Cabbage advice

[veg4681]

I have 5 cabbage plants planted in a row over a 3 ft long space, on either sides are rows of lettuces. Due to lack of bed space, I compromised these cabbages but now I have space, is it too late to move them for bigger space?

They're quite big and starting to heart. The main stalks that's supporting the hearting bits are around 2-3 inches long, will they be able to support the growing cabbage or will the stalk thickens in time?

Recommended harvesting is from summer to Autumn and if I'm not interested in harvesting by Oct, could these cabbages be allowed to grow bigger right up to December?

[Vegmonkey]

I wouldn't move them...could you just start eating the ones in between when they are ready, to give the others space to grow...or just sacrifice some? As long as no pests get them they should be fine in the ground as long as they don't get too big!

[Alice]

Veg4681, if you only have 5 cabbage why not start eating them now . How big do you want them to be. You could eat every second one, therebye leaving the others to get bigger. I've been eating mine for weeks. You can only eat them once. Is there a special reason why you want to keep them til later ?
There is a category on the virtual vegetable show for 1 cabbage. Do you want to enter ?

[veg4681]

Thanks VegMonkey and Alice for the useful suggestions. Yeah no point moving and I could eat one or two later to give the remaining cabbages space to expand in case they're able to grow into a conventional looking cabbage.

I need them to grow bigger because they're nothing like a 'proper closed cabbage', I think I was late as usual! The leaves are flapping all over the place like elephant ears and only a teeny weeny heart is forming, I mean they're not even looking like Spring Cabbage, yep that bad.

Since it's my first attempt of growing cabbage (or any Brassica for that matter), there's this child in me that wants to see a normal looking cabbage that has been grown in my own garden. It isn't so much about needing cabbage to feed me (can just buy one in a shop) but needing to look at it, patiently watch it grow, then hold it and feel utterly wonderful and happy even for a brief moment...you know the veg bug has hit you.

[Alice]

It's maybe a bit late to help you now Veg4681 but cabbage likes to grow in very firm ground. If the ground is loose that's maybe why you've got the elephants ears. You could try firming the ground around them. I grew mine in a raised bed and worried they wouldn't heart up but they've done just fine. I firmed the soil around them. I'm putting 1 in for the virtual competition.

[craftyslh]

Don't forget a trick my grandad taught me. When you cut the cabbage, cut just above the bottom leaves and then cut a cross in the top of the stalk. The cabbage will start growing more shoots and you can pick again later.

[Snadger]

Don't forget a trick my grandad taught me. When you cut the cabbage, cut just above the bottom leaves and then cut a cross in the top of the stalk. The cabbage will start growing more shoots and you can pick again later.

I've done this with some of mine this year just for an experiment!

[veg4681]

Don't forget a trick my grandad taught me. When you cut the cabbage, cut just above the bottom leaves and then cut a cross in the top of the stalk. The cabbage will start growing more shoots and you can pick again later.

Thanks for the tips, it's weird though I just saw that being done on a gardening program on TV this weekend or so. I'll certainly give that a go.