Wonky Cabbage

[Sue]

Hi
I'm going to try again (she said with a sigh) to grow some usable cabbage this year, if I can get past the slugs, the caterpillars and the pigeons - but have got enviromesh now so fingers crossed.
My question is why arn't my cabbages standing up straight, they seem to have arthritic stems and snake on the ground before standing up, bit of a u-bend thing.
Have I not been planting them deeply enough, thought I had, but should there be any stem showing when I plant the seedlings or should the first leaves be resting on the earth?
best wishes
Sue

[Snadger]

Hi
I'm going to try again (she said with a sigh) to grow some usable cabbage this year, if I can get past the slugs, the caterpillars and the pigeons - but have got enviromesh now so fingers crossed.
My question is why arn't my cabbages standing up straight, they seem to have arthritic stems and snake on the ground before standing up, bit of a u-bend thing.
Have I not been planting them deeply enough, thought I had, but should there be any stem showing when I plant the seedlings or should the first leaves be resting on the earth?
best wishes
Sue

I usually nip off the bottom leaves which are starting to go yellow when planting and plant with the remaining leaves at soil level!

[Sue]

Snadger
Good tip, will do, what a lot there is to learn...
best wishes
Sue

[dwrudd]

I usually leave them as long as I dare before planting out, its a fine line from strong growth to leggy seedlings, but I have had them fall and snake a bit in the past.

Last year I dug about 4 inches down a bit of a trough. Then I planted the young cabbages into the bottom of the trench and as they were young plants, they grew a little leggey again at which point I filled the trench which was basically earthing up. Great results, just eating my last of the crop this week. You can always just earth up, but I think that this gave really good support.

Darren

[supersprout]

I think everyone gets curly wurlies to some degree.
I plant the seedlings as deeply as possible, will pick up Snadger's tip of planting to the first true leaves. I'm sure the idea of planting in a trench would be brilliant, but I don't dig
All brassica get mulched heavily during the season - straw and pony poo up to 8" deep, topped up when necessary. And stake (esp. PSB) if necessary - it's windy on my plot.

I'm very pleased with couve tronchuda, a bushy cut-and-come-again non-hearting primitive cabbage

[rustylady]

I usually leave them as long as I dare before planting out, its a fine line from strong growth to leggy seedlings, but I have had them fall and snake a bit in the past.

Last year I dug about 4 inches down a bit of a trough. Then I planted the young cabbages into the bottom of the trench and as they were young plants, they grew a little leggey again at which point I filled the trench which was basically earthing up. Great results, just eating my last of the crop this week. You can always just earth up, but I think that this gave really good support.

Darren

Good idea, I've done this as well - yoy don't even need to dig as such, just scoop out a trough, then plant the seedlings to the level of the bottom set of leaves. Firm in well, brassicas don't do well in loose soil! Then as they grow, bring in the soil from the side and firm again. This year I'm using fleece to keep the beasties off.

[Sue]

That's great thankyou, I'm obviously not putting them in deep enough so it's bottom leave off and I like the trench idea. Lots more feed too, didn't give them enough, I've got a Chilterns seed catalogue so will give Couve Tronchuda a go.
best wishes
Sue

[Sue]

Supersprout
Many thanks for the tip about couve tronchuda cabbage, have planted two this week, lovely sturdy plants, very firmly and will do the earthing up as well. I can see the difference already, my last years attempts were wonky by the time they got to the 6" stage, these are lovely and upright. Am determined to get this cabbage thing sorted!
Fingers crossed.
Sue