iGrowVeg

The 12 Vegetables of Christmas – Part 1 of 3

Posted on 12. Dec, 2009 by Tracey in How to Grow Veg

Last year my dad handed me a giant leek that one of his friends had given him off his allotment, this year I decided to grow my own leeks for the first time to be able to hand my dad one back for Christmas from my vegetable garden. So far so good, the leeks are not of giant proportion but nevertheless fattening up nicely.

This got me thinking what other vegetable could I have been harvesting this Christmas if I had started sowing them earlier in the year?

Brussels Sprouts

1. Brussels Sprouts

The nations marmite at Christmas, you either love them or hate them! For the record I love them.

Sow Indoors: January and February
Sow Outdoors: March and April
Number of Weeks to Grow: 30 – 36 weeks.
Varieties to Choose: Mid and Late Varieties to Harvest from November to January.

• Organic Mid Varieties – Igor F1, Darkmar, Groninger, Nautic F1 – The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Organic Late Varieties – Rubine – The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Hardy & Sturdy Varieties – Sanda and Seven Hills from The Real Seed Catalogue.
• Want to Buy Plants? Delivery Late April from Suttons Seeds for Wellington F1, Brigitte F1.

Tips if you are growing them now: Stake and push the earth up around them to protect them from the harsh weather so they can be stable enough to produce your sprouts!

Other Bloggers Harvesting Brussels Sprouts: Late Autumn Day by Allotment 2 Kitchen

Parsnips

2. Parsnip

Parsnips have the reputation for having fiddly germination rates however whichever method of seed sowing you use (mine’s just put them in the ground and hope for the best) you could be having them roasted with a drizzle of honey if you sow them next year!

Sow Outdoors: February to May
Number of Weeks to Grow: 32 – 36 Weeks
Harvest: October onwards, can be stored in the ground until February
Tracey @iGrowVeg has Grown: Countess F1 – See my Parsnips grown last year.
Varieties to Choose:

• Popular – Gladiator F1 from SowVegetables.co.uk
• Albion F1 and White Gem from Sutton Seeds.
• Traditional - Tender and True from The Real Seed Catalogue.
• Organic – Half Long Guernsey and Turga from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.

Tips if you are growing them now: Expose them to frost and it gives them more flavour as it increases the sugar in their roots.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Parsnips:

• Look Away Now by The Drooling Vegetable
• Parsnip Potato Cakes by Allotment 2 Kitchen
• A Guide to Parsnips – You Ask, we Answer by Veg Plotting.
• Scary Harvest by The Inelegant Gardener

Kale Redbor

3. Kale

Sow Outdoors: April to May
Number of Weeks to Grow: 28 – 32 Weeks
Harvest: September to February
Varieties to Choose: Hardy Winter Types.

• Nero Di Toscana by The Real Seed Catalogue.
• Organic – Dwarf Green Curled, Red Curled, Red Winter, Westland Winter by The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Classic – Redbor by The Organic Gardening Catalogue.

Tips if you are growing them now: It tastes better if they are left open to the frost and if you’ve got too much, freeze it. For more growing advice on Kale, please click here.

Bloggers Currently Harvesting Kale:
Cavolo Nero: cabbage sounds better in Italian by The Drooling Vegetable.

4. Swede

I love swede and potato mash or roast vegetable bubble and squeak on Boxing day with a selection of cold meats, mostly leftover turkey.

Sow Outdoors: April to June
Number of Weeks to Grow: 20 – 24 weeks.
Varieties to Choose:

• Champion Red Top, Green Top and Joan from The Real Seed Catalogue.
• Willemsburger, Helenor and Marian from The Organic Gardening Catalogue.
• Bora, Invitation and Ruby from Sutton Seeds.

Tips if you are growing them now: They can be left in the ground during periods of frost to help with their sweetness. Swedes can be stored in bags or boxes in a cool area away from light.

Bloggers currently harvesting Swedes:

• Clapshot and Vegetarian Haggis and Garam Masala Swede aka neep soup by allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com

Other Parts in this Series:

• Part 2 of the 12 Vegetables of Christmas
• Part 3 of the 12 Vegetables of Christmas

Other Posts you may be interested in:

• How To Grow Veg Guides
• Winter Vegetable Growing Guides
• Growing Leeks
• Growing Kale
• November Veg Plot Update – Leeks, Fennel, Onions, Broad Beans and Pak Choi.
• Other Vegetable Growers, Gardeners & Cooks Blogs I’m Currently Reading.