How to grow cabbages

Inspired by GrowVeg. This guide draws on the "Cabbage Growing Masterclass: The Secret to Year-Round Harvests" video by GrowVeg, a UK-based gardening channel with over a million subscribers. The video covers variety selection across the seasons and gives practical guidance on getting good results with brassicas in a UK garden.

1. Choose the right type for the season you want

There are four main seasonal groups:

• Spring cabbage - planted in autumn, harvested April and May
• Summer cabbage - harvested July to September
• Autumn cabbage - September and October
• Winter and savoy types - November through to March

For a first attempt, a summer variety like Hispi or Golden Acre is the simplest option and gives results the same year as sowing. Savoy types like January King or Tundra are very hardy and provide useful winter cropping when not much else is available in the garden.

2. Sow indoors six to eight weeks before planting out

Sow in modules or small pots, about 1 cm deep. Summer cabbage: sow indoors March to April, plant out May to June. Winter cabbage: sow April to May for a September planting. Spring cabbage is sown in July or August and planted out in September.

Keep seedlings on a bright windowsill or in a cold frame. They don't need high temperatures and can actually get leggy if kept too warm. A cool, bright spot produces sturdier transplants.

3. Plant with a brassica collar to deter cabbage root fly

Cabbage root fly lays eggs at soil level and the larvae attack roots. The simplest protection is a collar - a disc of carpet underlay, card, or a proper brassica collar - placed flat on the soil around the stem when planting. It stops the fly from getting close enough to lay eggs around the roots.

Plant firmly. Brassicas need very firm planting - press the soil down hard around the roots and give a gentle tug upwards to check. The stem should resist. A loose plant rocks in the wind and develops poorly.

4. Net against pigeons and cabbage white butterflies

Pigeons will strip young brassica plants down to stalks given the chance. Cabbage white butterflies lay eggs that hatch into the caterpillars that riddle leaves with holes. Fine insect mesh or butterfly netting over hoops, from planting out right through to harvest, is the practical answer. Set it up properly once rather than replacing half-eaten plants repeatedly through the season.

5. Water consistently, especially in dry spells

Cabbages need steady moisture. A dry spell followed by heavy rain can cause heads to split, which is frustrating after months of growing. In East Kent's sometimes dry summers, water regularly through the main growing season rather than leaving things to chance.

Feed with a general-purpose fertiliser a few weeks after planting if growth looks slow. Don't overdo nitrogen - it produces sappy, soft growth that's more vulnerable to pests and less useful in the kitchen.

6. Watch for club root in damp or acidic soil

Club root is a soil-borne disease that causes roots to swell and distort, eventually killing the plant. It thrives in acidic, waterlogged conditions. If you've had problems with it before, lime the bed to raise the pH to around 7, improve drainage, and choose club-root-resistant varieties where they're available.

Don't plant brassicas in the same spot year after year. Rotating to a different part of the garden each season reduces the build-up of soil-borne problems across the whole brassica family.

7. Harvest when the head is firm and solid

Test by pressing the head. If it feels solid and doesn't give, it's ready. Don't leave heads too long once they're firm - they can split after rain. Cut with a clean knife at the base.

After cutting, leave the stump in the ground and score a cross in the top of it. Small secondary cabbages often grow from the stump, giving a modest second harvest from the same plant over the following weeks.

When to call a handyman

If you're setting up a dedicated brassica bed with a permanent netted frame, or preparing heavy ground that needs real work before planting, Richard can help. Raised bed construction and plot preparation are both regular jobs in and around Sandwich.