Clear away brassicas to make way for root crops

The last of the kale and purple sprouting broccoli has been harvested and eaten, so it's time to clear away what's left of the brassica plants, just in time to sow carrots, beetroot and parsnip in their place.

Pull up last year's brassicas

My kale, cabbages and broccoli were planted last summer. The earlier cabbages were harvested in winter, but the great thing about brassicas is they can withstand a British winter and then the later varieties can be harvested in spring.

This year's purple sprouting broccoli has been producing tasty edible florets until last week, but now they're done, the root crops can take their place. This is perfect timing as the soil has now warmed up but is still moist enough for seeds to germinate, so a good time to sow my carrots, parsnips and beetroot. 

I've sown some already after the earlier cabbages were cleared away. Now the rest of the brassicas are on the compost heap I'll fill the rest of the bed with more root crops. 

This is part of my crop rotation plan, where each of my four groups of crops moves round one place to a new bed each year, helping to avoid build up of pests and diseases, and taking advantage of the soil nutrients each group naturally enjoys and leaves behind. 

My rotation is explained in this post: Getting your allotment or vegetable patch started

Last year's cabbages on the compost heap

In a few weeks I'll buy some brassica seedlings to plant in the next bed along in the rotation, previously occupied by peas and beans, but currently containing only some spinach. These seedlings will be this winter's cabbages and next spring's kale and broccoli. Hopefully they'll benefit from nitrogen fixed in the soil by last years peas and beans.

Whatever you're planting, or clearing away, this week, happy growing.
Paul

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