I had some really nice cabbbages growing in my little garden until recently the nice firm heads just started to burst open. Now they look horrible as if the were shredded.

Any advice welcome please. The variety is similar to Hispi.

I have tried uploading a JPG picture but it keeps failing

"fixerman" wrote in message
...

I had some really nice cabbbages growing in my little garden until
recently the nice firm heads just started to burst open. Now they look
horrible as if the were shredded.

Any advice welcome please. The variety is similar to Hispi.

I have tried uploading a JPG picture but it keeps failing

They could be going to seed if they've been there a while; or sometimes
intermittent watering (or just sprinkling instead of a thorough watering)
will trigger premature bolting

On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:54:45 +0100, fixerman
wrote:


I had some really nice cabbbages growing in my little garden until
recently the nice firm heads just started to burst open. Now they look
horrible as if the were shredded.

Any advice welcome please. The variety is similar to Hispi.

I have tried uploading a JPG picture but it keeps failing

I think you just left them in the ground too long. They are getting
ready to flower and set seed.


Pam in Bristol

Thanks Pam,

but I don't think it's a bolting problem. There is no sign of a flower stalk. It's just as if all the nice tightly packed leaves suddenly shrunk and split into sherds. I wish I could upload a picture.

Fixerman

If you planted them last autumn to be eaten in spring then they will be running to seed now. If they were planetd thisyear and are 'bursting' may be due to period of drout followed by heavy water. same happens with tomatoes.

fixerman wrote:
Pam Moore;799098 Wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:54:45 +0100, fixerman
wrote:
-

I had some really nice cabbbages growing in my little garden until
recently the nice firm heads just started to burst open. Now they look
horrible as if the were shredded.

Any advice welcome please. The variety is similar to Hispi.

I have tried uploading a JPG picture but it keeps failing-

I think you just left them in the ground too long. They are getting
ready to flower and set seed.


Pam in Bristol

Thanks Pam,

but I don't think it's a bolting problem. There is no sign of a flower
stalk. It's just as if all the nice tightly packed leaves suddenly
shrunk and split into sherds. I wish I could upload a picture.

Fixerman



I've had exactly the same problem with some of my remaining cabbages. I
wondered if it was a result of a small whitefly infestation but none of
the ones I harvested earlier in the year were similarly affected so
maybe it's just that they've been in the ground too long.

These were planted last autumn and we've enjoyed them as spring greens
in early spring and full crispy cabbages in latter months.

On 18 Jun, 18:54, fixerman
wrote:
I had some really nice cabbbages growing in my little garden until
recently the nice firm heads just started to burst open. Now they look
horrible as if the were shredded.

Any advice welcome please. The variety is similar to Hispi.

I have tried uploading a JPG picture but it keeps failing

--
fixerman

It's what they do when they're over mature.

They are not old plant as they were planted in the spring and were just reaching a nice size for harvesting. Going on your advice, for which I am grateful, it looks like it's down to drought followed by heavy watering which is exactly what happened.

Many thanks,

Fixerman