Savoy cabbage

[jaykay]

Hope someone can offer some advice! I planted some savoy cabbages, bought from local nursery, back in April when nothing much was growing on my newish plot. Now they are very wide (approx 60cm), with huge outer leaves but not much in the middle. Is this normal? Are the hearts likely to thicken? I think the variety is Vertus so should not be ready to cut until January.
Thanks in advance.

[shirlthegirl43]

Don't know much about growing cabbages but have read that hearting problems can be due to the soil not being firm enough around the plant. Maybe give them a good 'treading' and see if things improve. If they are to be in the ground until January next year there is still plenty time for hearting up.

[jaykay]

Thanks for your reply Shirley - I'll try stamping around them. This will be a bit muddy at the moment as the soil is heavy clay. I added plenty of manure while preparing the bed which helped break it up. I read (think it was here) that cabbages should be planted firmly enough to let you pull a leaf and not pull out the plant and I 'tested' the little plants in this way when I put them in the ground. I'll keep my fingers crossed and be patient - I'll not dig them out just yet.

[Cutecumber]

It is still very early for a winter cabbage to be hearting. It has a lot of growing to do yet, despite its current size. Even autumn crops won't have much of a head yet.