Page 23 - Simply Vegetables Autumn 2024

Cabbage
Have been grown in the U.K for over 1000 years and is high in vitamins A and C. there are now a wide range of cabbage available giving 12 months of cropping. They need a long growing season and protection from the various pests. The date of sowing will vary depending on the required date of harvest and the cultivar being grown. They can be sown indoors or outside and planted out when 10 to 15cm tall. The book suggests planting in blocks 30 to 45cm apart depending on the size of head required. Savoy cabbage which are very hardy are planted at 50cm apart and are sown in April / May, planting out in late June.
Keep the plants weed free, water if dry as they have a large leaf area from which to lose water. The following are recommended:
Spring Cabbage
• DuncanF1–canbeharvestedin spring or summer.
• DurhamEarly–anoldcultivarwith dark green leaves.
• Pixie–earlytomaturewithsmall heads.
Summer – Autumn
• SowinMarch,transplantinMay harvest late summer to early autumn.
• Brunswick–anoldheritagecultivar which will produce good heads.
• GoldenAcre–anotheroldcultivarand will produce good heads early in the season.
• HispiF1–earlierthanGreyhoundand good at close spacing.
• Kalibos–redleavedand recommended by George Anderson of Beechgrove.
• KilotonF1–hasclubrootresistance.
• KilaxyF1–aclubrootresistantDutch
white cabbage.
• Minicole–goodforclosespacingand
Kale ‘Winterbor’
will produce small heads so useful if space is tight.
Winter and Savoy
• Celtic–averyhardycultivar,blue green leaves and a long-standing time before going to seed.
• January King 3 – another frost resistant cabbage.
• Ormskirk Late – a late maturing savoy.
Cauliflower
A difficult crop to grow any where in the UK never mind Scotland; they have a growing season of 20 to 24 weeks for the summer to autumn types and longer for the overwintering crop. They need a fertile moisture retentive soil with a pH of 6.8 or higher so lime if necessary. I find it best to sow in October and prick out into 9cm pots and overwinter in a cold greenhouse. If plants make a lot of growth I may move into a larger pot. Plant out in March / April once the soil has warmed a little. The plants are ready to harvest before all the pests are out and about so avoids most of the problems, cover with fleece or mesh if required. Space plants 50 to 60cm apart, you can plant closer to increase the number plants which produce more but smaller curds. Water
if the weather becomes dry, if the plants become stressed by drought or cold they can bolt. Cauliflowers can be sown from Januaryindoors,Marchoutdoorsthrough to May to give harvests throughout the year by choosing a range of cultivars. There are also different colours as well as white includinggreen,orange,purpleandyellow are available.
Cultivars
• AlltheYearRound–anoldcultivar that can be sown from January in a heatedgreenhousetoMayoutdoors and again in October indoors, giving cauliflowersfromJunetoOctober.
• Candid Charm F1 – a quick growing
cultivar and can be grown as mini
cauliflowers.
• Nessie F1 – a good name for Scotland!
Produces medium to large white heads. • Snowball – the most popular early
cropper.
• Purple Graffiti F1 – a good purple
cauliflower.
• Chedder F1 – yellow curd. • Sunset F1 – orange curd.
Kale or Borecole
A very hardy vegetable and a key part of the Scottish diet in the past, considered
to be a ‘superfood’ by some as it contains antioxidant properties and high in vitamins A and C. kale can be harvested over a long period including over winter and early spring.
Sow outdoors in late April / May or they can be started in modules and planted out, plant deeply and firmly 30 to 60cm apart depending on the type of kale. Water in dry weather, re-firm plants after strong winds and weed as required. Some kales taste sweeter after they have been frosted. Kale can be sown in late summer to use as a salad or leaf green or cut and come again, if grown in a cold greenhouse or polytunnel they will often crop overwinter especially during mild periods.
Cultivars
• CavoloNero–consideredthebest tasting kale with dark wrinkled leaves which can be used in salads. Grows well in most of Scotland.
• PentlandBrig–Scottishbredbroad leaved kale and the flower heads can also be eaten as can some other kales.
• RedborF1–purplishleavesandcan be used in salads as well as cooked.
• RedRussian–greygreenleaveswith red stems.
• SutherlandKale-possibleanancient highland strain with good wind and pest resistance.
Kale ‘Midnight Sun’
Cabbage ‘Minicoles’
Cabbage ‘F1 Hispi’
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