All of these crops can all be sown in a seed bed, pots or a seed tray in late May, around 25 May.  Seedlings should be pricked out a week or two later and planted out in late June.  We shall sow in a prepared seed bed and the plants can be lifted and planted out 4-6 weeks after sowing.

It is always worth sowing a few extra spare plants to replace any failings.

Please see the article linked below for seedbed preparation and sowing.

Seedbeds - Preparation for Kale, Calabrese, Leeks and root Crops

Kale, Calabrese and Red Cabbage plants should be planted in rows 60cm apart with two or perhaps three plants across the row. Use a trowel to make a slit in the ground, water thoroughly and then plant the small plants.  Net against damage by birds.

We won't be growing winter brassicas such as sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli but planting distances for these would be in rows 60-75cm apart and two plants, not three, across the 120cm bed; they take up lots of space.