Get Your Brassicas On: Kales And Cabbages

Brassicas are about the hottest thing in vegetable gardens these days, and if you’re looking for a vegetable that you can start growing now that’s incredibly healthy and very easy, these are the ones. Many of them can be stored for months without losing any flavor, and at least one gets sweeter after it gets pretty cold out.

And if that’s not enough, how about a vegetable that can be grown and harvested early in the summer, then all through the fall and into early winter? As a bonus, these two relatives are even quite stunning in the ornamental garden, and some varieties are used exclusively for their looks and use as late-fall color in planters and landscapes. Their flavors can range from mild to strong, and they can be eaten cooked or raw.With all these clues you may already guessed that I’m talking about the cabbages and kales. As home gardeners, many of us have been growing cabbage for a long time. But it’s been within only the past 15 years that I’ve been seeing kales in home gardens and on the green grocer’s shelves. And as I mentioned a few week ago, there are now kalettes, the newest brassica on the block. Historically, cabbages have always been thought of as being more sophisticated than the kales. The Greeks and Romans began to bring them up to the Black Sea regions, and by the 9th century we found slaves growing cabbage as it worked its way into Russia as well. We think the first cabbages in Canada were grown around 1542, and by the 1700s both the colonists and Native Americans were growing cabbage down here.

Kales, on the other hand, are thought to be a bit more primitive. Their loose leaves were grown in the Eastern Mediterranean and in Asia Minor since 2000 BC. The first mention of kale in America was in 1669. Needless to say, both of these related crops have a long-documented lineage, and while Chinese cabbage shares a common name, it is in fact more closely related to the mustard family.

Technically, most common cabbages, of the Capitata or head-shaped group, are commonly classified as one of three leaf and color types: green-leaved, which have smooth green leaves; red, with smooth, reddish-purple leaves; and savoy, with crinkled leaves. There is a further breakdown into head shape (round, conical or cone-shaped, globe, or flat round) and by harvest time (early, mid-season and late). In all types, the outer leaves are referred to as the wrappers and are generally not eaten. The flat-headed cabbages are best for stuffing, while large, late cabbages are the most flavorful and the best used for sauerkraut.

Some generalizations about the three types go like this: The green-leaved cabbages can be cone-shaped, solid, flattened and round and from 2 to 3 pounds in weight. They can vary from pale green to deep green and even deep blue green, and some are actually sweet and tender. They mature in 65 to 75 days from planting and they go by names like Arrowhead II, Cheers, Stonehead, Dynamo, King Cole and others. The red-headed cabbages are often used in salads and for cooking, and they have a slightly peppery flavor. The heads weigh in at from 3 to 4 pounds, with maturity ranging from 70 to 80 days. These have names such as Red Meteor, Ruby Perfection, Super Red (a single serving cabbage) and Red Jewel.

The savoys set themselves apart as being sweeter, with a much more delicate flavor than the green cabbages. The outer leaves are generally deep green, lightening to a pale green deeper within. They are excellent raw in coleslaw or salads or gently cooked in stir-fries or light Mediterranean-style soups. Varieties to look for include Chieftain, Savoy Express and Savoy King. Heads can vary from 1 to 4 pounds depending on the variety, and maturity is wide-ranging, from 55 (Express) to 90 days for Chieftain.

Kale, which belongs to the same brassica family as the cabbages, also shares the same beta-carotene, potassium and cancer-reducing glucosinolates as the cabbages. Unfortunately, it is often relegated to a garnish or salad bar decoration instead of being included in the salad or meal. For edible use it really needs to be grown either early in the season or late in the season. In fact, the best-tasting kales are the ones that have been through several light frosts of early fall, as this tends to sweeten them up. In the summer they are quite the opposite and can be seriously bitter.

The colors of edible kale can vary from pale yellowish to deep green through deep, steely blue to purplish red and almost black. Classification is usually by leaf form and texture. Scottish types have very curled and wrinkled leaves, Siberian or Russian types are almost flat with finely divided edges, while heirloom “Lacinato” is in a class of its own. Blue-green color is generally associated with better cold tolerance, while Japanese kale is primarily used for decorative and ornamental purposes. Kale can mature in 30 to 65 days, and there are a few varieties that are heat “tolerant.” There are about 15 varieties on the market, so check them out for characteristics such as flavor, color, texture and hardiness.

There are basically three ways of growing cabbages and kale. You can start your own plants from seed indoors—which means you need to start sowing some seeds this weekend—or you can wait to buy transplants at your local garden center or do direct seeding into your garden. The advantage to starting your own plants from seed is that this gives you the freedom to choose what varieties you want to grow and not what the local garden center might carry. If you start your own plants, you might have the luxury of choosing from 20 to 30 varieties, but the local garden center will have three, or five if you’re lucky. Even better, since these are cool crops, they are easy to grow and germinate at home, and as they get planted deep even leggy candidates will do well. Since these are cold-tolerant plants, your first outdoor planting can be as early as the end of the first week of April so long as the plants have been properly hardened off.

If you are going to do direct seeding, this is a good choice for a late-season crop. The seeds are sown in late summer (see the seed packets for timing), and harvesting takes place through the fall. Many types of cabbages are great “holders,” and if kept at a relative humidity of 95 percent and just above 32 degrees, with two to three wrapper leaves left on, they can be stored from two to six months. Don’t store them with apples or pears, though, as these two fruits release ethylene gas that will result in bitter cabbages.

Cabbage prefers a fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, and while most of our local soils will suffice, if you live in an area where it’s particularly sandy you’ll have to add organic matter such as compost. Before planting, incorporate 2 to 4 inches of well-composted organic matter and about 5 cups of all-purpose fertilizer such as 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row. Seeds should be planted about one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch deep for outdoor planting and about a quarter of an inch deep for indoor starts. If you are growing transplants, thin to one plant per pot when the seedlings have three to four true leaves. Transplants should have four to six mature leaves and a well-developed root system before they are transplanted out to the garden. As a general rule, a minimum of four to six weeks is needed to grow transplants to this size.

Once hardened off, the transplanted or store-bought plants should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Cabbage and kale grow best when the temperatures don’t exceed 80 degrees, and they can tolerate night temperatures down to 25 degrees when hardened. Seeded cabbage can be planted at the same time, and for fall harvesting start your direct seeding in late July.

The caterpillar of the cabbage butterfly can be a pest during the growing season, but they are easily controlled using sprays of Bt, which is toxic only to the feeding caterpillars. Aphids can be washed off with sprays of water, and cutworms can be avoided by using collars around the young plants. When the plants start to form mature heads, you can fertilize again using fish emulsion or a dilute balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10.

This is not only a healthy vegetable to work with, but a great one to learn from. There are also cabbages and kale that work well in containers. If you make mistakes with the early crop, you get a second chance to do better with your fall crop. And of course, keep growing.