Brassica question

[Green Aura]

Due to a major revamp of the garden we didn't grow any veg last year. By October I was getting pretty desperate to have something in my newly shifted raised beds so I bought 20 mixed brassica plug plants from the Grauniad. They were marketed as being ready for the "hungry gap".

They were duly planted followed about 5 weeks later by the longest, hardest winter we've seen in a long time. They survived all that but were still really tiny by late Feb. However they put on a spurt and are now large, luscious plants.

The problem? The caulis should have flowered by now and the cabbage should have hearted. Because I know what a cabbage and a cauli look like (or at least I do when they're ready to pick!) I have no idea what any, other than the kale, are.

It's really b*ggering up my rotation - I expected to be yoinking them by now. What should I do with them, will the cauli still flower, cabbage heart? If not can we eat all the leaves as they are? Can't see why not but I thought I'd ask you lot.

[MKG]

Brassicas are generally a mystery to me, so I can't tell you if your caulis and cabbages will do what they were born to do. But I can tell you that the leaves are completely edible from the moment you can see them to the day you notice they're covered in caterpillars.

Mike

[grahamhobbs]

GreenAura, isn't this the hungry gap? OK my cabbages and cauliflowers came and went a couple or more weeks ago, but I'm in London, you're in Scotland. The cabbages may now bolt, so why not eat as spring greens (which is probably what they were intended for), the cauliflowers could heart up at any time, it's a mystery to me, they sit there for weeks then suddenly in a few days there's this amazing white head. If the cauli's are big and healthy then I'd wait. the cabbages I'd start eating.

[bonniethomas06]

Seconded... my spring cabbage that I sowed a bit late last year didn't come to much and showed no signs of hearting up, so we had it as greens with roast dinners and it was lovely.

I have no patience with this kind of thing - I say hoik the cauli's out and feed the leaves to the chooks and make space now - established brassicas plus summer weather = bolting - cut your losses.

[grahamhobbs]

But don't you want the cauli's to 'bolt',. Essentially you want to eat the 'flower', whereas the cabbages you don't want the flower.

[Green Aura]

It won't stop the caulis flowering if we start eating the leaves then?

We're already eating the kale, obviously, so we'll eat some of the others and keep our fingers crossed.

[Odsox]

I think you're being a bit premature damning your cauliflowers Maggie.
They normally need a good 4 months to produce a head, so if they were "still really tiny" at the end of February, I wouldn't expect them to head up until the middle of June at the earliest.
I wouldn't strip off any leaves either or you will weaken it's ability to produce a nice head.
Eat the cabbages by all means if you're hungry.

[Green Aura]

Hmm, could be a bit of a problem - as I said I neglected to label them! Oh well, nearly June, so assuming the caterpillars haven't eaten them all by then (despite the netting!) I'll see if anything becomes clearer.

[MKG]

"the cauliflower is a paler colour and the leaves are more of a pointed shape with a slight jagged edge"

I just pinched that off the net, so don't hold me to it. Like all such rules, I bet it's true in everyone's garden except the one in question

Mike

[Green Aura]

Thanks Mike - some definitely look like that so we'll leave those alone and just eat the rest.

[Odsox]

Yes, I agree with Mike, paler especially the midribs and also narrower and longer than cabbage.
Cabbage leaves tend to be rounder, and sprouts (I know you will NEVER grow those) are almost circular, especially when young.

[Green Aura]

(Actually we had some a Christmas that didn't have that bitter aftertaste and they weren't bad at all - just don't tell my OH!)