cabbages

i sowed a lot of old seed lastyear, mid july i think, i ve been harvesting small turnips and a few chives, but the cabbage are pretty small and the sprout plants are only 10" tall, i ve put a fleece over the cabbages, but will they heart up in spring?

 

I think the cabbage will go to seed next year, this is normal.Spring cabbage sown in the autumn will mature in the spring.My sprouts were decimated by caterpillars they recovered but to late to make anything.
E.W.

 

Sorry I can't help, but it will not be long before you have your answer. I try things but when autumn sets in, and short days are here, things slow down and stop [ mind my grass is still growing] I leave some crops in, leeks for one but I will have used them before the planting season.

 

Here in Somerset, we plant most cabbage seed
about mid April, then plant out when six inches
high, usually begining of June. The longer the plants are in the ground in warm weather the bigger they will grow. I'm sorry I don't know growing times or conditions in Scotland. I think you planted the seed a bit late in the season. I think about March/April the cabbage and sprouts will run to flower/seed.

 

Anyway if they fail you can have a glass of your nice malt I had a few over Christmas. Its great to be a gardener in summer and a football fan in winter. When I grow cabbages I seem to have them at the same time as everything else is cropping.
I must remember to plant spring cabbage and purple sprouting I think its summer initially and early Autumn planting out.

 

this is an unusual cabbage flower!

 

I originally planted my cabbages to close together so they did not heart. However I have learnt from this. I gave them all a good foot and a half each side and they have grown fantasticallly with lovely solid hearts.

Did you give your cabbages enough space?
Are they a variety that hearts?