Gadenin日本語Get the appJudge by height
Cut when the plant reaches height rather than counting days, because growth speed depends entirely on accumulated warmth. In cold weather allow around half as long again as the figures below.
| Sowing | Days from sowing | Height | How to cut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Four to six weeks | 9 to 10 in (22 to 25 cm) | Cut it all early |
| Summer | Four to five weeks | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | In the cool of the morning |
| Autumn | Six to seven weeks | About 10 in (25 cm) | Largest plants first |
| Overwintering | Eight weeks or more | 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) | On a dry morning |
Pull or cut
Pulling the whole plant with the root gives you the sweet red crown, which is worth having, and clears the bed. Cutting at the base leaves the root in the ground but is quicker and cleaner.
If you pull, do not cut the roots off in the garden. Hold the bunch and swirl the roots in water to wash the soil out, and trim them when you cook.
Once it starts to bolt
A stem rising from the center means the plant will not put on more leaf and the leaves will toughen. Cut everything as soon as you see it: waiting only reduces the quality.
Bolting is much more likely on a spring sowing, so with that crop plan to cut before it happens rather than reacting to it.
What cold sweetening needs
Exposing a mature overwintering crop to cold makes the plant convert starch to sugar as antifreeze, and the leaves crinkle and taste noticeably sweeter. It only works if the plant is already big enough and the temperature is genuinely low.
| Condition | What it takes | If you cannot meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Size before exposure | 8 in (20 cm) or more | Small plants just crinkle without filling |
| Air temperature | Days around 41F (5C) | Little effect in a mild garden |
| Soil temperature | 41 to 46F (5 to 8C) | Too warm and the sugars do not build |
| Length of exposure | Two to three weeks | Too short and the leaves do not crinkle |
Variety matters. Savoyed types and those sold for cold sweetening crinkle readily, while spring varieties show little effect.
How to do it
The sequence matters more than the dates. Get the plants to size under cover first, then let the cold in gradually rather than all at once.
- Grow it to size first Get the plants to eight inches or more under a cover before you start. Exposing them small gives crinkled leaves with nothing behind them.
- Open the cover by day Start by opening the cloche or row cover during the day so the plants meet cold air, and close it at night.
- Then leave it open After a week or so, leave it open day and night for two to three weeks until the leaves are properly crinkled and thickened.
- Cut on a dry morning Cut in the morning on a fine day. Leaves cut while frozen are damaged as they thaw and go limp.