Here in the Augusta area, brassicas are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. I start cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, in a cold frame the first of February. Transplant around the first of April. I direct sow pak choi in early march. Fall planting of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collards are sowed in a simi shaded plant bed (in the coolest spot I can find like down by a creek) transplanted in intervals from Sept 15-Oct. 15. Pak choi, turnips, rutabaga, komatsuna are direct seeded are direct seeded in early September. I use Bt to control cabbage worms. no other problems.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dill's Brassicas

Farmer Dill, all I can say is wow! Impressive collection and very nice photos. You have sparked my interest. It seems you have grown just about everything I've ever wanted to try. How do you like Rushmore, Galleon and shogoin ( for greens). Is Savanna a turnip? If so, where did you get the seed? I've been looking for a turnip to use for greens, something with large, smooth tops like the turnip greens in the grocery store. I've tried 7 top, too prickly, white egg, too small and purple top. I have a bunch of shogoin seed but have not tried it yet. Yours look amazing! Let me know if you're interested in a seed exchange. I've always wanted to try the cabbage collard. Yours are the first I've seen actually growing Iin the garden. I wonder...do they go to seed quickly?

You started brassicas around the same time as me. What size are your plants now? We are having very warm weather this weekend, I will put mine outside in my tiny greenhouse and see if they perk up a bit.

Rush more is agood early Cauliflower, Galleon is a great short season Broccoli. Shogoin is good for greens as well as roots. Larger tops than purple top and a bit milder. Cabbage collards have the same growing habits of leaf collards. I only grow collards as a winter vegetable. Usually hold into February. All overwintered brassicas are blooming now. I plow everything down but a couple of Cabbard collards that I let seed. One of the few things that I save seed. avoid crosspollination by removing other brassicas during the blooming period.
My plants are about 3 inches now. Glass is removed now to allow hardening off in place. The lighter green plants are NAPA cabbage. Oh and Savanna is a hybrid mustard Spinach (Komatsuna) little more vigorous than the open pollinated Tendergreen. More mild than a mustard or turnip green. I get the bulk of my seed from local feed and seed and Otis Twilley in Hodges SC (www.twilleyseed.com)

I am growing some turnips for the first time. I have some purple top white globe & a mix that I started from seed. I noticed that the purple top & some of those in the mix have fuzzy/prickly leaves & some of the mix have smooth leaves. Do you eat both? Or more the smooth?

Your photos are inspiring, farmerdill. I also have a mix of cabbage & broccoli in a small bed - I'll have to wait to see what is what. I accidentally sowed twice in the same container - my first time wintersowing. I planted them out a while ago & they're about 3 or 4 inches tall now. I haven't seen any pests yet, but I'm glad you mentioned the Bt, because I've got some & I'll use it if I see any holes.

Thank you Farmerdill. Yes, very nice pics. I will try to post one tomorrow. Growsy, the prickly leaves are not a favorite. Also,the leaves tend to be on the small side. I've been searching for the smooth-leaved variety like the ones in the grocery store. I'm beginning to think they may actually be something other than turnip greens.

I wonder if I should go ahead and plant mine. The are still so small, I'm afraid they will succumb.

Hey, I start brassicas in the ground in late August early September. My ground is heavily composted with dead leaves, some wood chips, egg shells and some kitchen scraps like peels, broccoli stems, coffee grinds, and such; hence plenty of nutrients. I have had the best success with Georgia Collards, Broccoli Raab (really a mustard family plant I've heard), Bok Choy (from Botanical Interests). Mustards grow like crazy too (Red Giant, Southern Giant, Tendergreen, and Arugula). Oh, and I don't have to spray with anything.

Is your soil composted/nutrient dense? That could be an issue (maybe?). Since you mentioned poor germination, know that I had better than expected germination and I just bought organic seeds from Pike (Botanical Interests brand). We had a lot of food.

Those two things above are all I can think of that could be causing the problem. Ooh, and I think interspersing mustard around the garden kept some bugs away from other stuff. I use them as a trap crop...

Hope this helps.