[sunshineband]

I know we're going slightly off topic here, but whilst it's aimed at school kids, this is a useful fact sheet for French beans:

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/uploads/documents/french_beans-wl_476.pdf

Note that they will not even be sowing them until after the Easter break.

They been listening to our lot, by any chance? 

[Totty]

Have got sprouts, kale, Graffiti Caulis,and a handful of Hispis, gonna be sowing a few hispi every few weeks from now on to try and get them all through the season

Totty

[Auntiemogs]

PSB, cabbage (Hispi & Minicole), kale, chard - all doing well in unheated conservatory.  Will move to greenhouse next week. 

[mattwragg94]

my cauli's (snowball) are at the 4 leaf stage (i took 40 onto my local society last weekend), my brocolli (calabrese) was transplanted into modules at the weekend and my cabbages (greyhound) are just about ready to be transplanted. ooooh you've just reminded me i need to sow some sprouts

[shoozie]

Only cabbage elisa & minicole, cauliflower all year round at the minute. 

Didn't use collars last year as my effort to make them with old roof felt ended up decapitating a few minicole when fitting them - so gave up before I killed them all  The cabbages were fine in the end but maybe I was just lucky..  But, I was wondering if I should buy some collars this year - or is there a better way of making them ? 

[mattwragg94]

ive never used cabbage collars, but im sure ive heard of people using cardboard - cant see why it wouldn't work.

[New shoot]

I copied DD and sowed caulies back in January (Gipsy) and they are now in the cold frame hardening up before going to big school on the plot.  Not tried this before but the onions sown end Dec are doing well and was flushed with success 

I've got some Caramba cabbage to sow any time now (50p sale stuff) 

[richrua]

Got some kale and red cabbage that i started in january. i found two old packets dated 2003 and decided to sow just to see if they would grow. every one did !
The kale seeds were even open.
I potted them up a stage at the weekend. gonna cold frame them next week and stickem outside another week or two after that.

[AnneB]

I have purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflower (Snowball) sown on Tuesday in an unheated porch.  Next on the list are summer cabbage and sprouts.

[Bing]

Red Russian Kales were planted couple of weeks ago under no cover at all, they looks healthy and leavies are coming up!

they are hardy and club root resistant

[galen]

Also going slightly off topic but can I ask when you are all going to harvest, and use, your Kale ? Love the stuff, still picking from a couple of varities of last years plants, but due to white fly only every use it as a winter harvesting crop.

Won't be sowing mine for a couple of months yet...

[New shoot]

Me neither Galen 

I find early sowings of kale tend to run to seed for me, but I expect it varies over the country and I know some on here like to grow it for baby leaves.  I'm picking last years and won't resow for winter use until the spring rush is over. 

[Big Stev3]

I've got cabbages, broccoli and brussels sprouts in the cold frame.
Look a lot better than my last lot that were inside and went incredibly leggy. 

[toasted]

ive started greyhound and precoce de louviers outside straight in the ground when i put my onion sets in a few weeks back there all up now

[m1ckz]

im gona get told off here me thinks,yesturday i put out on the plot,,cabbage lettuse,,maybe a bit soon,,also have the spuds in,onion sets,,peas,radish,,spring onion,,made my bean support,