Garden and Body Boost: Tips for Growing Healthier Cabbage, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are often overlooked as natural detoxifiers. However, with proper care and harvesting techniques, you can maximize their benefits and enjoy a healthier garden and body.

To protect your existing plantings from caterpillars that feed on these plants, regularly inspect the stems and leaves for eggs and green caterpillars, and destroy them immediately. You can also apply Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, a naturally occurring soil bacterium that kills only true caterpillars and is safe for people, pets, and wildlife.

For future plantings, cover the plants with floating row covers at planting time. These fabrics allow air, light, and water to pass through while preventing cabbage worms from laying eggs on the plants. Simply loosely cover the planting with the fabric and anchor the edges with boards, pipes, stones, or wickets.

When harvesting these crops, be sure to remove them at the right time. Cabbage should be harvested when the heads are firm and full size, while broccoli should be picked when the flowerhead is full size but before the buds open for optimal flavor. Brussels sprouts take longer to reach harvestable size, so pinch out the growing tip when the lower sprouts are half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter to promote earlier growth.