How to grow spring cabbage from seed

Start your crop in July and you'll soon have young plants large enough to tolerate the harsh conditions of winter. Place the seeds around 13mm deep in rows approximately 15cm apart in a seedbed.

Watering them thoroughly the day before, transplant the seedlings once they've developed five or six true leaves - in September or October - with a distance of 8-10cm between them, firming them into place and puddling them in with water.

Come the end of February, beginning of March (depending on conditions), space them in rows around 30cm apart (for large varieties, 45cm apart) - you can eat the small, tender leaves of the thinnings, a valuable vegetable in this crop-scarce period, while looking forward to savouring those from the larger crop in the coming months.

Keep well-watered during dry spells and cover with a fine mesh (such as Enviromesh) to prevent attacks from cabbage rootfly (eggs around the stems of the plant are evidence of this pest) and pigeons.

Once you harvest the green leaves in late spring and early summer, cut a cross in the stump and you'll receive another smaller-leaved crop.

For seeds, try merchants such as Thompson & Morgan, Marshalls or Kings Seeds