Kitchen Garden Forum

Can I ask some advice on growing seasons and the recommended dates for sowing etc?

Over the last year, I've managed to plant Marshalls "Spring Greens" over a 7 month period running right up to mid summer and they've all grown exactly as I'd expect (despite the packet telling me to sow them in Autumn).

Similarly, I have a patch of Cavalo Nero kale plants that have grown continuously without breaking into flower for over 12 months. Previous patches have usually flowered in Spring then stopped producing leaves.

In either case, if I'd followed what the packet said, I'd have missed out on a lot of produce. Was this just luck, or is this type of result to be expected?

Evening Colin, i think you have asked the question, given the advice and answered the question all in one go.

It's always worth experimenting, especially when you get results like that.

Any other views? I can't believe I've just been lucky......

Hi Colin

The Cavolo nero may just be luck.

The spring greens - more likely you have discovered the error of calling them spring greens. I grow spring cabbage for summer as well as to over winter and they always perform well.

Some you win and some you lose, I had a lovely crop of late lettuce in the greenhouse, more still growing well too, and spring onions in a polystyrene shallow box also in the greenhouse using the tiniest onions from autumn sown onion sets. I also planted some late radishes, but they didn't fill out, my chickens enjoyed the green tops though. I find polystyrene supermarket boxes excellent protection for winter and early planting. Talking of reading the labels, I slipped up this year, with strawberries, purchased some that grew very well, but few strawberries, it was a new variety that were not self fertile - needed a pollinator...ooops! All other strawberries purchased previously were self fertile !

I think a lot depends on where you are and the sort of soil you've got, whether you get a lot or a little rain, etc. I've just put up something in this vein on the Seasonal Tips strand. I imagine in Bristol you get a good climate for a long season, am I right?

Mike Vogel wrote:I imagine in Bristol you get a good climate for a long season, am I right?

Well I guess we get a milder Autumn & Spring than others further North.

I appreciate the comments about Spring Greens too!

I can't comment on the greens, but I've had Cavalo Nero go right through for over twelve months too, as have some other plot holders on our site

Hi Chantal,
Brassicas are generally biennials and they will come into flower in the second season and in the spring of the second season they do put on new growth. It is normal to eat brassicas in the first season so you do not see them in the second season but with Kales you keep on picking the more tender growth which induces more growth so this is why they have an extended season. Take the Kale Pentland Brig as an example;
in the spring following the planting you will get side growths up the stem which are similar in habit to Broccoli, which make superb eating, but if you do not eat them they will flower. If you do not pick Brussels Sprouts the following season the sprouts explode and produce the most wonderful display of colour.
It is because you are always picking Cavalo Nero that you get the extended season and should you stop they too will go up to flower.
JB.

its also worth remembering that a lot of things labled spring or early are so called because they are relitavly rapid growers from sowing to harvest.. maybe not quite such heavy croppers as longer maturing main cropping varieties... but worth trying whatever the season

Hi Richard,
Many of the older open pollinated varieties of cabbage had two sowing periods which meant that they served not only spring sowing but late summer sowings as well. For the life of me I cannot think off the top of my head which varieties but some of them are certainly still available. Mainly the pointed varieties of cabbage but also others.
The later sown varieties can be used as winter and spring greens and if preferred left in and matured as hearted.
JB.