Brassica report - how are you doing?

[Linnea]

don't know why but my brassicas' this year have been fab. can't keep up with the broccoli. first year I've managed to get heads on caulis and there are 6 large ones now. the cabbages are huge and I'm not sure I'll be able to eat them all! (must get better at succession sowing) the sprouts (whilst not the tallest plants I've grown) and looking good and some already have small sprouts on them

the runner beans on the other hand normally have millions spare this year am just about managing enough.

[binley100]

See there's no rhyme or reason to this year at all ...........

I've just pulled a spring cabbage from last years sowing that hadn't bolted and still have another one growing , summer cabb sooooooooo slow , winter stuff seems to be pootling along quite nicely tho'. Everything is netted as soon as it goes in , learnt my lesson with that one the first year I ever grew them .

[flopsy]

my broccolli bolted but my caulis are doing great have eaten bout 4 so far and have bout another 8 at various stages.
cauli seeds i have can be sown till sept so will be doing some soon

[gojiberry]

Good year for most of the brassicas. Red cabbage are the size of footballs. Savoys just starting to form hearts, white cabbage suffered a lot of slug damage but still have a good solid heart. Early sown broccoli went to seed very quickly but still gave a few meals. Kohl rabi has done very well and bigger than usual. First of spring greens planted for next year are doing so well they will probably be ready for xmas. All together one of this years successes

Ian.

[Vince G]

Interesting! So it seems the leafy stuff we've sown for winter is generaly looking promising, but the rest is a little hit and miss. Miss not having the decent calabrese and caulis, but we're definitely not going to starve this winter!

[Thelma Sanders]

Bums! went to plot this morning and something's eating the winter cabbage, even though it's all under netting - grump grump. I've put down the blue pellets of death cos I couldn't find any 'pillars!

[nellie-m]

oh, brassicas - gave up trying years ago
The only thing that will sometimes be kind enough to supply a meal is the kohl rabis. Oh yes, and that huge heritage kale, Altmärker Braunkohl, but as I sowed it late it's not very tall yet. I hope to be able to sit in a deckchair in its shade next summer, though.

[WillyNelson]

Most of my brassicas have been ruined by cabbage whites. No PSB this year Even my savoys, which escaped unscathed before planting, have now been mostly ruined. So unhappy. With luck they might recover but I'm not holding much hope.

[Vince G]

Decided there was too much leaf litter on the floor of my two 8'x8' brassica cages so went in and cleared that up. Whilst in there I trimmed off the bolted calabrese in the hope that the normal weather will promote some side shoots.

I also had a closer look at the romanescos and caulis. Much to my delight I discovered that a lot of both are now heading up nicely. These weren't visible from outside the cages, but I picked a romanesco for our dinner tonight (which was delicious) and there's a cauli which is just about big enough for the two of us for next time.

However, about 1 in 4 of both varieties are completely devoid of any heads. They are fairly open in the middle, but there's nothing there, and there is no sign of any disease, damage or nibbling, just nice sturdy leaves. Why is it that some heads are really good, and yet some plants haven't developed one at all?

[Newton]

I am c....p at growing brassicas. I have a lovely tunnel speshly made for my first attempts and it has been a really mixed bag of results. Got some early calabrese. And one or two caulis and some summer PSB. All early planted in spring. But the may planted stuff......sprouts, caulis, actually mini plants bought from a reputable seed co have done nowt. Not even six inches high!

the lottie has been under water frequently and I am going to read upon soil preparation big time before attempting any more brassicas.

I might turn it into a fruit cage!!!!!

[Poolcue]

Broccoli zilch
Cauliflower zilch
Falstaff Brussel Sprouts looking good in cage
Primo Cabbage good size in cage
Kohlrabi bulking up
Swede devastated by birds.
Turnips good size.
Just potted on Kale and Early Durham cabbage.

[CimaDirapa]

The curly kale is doing ok,the Collards greens are tall but everything else is short and decimated, to sum it up Brassica GYO in 2012 is just an elaborate way of feeding the snugs/pillars.