In My Seed Box For 2027 - Cabbages & Spring Greens

      

In the past I have tried to find different varieties that had different sow grow and harvest times so that I could try grow and harvest for as long as possible. Plans for 2020 didn't pan out due to shielding my wife against Covid-19, and 2021 was not a lot better, so I made the magic happen in 2022, and I will be looking to repeat that success in 2026. 

Cabbage Seeds if kept in ideal conditions last 4 - 7 years 

Review of Seed Stocks with Sow by date of 2025

Cordoba F1                            - D.T.Brown   -  30 Seeds - £4.59 Packed YE 2023

Collard Hi-Crop F1                 - Dobies        -  25 Seeds - £2.99 - Packed YE 2023        

Review of Seed Stocks with Sow by date of 2026

Marquis F1                             - D.T.Brown   -  30 Seeds - £2.99 - Packed YE Jul/23

Tourmaline F1                        - D.T.Brown   -  50 Seeds - £2.99 - Packed YE Aug/23      

Cordoba F1   

The first clubroot resistant Savoy cabbage with great tasting leaves forming large, heavy heads. 

Also resistant to ringspot and white rust for consistently high-quality crops of large savoy cabbages weighing between 1.5kg-2kg each. 

The leaves are attractive and are of good colour and flavour.

Collard Hi-Crop F1  

Packed with nutrition, this large non-heading cabbage is a versatile, long-season crop. 

Collard 'Hi-Crop' can be used for spring or autumn greens and either harvested as a whole, looseleaf cabbage or picked for cut and come again, removing leaves from the centre as required. 

The large, blue-green, textured leaves are well-flavoured and borne on vigorous plants which are slow to bolt. Maturity: 60 days. Height: 40cm (16”). Spread: 50cm (20”).

           

Marquis F1 Versatile pointed heads which can be harvested as greens or mature heads. Hold well in the ground and stores well once cut.

SOW INDOORS February-April, thinly in trays of compost, 1.5cm/half-in deep. Transplant when plants are about 10cm/4in tall, spacing of 30cm/1ft. 

SOW OUTDOORS March-June. Transplant at 2-4 leaf stage to final growing position. Firm in well. Keep moist.

Harvest June - October 

Tourmaline F1

Attractive savoyed leaves with excellent flavour and winter hardiness. Forms large dense heads with resistance to black rot.

SOW INDOORS February-April, thinly in trays of compost, 1.5cm/half-in deep. Transplant when plants are about 10cm/4in tall, spacing of 60cm/2ft. SOW 

OUTDOORS April-June. Transplant at 2-4 leaf stage to final growing position. Firm in well. Keep moist

Harvest December - March  


Looking at the sowing instructions in particular the spacing and rows, I thought about the planting membrane sheets that I already have and decided to create a new one specifically for the Spring Greens in 2024 which didn't happen because of my cancer and treatment, now I'm getting fitter its on the cards for 2026

So the idea is to give a 300mm exclusion zone around the perimeter so that hopefully it keeps the spring greens away from the netted hoops that will go over the bed. working on the basis of 150mm centres and 300mm between rows, I decided to stagger alternate rows so there is a little more space between plants but they are still dense enough to assist in growing as spring greens.   

I've also bought a pack of Cabbage Durham Early Spring Green Seeds for £1.39 incl. P&P from Premier Seeds Direct for an Autumn sowing.

This variety is a well-known and very reliable compact spring cabbage producing dark green pointed firm heads of medium size, good flavour and texture. Suited for high density growing for spring greens harvesting from Feb onwards and Apr for fully mature heads. Autumn sowing variety.

Cultivation Advice Cabbage Durham Early Spring Greens

• Sow between Mid-July and Sep thinly in trays or directly to seed drills using 2-3 seeds every 12 in.
• Planting depth 1/8 inch. When seedlings are 1 inch tall thin to one plant every 12-18 inches or plant out tray seedlings to growing location.
• Best sown / located in full sun where no cabbage was grown the year before.
• Keep weed free and protect against pests, especially pigeons over-winter.
• Harvest alternative plants from Feb as spring greens and mature heads from early Apr.

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Index

Komatsuna Comred F1

Both tasty and nutricious, this variety, Comred F1, has rich ruby red leaves that contrast beautifully with their green stems: it grows well from late spring to early autumn and makes a lovely addition to salads and sandwiches. Mature leaves can be shredded into a stir fry or steamed.

SOW: can be started in modules from late spring to late summer, or sow thinly where they are to grow.  A good choice for CCA use (CCA is cut-&-come-again). Make several sowings for a supply through to autumn.

GROW: transplant at the 2/3 leaf stage and space at 10cm for small plants, or up to 35cm apart if you want to grow larger plants. Komatsuna can be harvested as a cut and come again (by leaving a short length of stem to resprout), or at any stage from small to large.

Square Foot Gardening (SFG) spacing for Komatsuna Comred F1 depends on the desired harvest size, with 9 to 16 plants per square foot being the standard recommendation.

• Baby Leaf / Dense Harvest: Plant 16 per square foot (spaced 3 inches / 7.5 cm apart) for a dense cut-and-come-again baby leaf crop.
Medium / Small Bunching: Plant 9 per square foot (spaced 4 inches / 10 cm apart) for compact multi-use heads or standard small-plant harvesting.
Full Maturity: Reduce to 4 per square foot (spaced 8 inches / 20 cm apart) if you want large, fully mature single plants

ENJOY: through the summer and, as these are hardy, the late sowings will crop well into the winter.

MoreVeg £1 for 40 seeds 

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Beetroots

 

Because of the cancer and mobility issues, It's been a couple of years since I have been in full pickled Beetroot mode but 2027 will see a return.

Sow By Dates 

There is only a 2-3 year life expectancy on the backs of the packs of seeds, as the germination rates will gradually decline with age, but the reality is that Beetroot seeds kept in good storage can last anything from 6 -10 years which is why I still have Sow By 2020 seeds in my seed box.   

Sow By 2020

Boltardy                   - 275  Seeds - £1.50 -  Johnsons                   - Sow By 10/2020

Detroit 2                  -  300  Seeds - £2.29 - Thompson & Morgan - Sow By 2020

Globe 2                    - 200  Seeds - £0-20 - Carters                       - Sow By 2020

Globe 2                    - 200  Seeds - £0-20 - Carters                       - Sow By 2020

Moneta                    - 150  Seeds - £2.99 - Thompson & Morgan - Sow By 2020

Red Ace F1             - 150  Seeds - £2.69 - Thompson & Morgan - Sow By 12/2020

Sow By 2021

Moneta                   - 150  Seeds - GYO mag - T&M National Trust - Sow by 09/2021

Sow By 2022

Boltardy                   -  275 Seeds - £1.30 - Kings Seeds - Sow By 2022 - Kitchen Garden Mag

Sugar Salad Mix      -  170 Seeds - £2.99 - Marshalls - Sow By 2022

Sugar Salad Mix      -  170 Seeds - £2.99 - Marshalls - Sow By 2022

Sow By 2023

Kornett                    - 150 Seeds - £2.15 - Mr Fothergill's - Sow By 2023

As can be seen I didn't get buy many beetroot seeds in 2021 as there is only on pack with a use by in 2023 and no packs with a sow by 2024. 

Sow By 2025

Rainbow Mix         -  250 Seeds - £1.99  - Suttons - Sow By 2025 Packed 2022

Boltardy                 - 275 Seeds -      75p^ - wilko    - Sow by 2025 Packed Dec 2022 

Boltardy                 - 275 Seeds -      75p^ - wilko    - Sow by 2025 Packed Dec 2022  

Boltardy                 - 275 Seeds -      75p^ - wilko    - Sow by 2025 Packed Dec 2022

^ Wilko seed bought at 50% Reduction in sale. Rather than wait until packs of seeds were going for 10p a pack, with prices that low and then 50% off it was worth stocking up with beetroot seeds I wanted whilst they still had them.   

Sow By 2026

Rote Kugel           - 145 Seeds - £3.49 - Organic Gardening Catalogue - Packed 2023

Golden Eye          - 100 Seeds - £2.99 - Suttons - Packed year ending 2024

               

All Prices shown are at the date purchased

There has been quite an increase in the price of seeds by the bigger greedy companies, however there are many small suppliers that sell reasonable quantities at economic and realistic prices. It always pay to shop around or buy in the end of season sales      

Alphabetical Listing of all the varieties that I have grown in the last few years. 

                                       Sowing            Harvest

Action F1                       Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Alto F1                           Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Bettollo F1                      Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Boltardy                          Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Cardeal F1                     Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Cylindra                          Apr - Jul             Jul - Oct

Detroit 2                         Apr - Jul             Jun - Oct         

Detroit 6 Rubidus           Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Globe 2                          Apr - Jul             Jul - Oct

Kestrel                            Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct     

Kornet                             Apr - Jul             Jul - Oct

Moneta                           Mar - Jul            Jul - Oct

Pablo F1                         Apr - Jul            Jun - Onwards        

Perfect 3                         Apr - Jul            Jun - Oct

Red Ace F1                    Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct                   

Solo                                Mar - Jul            Jun - Oct

Wodan F1                       Apr - Jul            Jun - Onwards     

Boltardy is one of the best beetroots and a gardeners favourite. Good quality, globe shaped , dark-red, well flavoured roots up to 100mm (4") across, and the variety that I normally go for however the Wyevale 50p seed sale is responsible not only for the amount of packs I have in the seed box but also the various varieties. 

Altro is a Hybrid cylindrical beetroot that produces straight roots that stand proud above the soil, but can be earthed up keeping in good condition for longer periods, and will produce more consistent diameter slices for pickling and that is what attracted me to pack when I bought it.  This was also why I bought six packs of Cylindra from Wilko as they are only 25p a pack and were dropped to 10p a pack in the end of season sale. 

Sugar Salad Mix - Marshalls (Red, White and Orange) were grown in the Square Foot Gardening Beds in 2025  

Beetroot Kornett - Mr Fothergill's but the web site says "A previous favourite which is now back!" Very productive, this dependable ‘Detroit’ type is easy to grow and versatile. Roots are sweet and firm and can be lifted as baby beets when young or left to mature. An excellent source of folate and good source of potassium. I'm going to grow these in the square foot garden beds this year. 

Something I have not done before 2023, but will be doing again in 2027 is harvesting the leaves for salads.     

When To Plant 

Beets are fairly frost hardy and can be planted in the garden 30 days before the frost-free date for your area. Although beets grow well during warm weather, the seedlings are established more easily under cool, moist conditions. Start successive plantings at 3 to 4 week intervals until midsummer for a continuous supply of fresh, tender, young beets. Irrigation assures germination and establishment of the later plantings.

Dates based on guidance from Garden Focused based on the last frost date for Sutton Surrey of the last week in April, suggests Beetroots are sown in the 4th week of March. BUT that is assuming sowing directly in the ground, and as I will be starting off the beetroots in the Space Saver garden or allotment Potting Shed Greenhouse I intend to sow a couple of trays earlier in 2026 in say the 1st or 2nd week of March. I may even try some early in the ground under a cloche, it's not as if I don't have enough seeds!

Care

Frequent shallow cultivation is important because beets compete poorly with weeds, especially when small. Because beets have extremely shallow roots, hand weeding and early, frequent and shallow cultivation are the most effective methods of controlling weeds in the rows. Deep cultivation after the weeds are large damages the beet roots. Like most root crops, beets need a fertile soil (especially high in potassium) for vigorous growth. Keep your beet plants uniformly supplied with moisture for best performance.

Harvesting

Beets can be harvested whenever they grow to the desired size. About 60 days are required for beets to reach 1 1/2 inches in diameter, the size often used for cooking, pickling or canning as whole beets. Beets enlarge rapidly to 3 inches with adequate moisture and space. With most varieties, beets larger than 3 inches may become tough and fibrous. Beets may be stored in a polyethylene bag in a refrigerator for several weeks. Beets also may be stored in outdoor pits if the beets are dug before the ground freezes in the fall. Cut off the tops of the beets one inch above the roots. Beets store best at 32°F and 95 percent humidity. Do not allow them to freeze.

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Index

PET/CT Scan at St Georges Hospital

This morning I went for my PET/CT Scan at the twin containers on the Perimeter Road. My appointment was for 8:30 but they like you there 15 minutes early. 

FDG PET/CT scans one is not be able to eat anything six hours before your appointment. During this time you can drink as much still/tap water as you like - you do not need to have a full bladder for your scan.

The scan isn’t painful. However, you will have to lie still for up to one hour on a table which is quite hard. 

I had removed my chain and wedding rings before attending and had ensured that I was wearing clothes without any metal so that I didn't have to change into a hospital gown. 

I was taken to a small preparation room, more like a large cupboard where a cannular was inserted into my arm, my blood sugars were taken and they gave me a small injection of radioactive tracer into a vein and ask me to remain sitting for about one hour.  

After an hour, I was asked to empty my bladder as its not as if you can jump off for a pee halfway through, and then we went across an open bridge between the two containers into the scanning room. Because of my shoulder problems I was scanned with my arms by my sides. Sometimes they scan with your arms raised above your head. 

During the scan, the radiographer/technologist is able to see you from the control room and you can talk to each other through an intercom. They keep you informed about what scans they are doing and how long each section is going to be. 

My particular scans, whole body and head and neck were 25 minutes and 8 minutes respectively. 

Although the radiographer/technologist can see parts of your body on the screen, the images must be carefully interpreted by a Radiologist/Nuclear Medicine physician who is an expert in this field. 

The injected radioactive chemicals have a very short lifespan and are removed from the body fairly quickly. I was advised to avoid close contact with babies or pregnant women for eight hours after your scan. I'm not seeing Digby until Friday so It will be safe by then.

Because of my mobility issues I came out of the containers backwards down the stairs 

Three years ago I was having the PET Scans at the Royal Marsden which is inside the hospital. Now I'm on Annual check ups and not 3 monthly or 6 monthly I can have them done at St Georges container facility 

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Broccoli

  

Broccoli belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga, and turnips.... If you are trying to eat healthier, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli should be at the very top of your grocery list.

That being said I've had a somewhat chequered history growing Broccoli as it you take your eye off it for a moment and it's a dry warm summer it bolts. For that reason and the lack of space I have favoured other vegetables over the last few years so what was in my Seed Box was a little and old. 

The average life of Broccoli seed is 5-8 years if kept in favourable conditions, however I have discarded the old seed in favour of New Varieties released for 2021 and 2022 four from Dobies and one pack from Mr Fothergill's. 

Normally I grow the more traditional varieties of Broccoli and we love to have it with a Sunday or any other day roast dinner. In 2023 I managed to get the Broccoli in before the cancer bomb dropped and we had a good harvest of the purple broccoli which I had not grown before. We liked it so much I will be sowing purple broccoli again in 2027 

I don't normally have problems growing broccoli, I do however sometimes have trouble catching it at the right time to harvest, especially being a carer and not being able to get down the allotment as frequently as I would like.

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2024

Claret F1                          -  40 Seeds - £2.55 - Mr Fothergill's - Packed YE Feb/2021

Purple Rain F1                 -  40 Seeds - £3.99 - D.T.Brown - Packed YE Sept/2021

Purple Rain F1                 -  40 Seeds - £3.99 - Mr Fothergill's - Packed YE Sept/2022

Santee F1 (Sprouting)      -  40 Seeds - £3.99 - Dobies - Packed YE Sept/2021

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2025

Blue Finn                          -  20 Seeds - £3.99 - Sutton - Packed YE 2022 Sow By 7/2025

Broccoltto                         -  30 Seeds - 39p - Seeds To Suit - Packed YE 2023

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2026

(Autumn) Babilon F1         -  30 Seeds - £3.99 - Mr Fothergill's - Packed YE Jul/2023

White Sprouting Burbank - 150 Seeds - £3.01 - Mr Fothergill's - Packed YE Nov/ 2022

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Index

Why Did Your Tomatoes Split?

 

In My Seed Box for 2027 - Aubergine

 

Historically the plan for 2023 was to get the area for the Superdome dug over and weed free, that did not happen instead I got an offer of a potting shed and thus the area for the Superdome became the location for the potting shed.     

I did manage to find a useful UK based YouTube video about growing Aubergine's in the UK, see below. 

In 2023 I managed to get one Aubergine, they are my nemesis, but I will try again in 2027 and perhaps some in the greenhouse, if I can reclaim it and get enough mobility back to get in and out of it.  

Black Beauty from Seed Parade average 200 seeds for 99p plus P&P 

Kings Seeds Aubergine Long Purple with a copy of Kitchen Garden.

Aubergine White Knight F1 - Mr Fothergill's - 10 Seeds £ 2.89  - Saved 2022 Sow by Dec 2026

In My Seed Box For 2027 - Index

Mustard Leaf Green in Snow

Green in Snow is a vigorous and generous grower with a long season of deliciousness.  It is hardy, full of flavour and vitamins. And that flavour is from pleasantly spicy young leaves, then the bigger the leaf gets the hotter it becomes through to the intense peppery largest leaves that are perfect for steaming or stir-fry… cooking mellows the flavour.  It can be grown all year round undercover or outside in spring (as a cut-&-come-again) and then autumn for overwintering. All in all Green In Snow is an all-round superstar!

This variety is part of our naturally nurtured range, the seed comes from an organic source

SOW: best between February to the end of May and August to the end October. Starting the seeds in modules (seed depth 10mm) enables you to transplant at the 2/3 leaf stage; for really good crops in winter transplant under cover whilst they settle in.

GROW: it just grows! Space at 10-30cm depending on the size of plant you want. Keep watered in very dry weather, harvest from when the plants reach 15cm tall. Scissor cut Green in Snow’s individual leaves as cut-&-come-again for salads or harvest the whole plant when larger for cooking

The square foot gardening (SFG) spacing for "Greens in Snow" mustard is typically 9 to 16 Plants per square foot depending on whether you want baby greens or slightly larger bunching leaves.

• Baby greens spacing: Plant 16 per square foot (spaced 3 inches apart in a 4x4 grid) for tender, young cut-and-come-again salad greens.
Full-size/bunching spacing: Plant 9 per square foot (spaced 4 inches apart in a 3x3 grid) if you want larger, more mature leaves.
Method source: Standard square foot guidelines for general mustard greens list extra-large varieties at 1 per square foot and baby greens at 16 per square foot, while community Square Foot Gardening Forum growers specifically report success planting "Greens in Snow" at 9 per square foot

EAT & ENJOY: enjoy the unique flavour – small leaves are sweet, herbal and cabbagy with a hint of spiciness – those spicy large leaves are superb steamed (like cabbage) or stir fried

More Veg 50 seeds 75p