cabbage excel

[cotton54321]

Think I've made a boo boo here
I thought my cabbage excel were meant to heart up but obvoiusly not. They are now about 30 inches tall and have lots of leaves and I just wondered whether any of you had grown these this year and whether the leaves would be too tough now or whether I should just go for the smaller inner leaves.

Thanks!

Mel

[leona]

30 inches!?

[cotton54321]

yep 30 inches but they look more like sprout plants - just lots of leaves, no heart.

[leona]

to be honest, i wouldnt know for sure having never grown cabage but sounds like its bolted (gone to seed) big time. i was at an allotment today looking after a plot for a friend and one on the site has loads of salad that has bolted and they are pretty tall. id say taste it and see what its like but it might not be very nice.

[Lesley Jay]

Excel is a spring cabbage so it will be leafy but it does also have a heart. Try eating some.

[SueA]

Hi Cotton, you can either eat 'excel' like spring greens now or you can leave them through the winter & they will heart up like a normal cabbage next spring- depends how hungry you are!
Also depends when you sowed them, if they have been growing for a long time you might need to use them or they will be too tough next spring, if you want to grow them with hearts you should only be planting them out around now.

[cotton54321]

Thanks guys - looks like they will be coming up this afternoon!

Mel