Growing spring cabbage - under cover or not?

I've been trying to work out what to do with my Durham Early and looking for advice on here and elsewhere on the Web. Some people suggest growing them in the ground with no cover, others say keep sheltered in a polytunnel.

So I was pondering on doing both. But the ones that are sheltered will have to be in pots in a cold frame, as I don't have a polytunnel or greenhouse.

Do you think keeping them in pots in a cold frame will work? If so, when should I plant them out?

What do you all do?

Thanks crh75. So you grow them directly in the ground. Do you suffer much from frost in your area? I'm guessing not.

I have only ever grown them in the ground, with a net to stop the pigeons from eating the leaves. Even under heavy snowfall or long periods of frozen ground they have come through and give decent heads in Spring.

Perfect. Thanks for the info, guys. Just what I wanted to hear. Have plenty of ground for them, so will plant them out.

We're lucky in that pigeons aren't much of a problem round our way. In fact, our biggest flying pests are sparrows and blackbirds of all things!