Page 31 - ALG Issue 1 2023

DID YOU KNOW... ?
Between them we make use of all parts of the plant, eating the leaves (e.g., cabbages), the buds (Brussels sprouts), the flower head (cauliflower), swollen tap roots (radish and turnip), the stems (walking stick cabbage) and even the seed pods (radish).
which are widely used in recipes while B. juncea is a species which includes many other mustards and oriental/ Asian delights, including mizuna, Indian mustard, tatsoi and giant red mustard which brings so much colour and flavour to summer salads.
Summer and winter radish are also part of the large cabbage family as are some other oriental veggies such as Chinese cabbage, mustard spinach, bok choy (pak choi), wok broc and the good old turnip (Brassica rapa var rapa). Fast growers, they are well worth growing, especially when sown in small batches
every few weeks throughout spring and summer for regular harvests.
MORE UNUSUAL BRASSICAS
Although most cabbage family members are annuals or biennials, there are a few perennials that are well worth growing if you can find them. Daubenton’s kale (B. oleracae ramosa) is a short-lived perennial kale that forms a relatively large sprawling plant which is very hardy and can be cropped throughout the year, especially if given some protection from extreme weather and pests. There is also a variegated
Summer and winter radish are also part of the large cabbage family
form of this, sometimes offered as ‘Panache’.
Cottagers’ kale, another short-lived perennial, shows perfectly how easily various species and subspecies will cross. This is a productive cross between kale and a Brussels sprout, which was then crossed again with purple sprouting broccoli! It has
been around for a very long time and its purple-veined green leaves have remained popular, especially for winter/ spring picking.
Look out too for the similar Thousand- Headed, Asparagus and Nine-Star perennial kales among many other heritage varieties. The walking stick cabbage, cow or Jersey cabbage (B. oleracea longifolia) is a biennial oddity, once widely grown. It was especially popular in Jersey and the leaves were used there and elsewhere primarily as an animal food. However, properly dried and prepared, the long, strong stems could be made into a light and durable walking stick. The seeds are still offered by a few specialist and heritage seed companies.
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Allotment and Leisure Gardener 31