Seed Saving for the Brassicaceae Family

Brassicas are insect pollinated and cross within species only (see following table) so if you want to try growing your own seed, you must plant a minimum of 300 plants, rouge out the100 least true to type, and save the seed from the rest. “Seed to Seed” says you must have 1 mile between flowering cultivars of the same species but I’ve found the distance can be far less, depending on hills and valleys and what is in between.

Genus

Species

Common Name

Amoracia rusticana horseradish
Brassica hirta white-flowered mustard
Brassica juncea India mustard, mustard greens
Brassica napus rutabaga, swede, Siberian kale, canola/rape
Brassica nigra black mustard
Brassica oleracea broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, collards
Brassica rapa turnip, broccoli raab, Chinese cabbage, Chinese mustard, mizuna
Crambe maritima sea kale
Eruca sativa rocket
Lepidium sativum garden cress
Raphanus sativus radish
Rorripa microphylla large-leaf watercress
Rorripa nasturtium watercress