Planting Brassicas 

Yesterday I wrote about the Parsley, and mentioned that I had been intending to remove it to make space for planting brassicas. If you read my post you will know that the Parsley got a reprieve, but the brassicas were planted anyway. I have put in four Brussels Sprouts and eight “de Ciccio” Broccoli plants. Here’s a general view of the bed, with the Brussels Sprouts in a single row down the middle, the Broccoli at the edges and the Parsley still in place at the far end…

You will notice that the brassicas are protected by pieces of black plastic, so let me explain what this is about.

Young brassicas are often attacked by Cabbage Root Fly, which lay their eggs in the soil right next to the plants. When the eggs develop into larvae, they begin to feed on the roots and stems of the brassica plants, which often wither and die as a result. It is thus traditional to protect the brassicas with “collars”, which make it hard for the flies to deposit their eggs near the plants.

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