Brassica oleracea

This handsome purple, pre-1860 variety has a white, crisp, mild-tasting interior. The flesh has a nutty flavour when eaten raw and a mild cabbage taste when cooked. An excellent companion plant amongst cucumbers.

Sow - Direct Outdoors, late-April	Days to Harvest - 60
Location - Full Sun	Emergence - 7 to 10 days
Difficulty - Easy	Lifecycle - Biennial
Approx. 300 seeds per packet	Frost hardy heirloom crop

Growing Instructions:

Sow direct outdoors 1cm (1/2in) deep and 2.5cm (1in) apart. Space rows 30-45cm (12-18in) apart. Thin the emerging seedlings to 10cm (4in) apart in their row. Irrigation is essential for best growth. Purple Vienna withstands considerable frost and when conditions are not too cold or too hot, crops can be harvested as little as six to eight weeks after sowing but are best when the stem reaches 5-7.5cm (2-3in) in diameter. Try successive sowings two weeks apart from April through to August. Harvest when bulbs reach the size of tennis balls.