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How to Grow Brassicas in Western Australia

Author

Baileys Fertiliser

Published

1 April 2020

Vegetable & Herbs

How to Grow Brassicas in Western Australia

Cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, turnip and Brussels sprouts are all Brassicas - that is, members of the mustard family Brassicaceae. This huge group of delicious veggies are extremely versatile and crammed with vitamins, minerals and other health-giving properties. As cool to mild season crops, all can be planted in Autumn in WA. For something different, don't look past oriental varieties such as pak choi, mibuna, mizuna and wong bok.  

Planting & Soil Preparation

  • Find a spot in full sun with at least 6 hours direct sunlight per day.
  • Brassicas are easily damaged, so choose a spot with protection from strong winds.
  • Brassicas demand a rich, well-drained soil. Dig in plenty of mature compost and manure before planting and incorporate it the top 30cm. Use Baileys Soil Improver Plus or Clay & Compost for sandy soils. Both incorporate composted organics and chicken manure.
  • Brassicas are heavy feeders so incorporate a handful of organic based fertiliser such as Soil Matters Garden per square metre into your planting soil.
  • Water it in well and let settle for a week or so before planting.

Sowing

  • Try staggering plantings every 2-3 weeks with a few seeds so you have a constant supply throughout the season.
  • Seeds can be sown directly in the soil, but for the most reliable results, sow seeds in trays or small pots first and plant out later. The best temperature for seed germination is 10-25 C. 
  • The sowing time varies greatly depending on which brassica you are growing and where you live. Refer to the seed packets for details.
  • Plant out seedlings when well established 4-6 weeks after sowing seeds.
  • Plant seedlings a little deeper to cover the lowest leaves. This will help to stabilise the plants.
  • Space broccoli and cauliflower seedlings 40cm apart in rows 60cm apart, and Brussels sprouts 50-90cm apart in rows 90cm apart.
  • Water well.

Feeding & Maintenance

  • Feed once a month with a handful of Soil Matters Garden per square metre or a liquid feed every two weeks. 

Common Problems & Pests

  • Watch out for slugs, snails, aphids, whitefly, cabbage moth and associated caterpillars.
  •  The best method is always prevention and if you don't have a problem, act quick to secure your garden with a finely woven net immediately. Exclusion netting is a great way to keep most pests at bay. 
  • If your plants are already showing signs of caterpillar damage- the rapid appearance of holes or loss of entire leaves - a simple method is to hunt and gather the offenders by hand. If at plague proportions, treat with Dipel.
  • Dipel is one of the most effective and easily available natural insecticides. The active ingredient of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki is derived from beneficial bacteria found in soil, on plant surfaces, and also in insects. Dipel is toxic to caterpillars, but completely harmless to humans, birds, and beneficial insects such as ladybugs and bees. 
  • Eco-neem can be used to controls aphids and whiteflies.
  • Remember prior to cooking, drop the heads of your leafy veggies into water and allow to soak for 5 -10 minutes. Any stowaways will soon become visible as they try to escape the water. 

Popular Varieties

Broccoli

  • Broccoli and cauliflower are the flower heads of the plant that are harvested just before the flowers open.
  • There are several types of Broccoli from the large green heads we're familiar with, to purple broccoli, and the amazing Romanesco broccoli. (Pictured).
  • Traditionally, it is the large head of Broccoli that we eat - however the stalks and leaves are edible and just as nutritious and tasty. Once the large first head has been harvested, for another 4-6 weeks at least the plant will continue to produce smaller off-shoots that can be picked and eaten regularly.

Cabbage

  • Cabbage varieties to try include Red cabbage, Savoy, and Sugarloaf.
  • Cabbages are quite decorative & colourful and look fantastic in your garden. You sometimes see varieties in trendy bouquets these days.
  • Oriental varieties include Wong bok, Bok choi, and Pak choy - which are among the fastest growing vegies you can have. 

Kale

  • Popular Kale varieties are Nero ( also known as Black Kale, Tuscan Kale, Cavolo Kale) which has a long, crinkled very dark green leaf; Red Russian - which has attractive reddish/purple stems and veins, but a green leaf with frilly edge; Scotch Kale (sometimes called Curly Kale) - which is smaller growing and has a green and very crinkly leaf.

Cauliflower

  • Cauliflowers are slow growing, but will bolt to seed if temperatures get too warm so you don't want to plant them too early.
  • There are some attractive yellow and purple varieties which can add some interest and colour to the veggie patch.
  • Depending on the variety, they can take up to 20 weeks to mature, so growing from seedlings instead of seed will give you several weeks head start on growth, and is a more reliable method for new gardeners.
  • Too much sun can cause heads to yellow, try bending a few outer leaves over the head to protect it.
  • Unlike Broccoli, once the main head is harvested the plant is done. Remove and added to compost. 

Brussel Sprouts

  • Brussels sprouts are the tight, swollen leaf buds that look like miniature cabbages forming progressively along the tall central stem of the plant.
  • Brussels sprouts require a warm climate to develop a good plant frame but low temperatures to produce high quality sprouts. Good for mid-Autumn planting. They are the most-cold tolerant in the brassica family and frost may improve the quality of the sprouts.
  • Try out one of the many heirloom varieties grown from seed.  

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