E-279 3-11 Easy Gardening cole crops • cole crops • cole crops • cole Joseph Masabni, Assistant Professor and Extension Horticulturist; and Patrick Lillard, Extension Assistant, The Texas A&M System ole crops include broccoli, cabbage, pings—to the garden soil and turn it in a cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. few weeks before planting. This will give CThey are all cool-season crops that the leaves or grass clippings time to de - can be grown successfully in most Texas compose and release nutrients into the soil home gardens if the right varieties are before planting. Dig the soil as deep as a planted at the right time. garden spade or shovel will reach, usually Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are 10 to 12 inches. Turn the organic matter the hardest to grow, while broccoli and under the soil as soon as possible after ap - cabbage are the easiest. For most gardens, plication. broccoli is an ideal choice because it pro - duces quickly, and each plant can be har - Fertilizing vested several times. Have your soil tested every 3 to 4 Site selection years to determine how rich it is or what nutrients it is lacking. Soils in East Texas Cole crops do best in full sunlight usually are very acidic, while soils in South when grown in sandy loam soils with lots and West Texas usually are alkaline, and of organic matter. They prefer soils with a soils on the plains usually have plenty of pH of 6 to 6.5; yield will be reduced if the potassium. If you do not have your soil soil pH is below 6. tested, apply about 1 to 2 pounds of a complete fertilizer (such as 10-20-10) for each 100 square feet or about 30 feet of Soil preparation row to be planted. Spread the fertilizer over Add a 3-inch layer of organic matter— the soil surface after the soil is dug. Then such as compost, leaves, or grass clip - mix the fertilizer into the soil 2 to 3 inches with a rake or tiller. -1- After fertilizing, bed the soil by pulling it into ridges 12 inches wide, 6 to 8 Cauliflower inches high, and 36 inches apart (center to • Alverda (Green) center). This is necessary for good • Brocuverde (Caul/Broc hybrid) drainage. Creating raised beds is most im - • Imperial portant in heavier soils as they do not • Majestic drain very well. Bedding the soil also • Snow Crown mixes the fertilizer into the row where • Snowball Y Improved plants can reach it. Apply more fertilizer as • Violet Queen (Purple) the plants grow during the season. Planting Varieties Most cole crops need 18 to 24 inches Several varieties work well for Texas between plants and 36 inches between gar deners, including: rows. Broccoli spaced too closely will have Broccoli small heads and fewer side sprouts. Cauli - • Arcadia flower and cabbage can easily spread 2 feet • Bonanza if well fertilized. Space Brussels sprout • Green Comet plants 14 to 18 inches apart because they • Green Magic grow more upright (Fig. 1.) . • Packman • Premium Crop • Southern Comet Brussels Sprouts • Diablo • Jade Cross • Royal Marvel • Tasty Nugget Figure 1. Space broccoli and Brussels sprouts 14 to 18 inches apart. Space cauliflower and cabbage Cabbage 24 inches apart. Plant radishes or greens between • Early Jersey Wakefield the young plants. • Golden Acre • Green Boy Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage can • Market Prize be grown in both spring and fall, but fall • Rio Verde planting often is more successful because • Ruby Ball very early spring planting is often delayed • Savoy King by wet or cold weather. Delayed spring planting exposes plants to too-hot weather Chinese Cabbage before they mature. Variety selection is • Brisk Green very important because early-maturing va - • Jade Pagoda rieties usually are the most successful. In • Michihili areas south of Region II (Fig. 2), Brussels • Monument sprouts should be grown only as a fall crop -2- because they will survive temperatures as low as 25 de - will not mature grees F when properly conditioned, and before summer Brussels sprouts will survive 20 degrees F or temperatures lower if the temperature drops gradually. get too hot. Brussels sprouts are the most cold tolerant of the cole crops. Start with Figure 2. Texas gardening good trans - regions. plants, which can be bought from a nurs - Figure 3. Correct planting depth. ery or garden center. If you want to grow your own transplants, plant seeds in peat Set the transplant in the garden at pots or similar containers about 3 to 4 about the same depth it was in the pot. Be weeks before the fall crop or 6 weeks before sure peat pots are moist and not exposed to the spring crop is to be transplanted. By air after planting. If cole crops are covered growing plants from seed, you will have too deeply, the stems will rot (Fig. 3.) many more varieties to select from and at the time you want them. Experienced Care during the season home gardeners plant seed for the fall crop directly into the garden and thin the Keep soil moist but not soaked. Mulch plants after they come up. The small plants with a dark-colored plastic cover or com - can be transplanted to other spots in your post in the spring or a white plastic cover, garden or to a neighbor’s garden. dried grass clippings, or leaves in the fall. Transplant cole crops to the garden Mulch helps reduce the need for water, according to the following dates: controls weeds, and regulates soil tempera - tures. Do not Region Spring Fall hoe too deep I Mar. 1 – Apr. 7 July 15 – Aug. 1 or too close to the plants to II Feb. 15 – Mar. 20 Aug. 1 – Aug. 20 avoid damag - ing the shal - III Feb. 1 – Mar. 5 Aug. 20 – Sep. 20 low root IV Jan. 15 – Feb. 20 Oct. 1 – Oct. 20 system. About 4 weeks after V Jan. 1− Feb. 1 Nov. 1− Nov. 20 transplanting, apply 1 Gardening regions of Texas are shown in Figure 2. pound of fer - tilizer for Photo: Bruce Patty Leander Be sure to acclimate the transplants to Figure 4. Cauliflower with each 30 feet the cold of early spring or heat of early fall leaves tied over the head of row beside before transplanting. Broccoli and cabbage (blanched). -3- the plants. Water the fertilizer into the soil. Before using a pesticide, read the Another application usually is needed label. Use it in strict accordance with cau - about 4 weeks later. If nitrogen fertilizer tions, warnings and directions. such as ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate is used, apply 1 cup per 30 feet of Diseases row. There are a few diseases of concern When the cauliflower head can be when growing cole crops, but there are seen easily, gather the longest leaves to - some practices that will help keep disease gether over the head and tie them with a pressure down. Rotate crops every year. Do rubber band or soft twine (Fig. 4.) This is not plant the same crops or crops of the called blanching. It shades the head and same family in the same place more than prevents it from becoming yellowish green once every 3 to 4 years. Leave plenty of in color. Check plants often for insect dam - space between plants to reduce disease age after blanching. The head should be problems. If you have trouble with diseases ready to harvest 8 to 10 days after blanch - on cole crops, ask your county Extension ing. agent about disease control. Insects Harvesting Name and description Control Cauliflower. Cut center heads when they are tight. Overly 1 mature heads become open ⁄8 inch long; soft-bodied; malathion green, pink, red, brown or garlic juice extracts and loose, and flowers begin powdery blue; usually on neem oil to open. undersides of leaves; sucks pyrethrins plant juices; may be cov - azadirachtin Broccoli. Cut center heads ered with a fine whitish Aphid wax. when the very first flower shows the slightest yellow Adult and nymph; black Sevin® color. Leave side sprouts for and yellow; shield shaped; azadirachtin later harvest. sucks juices from plants. garlic juice extracts pyrethrins Harlequin bug Brussels sprouts. Sprouts ap - pear between leaves and the Up to 1½ inches long; pale Bt main stem on lower leaves green with light stripe garlic juice extracts first. They must have cool down back; doubles up or pyrethrins loops when it crawls; weather for best quality. Cabbage looper chews leaves. When the sprouts are about 1 inch in diameter and the Up to 1¼ inches long; Bt lower leaves begin to turn yel - velvety green with three spinosad faint gold stripes on back; garlic juice extracts low, cut off lower leaves and chews ragged holes in pyrethrins remove sprouts with your fin - leaves; bores into head. gers or a knife. New sprouts Imported form higher up the stem as cabbage worm Photo –James Dill, University of Maine the plant grows. -4- Serving Cole crops are a good source of protein, minerals and vitamins when properly prepared. Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts can be served raw in salads or cooked. Steamed or mashed cauli - flower or broccoli is a good warm dish for cold days. Cabbage is served cooked, raw in cole slaw, or Figure 5. Proper harvesting. processed into sauerkraut. Ask your county Extension agent for informa - Cabbage. Harvest when the head be - tion on preparing and serving cole crops. comes firm. This can be tested by pressing with the thumb in the center of the head. Cleanup Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels Spring cole crops can be followed by sprouts must be harvested as soon as they summer crops such as southern peas, okra, are ready (Fig.