Spring cabbage

[DrBill]

I have some cabbage "Hispi" which according to the magazine is suitable for growing as spring greens. I have never grow crops over winter before. Do I start them now in pots/root trainers, or do I sow them direct?

[Snadger]

I don't think it matters which way you sow them but I like to keep things simple and sow them in rows in the allotment for pricking out into there final positions at a later date. I have some already pricked out and have just sown another row for a continuation of cropping.

[Earthbabe]

I agree with Snadger that it's best to keep things simple but it also depends on whether you want them hearting up or as spring greens. If you want hearted cabbages they will need to be transplanted into firm soil. If you want spring greens leave them where you sow and just thin out. Generally speaking spring cabbage should be hardy enough I would think. You may want to cover to protect them from the ravages of birds, pigeons etc. especially. Grrrrr! They did a lot of damage to my brassicas last winter and they are not getting another chance.

[heebiejeebie]

I've started mine off in paper pots and will be planting them in the allotment this weekend.

[Snadger]

I've got a net over mine ...similar to a fruit cage to keep the pidgeons and rabbits out . I am toying with putting fleece over the latest ones I have sown as an experiment to see what differnce that makes

[nick the grief]

I usually grow in modules. Hispi you can plant out about 6" apart for mini cabbages if you want.

[xspye]

can anyone recomend varieties to grow as spring greens, I really want to plant some but have no idea what to grow.
Can you just plant normal cabbages or do they have to be special ones....

[Earthbabe]

I will be just planting normal "spring" cabbages where they are to grow and thinning eventually.

I don't know if there are any preferred/suggested varieties, I'm just using what I've got which is greyhound and minicole.

[Snadger]

Cabbage update!

Luckily I sowed two lots of Spring cabbages both Durham Early
.
I have already eaten some of the first sowing and they are hearting up now. The second sowing are more where I think they should be at this time of year, and look to be 'right' for withstanding the Winter.

I have just taken some plants from the second sowing seedbed and plan to plant these at the weekend. This should give me a good succession of cabbages and I have that many I can then use them as spring greens or hearted cabbages

I think by the time my family have eaten 100 cabbages we willl be brassicad off!

I hope I can now take the fence from around my sprouts as hopefully the rabbits won't climb there stems, and put it round the cabbages I plant!

[Snadger]

I didn't think I would have much success with the latest planting as the plants were really quite large and leggy.

After dibbling them in so that the bottom of the leaves were level with the ground (8" deep hole! ) they seem to have romped away and not went limp and dejected like earlier plantings!

My theory is that because there is plenty of water in the ground and very litle sun to dry them out they have not suffered the normal transplanting check and are establishing quicker.

Pleased with outcome up to now and a little bit wizer!