White cabbage advice please

[vikicats]

Hi,
I'm thinking of growing white cabbage this year however I don't know anything about it.
I'm not even sure whether I've left it too late to sow this year.

These are the things I'd like to know if anyone can help me:
How easy is it to grow? (I'm not the best gardener in the world and like to keep things simple.)
Which seeds are best to use? (I only really want white cabbage as I don't eat it cooked and would like some to go with my carrots to make coleslaw!)
When should seeds be sown?
Are they likely to grow in my stony, bad quality soil?
And really any other advice you can give me.

Thank you for your help.

[Alison]

I've not sown my cabbage seeds yet so don't worry. I don't like white cabbage much and prefer the green or red types but the basic way of growing is the same. You can grow cabbages at all times of year depending on when you want to harvest. I mainly grow for winter use but am just thinking if you want for salad then maybe you want an earlier harvest. Bit more info needed me thinks

[vikicats]

Red cabbage might be good too as I don't mind that raw.

I'm happy to eat home made coleslaw all year round so I don't mind when they are ready to harvest, perhaps I can stagger sowing so that I can harvest at different times if that is possible?

[Two_Sheds]

For coleslaw I use Rodima red cabbage (others are available) or my new favourite, young summer cabbages (can't remember which variety I had last year, but I'm pretty sure it was Duncan)

[jacob]

I'm not a great cabbage fan, so I don't grow too many. But your big cabbage problem is butterflies. Or rather, caterpillars. Like you, they are fond of raw cabbage...

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've never seen white cabbage ..... but i grow red and green .....
both come in two types:
1 - sow in spring to harvest in autumn / winter
2 - sow in summer to overwinter and harvest spring / summer (also known as "spring cabbage")
it's possible to get a year-round harvest if you choose 3 or 4 varieties (i'm growing 6 varieties!)

so in answer to your questions .....
too late to sow? depends on the varieties you choose ....
when to sow? depends on the varieties you choose .... (check the packets when you're out shopping!)
will it grow in stoney ground? try it .... you'll have plenty of seeds in the packet, won't hurt to try a couple .... although if you only try 2 and they grow well, you might regret not sowing more!
how easy? very ....
any problems? pigeons love all brassicas .... butterflies love laying eggs on brassicas, and then they get riddled with caterpillars which eat holes in everything .... if possible, build a frame with netting to cover them .... if not, start them indoors, pot them on indoors, plant out when big and strong, and try companion planting to help deter the butterflies from using your cabbages (garlic / sage / rosemary etc) (tip - read up on companion planting - it still confuses the hell out of me!)

[Thelma Sanders]

I eat most of my cabbage raw as well

I like Hispi for spring sowings/summer eating, then change over to Minicole sown early may for autumn eating Although your timings might be a bit different.
They're not huge cabbages but a nice size for a bowl of coleslaw For winter cabbage I like Tundra, which is a bit bigger. It's dark on the outside but the insides are pale and good for salads.

Chicken pellets are good as feed for cabbage and net them, as already said! butterfly netting is cheap and cheerful in places like Wikinsons. Make sure the net doesn't touch the cabbage leaves or the butterflies poke their bits through and lay their eggs on the leaves Grrr!

[vikicats]

Thanks everyone - I will be getting some seeds this weekend and having a go.
Looking forward to my first bowl of coleslaw made from my home grown carrots and cabbage.

[Snadger]

I grow clubroot resistant Kilaxy or Kilaton for coleslaw. It stands for ages and i just harvested three heads this week which have stood all winter. It's fairly insipid when cooked but is lovely and crunchy raw!