Going to Seed with Dan Brisebois

Did you know that leafy greens like Mizuna, Tatsoi, Tokyo Bekana, Komatsuma, Bok Choy are all Brassica rapa? 

And so are budding and flowering Brassicas such as Choy Sum, Hon Tsai Tai, and Rapini? 

Not to mention Napa cabbage? 

And turnips? (And by turnip I mean those tender white fleshed roots that are so delicious to eat raw. By turnip, I do not mean Rutabaga – those are not Brassica rapas.)

Yes, all those vegetables are Brassica rapa and you know what that means? It means they can all cross with each other.

Now,  so much of my personal seed saving happiness has been about intentionally getting Brassica rapas to cross so I can see what the ensuing diversity will look like.

But if you’re a market gardener who relies on stable varieties you probably want to take steps from that kind of cross pollination happiness.

That means …

1. Only let one rapa variety go to flower in a 1200ft radius. (Don’t forget those rapa salad greens you’re harvesting for CSA or market. If they go to flower, they can cross with your seed crop!)
2. Grow enough seed at once to last 3-4 years. You can grow a different variety the next year, and a different one the year after that while you use your seed supply.

I definitely recommend Brassica rapas for #seedsavingformarketgrowers. 

Though you shouldn’t choose Napa cabbage or turnips for your first rapa seed crop. Those two are better treated as biennials which take two years to produce seed. Start with one of the other rapas.

Why Annual Brassica Rapas are so easy to save seed:

• Double harvest – you can get a couple cuts for salad greens and still harvest the seed
• Easily goes to flower and then to seed
• Easy to thresh pods – when they are dry, they easily shatter
• Easy to screen and winnow
• Annual – from seed to seed in 1 season!

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You Can Cut Your Arugula And Save The Seed Too!!!
Did you know that leafy greens like Mizuna, Tatsoi, Tokyo Bekana, Komatsuma, Bok Choy are all Brassica rapa?

And so are budding and flowering Brassicas such as Choy Sum, Hon Tsai Tai, and Rapini?

Not to mention Napa cabbage?

And turnips? (And by turnip I mean those tender white fleshed roots that are so delicious to eat raw. By turnip, I do not mean Rutabaga – those are not Brassica rapas.)

Yes, all those vegetables are Brassica rapa and you know what that means? It means they can all cross with each other.

Now, so much of my personal seed saving happiness has been about intentionally getting Brassica rapas to cross so I can see what the ensuing diversity will look like.

But if you’re a market gardener who relies on stable varieties you probably want to take steps from that kind of cross pollination happiness.
?

That means …

Only let one rapa variety go to flower in a 1200ft radius. (Don’t forget those rapa salad greens you’re harvesting for CSA or market. If they go to flower, they can cross with your seed crop!)
Grow enough seed at once to last 3-4 years. You can grow a different variety the next year, and a different one the year after that while you use your seed supply.
?

I definitely recommend Brassica rapas for #seedsavingformarketgrowers.
?

Though you shouldn’t choose Napa cabbage or turnips for your first rapa seed crop. Those two are better treated as biennials which take two years to produce seed. Start with one of the other rapas.

Why Annual Brassica Rapas are so easy to save seed:
Double harvest – you can get a couple cuts for salad greens and still harvest the seed
Easily goes to flower and then to seed
Easy to thresh pods – when they are dry, they easily shatter
Easy to screen and winnow
Annual – from seed to seed in 1 season!
?

The biggest challenges:

• Make sure to incorporate Brassica rapa salad greens before they go to flower. They will cross with your seed crop!!!!!
• Flea beetles – but you’re already dealing with those if you grow Brassica greens
• Did I mention how much Rapas cross?

YIELD:

5lbs to 10lbs from a 100ft bed

SEED LIFE:

4 to 6 years

More about Brassica rapas

Brassica Seed Harvest – Mizuna Time!

How I Bred Rainbow Tatsoi

5 Steps To Rogue And Select Brassica Rapas