Plant brassicas in early autumn to take advantage of the cool, shorter days these vegetables love.
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Members of the mustard family, they include cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, turnip and kohlrabi and all have the same cultural requirements.
All parts of the vegetable garden varieties of brassica have a culinary use.
Turnips and kohlrabi are grown for their roots, cabbage and kale for leaves, cauliflower and broccoli for flowerheads, Brussels sprouts for buds and mustard for seeds.
Brassica seedlings planted now will supply a welcome variation to our diet in winter and, if the forecasted rise in cost of vegetables this winter is correct, money can be saved.
With careful attention to the preparation of the soil, the variety and planting times of the seedlings, a large measure of success can be achieved.
The most important thing to remember about growing brassicas is that they must be kept growing strongly right up until harvest as any check in growth can result in a reduction in quality and crop yield.
A rich, friable soil is desired to produce the massive root system needed to effectively extract the available nutrients from the soil.
As the seedlings are planted now, when the weather is still relatively hot, work in plenty of compost or well-rotted animal manures not only to supply the valuable food source but also to assist in the water retention capacity of the soil.
Brassicas are a good follow-on crop to legumes as they can make use of the nitrogen-enriched soil.
A week before planting dig in about three-quarters of a handful of blood and bone, a good handful of garden lime and a handful of sulphate of potash per square metre of bed.
Water the bed.
When planting seedlings make sure to keep plenty of soil around the roots when removing them from the punnet as these will establish more quickly than those that have had their roots exposed.
Place the seedlings into a hole, covering the lower two leaves, then gently firm the soil around them.
When the plants are beginning to form a head or heart of bulb depending on the type grown it helps to spread a little complete fertiliser along each side of the rows.
Harvest broccoli early when the buds are still unopened because if left too long, the buds begin to open and the flavour and texture deteriorates.
Cauliflowers are best picked when the flowerheads are tight and solid and if cooked immediately are less odorous.
Brassicas can be attacked by the caterpillar of the white cabbage butterfly which lays its eggs on the undersides of the leaves and when the larvae hatch they start eating the new, juicy leaves.
If left unchecked these caterpillars can quickly decimate a plant.
An effective method of control is to spread a fine weave butterfly net (available from nurseries) over the brassica bed.
Look out for aphids as large numbers can weaken a plant.
To control, hose off or use a proprietary spray such as Dipel, a bio-insecticide that does not harm bees, ladybirds, birds, fish, mammals or pets.
To minimise fungal outbreaks water at the base of plants not overhead.
Diary
February 18: Australian Native Plant Society, Max Fry Hall, Gorge Road, Trevallyn, 7.30pm. Visitors welcome.
February 19: Launceston Horticultural Society, Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston, 8pm. Guest speaker Jennifer Stackhouse on 'How Gardens Can Save The World' and 'Plastic Free Gardening.' Visitors welcome.
February 20: Launceston Orchid Society, Newnham Uniting Church Hall, George Town Road, Launceston, 7pm.