Brassicas are winter’s bounty

In the vegetable world, the Big Five is a term for the brassica Mafia: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale. The time is fast approaching for them to take over the “hood”.

The only pizzo (protection dues) they need are compost, plenty of water, a little nitrogen-rich fertiliser once a month and the best position in the veggie garden – full sun. All pests must be eliminated.

It is time to start sowing brassicas, which are the mainstay of the winter garden. Advice from Kirchhoffs’ Marlaen Straathof is to sow in trays, which makes it easier to correctly space the seedlings when transplanting them. If planting directly into the soil remember to thin plants out as they get bigger.

A good idea is to start the seeds in a small area of the bed and then to transplant into rows when bigger. Keep the seedling trays moist during germination and after germination feed with a very diluted plant food to get them growing quickly. Once the plants are big enough they can be transplanted. Seedlings need to be in the ground and well established before the cold sets in, otherwise heads don’t form (or may roll!).

Itsy bitsy cabbages

The best option for small appetites and small spaces is baby cabbage. Baby cabbages can be spaced about 25cm apart. Baby Green Gonzales is 15cm in diameter. Red Primero is a red baby cabbage that produces perfectly round, dark red heads with a sweet flavour.

Purple broccoli

There is nothing nicer than home-grown broccoli picked and eaten almost immediately. Purple sprouting broccoli is an heirloom veggie that has a sweet, earthy flavour. Once the main head is picked it will continue to produce many deep-purple sprouts throughout the season. Use it raw in salads for its colour. When steamed or boiled it turns green.

Spring Rapini has smaller heads and sweeter taste. It is ready within 50 to 60 days, unlike regular broccoli that takes up to four months. The whole plant, stem, sprouts and leaves, is delicious steamed.

Superfood kale

Kale has eclipsed broccoli as a superfood. It is the easiest of all the brassicas to grow especially the stalkless Vates Blue Curled that is a cut and come-again vegetable. Kirchhoffs kale Chou Moullier Thousand Headed is an heirloom variety that has a very long growing season. Plants grow up to one metre, and the leaves are picked from the bottom upwards, leaving the top four leaves as the growing crown.

Brussels sprouts go gourmet

Brussels sprouts are becoming something of a gourmet vegetable, especially when roasted. The Kirchhoffs variety Matchless produces stems with compact “sprouts” of a greyish-green colour. Plants need cold temperatures and frost improves the flavour. To prevent aphids spray with Ludwig’s Insect Spray. When the plant reaches one metre break off the top so the plant puts all the energy into the brussels sprouts.

Cauliflower reigns

Cauliflower is the godfather of the brassicas. Cauliflower Snowball is an early maturing, snow white cauliflower that is suitable for spring and autumn sowings. Keep the head white by closing the top leaves with a rubber band. Water regularly and never let the soil dry out, but also ensure the soil drains well between watering.

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