Gardening – In praise of brassicas

As a child, brassicas were my nemesis – cauliflower was marginal if it came with lots of cheese sauce, broccoli was tolerable if drowned in butter. Cabbage, though, was hated no matter how it was presented, boiled till soggy was the worst, but coleslaw wasn’t much better, and red cabbage induced dry retching. Occasionally we would have sauerkraut, but I wasn’t forced to eat it as this was considered a delicacy. Brussels sprouts were an absolute no-go, but at least I had the support of most of my siblings with that one.

Kale, on the other hand, was eaten regularly. The secret was Mum’s stamppot, a uniquely Dutch dish that consisted of finely chopped curly kale (boerenkool in Dutch) mixed with mashed potato and smoked sausage (rookworst), covered in cheese and baked in the oven. Asian greens (bok choy, pak choi, tatsoi, mizuna) weren’t even in the picture back then, while mustard greens and radish were used as zingy salad greens or sandwich toppings. Turnips and kohlrabi were mostly considered livestock fodder, thankfully!

Now, however, I try to eat as many brassicas as possible. The health benefits from this family are huge, no matter how they are prepared, while chopped and/or pickled forms such as kimchi, sauerkraut and coleslaw are widely considered to be superfoods. I don’t even mind eating coleslaw now, partly because

Angela adds pineapple pieces, which takes out most of the bitterness and adds to the nutritional value.

Brassicas are rich in calcium and vitamins C, K and B9, and contain powerful phytochemicals that enhance detoxification, support liver function, protect cells from DNA damage, help prevent cancer, reduce inflammation, and promote antioxidant defence systems. The high fibre content promotes gut health, supports beneficial microbiota, aids digestion and helps lower cholesterol levels.

Brassicas are easy to grow in our mild northern winters, the cooler temperatures reduce white butterflies and aphids, and our relatively warm soil conditions with few hard frosts mean that we can grow them right through winter. A few light frosts actually improve the flavour of most brassicas.

At this time of year, I rely on transplanting well, established seedlings rather than direct sowing of seed.

The mini-varieties of cabbage and cauliflower are preferred in our garden, partly because we don’t have a large family to feed, but also because they take up less room. Broccolini rather than broccoli are preferred for the same reasons.

In winter, it is even more important than usual to choose free-draining soil to prevent root rot. Work in a good amount of compost and aged manure or sheep pellets before planting and then dust some blood and bone, rock potassium, gypsum and dolomite or lime. Brassicas are heavy feeders and prefer a neutral soil pH with plenty of available calcium in the soil as well. These practices all help avoid the dreaded clubroot, as does well-planned crop rotation.

While white butterfly and aphids are reduced in winter, slugs and snails are active in damp conditions; use beer traps, slug pellets, or night hand-picking. Mulching the soil around the plants helps moderate moisture levels and suppress weeds.

Brassicas are one of the easiest crops to grow and should form a major part of any family diet – sorry kids, you’ll just have to learn to like them. Aside from Brussels sprouts that is – no-one needs to learn to love those!