Start these 14 Brassicas from Seed This February

For a lot of areas, February is a bridge between seasons. On the tail finish of winter, it’s nonetheless not fairly spring. However that is prime time for getting ready brassica transplants indoors or direct sowing cold-hardy brassica crops beneath safety.

Relying in your rising zone, you may seed a wide range of brassicas in February, together with kale, cauliflower, radishes, and arugula. These “cole crops” take pleasure in cool climate and constant moisture.

In northern areas with brief rising seasons, it’s particularly essential to begin slow-maturing crops like Brussels sprouts and cabbage indoors so that they have time to totally develop exterior. In areas with scorching summers, it’s essential to begin brassicas early to keep away from issues like bolting and bitter leaves. Southern gardeners are often extra profitable after they develop cold-weather brassicas like kale and cauliflower in very early spring. 

Let’s dig into 14 brassicas you may seed in February primarily based in your rising zone.

Dazzling Blue Kale

Snowball Y Cauliflower

Chinese language Broccoli

What Are Brassicas?

The Brassica genus is comprised of cool-season greens, together with broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, bok choy, rutabagas, and kohlrabi. It is usually a common nickname for cole-family crops within the Brassicaceae household, typically referred to as Cruciferous greens or the mustard household, which additionally contains radishes, arugula, and mustards.

Many brassica cultivars are variants of the identical species, Brassica oleracea. For instance, broccoli crops have been bred for an enlarged central flower, whereas Brussels sprouts develop lateral buds that resemble mini-cabbages alongside the stem.

Kale and collard greens are bred for looser leaves, whereas kohlrabi had been chosen for enlarged base stalks. You’ll discover that each one of those crops look related within the seedling stage and are inclined to the identical pests and ailments within the backyard.

Brassicas to Begin Indoors in February

Despite their many complicated names, most brassica greens are grown in an analogous means. You can begin seeds indoors in giant cell trays in late winter or early spring (6-8 weeks earlier than your final frost date). They are going to be able to transplant in 4-6 weeks. 

These cool-climate crops don’t thoughts the chilliness of early spring climate. Mild frosts are wonderful for younger crops, however solely mature crops can deal with excessive chilly. It’s useful to make use of row cowl or a chilly body to guard younger crops from chilly nights and early-season pests like flea beetles. 

Kale

Why purchase bunches of bland inexperienced kale from the grocery retailer when you may develop limitless kale in all kinds of distinctive colours, shapes, and flavors? This notorious cold-weather “superfood” crop is extraordinarily simple to develop from seed.

For those who begin the seeds in very early spring, a single kale plant can offer you nutritious leaves for all the season. They are going to develop into hefty stalks that produce an infinite provide of latest leaves. As you harvest the older decrease foliage, kale crops constantly produce younger greens from the highest. 

By constantly harvesting, watering, and eradicating flowering stalks, you may often forestall kale from bolting in summer season’s warmth. When fall arrives, the identical crops will start to sweeten with frost. In lots of climates, they may even overwinter.

Begin this brassica in February by sowing seeds indoors 6-8 weeks earlier than your anticipated final spring frost. Sow them ¼” deep in 4-cell or 6-cell trays full of a well-drained soil mix. Preserve at room temperature in vivid daylight. Though these crops profit from chilly climate at maturity, the child seedlings nonetheless want heat soils. 

If you wish to direct seed, use a soil thermometer probe to verify that soil temperatures are above 60°F (16°C). Nonetheless, I’ve grown hundreds of bunches of kale with the extra dependable methodology of sowing indoors round February or March. The crops shall be able to transplant after they have a number of units of true leaves and are about 6” tall, often inside 4-6 weeks of seeding. Keep in mind to skinny your cell trays to only one seedling per cell. Transplant with 18-24” of area between kale crops. 

Strive ‘Lacinato’ or ‘Dazzling Blue’ dinosaur kale for a crinkly scrumptious texture. If you wish to make kale chips, plant ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’ kale for additional dense leaves that take in oil and taste. For additional cold-hardy crops that may overwinter, strive ‘Crimson Russian.’ For vibrant colours, develop ‘Redbor.’

Cauliflower

From traditional white heads to psychedelic swirly ‘Romanesco,’ cauliflower is an extremely versatile vegetable within the kitchen. Nonetheless, many gardeners wrestle to provide these huge, dense heads they see in shops. To treatment this, start cauliflower planting indoors in early spring 4-6 weeks earlier than your final frost. You’ll want to choose seed varieties labeled for spring manufacturing, corresponding to ‘Snowball.’ 

The rounded black seeds ought to be sown ¼” deep and take 8-10 days to germinate. Present constant moisture and heat soils through the early phases. After germination, cool rising temperatures round 50-60°F (10-16°C) are very best.

Direct sowing just isn’t beneficial for cauliflower, because the crops are fairly inclined to pests like aphids and slugs. As an alternative, wait till the seedlings attain 4-6” tall and have a number of units of true leaves. Transplant out with a minimal of 24” between crops and rows. It is rather essential that you simply give cauliflower loads of area. In any other case, it gained’t produce a agency central head.

If you need pure white cauliflower, be certain that the leaves curl over the pinnacle so it’s not uncovered to the solar. If the leaves aren’t naturally masking the cauliflower head, you should utilize a rubber band or twist tie to safe them within the middle whereas the heads develop. 

Cabbage

Whether or not you take pleasure in contemporary coleslaw, home-fermented kimchi, or a hearty cabbage soup, this brassica shines finest in early spring. For those who begin these seeds indoors in February, you should have sturdy cabbage seedlings to transplant by early April. Full-size cabbage crops can take as much as 110 days to mature, so an early begin is additional essential in areas with a brief rising season or areas with scorching summers. You wish to plant cabbage on the excellent time so it may mature whereas the climate continues to be pretty cool.

This February, begin cabbage seeds 6-8 weeks earlier than your final frost date in 4-cell or 6-cell trays. A compost-rich soil mix and constant moisture are important for sturdy early development. You’ll want to skinny the seedlings, as overcrowding will inhibit head formation. When they’re able to transplant, give cabbage crops loads of area to open up and unfold out. Some varieties want as much as 2 sq. ft per plant.

If giant cabbages are intimidating, strive a mini selection like ‘Caraflex’ cone-shaped cabbages. In scorching climates, strive a sluggish bolt selection like ‘One Kilo Sluggish Bolt Napa’ cabbage. Untimely bolting (going to flower and seed) is a significant situation with this brassica and may shortly spoil your summer season coleslaw desires.

Broccoli

The nutritious darkish inexperienced florets of broccoli will be surprisingly candy and flavorful when grown within the chill of early spring. Early season varieties are finest began indoors 6-8 weeks earlier than your final frost.

Sow seeds ¼” deep in cell trays with soil temperatures round 70°F (21°C) and ambient temperature round 60°F (16°C). You’ll discover that broccoli seedlings look similar to cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Keep in mind to label your seed trays so that you don’t get them confused!

After 4-6 weeks of development, broccoli shall be able to transplant. The seedlings ought to have sturdy root development and several other units of true leaves. It’s essential to harden off broccoli seedlings to allow them to slowly acclimate to colder out of doors nights. I want to maintain them in a protected space like a patio for just a few days earlier than placing them within the floor. Then, I cowl the crops with row material so as to add a bit of additional insulation. 

In case your broccoli has failed to provide huge central heads previously, ensure that you might be thinning the seedlings to 1 plant per cell. House transplants are not less than 12-18” aside and supply loads of compost and moisture however don’t enable the soil to develop into soggy.

Broccolini

Generally referred to as sprouting broccoli, rapini, or Chinese language broccoli, broccolini is the playful, tender cousin of broccoli heads. They mature extra shortly than broccoli and are simpler for learners who’ve had bother rising full broccoli heads. These crops produce plentiful facet shoots all season lengthy. The stems and florets are very tender and style pleasant when grilled. In addition they make far much less of a multitude to organize within the kitchen. 

I want to develop broccolini over broccoli as a result of the crops are like a present that retains on giving. Though some broccoli crops will produce just a few facet shoots after you decide the central head, a broccolini plant will actually ship out sprouts all spring, summer season, and fall. For those who sustain with harvests and watering, the crops are much less vulnerable to bolting.

Seed broccolini indoors with the very same methodology as broccoli and cauliflower. When the mature crops start to ship up shoots, gently snap them on the base and return a few times every week to verify for brand new sprouts.

Bok Choy

This scrumptious historical Asian inexperienced will be grown as a full-size head or child bok choy. I want the latter as a result of the crops mature as shortly as 35 days and are simple to roast entire or slice into sautes. These mini brassicas carry out excellently in containers and are very beginner-friendly. The crunchy, white stems and tender leaves have a gentle taste excellent for stir-fries.

Bok choy thrives in cool climate and will be transplanted or straight sown. The seeds germinate finest when sown ¼” deep in soils not less than 60°F (16°C). Use a soil thermometer probe to verify your backyard beds, or begin the seeds in smaller cell trays and transplant out after 2-4 weeks earlier than your final frost date. 

Bok choy is vulnerable to bolting in scorching climate, so it’s finest to get this crop out and in of the backyard within the spring. Thankfully, the little yellow bok choy flowers are additionally edible and can be utilized like raab or rapini. Use row cowl to maintain flea beetles away from the gorgeous leaves. 

Brussels Sprouts

For those who’ve ever appeared carefully at a mature stalk of Brussels sprouts, it makes excellent sense that this vegetable is a really shut cousin of cabbage. You possibly can develop the crops in virtually the very same method. With tight clusters of leaves like little cabbages alongside the stalk, Brussels sprouts have a novel development like a bit of palm tree. They’re surprisingly versatile and revel in chilly temperatures. Nonetheless, they require early seeding and row cowl to keep away from pests and bolting points.

Begin Brussels sprouts indoors 4-6 weeks earlier than your final frost date. It is a crop you’ll wish to develop as soon as within the spring and once more within the fall. With a February sowing of this brassica, you may harvest the sprouts by late Might or early June, beginning with the biggest backside heads and dealing your means up as they develop.

Aphids are the largest downside I’ve encountered with Brussels sprouts. They get contained in the tight balls of leaves and shortly flip to nasty infestations. To stop them, plant a lot of aromatic companion crops like onions, white alyssum, chives, and thyme. For those who discover early indicators of aphids like sugary sap or a gathering of ants, spray the crops with a average blast of water to knock the aphids off, then apply a diluted answer of neem oil.

Kohlrabi

With its alien-like bulbous form, kohlrabi typically will get missed on the grocery retailer. Kohlrabi might seem like a turnip or root, nevertheless it’s really an enlarged brassica stem. This distinctive vegetable tastes much better when harvested younger, because the older crops can develop into very exhausting and troublesome to chop.

Younger kohlrabi corresponding to ‘Purple Vienna’ will be extremely tender and juicy, virtually like biting into an apple! They’ve a barely nutty or peppery taste and an incredible quantity of vitamin C. 

Kohlrabi will be transplanted or direct sown, so long as the seeds germinate in soils hotter than 45°F (7°C). To begin bigger crops indoors, plant kohlrabi seeds ¼” to ½” deep in cell trays 4-6 weeks earlier than your final frost date. For child kohlrabi, direct sow outside 3-4 weeks earlier than your final frost date with 4” of area between crops and 12” between rows. 

Start harvesting when the bulbs are 2-3” in diameter. Minimize the stem simply on the line with pruners or a knife. You’ll want to catch them younger! Something bigger than a tennis ball will lose its candy taste and doubtlessly develop a woody, pithy texture. 

Collard Greens

You don’t should stay within the Deep South to develop collard greens. Actually, this southern traditional really does finest in chilly climate. Mature collards are very frost-tolerant and thrive in early spring. The massive, deep-green leaves make unbelievable wraps or stewed greens with beans and cornbread. The cabbage-like crops are additionally warmth tolerant, which implies you may maintain them within the backyard for a steady harvest all through the season, very like your kale crops.

Begin collards indoors 4-6 weeks earlier than your final frost and plant out as soon as soil temperatures are above 55°F (13°C). These brassica seeds ought to be sown ½” deep in 4-cell or 6-cell trays. They’re able to transplant when 4-6” tall. Present 18-24” of area between crops and start harvesting the decrease outer leaves as soon as they’re bigger than your hand.

It’s useful to make use of a knife when harvesting younger crops so that you don’t unintentionally uproot them. As soon as the crops are extra mature, you may snap the stems from the central stalk as wanted.

Brassicas to Direct Seed in February

In case your soil is defrosted and workable, there are additionally many brassica seeds you can begin by direct sowing outside in February. These develop particularly shortly in low tunnels, chilly frames, or beneath row material. Amend with compost earlier than seeding, and use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to maintain younger crops hydrated.

Arugula

Also referred to as rocket, arugula is a peppery mustard member of the family that will get spicier within the warmth. For those who dislike the extreme taste of some arugula, strive rising ‘Astro’ in early spring and harvesting the leaves whereas younger. 

You possibly can seed arugula outside so long as the soil temperature is not less than 40°F (4°C). Plant the seeds ¼” deep and gently mud over them with soil or vermiculite. Preserve constant moisture and wait 10-15 days for them to emerge. I want to develop arugula in dense rows to reap like salad greens. This implies you may scatter the seeds about 4-6” aside in rows 6” aside. For bigger leaves, widen the spacing. 

As soon as the leaves are about 4” tall, use the “lower and are available once more” harvest methodology by grabbing a handful of leaves and chopping on the base an inch above the soil. The rising tip will regenerate a brand new spherical of arugula inside just a few weeks. Row cowl could be very useful for this early spring inexperienced as a result of flea beetles can eat lots of ugly little holes in arugula crops.

Child Kale Combine

For those who want your kale tender and small for uncooked consuming, strive direct sowing a child kale mix like ‘Premier Mix’ or ‘Crimson Russian Child Greens.’ These crops carry out excellently in containers and germinate in soils round 40-50°F (4-10°C). If you’re not sure about whether or not you may sow, use a soil probe to verify the soil temperature a number of inches deep in your beds. I’ve discovered that child kale combine is finest planted 2-4 weeks earlier than your final frost date, usually round late February for an early April harvest. Sow a brand new succession each 2 weeks for a steady provide.

Broadcast or scatter child kale seeds roughly ¾” aside and ¼” deep. Present constant moisture and wait 25-30 days to reap after they attain 2-4” tall. Use the “lower and are available once more” methodology to get a number of harvests from the identical patch.

Radish

Spring radishes are a particular deal with on salads or contemporary with a cheese platter. These rapid-maturing brassicas are excellent for impatient gardeners as a result of they take lower than a month to mature. The important thing to nice radishes is constant moisture and an early harvest. Don’t let your radishes get any bigger than a golf ball, or they’ll develop into pithy and exhausting.

Radishes take up little or no area and are nice for containers or small beds. They are going to germinate in soils as chilly as 40°F (4°C). Seed about ½” deep with 2” of area between crops. Repeat successive sowings each 1 to 2 weeks all through the spring. Radishes develop into spicier in heat climate however have a tendency to stay candy and tender so long as temperatures are cool.

Turnip

Have you ever ever tasted a contemporary turnip that was candy, crisp, and juicy like an apple? Salad turnips are stunning white globes that mature shortly in spring climate and keep a pleasant texture for contemporary consuming or roasting. Most individuals flip their noses up at turnips attributable to their sturdy taste, however Tokyo or ‘Hakurei’ turnips are gentle and candy when grown in cool climate.

You possibly can direct seed these brassicas as much as 4 weeks earlier than your final frost date. The spacing between seeds will decide the scale of the basis. I want to plant Hakureis 2-3” aside and harvest them at golf-ball measurement or barely bigger. Row cowl will defend younger leaves so you may take pleasure in them in salads.

In case you have issues with wireworms damaging the gorgeous white skins, strive rising your soil drainage and avoiding overirrigation. Diatomaceous earth or wireworm traps like a buried piece of uncooked candy potato might assist. Simply don’t overlook to take away the candy potato as soon as the little worms infest it!

Mustard Greens

We will’t talk about the mustard household with out concerning mustard greens! Most of us consider mustard because the seeds used within the well-known condiment, however mustard greens have the identical spicy taste with much more vitamin and flexibility.

Whereas most individuals don’t like mustard greens on their very own, I at all times develop a small patch of mustard greens to combine in with my salad lettuce. Mustard crops are remarkably resilient and straightforward to plant within the chilly soils of February. Their sturdy scent can also be useful as a companion plant for deterring pests.