Stock up on seeds for next winter's crop now as big, beefy brassicas like Savoy cabbages, Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli need almost a year to grow to full size.
Make the most of the great range of seed varieties you'll find here at our our garden centre in Hereford by sowing two or three different ones for each type of veg. Sowing just one type of Brussels sprout, for example, can mean they all hit picking time at once, leaving you with a huge glut to get through and then nothing to follow.
Pace your harvest more steadily by planting different varieties to mature at different times. So instead of raising, say, 24 of the same type of Brussels sprout, sow eight each of three different varieties. First, some which mature in double-quick time to mature by September – 'Nelson' is a good choice here. Then choose a variety which matures mid-season, at around Christmas – try 'Wellington' or 'Bedford'. And finally, to keep the sprouts coming right through till March, sow some late-maturing types: 'Revenge' is one of the best, super-hardy and ready from January onwards. The same trick works with purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese and cabbage, too.
