[BOB3554]

When I start veggies for the first time next year I will only grow,

Carrots,  Peas,  French Beans,  Sweetcorn,  Leeks  and  Courgettes.

My question is,  if I wanted to grow Broccoli and maybe Cauliflower or Cabbage through the winter,  can the plants be potted on until ground becomes available as the other stuff is picked and then planted out.  Dont know how big they would be by that time,  whether they would take to transplanting when they have reached that size,
many thanks for any help that comes through,
Bob.

[paintedlady]

Mind there is a risk when you sow seeds way too early that they "bolt" (ie go to seed) later on in the year at about the time you expect to harvest....

As for the potting on question - cabbage, cauliflower, brussels & brocolli are not a problem (I do that anyway to get a good root system established in suitable compost mix before transferring to the clubroot riddled plot!)  One problem I seemed to struggle with - while in pots waiting for ground to become available, it's amazing how suddenly there is a mini heatwave (a big        for encouraging growth of summer fruiting stuff but a big fat   for brassicas - heat & pots (stress) don't go too well with the brassicas and another chance for them to bolt!)

When transferring any brassica to the plot, dig the hole a bit deeper than the pot size, and cover up as much of the stem as you safely can with the soil, and firm in well (to stop it rocking in the wind which brassicas don't like)