Grow Your Own Magazine

I have just had my Gardeners' World Newsletter and it mentions that if you cut a cross in the stalk still in the ground, where a cabbage has been harvested, then it will encourage a further crop. I didn't know this and thought I would post it in case I was not alone.

works with little gem lettuce too

It's also a way of prolonging the season especially with F1's which all heart up in the same week!

I started a thread a few days ago telling of my exploits with Caramba F1 hybrid sweetheart type cabbage.
Each one was harvested and I was a bit disgruntled that they all hearted up in the same week.
Undeterred, I cut a cross in the top of each as I cut it. About 50% perished but the other half has given me four sweetheart mini cabbages per plant that have made it well worthwhile growing them.
If it hadn't worked I wouldn't have grown this variety again, but as it has, they are on my seed list for next year!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Glad for this post cos i just read the same newsletter. Not that my cabbages are anywhere near hearting up. Getting loads of spinach though

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Taking it one day at a time and still smiling...

I grew Hispi and Minicole this year and after cutting the main head, about 50% grow either another two or another three mini-heads - no cross cutting was done. Even those that didn't grow properly formed baby heads, produced new growth which could be used as greens.

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Rat

British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God

Blog updated Wednesday November 13th

Worked for me too!

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Growing in the Garden of England http://www.kentvegplot.blogspot.com