Cabbage Advise

[broadway]

Hi Guru's

Can anyone tell me what cabbage I can so in the next week or two?

Thanks As Always

[Gwen11ian]

Any of the spring cabbages would be fine. I just sowed my seeds out last week, and already they're an inch tall. A lot of people seem to be having major problems with the white cabbage butterfly, so I've covered mine right from the start. Could be a bit overkill, but I cut off the top and bottom of a 2L clear plastic bottle, covered one end with that mesh you get around a punt of plums/nectarines/etc, and stapling it down around the edges of the plastic. Shoved the other end a few inches into the dirt over my freshly sowed seeds, and hoping it will provide a friendly micro-climate, plenty of air circulation, deter slugs, and keep out the butterflies. I've got a few growing under each, and once they're three inches or so I'll thin them out and put a collar around the bottom, then cover again until they outgrow it. Not sure what I'll do then!

[Eyren]

That's a good idea, Gwen - my netting tunnels are currently in use protecting my kale and PSB, and I was wondering what to do with my little spring cabbages when they have outgrown their modules, but I've got loads of 2l coke bottles at home waiting to be recycled. ...

I learnt about netting/protection the hard way, after my red cabbage and romanesco got munched by caterpillars

[Flapjack]

Gwen - are collars essential? What are they for?

[Two_Sheds]

Collars are to protect against Cabbage Root Fly. Cabbage Root Fly, prevention, identification and cure

I'm going to be sowing Offenham Flower of Spring soon ... it's my fave spring cabbage.

As with all brassicas, net against pigeons

[Demeter]

They're only essential if you get cabbage root fly. But (unless you've had it before) you won't know whether you will until you do! We didn't use any this year and have had no problems, but... Well, you pays your money, and you takes your choice.

[Snadger]

Good old reliable Durham Early spring cabbage has just been sown by moi!

Also sowed some F1's (who's name escapes me!) which accordeng to the blurb on the packet was much better than normal varieties! Huh! Fat chance. I only got about 25 seeds and only 10 germinated. Thats why I had to go and buy a packet of proppa spring cabbage, ah la Durham early.
btw, because I now have chooks, as I harvest any crop that IS'NT a brassica and hasn't got a planned follow on, in will go some spring cabbage. That way there'll never be a shortage of 'greens' for the chooks and no areas without a crop of some sort on it!