Growing cabbages in containers-advice needed!

[Eve1]

Hi there,

I have bought 8 cabbage seedlings from the garden centre. I am going to transplant four into my veg plot but only have space for four. Obvouisly I dont want to waste the other four. I am thinking of trying them in containers. The problem is I have no idea how large the containers should be (depth)?
The cabbage type is Durham Early. The ticket says height 30cm and space 30cm apart. But what depth do you think the container should be?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

[snohare]

I had a similar conundrum last year, the plants ended up outside in a windowsill planter tub that was about 18 inches long by 8 wide by 6 deep. Unfortunately I don't know what type of plant they were; they were labelled as brussel sprouts, but they definitely were not, they were cabbages ! They did very little at all until this spring, when they suddenly developed into almost mini-veg - cabbage heads that were not fully hearted up, but nonetheless quite substantial and tasty. They looked rather similar to Greyhound or Golden Acre - kind of like a cross between them, going by the ones in the soil (which hearted up fully).
I think though that in the planter they would have been full size if there had been only two of them. I have filed away the experience as "worth doing again if I have the compost and tubs, and will be moving house."

[FionaH]

I had some in planters last year, they never hearted up but were fine for greens

[gojiberry]

Container needs to be about 8" deep. Don't use MPC as cabbages need very firm soil which you won't get with MPC that is why Fiona and Snohares didn't heart up. Use soil from your garden or lottie and really firm it down when you plant them.

Ian

[Eve1]

Great thanks so much for the advice! I will locate two containers that are about 8" deep and use garden soil, perhaps putting two in one container if I can find one which allows the cabbages to be 30cm apart!

Many Thanks,

Eve

[Snadger]

I have durham Early cabbbages just starting to heart up in the greenhouse now. They have been in since the tomatoes came out.........in fact they are in the same flower buckets that the tomatoes were in! When tomatoes were finished I tipped out the JI3 they were in, threw out the tomato roots and packed it back into the buckets. I then planted a single Durham Early cabbage in each.
I also have other brassicas including kales and PSB in the same containers but the Spring cabbage being smaller, is more suited to them.
I've had a full greenhouse all winter and they have benefitted from the extra protection.
Will deffo do the same again next year!

[Duronal]

I grew cabbages in rose pots a few years ago and I had a great crop! It was all very suprising and they did need a great deal of watering in the summer but it was worth the effort.

Here's one of the resulting cabbages

[Eve1]

Wow that's a great picture! I hope mine turn out like that!