Cabbages and Sprouts

No question is too silly Paul. With regards to the netting, try & get it as fine as possible plus all gaps at the bottom need sealing as best you can to stop butterflies getting in. There is loads of info if search for netting.

Enviromesh is probably the best but it costs. Try Harrodhorticultural.com for special offers. Lots of us do use scaffold netting(e-bay) but it does have small gaps so it can be tied to scaffold poles. I use old fishing line and a needle to cover them.

Couldn't have put it better, Bigmally. I use old window sash weights to hold down my netting, but broomhandles are a much cheaper alternative that does not damage the edges like stones etc can.
As regards how long cabbages take to be ready, that varies considerably because there are so many different cultivars. Ones like Greyhound are quick, as you might expect, as are "baby" veggies (Hispi ? I can't remember if that is a cabbage or a lettuce) that are designed to be grown quickly and harvested at a small size. And don't forget, if you are keen to taste them sooner, you can grow more than you actually need, harvest the leaves off some before they heart up, and leave the remainder to grow to full size hearted up cabbages.
Sprouts take a long time - I couldn't tell you how long because I don't normally grow anything that takes so long, but I generally assume they will take up ground for just over a year. (Like cauliflower and some broccolis.) Ironically, this year most of the plants that I thought were going to be my winter/spring cabbages have turned out to be brussel sprouts. Don't know how that happened - one day I lifted up the netting I had (Enviromesh) and realised why my brassicas seemed to be bolting rather than hearting up ! Obviously less tasty to caterpillars and more vigourous than the few cabbages I do have, judging by damage and size. So I am going to harvest the sprouts as they come ready, eat the leaves once I have harvested each plant, and hope my cooking skills are up to the challenge...

Thank you for the interesting info on netting, I was wondering if net curtain would be any good do you think?

Secondly the cabbages I have are January kings - I had assumed (maybe because of the name? that they would be about ready in January....I dont know what veriety sprouts I have..all the seeds were planted august and eventually went into the plot on the 14th Oct ish. I was kinda hoping to have some sprouts for christmas...

Thanks for the info though, its most helpful

Good ideas never go out of fashion ! Firm favourite of allotmenteers for donkey's years, and you can clean them using vinegar...
Just been looking up seeds online, I am talking nonsense about taking more than a year - but I noticed some sprouts on Victoriana's website that were plant April to May, harvest October to February. So I think it is probably 10 months, which is a very long cropping time by my standards.
Oh dear, there goes the C word.
I would offer to send you some for late December because I know the craving (this will the first year I have ever managed to successfully grow any for... that particular meal) but I think delivery might be a bit dodgy...

oh well you live and learn
Thanks for the advice I appreciate it and sprouts too...as it happens I have never managed to pursuade my Menagerie to eat them, thought seeing them growing might change their minds...but I will just buy a handful or so in Sainsburys at xmas!!

If you decide to go for curtains, check out Ikea lill range, perfect for the price.

Oh no! I have just been in IKEA too

That's curtains for that idea then !

There's a guy on ebay selling debris netting 2mts x 50 mts for £28 inc delivery. I'm gonna give that a go.

I like the idea of scaffold net too....