Brassicas - The Manual of Seed Saving - page 79

• 10 ft. 2 (1 m 2 ) of healthy plants
POLLINATION NOTES Scurvygrass is an insect-pollinated outcrosser.
GROWING FOR SEED Scurvygrass has no special needs as far as soil is concerned, thriving even in
salty soils. Sow seed in early to mid spring or in late summer to early autumn (summer seedings lead
to a strong salty/bitter taste). The plant is extremely hardy (as low as zone 2 in the literature) and
flowers in its second year.
HARVEST Ripe seedpods explode, releasing their seed to the ground, so harvest before pods attain full
ripeness. Processing instructions as for Brassica oleracea .
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS We know of no varieties per se, only a German selection, 'Erfurter
Echte Löffelkraut' (true spoonwort from Erfurt). Selection criterium: vigorous growth.
Ripe scurvygrass pods
DISEASES AND PESTS Scurvygrass can theoretically be affected by all brassica diseases, but infection
seldom occurs. Flea beetles can be an all-too-common unwelcome guest. Timely harvesting and regu-
lar soil cultivation can help with flea beetle problems.
CULTIVATION HISTORY Back in the days of long journeys by ship, scurvygrass was brought aboard to
prevent scurvy, in the form of dried leaves or distilled. Its cultivation was first documented in Belgium
in the 16th century, and soon thereafter it was widely included in the gardens of apothecaries. The
plant was grown intensively in the 19th century, and in Jena, Germany, it was a market vegetable until
World War II.