Cabbage planning

Big but not big enough, Apr 2019

We're still looking forward to eating the spring cabbage;  last year we began eating it in April, but maybe I'd planted it out earlier then.  These ones are heading up nicely but still aren't ready yet;  I want some big dense heads to make coleslaw with, plus plenty of outer leaves for cooking. 

I put some summer cabbage seedlings in at the allotment and had to cover them with mesh to try and protect them from pigeons (I suspect--haven't caught them in the act).  They're growing strongly but not enough to overcome the damage they were receiving.  I would have to cover them anyway, as it's nearly cabbage white butterfly season.  All the spring cabbages are at home, and I won't bother covering them unless they're still around in June.

I also just sowed a tray of winter cabbage seed too:  none sprouted yet.  There's one lone winter cabbage still hanging on at the allotment;  all the others just went to seed without forming heads, but this one is still trying to grow a (small) head--probably for July, if it can hang on that long.