This versatile and tasty cabbage can be sown for autumn harvest and again for a spring one. It is an excellent choice if you are a bit short of space as you space it at 25-30cm apart as it makes few outer leaves. It can also be eaten in salads or cooked. Price for 20 seeds.

SOW: March to May for autumn use (Sept/Oct) and sow again in July and August for a spring harvest. Start your seeds 10-15mm deep in modules and transplant.

Dating from 1909 this is a scrumptious heirloom that is best grown in the cooler seasons of spring and autumn – giving you two bites each year. In the spring grow them to be small tender cabbages ready as soon as they feel firm to the touch. Grow them larger in the autumn and they will tough it out with the weather into the new year. Price for 20 seeds

A firm favourite, this reliable variety can be enjoyed as early spring greens or leave some to heart up to give you sweet flavoured pointed cabbages later in the spring. Price for 20 seeds

SOW: 10mm deep in pots or modules in mid-July and August

GROW: after 6-8 weeks, when large enough to handle, plant out setting the plants about 1cm or so deeper than they were. For spring greens plant 15cm apart and then harvest alternate plants in March to leave a wider spacing for the rest to heart into April.

Have you tried braised cabbage yet?

In a deep frying pan soften onions with some ginger in olive oil, add shredded cabbage and a slosh of dark beer (or Guinness), season, cover, reduce the heat and cook until the cabbage is tender.  Enjoy the rest of the beer after dinner!

This scrummy and speedy variety is British bred so it copes well with our weather! Producing compact heads it can be close spaced to make the most of your plot area. An early sowing under cover can be ready by late May. Price for 20 seeds.

SOW: from February (with protection) to April, start seeds 10-15mm deep in modules or pots and plant out when large enough to handle

GROW: early transplants may need protection from hard frosts and late snow!   Close spacing will give you smaller heads.  The first small heads from an early sowing should be ready from May.  The main harvest is between June and August.

Early Jersey Wakefield will provide you with tender and crisp, solid conical heads on compact plants, a delicious heirloom.  Price for 20 seeds

SOW: from March to July, start in modules or pots at 10-15mm deep. This variety is a good choice for successional sowing.

GROW: and plant out about 5/6 weeks after sowing, when large enough to handle at about 30cm apart. Closer spacing will give you smaller heads. Cut the cabbages as you need them between June and early October depending on when sown.

Did you know that you can freeze your cabbage?

To Freeze – shred or cut, blanch for 1 minute, plunge into cold water and drain. Pack into portions and pop into the freezer. Cook from frozen until just tender (boiling about 3 minutes, steaming about 10 minutes, stir fry to just tender)

Superb summer variety (harvesting from June to the end of October), an AGM winner with one of the widest sowing windows of any cabbage (February to July).  Its delightfully sweet round heads hold well for weeks & rarely split.  You can also choose to grow this compact variety for a quicker crop of mini heads.   Price for 20 seeds. 

SOW: 10-15mm deep.  For the earliest crops sow with protection in February and March (to give a June/July harvest time).  From March to July you can sow in a seedbed (although we tend to use modules).

GROW: when large enough to handle (after 6-8 weeks) harden off and plant out spacing 30-40cm apart.  Cut the cabbages as needed.  Heads reach full size in about 16-20weeks but can be cropped earlier as minis; if you just want mini heads then plants can be grown closer together

EAT: during the warmer months Elisa makes a sweet addition to salads, also tasty when stir fried or steamed

Golden Acre is very compact tasty, small ballhead variety with a long season and a bonus second crop.  It can be harvested from late May through to early November from sowings made in February (with protection) and March to July (in the open). Price for 20 seeds

SOW: from February (with protection) through to July, starting in pots or modules  (seed depth 10-15mm) and plant out after 5-6 weeks (early transplants will need cloches for protection).  Space at 30cm apart.

GROW: you can enjoy two cabbages from each plant!  Cut the first cabbage cleanly then cut a cross in the remaining stump, secondary growth will appear and give you a second miniature cabbage

Greyhound is an heirloom with an AGM: reliable, compact, early, with firm hearts full of flavour. Glorious Greyhound can also provide you with a second crop of tasty greens by leaving it to resprout after cutting. It only remains to be asked; with an enviable history and reputation and a double crop how can you resist? Price for 20 seeds

SOW: from February to April, starting in pots or modules

GROW: plant out when large enough to handle after hardening off.  Space your plants at 35-45cm apart.  First harvest is June to August.  If you leave the stump, about 5cm tall, in place and cut a cross in it you can get the bonus of a second harvest of leafy little green heads (these are a particularly good source of vitamin C).

Solid white heads with firm white hearts are a feature of hardy Holland Late Winter.  They can either be enjoyed straight from the garden between October and January or stored to extend your feasting time!. They are tasty when cooked or use them for salads or coleslaw. Price for 20 seeds

SOW: start the seeds 10-15mm deep in modules or pots during April and May. 

GROW: plant out about 5/6 weeks after sowing.  Space at 45cm apart.  Cut the cabbages as you need them from October through to January.  To store you will need to pull up the plant, roots and all, and hang upside down in an airy frost-free place, keep an eye on them; they will keep for several weeks. 

EAT: we prefer to steam our cabbage, but you can cook it in boiling water. Holland Late Winter can also be made into tasty coleslaw or simply fine chop into a salad.  To Freeze – shred or cut, blanch for 1 minute, plunge into cold water and drain.  Cook from frozen until tender

This is a stunning heirloom variety with a red heart, a perfect salad cabbage for enjoying in fresh homemade coleslaw. Kalibos is an East European heirloom variety that was only recently introduced to the UK. It has unique pointed red hearts – an absolute stunner. Price for 20 seeds

SOW: at 10-15mm seed during April/May in modules or pots.  Cabbages can also be sown in a seed bed.

GROW: plant out about 5/6 weeks after sowing.  Changing the spacing between the plants will give you different sized cabbages.  Close spacing will give you smaller heads and ‘greens’.  Cut the cabbages as you need them.

EAT: the perfect choice for salads.  Kalibos is a pointed cabbage with distinctive red leaves; it looks and tastes fantastic in homemade coleslaw.  You can let it form hearts or cut early as ‘greens’ with a second flush of growth to follow.