You can be adventurous and try different varieties- Romanesco broccoli is a delicately flavoured broccoli with iridescent lime-green heads in a unique spiralling pattern, there are mini varieties of cabbage and caulis that are perfect for a more compact garden and experimenting with lots of the leafy brassicas is fun and these can be used in diverse ways in the kitchen. You can buy them in punnets from your local nurseries but buying seed from specialist seed suppliers allows you to get some more interesting varieties.

Seeds of brassicas are best sown in punnets and transplanted out. This increases germination success, minimises damage from pests when the seedlings are young, and you can space your vegetables when it comes to planting.

Here is a step-by-step guide to sowing your seeds:

·      Fill your seed punnet to the top with seed raising mix

·      Level and firm down very gently and water well

·      Sow seeds carefully- sprinkle them lightly and thinly

·      Cover with a fine layer of seed raising mix and water them again

·      Transplant your seedlings into their own pot when they have grown a second set of leaves

·      Allow the seedlings to grow and when they are at a reasonable size, you can plant them in a sunny part of the garden that has been enriched with compost.

Pests to look out for:

Snails and slugs enjoy munching on brassicas, and aphids will often infest cabbage that are weak and vulnerable. They will need protection from white cabbage butterfly- fine netting is a great way to protect your brassicas. Cabbage butterflies are territorial and if they see another cabbage moth in the vicinity, they tend to leave. So, either make, or buy, some decoys – just white butterfly shapes on sticks can do the trick. Or planting white flowering plants such as geraniums or violas might be enough to confuse the cabbage butterflies.

Growing in Containers:

Brassicas can be grown in pots and containers. For the bigger varieties it is best to grow a single plant in each pot to avoid overcrowding (depending on the size of the pots). You could plant multiples if using the ‘mini’ varieties. Use a premium potting mix for vegetables, place in a sunny spot and water regularly.

Sow now and you will be enjoying your brassicas in no time. Try staggering plantings every 2-3 weeks so you have a constant supply throughout the season.