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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> A cabbage, a broccoli and several Brussels sprouts have survived our 
> winter and I am thinking of leaving them for seed. Have any of you 
> southerners done this? What can I expect? 

They will go to seed very quickly.  The cabbage will split and send up a seed 
stalk or several.  If the broccoli has any buds, they will flower and go to 
seed very quickly, else they will set buds, then flower and go to seed.  
Leave 
the pods until they are brown, the seeds aren't viable until the pods brown.  
The seeds stay in the pods until the pods turn grey.  

When the pods are brown (or even yellow), remove the seed stalk(s) and let 
the whole affair dry until it rattles.  Then put them in a paper bag and 
thresh 
them.

Be sure to label them right away, all the brassica seeds are more or less 
identical.   </HTML>