Lettuce eat more cabbages and green vegetables
Do you remember as a child trying to conceal peas beneath your knife, bulking at even trying one brussels sprout? Cabbage would not pass your lips despite these nutrient rich vegetables being packed with goodness for our health and wellbeing. Leafy greens including brassicas are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants providing us with anti-inflammatory benefits.
Should we be sowing brassica seeds now?
Brassicas, a family that includes cabbages, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli and cauliflowers are crops that can be sown outdoors now or started off inside for transplanting out. Unlike tender tomatoes, peppers and aubergines which need cosseting if sown now and kept in the warm, hardier brassicas are more tolerant of cooler conditions. These productive and nutritious plants thrive in rich soil. A good layer of compost from my hot bin will boost worm activity, improving fertility and encourage strong healthy plants.
Traditionally, these greens were started off in seed beds, but I find it much easier to sow them in pots or modules before planting them out. This method ensures a stronger root system and a better start in life. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, I get them used to being outside before planting in their final growing position. Watering in the early stages is crucial for strong root development. My biggest challenge though is keeping the pigeons off as they find the seedlings delectable as do the caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly, who can strip the leaves to bare ribs.
Which Cabbages are King?
Cabbages of all types, white, ball or roundhead, pointed or sweetheart, spring greens, savoy and red are ideal for many culinary uses, fermentation, or even long-term storage.
Early maturing 'Golden Acre' is a compact ball of sweet and tender leaves. 'January King' is a semi-savoy type characterized by purple tinged, crinkled leaves, known for its cold tolerance. Pointed cabbage, also called sweetheart cabbage, is popular for its soft, tender leaves and sweet flavour for salads or steaming. 'Greyhound' is an early-season one, cabbage Caraflex F1 is a rapid-growing Hispi' type with crisp, mild leaves.
Red cabbage can add a vibrant colour to salads, slaws, and pickles. It has a slightly peppery flavour compared to green/white varieties and is often used in braised dishes. 'Red Drumhead' is a firm, deep-purple variety known for its good storage capabilities. Rijk Zwaan has several options for red cabbage in addition to the green varieties, suitable for both raw and cooked applications.
Oriental varieties can be used to extend the green leaf season, plants such as Pak Choy, Chinese broccoli and Chinese Kale. They are useful crops as they can be sown later than many of our classic British brassicas and are also winter hardy. Oriental varieties are commonly used in stir-fries, soups, and fermentation processes. 'Pak Choi' is fast-growing, flavoursome with a mild mustard taste. Chinese cabbage Michihilij has tender, sweet leaves, popular in kimchi and Asian dishes.
Green Delights for All
If not cabbages, then there’s a vast selection of other delicious brassicas to grow and eat, brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower amongst them. Broccoli, in its various forms—calabrese, tenderstem, and sprouting has milder taste, popular with children. Cauliflowers, with their creamy white (or green or purple!) curds, are another staple, offering a mild and slightly nutty flavour. Modern breeding has even reduced the bitterness of brussels sprouts, making them more palatable. Kale varieties such as dwarf green curled, Redbor, Black Tuscany (also known as cavolo nero) with their decorative leaves, interspersed with marigolds and calendula, add colourful interest to my edible borders