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Cabbage Help

gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54
edited April 2021 in Fruit & veg
Hi there,

I have just bought some red cabbage and a stonehead cabbage in a 10cm pot from the Nursery.

Do I spilt them into individual plants  or is it one plant and I plant as one like this?



If I have planted them wrong them please tell me....First time growing anything here...If I spilt that Red cabbage I would have hundreds of plants!

Thanks

Posts

  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    They look like individual plants to me, so will need dividing, but wait for someone else to confirm?
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, they need splitting into individual plants.  When you plant them, bury them down to the first leaf joint on the stem and firm the soil around the base of the stems.  All brassicas do well planted that way.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    They need dividing.  

    Water them first then scoop out the clump and carefully separate them into individual plants.  At this stage, one stem per plant but hold them by the leaves to avoid damage.

    You will then have small plants and may prefer to pot each one up in a 3" pot to grow on and develop a good root system before planting them out or you could plant them out straight away.   Minimum planting distance is 12"/30cms for compact varieties then 18"/45cm and 24"/60cm for the bigger varieties.  I tend to go for smaller and closer no matter what as there's just the two of us usually.

    They like to have firm soil so plant each one deeply, up to its first pair of leaves and firm them in well with your hands.   Water well before and after planting out.

    They can suffer from club root but you can reduce the likelihood by adding some lime to the soil.   They are also a magnet for cabbage white butterflies so it's a good idea to provide netting to keep them off.   The simplest way is to use hoops to hold the nets up and you can buy special kits at GCs or make your own.

    Have a read of this about how to grow them -
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/cabbages




    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54
    BobTheGardener said:
    I agree, they need splitting into individual plants.  When you plant them, bury them down to the first leaf joint on the stem and firm the soil around the base of the stems.  All brassicas do well planted that way.
    Thanks for the info.Much appreciated :) 
  • gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54
    edited April 2021
    I now have way more plants than I have space for....oh well....are they ok to Chuck on the compost heap?
  • gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54

    Obelixx said:
    They need dividing.  

    Water them first then scoop out the clump and carefully separate them into individual plants.  At this stage, one stem per plant but hold them by the leaves to avoid damage.

    You will then have small plants and may prefer to pot each one up in a 3" pot to grow on and develop a good root system before planting them out or you could plant them out straight away.   Minimum planting distance is 12"/30cms for compact varieties then 18"/45cm and 24"/60cm for the bigger varieties.  I tend to go for smaller and closer no matter what as there's just the two of us usually.

    They like to have firm soil so plant each one deeply, up to its first pair of leaves and firm them in well with your hands.   Water well before and after planting out.

    They can suffer from club root but you can reduce the likelihood by adding some lime to the soil.   They are also a magnet for cabbage white butterflies so it's a good idea to provide netting to keep them off.   The simplest way is to use hoops to hold the nets up and you can buy special kits at GCs or make your own.

    Have a read of this about how to grow them -
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/cabbages


    Thanks...Lots of information there...so much to learn! 

    Appreciate the tips...I’ll post back tomo when I fixed it...nothing lost....just knowledge gained! :)
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I wouldn't bin the spares straight away.  Pot them up in small pots and grow on in case you need to replace any in the ground that fail or get eaten.  You can always offer any spares to friends or do a swap.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54
    Obelixx said:
    I wouldn't bin the spares straight away.  Pot them up in small pots and grow on in case you need to replace any in the ground that fail or get eaten.  You can always offer any spares to friends or do a swap.
    Good idea..any links to the lime I need please?
  • gagsmediagagsmedia Posts: 54
    edited April 2021
    How often to I water these young cabbages ? Thanks 
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It depends on how much rain you get.  They need watering in to tsart off and then keep an eye out for them looking thirsty and wilting.   

    Have a read of the RHS link above to see if that helps.   GCs sell suitable lime in packs of differing sizes.  Can't recommend a brand as it's 30 years since I gardened in England and I use local products.

    Don't forget a net to keep the cabbage white butterflies off.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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