[A Reyt Tayty]

Yesterday, I put out some spring cabbage which I've been growing in modules. I don't know wether it's an optical illusion, but they seem to have doubled in size since yesterday when comparing them with the few leftovers I have still in modules. There really is a massive difference. 

[mumofstig]

Yes, they just love being released from pots, don't they! 

[Sweetpea C]

Please can you tell me how big yours were when you put them out?

[A Reyt Tayty]

About 5 weeks old and 2-3" high.

[mumofstig]

I think it's usual to move them on with 4 or 5 leaves - either into the ground or into bigger pots for planting a bit later on.

[Beetroot Queen]

I think it's usual to move them on with 4 or 5 leaves - either into the ground or into bigger pots for planting a bit later on.

We moved ours at this stage too, easy counting true leaves than saying so many inches.  they went mad as soon as they hit open ground

[Goosegirl]

Reminds me of a thread I saw the other day about the quantity of nutrients in bought compost. Also, I suppose the nutrients will be washed out quite quickly if watered regularly when they are in small pots. I find extra feeding with Maxicrop or other general feed with added seaweed nutrients helps to keep them in good condition.

[Sweetpea C]

Thanks all, I'll be transplanting at some point this weekend!

[A Reyt Tayty]

Just checked my transplants over this morning and they are getting merrilly munched by small green caterpillers. Not an infestation by any means. I checked them over before planting out and they were fine. There wasn't much time between planting out to getting them covered with wire mesh covered in even finer nylon mesh, but they've still been got at. Is there anything I can spray on to make them less enjoyable to the insect fraternity because it's gonna be a pain keep taking the netting off to squish 'em?

[Beetroot Queen]

As there only small i would de-net and squish, no need to spray you dont want extras with your cabbage.

It takes the butterflies no time to find an unprotected cabbage 

[diospyros]

This would be too blindingly obvious to be any good, but I can't help wondering if you can spray them with a really strong smelling "foliar feed" that masks the smell so the butterflies don't find them?  Garlic water or something?

Because, while nosing round the allotment the other day I saw a row of young brassica plants the end one of which had been smothered by some invading mint, and it was pristine, while a foot away in the unprotected row they were eaten (presumably by caterpillars) and under the cloche again they looked less nibbled.

[Goosegirl]

It is blindingly obvious, but so are many solutions to problems that, when mentioned, make people go - "Oh - why didn't I think of that before!" The only thing is I don't know what attracts the butterflies to the cabbages - is it just the smell or something else?

[A Reyt Tayty]

Just checked the SC seedlings in thelast 10 minutes. They have quite a smattering of little green eggs on them (both sides of the leaf). I can't imagine the cabbage whites getting at them, so what else could it be getting through quite fine mesh?

[seaside]

Little green men ?
Sorry Tayty, couldn't resist that. 
I would suggest the little green eggs are almost certainly caterpillar droppings, regardless of any nettings.

As for Spring cabbage in general, I've planted just a few again, but I really am beginning to wonder why I bother as that time of year there is always kale and PSB to be harvested. I really should just keep my cabbages to Summer and Winter .... say, easy-to-grow greyhound in the Summer, then red cabbage and various savoys in the Autumn/Winter.

[A Reyt Tayty]

Had netting up today and there are more new little green eggs. No caterpillars so it's ot their droppings. Very fine mesh ovr them on a frame. Butterflies definitely not getting in. I've sat and watched them trying  Could it be whitefly eggs?