It’s best to sow the seeds in trays or seed modules inside, keeping them on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse, although you also can sow them straight into the ground in a well-prepares sunny site.
Prepare your soil for seeds or seedlings by digging it over with a garden fork, weeding, picking out stones and breaking clumps with the fork. Then rake the soil so that you are left with a smooth surface. Cabbages need a firm soil base to keep their roots anchored because the cabbage heads are relatively heavy so, after raking, walk over the soil to consolidate it, then rake it lightly.
If you are sowing straight into the ground, make a 1cm drill or shallow trough in the ground with a hoe or a stick using a plank of wood or string between two sticks as a guide to create a straight line.
Then plant your seeds about a finger’s width apart and cover with soil.
Make sure the seedbed is well watered, using a watering can with a rose on the spout, and don’t forget to label the seedbed. About a week to 12 days later the seedlings will start to appear, and once they have leaves on you can thin them out to 7.5cm apart – keeping the strongest seedlings.
