Winter Vegetables: Kale & Brussels Sprouts

While most beds sit empty in winter, kale and Brussels sprouts stand upright in the frost – and that's when they taste best.

Why Frost Makes Them Better

In cold weather, both types of cabbage convert starch into sugar – a natural form of frost protection. So the rule is: harvest only after the first frosty nights, then the bitterness disappears and the characteristic sweet-savory flavor develops. Modern varieties are sometimes mild even without frost – but the old rule of thumb never hurts.

Kale

• Planting: set out young plants in June/July, 50 cm spacing – it needs the time until winter
• Site: sunny, nutrient-rich, appreciates compost
• Harvest: from November into February – always the lower leaves first, the heart keeps growing
• Steady supplier: one plant can be harvested repeatedly all winter long

Brussels Sprouts

• A test of patience: planted in May/June, harvested only from November – but it stands through the whole winter
• Site: heavy, firm soil is ideal; firm up loose soil before planting
• Harvest the sprouts from bottom to top, as soon as they're firm and walnut-sized
• Tip: pinch out the growing tip in early September – then all the sprouts grow to an even size

Using the Harvest

• Kale: classically braised, as oven-baked chips, or massaged raw into a salad; freezes excellently after blanching
• Brussels sprouts: halved and roasted in the oven, it wins over even skeptics; freezable after a short blanch
• Both are better fresh from the bed than from any storage – harvest when you cook, the garden is the best pantry