Cole Crop Planting in the Middle of Summer

Looking ahead!  In gardening, planning and preparation are key.  If you are planting from seed, some things, like broccoli, take 100 - 150 days to mature.  You've always got to be thinking weeks or months ahead.  Right now, the garden is pretty slow except for the okra.  It is amazing how fast okra blooms produce pods.  I'm also watching the sweet potato vines consume the garden.

I got out my LSU AgCenter Vegetable Planting Guide and discovered that if I want to be harvesting delicious cole crops this fall/winter, then I'd better get on the ball and plant some seeds.  There is nothing wrong with waiting until much later and going to the feed store and purchasing plants that are 6 to 8 inches tall and transplanting them into your garden.  In fact, sometimes when I have germination problems, I do that very thing.  There is just something authentic and pure about putting a dead seed in the ground and watching it grow.

I filled seed pots with seed starting mix and pulled all of my seeds out of the freezer.  First, I planted some broccoli.  I'm going with Waltham broccoli, which is a traditional broccoli.  I'm also planting a Romanesco Italia broccoli.  It is light green and has a very interesting feature.  It has numerous spiral heads that have a 'nutty' flavor.

As far as cauliflower is concerned, I planted three varieties.  First, Erfurter, a traditional while big-headed cauliflower.  Next, a Green Macerata cauliflower, which, as the name suggests, is green.  Finally, a Purple of Sicily cauliflower that has a big purple head.  I also planted a flat of brussels sprouts even though we haven't had success with them for the past several years as the little heads burst open instead of making the "little cabbages."

As far as cabbage is concerned, I planted three varieties.  One is a variety simply labeled "Cabbage," that I bought at the feed store years ago.  The next is Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage and then finally, Brunswick cabbage.

I simulated a rainfall on the flats of freshly planted seed and put them up on a table on the patio.  With our warm weather, these ought to sprout quickly if I keep the soil moist.

I'll have to remember each evening and morning to give them a good soaking.  I would also be wise to keep a sharp eye out for the cats as I don't want them to jump up on the table and wreak havoc on my seed starts. 

Sowing a cold weather crop in the peak months of summer requires patience - a virtue I haven't got much of!