Brussels sprout Groninger organic seeds - Brassica oleracea

Organic Gros des Vertus Savoy Cabbage is a traditional variety recognised for its large, voluminous,s round, slightly flattened, tightly packed head, and its crinkled green leaves with a slightly bluish sheen. Hardy and productive, adapted to temperate and cool climates, it can be grown both in open ground and in raised beds, in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Its great hardiness allows it to withstand the first frosts, but it is recommended to earth it up slightly and mulch its base in winter to protect its growth. Easy to grow, it integrates harmoniously into productive gardens and family vegetable plots, offering a generous harvest throughout the cold season. To be eaten raw or cooked, grated in salads or as an accompaniment. Sow from March to June for a harvest 6 months later.

Also known as crinkled cabbage, curly cabbage or curled-headed cabbage, the Savoy Cabbage bears the Latin name Brassica oleracea sabauda (in Latin, sabauda refers to Savoy). It belongs to the large Brassicaceae family (formerly Cruciferae).

Originating from Italy and more precisely from Milan, this headed cabbage is quite similar to the white cabbage but differs in the crinkled or curly appearance of its leaves. There are many varieties whose production spans from spring to winter. By carefully choosing your seeds and staggering your sowings over time, you can have this vegetable available for a very long period.

The quintessential autumn and winter vegetable, Savoy cabbage withstands the cold well. It is delicious raw in salads but can also be eaten cooked, braised with sausages or even with fish. From a nutritional point of view, this leaf vegetable is remarkable: it is low in calories and very rich in vitamins C and B6, it also contains a lot of fibre and minerals like calcium.

In the garden, like almost all brassicas (Brussels sprouts being the exception), Savoy cabbage is a demanding vegetable, requiring excellent base manure and regular moisture.

Harvest: when its head is full by simply cutting it off at ground level.

Storage: Headed cabbages keep quite well on the plant and can be stored for several days in the refrigerator. They also freeze very well after being blanched for 3 to 5 minutes in salted boiling water.

The gardener's little tip: The cabbage white butterfly (Pieris brassicae), the cabbage's main enemy, is a pretty cream-white butterfly with small black spots that awakens from April-May onwards to wreak havoc all summer by devouring its leaves. Don't be caught off guard and opt for prevention by covering with an insect-proof mesh over horticultural hoops. These meshes are easy to set up and reusable to protect, for example, your carrot and leek crops.

The cook's little tip: the Gros des Vertus Organic Savoy Cabbage is particularly appreciated in cooking for its tender texture and its slightly sweet flavour after cooking. It lends itself to many preparations, notably in potées, soups or as a stuffing, where its flexible leaves facilitate the wrapping of fillings. It can also be pan-fried with a drizzle of olive oil and garlic, or eaten raw in salads, finely shredded, for a crunchy and refreshing addition.