The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: suziequeue on September 24, 2012, 06:22:18 pm

Title: Summer brassicas
Post by: suziequeue on September 24, 2012, 06:22:18 pm

Well - we've got some winter brassicas off to a great start and I'm already thinking about the summer crop.


Due to our heavy clay soil we have dug holes 3 ft apart, 12 ins wide and 2 ft deep, filled them with top soil and compost/manure and planted the winter brassicas into that.


For the summer crop we are planning to use the same space but different holes (e.g. in between the existing ones) so as to keep the brassicas in one place for a whole growing season - then plant the next lot of winter brassicas into new beds.


My question is - what summer brassicas should I be considering? I am really keen to grow red cabbage.


Any other good ideas?


Thanks

Title: Re: Summer brassicas
Post by: Fleecewife on September 25, 2012, 12:27:16 am

Summer caulis are much sweeter than winter ones if you can grow them (I can't).  There is a summer version of purple sprouting broccoli and kale can be picked in the summer too.  Radishes are a brassica, as is Kohl Rabi.  There are various Chinese brassicas such as mizuna, Chinese cabbage (Chinese leaves) and pak choi.   Red cabbage is wonderfully satisfying to grow but we have found that the cabbages 'blow' very suddenly, so maybe sow them in succession rather than starting them all off at once.

Title: Re: Summer brassicas
Post by: suziequeue on September 25, 2012, 06:41:31 am

So I was thinking:


Summer caulis,
Red cabbage - Ruby Perfection,
Savoy cabbage
Chinese cabbage - Wa Wa Sai