Seed Guide 2007 pgs 01/41 - McKenzie Seeds

Broccoli, green and white
sprouting
Purple sprouting broccoli is a gourmet
vegetable that everyone can grow. It is
rich in dietary fibre and has as much
vitamin C as oranges. Of all the brassicas,
this gives the best return for the space it
occupies. A bonus is that sprouting
broccoli is cropped when other green
vegetables are in short supply.
One row of 15ft (4.5m) will accommodate
six plants to give self-sufficiency for a
family of four. Sow the seed in spring in a
seed bed 1/2in (1.25cm) deep and
transplant when the seedlings are about
4in (10cm) tall 2ft (60cm) apart each way
Cut the tender shoots, beginning with the
centre, while the flower buds are still in a
tight bunch and continue taking the
shoots for up to seven weeks.
Brussels sprouts
Crisp texture, a nutty flavour and a long
cropping season make this one of the
stalwarts of autumn and winter meals,
Choose a variety to suit the space you
have available. Sow in a seed bed 1/2in
(1.25cm) deep from early to mid spring
for transplanting in late spring or early
summer 3ft (90cm) apart. Water the
young plants before transplanting and
firm the soil very thoroughly afterwards.
Cabbage
Raise the plants in a seed bed (see page
15) and transplant when the seedlings
have made four or five leaves. Summer
cabbage is sown in spring 1/2in (1.25cm)
deep for planting out in early to
midsummer 12-18in (30-45cm) apart.
Winter cabbages are sown in late spring
for planting in mid-summer 9-18in (23-
45cm) apart. Planting distances have a
major impact on the finished size of the
cabbage: close planting results in small
cabbages.
Calabrese
This follows the sprouting broccoli and
can be sown successionally to give tender,
succulent spears right through to early
winter: Sow 1/2in (1.25cm) deep in early
G R O W I N G I N F O R M A T I O N
spring in the seed bed, and transplant to
rows 20in (50cm) apart, allowing 12in
(30cm) between the plants. Each plant
should yield about 1 Ib (450g) of spears.
Cauliflowers
This crop is rather more fussy than the
other brassicas. It needs an organicallyrich
soil and must never go short of water.
It also needs a generous amount of space.
For an early summer crop, sow the seed
indoors in winter in trays and propagate
at about 60-65F (15- 18C). Transplant in
early spring 18 x 24in (45 x 60cm) apart.
Autumn maturing varieties are sown in a
seed bed in spring and transplanted in
early summer 24 x 28in (60 x 70cm) apart.
Sow the seed 1/2in (1.25cm) deep, thin to
3in (7.5cm) apart and transplant when the
plants have made five or six leaves.
Kohl rabi
A delicious alternative to turnips and
many people find it easier to grow. The
edible part is the swollen stem which can
be cooked whole or sliced when about
the size of a tennis ball. Sow the seed in
spring 1/2in (1.25cm) deep in rows 12in
(30cm) apart for use in summer. Thin out
to 4-6in (10-15cm) apart. Sow the winter
crop in mid-summer.
Carrots and other root crops
No wonder that carrots are one of the
most popular of all vegetables. They
contain more vitamin A than any other
vegetable, are high in vitamin C and
dietary fibre and have an important
content of mineral salts and trace
elements.
In the root crop category there are also
parsnips, turnips, swedes and kohl rabi, all
nutritious, easy to grow crops that require
relatively little space yet give a bountiful
return. What's more, any surplus can be
stored over the winter to give variety to
winter meals.
Carrots
Sow successionally to give baby carrots in
late spring and early summer followed by
the main crop. Sow an early variety in a
W W W . M C K E N Z I E S E E D S . C O M
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