[DAVEAGENT]

Hi everyone, Ive grown approx 12 spring cabbages, also known as "Yorks". I ghave to say I was really pleased with them and some of the bigger ones are 3.5 foot wide. However i went down to my plot last night and about four of the smaller ones seemed to be decaying.

They were tucked under the bigger ones, (I may have spaced them too close), however I gave each one a square foot of space.

Anyway the decaying ones smelled really foul, and seemed to be "melting" and turning into a slimy mush, on closer inspection they were covered in tiny black flies.

I pulled them and binned them, and pulled up the bigger onew which were unscathed. I plan to cook them and freeze them.

So any and all advice accepted please.

[DD.]

I think you've answered your own question - they were spaced too close.

You can space spring cabbage closely, but the trick is to harvest every other one as spring greens and allow the others space to mature.

I would think the flies have been attracted by the decaying, crowded out plants, rather than them being the cause of their demise.

[Beetroot queen]

I grow mine very close but like DD said we then pull them for greens when they start to get far too close.

[Nobbie]

I watched a programme once where they explained that the slimy mush from decaying cabbage is the stuff they use to give low fat mayonaisse it's texture - urghh.

[DAVEAGENT]

Thanks for that DD, some were massive and completely shadowed the others. I left the big one in too long, as I was all chuffed at growing giant cabbages.

Its my first full year in my allotment. I started blanching and freezing the cabbage last night. Ive a LOT of cabbage.

My Girlfriend said to me in a text earlier "Go easy on the cabbage tonight"

[devonbarmygardener]

Hmm might get a bit windy where you are!

I love cabbage. Always grow too many too close together!