Better with frosting

De cicco Broccoli

For a long time I just took other gardeners' word for it when they'd say that Brussels sprouts, broccoli and other Brassicas (the genus from which all of these lovely and sometimes misunderstood vegetables hail) were sweeter after a frost.

Pacific Gold Mustard

I mean, it's easy and nice to plant things that can take a frost and don't need to be covered. It appeals to the lazy I HAVE A MILLION THINGS TO DO ALREADY part of me that really doesn't want to have to go out to the test garden before bed to throw sheets over plants and tuck in stray branches and such.

Vitaverde Cauliflower

But that's as far as my understanding went. Brassicas can take a frost and are therefore awesome and worthwhile to grow in the frosty time of year when most other plants need all kinds of special care that I don't have time for.

Churchill Brussels sprouts

The fact that they also became sweeter after a good frost set in, well, that was a nice bonus. Especially when things like nasturtium, that are totally frost tender (ie. they totally croak when it's frosty), turn to absolute goo when the temps drop into the frosty range.

Nasturtium goo

I don't enjoy goo in the test garden. Just ew.

Sweetness and frost hardiness, though? Definite like.

But eventually I got all, "BUT WHY do they taste sweeter after a frost? I must know." and thankfully I had my horticulture professors, farmy friends and the Internet to bring me up to speed.

And this is where it gets cool and semi-science-y out in the test garden.

Don't freak out though - science can be cool! Promise.

See, when the temperatures drop, Brassicas start producing more sugars in order to lower the temperature that freezing begins in the water in their leaves so that they can survive the cold weather and not turn into a useless and gross pile of goo.

They want to live! We want to eat their sweet lively leaves! Oops.

More sugars = less water to freeze = higher frost tolerance = no need for cover (hardy to about 5 degrees) = really good eating.

So, go out to that garden of yours and pick some Brassicas for a salad, stir-fry, lunch, dinner, breakfast or dessert.

Seriously.

If you're curious about some of the tasty bits in the Sweeter After a Frost Brassica Genus:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Kale
• Mustard greens

Eat me.