Brassica covers the cabbages, broccoli and many winter greens that take a long time to grow. These plants growing cycles do not fit into a school year and so we consider them unsuitable for the Ferncumbe Garden. However, this family also includes pak choi, rocket, raddishes and summer cabbages which we can grow within a school year.
For the class growing brassicas, the plan is to sell young plants at the spring farmers market and to sell produce and plants at the summer market.
Autumn Term
September Harvest any brassica left from the previous summer crops and clear the raised bed with brassica in ready for another class. It is VERY important that brassica are NOT grown in the same place each year. Ideally they should be grown where peas and beans grew the previous school year. Work with the class group that grew these the previous school year to take over the raised beds and mark as growing brassica.
Agree with the class which brassicas to grow, and purchase the seeds. You want to choose varieties that will be ready to harvest for the summer farmers market, such as summer cabbage and early cauliflower or fast growing ‘salad’ brassica such as rocket and pak choi.
Spring term
January/ early February sow cabbages and cauliflower in modules or small pots in the poly tunnel. Leave to germinate, if cold, bring into the classroom windowsill to help them germinate. Sow seed trays of rocket and pak choi. Sow at fortnightly intervals to the end of February. Pot on Rocket and pak choi to grow on for the farmers market.
Plant out the cabbages to grow on for the summer market during March. Prepare the others to sell at the Spring Farmers market.
March After the farmers market plant out any remaining rocket and pak choi to grow on for the summer market.
Summer Term
April May If you decide to grow winter cabbage plants to sell at the summer market, plant them now. Keep sowing rocket and pak choi to sell as plants and produce at the summer market.
June Keep all seedlings and plants well watered. Watch for caterpillars and at the first sign, pick off leaves, spray with soft soap and net all the cabbage family plants. Be particularly careful in the poly tunnel to ensure butterflies and caterpillars are not allowed in. They can munch through a crop in under a day!
July Prepare plants and produce for Farmers market.
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The Ferncumbe Garden 