SUMMER CABBAGE
Cabbages are one of the kings of the vegetable plot and a long-standing staple for the vegetable gardener, so let’s get down to the essentials
SOW:
Feb-April
HARVEST:
Late June- October
Cabbage seeds can be started off in cells or sown directly into a nursery bed
Growing summer cabbage, like any cabbage, takes a little effort. You have to get the soil right and then you have to make sure your precious plants are properly protected. But in the end, can you really beat a summer cabbage freshly picked? Whether shredded and eaten raw in salads or coleslaw, steamed or stir-fried, cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, iron and potassium.
Cabbages can be started off in mid-February undercover in compost-filled cells, one seed per cell, and covered with 1cm (½in) of compost. The young plants can then be transplanted outdoors in April Alternatively, sow outdoors in April by creating a nursery bed on your plot, in which case sow thinly in rows 15cm (6in) apart. Plants are thinned out to 7.5cm (3in) apart once the seedlings are large enough to handle.