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What are Western
Brassicas ? they include Kale's, Cauliflower's,
Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, sprouting Broccoli,
Calabrese,, Turnip tops, Broccoli Raab,
Kohl Rabi, Swedes and Turnips. Western Brassicas
are naturally biennial but are cultivated
as annuals for their leaves and roots, and
as biennials for their flower heads and
shoots. Each type as many variations often
a range of cultivars to be grown through
out the seasons. They are a cool season crop
and will stand various degrees of frost,
depending on the Cultivar grown
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To grow Western Brassicas well you need
a well drained fertile moisture retentive
soil, they need high levels of nitrogen,
but not be planted on freshly manured land
a base dressing may be applied before planting
out, a pH level of 6.5 - 7 should be maintained
to prevent the build up of Club root disease.
Regular application of lime to the soil
will help to prevent it, and maintain the
pH Level. |
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Western Brassicas must be cultivated throughout
their growth, hoe at regular intervals.
Never let 7 days pass without hoeing up
the brassicas plot.
Water and apply a Nitrogenous fertiliser
throughout their growth, and go over plants
at regular intervals looking for pests,
Flea Beetles, slugs and snails, damping
off, cabbage root flies, white blister,
whiptail, and cutworms, all affect young
plants. Caterpillars, cabbage white fly,
mealy aphids, clubroot and birds all attack
plants at all stages of growth.
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Western Brassicas prefer a firm soil, sow
in situ, or in a seedbed or in modules for
transplanting. ( if you tend to have a Clubroot
problem grow them in 3ins pots to 5 leaves
stage, then plant out, this gives them a
good start and avoids the build up of clubroot
in the young seedling.
Tall growing Brassicas like Brussels sprouts
should be planted deep ( 4ins ) I personally
make a trench 6ins deep and plant out in
this, makes the plants easier to water at
the early stages of growth, and as you hoe
the trench fills in and earth's up
the plant, Plant young Western Brassicas
firmly with the lower leaves just above
the soil level. If the plants like Brussels
sprouts are widely spaced then they can
inter-cropped with such as lettuce to harvest
long before they are over shadowed.
Tomatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Kale
Leeks
Garlic
Month by month diary on jobs to do
Allotment Preparation |
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