If you’re a fan of cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, turnip, swede, cabbage or sprouts, make this the year you cultivate your own. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Getting the basics right
All brassicas grow best in partial shade. They thrive in firm, free-draining soil, so a well-manured bed with nutrient rich soil is needed. You’ll need to dig over to a depth of two feet, as brassica roots are deep and they require plenty of nitrogen to form the density of green leaves that makes them so great to eat.
Ideally, brassicas prefer soil that is neutral or alkaline, with a PH of more than 7.00. Testing the soil and adding lime if needed maximises your chance of a good crop. PH tests are readily available in garden centres.
Space evenly when planting seedlings
You can plant out in April, having hardened off seedlings in a greenhouse or a sheltered spot in the garden. Avoid the temptation to plant seedlings too close together – hopefully, your tiny seedlings will become big, strong leafy specimens, so check your seed packet for specific advice on spacing. Heel in seedlings so they are in firmly, but take care not to damage the stems.
Protect from pests
Slugs find brassicas particularly delicious, so protect delicate plants by surrounding them with a dry material like sand or gravel. Egg shells work well too. Keep cabbage maggots, aphids and caterpillars away by using netting or a specialised spray.
You don’t need an allotment to grow brassicas – a small garden can play host to some lovely Supremo Carina furniture and an impressive show of vegetables simultaneously!
