Your garden: Plant your winter greens by mid January
Although winter is a long way off, most winter greens should be planted by the middle of January, although Brussels sprouts generally give better crops if planted before Christmas.Cabbages, broccoli, kale, cauliflowers and silver beet all need rich ground to give good crops and ground where early potatoes have been grown is generally suitable.
Having been developed from wild seaside plants, members of the cabbage and beet families all benefit from liquid seaweed or compost that has seaweed in it.
If that is not available, a little sea salt (about half a teaspoonful a plant) sprinkled on the ground near the plants can be substituted.
A generous dressing of lime will help prevent club root but, more importantly, avoid growing any members of the cabbage and turnip families in the same spot two years in a row or the risk of this soil-borne fungus increases.
Water seedlings well until they are established and hoe around them to prevent the soil caking.
