Cabbage Question

[Elfeda]

never thought I would be growing cabbage. Took 20 selfsown plants from other lottie owner in november and put them in small seed bed at home. now with more tempratures outside they are growing fast. I should move all of them as they are verymuch crowded. some are very big and couple of them very small at the moment.

Is it good to move bigger plants? ( around a feet height)

Now I wonder how many plants I needed !( I buy 3 small cabbage a month usually)

Can I use the leaves as greens?

How much spacing is required with cabbage plants?

Can I have any flowers in between cabbage plants if I plant couple of them at home?

[Zelenina]

Took 20 selfsown plants from other lottie owner in november

By selfsown, do you mean that the cabbage plants flowered and then produced seeds that scattered on the ground and germinated? If so, there is a possibility that they cross-pollinated with other plants in the same species that were flowering at the same time on other allotments.

The cabbage species is very variable and includes cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli (heading and sprouting), some kinds of kale, kohl rabi, and probably a few other kinds I'm forgetting. So your plants will be edible, but maybe they won't form heads of cabbage like the parent plants. You might have some very interesting new types of brassicas.

I should move all of them as they are verymuch crowded. some are very big and couple of them very small at the moment.

Is it good to move bigger plants? ( around a feet height)

I don't know. people don't usually move them when they are that big, but you could try moving a few of the smaller ones and see how they do. Cabbages like very firm soil, so tread all around them after moving them.

Can I use the leaves as greens?

Yes. You can give them more space by eating some of the plants.

How much spacing is required with cabbage plants?

It depends how big the variety grows. From 1 to 2 feet is generally recommended, or 30-60 cm if you prefer metric.

Can I have any flowers in between cabbage plants if I plant couple of them at home?

I don't think that would be a problem if you give enough spacing between the flower and cabbage plants. And if they don't shade each other too much.

[Snadger]

They are probably spring cabbage. I usually eat half as greens and allow the rest to grow on and heart up. The only way you can transplant them when they are bigger is to take a large rootball with them and give plenty of water.

[Alison]

Do you know what the parents were? Mind you, as said above, brassicas aren't fussy with their partners