Cabbage - Spring Greens

Type: Vegetable

Rotation Group: 4, Brassicas


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DURHAM EARLY

Probably one of the most well known and reliable spring cabbages. Cabbage Durham Early produces firm, pointed, well flavoured hearts on compact plants. This compact variety also be sown or planted closely for delicious 'spring greens' ready to harvest from February.
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GREYHOUND

An early maturing, pointed variety with very few loose outer leaves. Suitable for close spacings and successional sowings. An old variety with very good flavour.
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EXCEL

The sweetest flavoured spring cabbage, its small heads are quite delicious. The flavour is perhaps better still when harvested as really young spring greens.
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SPRING HERO

The first and only ballhead spring cabbage, Spring Hero F1 is more than just a novelty. The large, heavy heads, which stand in good condition for weeks, are ideal for large households.

Site, Soil and Preparation

Cabbages like a fertile, well draining, moisture retentive, firm soil. The main crop beds should be dug over and firmed a few months before planting.

Indoor Sowing

Spring Cabbage is planted in early spring for mature heads later in the season. Cabbage can be started off in growing cells or seed trays under cover.

Outdoor Sowing

Cabbage seed can be sown directly into a seed bed.

Thinning

Seeds should be sown thinly and thinned out to 3 inches as they develop. Germination usually takes 7 to 14 days.

Transplanting

Seedlings are ready for transplanting when they have 5 or 6 leaves. Use a dibber to make a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball and firm the soil around the plant. Spacing between plants varies, for compact heads space at 30cm, for large heads allow 45cm and leave just 15cm between spring cabbage to encourage their conical shape.

Care

Keep the young plants weed free and well watered until established and then only water during dry periods.

Harvest

Cabbages are harvested by cutting through the stem just above ground level with a sharp knife. After harvesting cut a half inch deep cross in the stump of spring and summer cabbages and you'll be rewarded with a second crop of much smaller cabbages later in the year.