Can someone tell me, what is the name of the plant of Spring greens? Is it just cabbage but cut up, every year I think I must ask so that I can plant some seeds and save money as I love the stuff.
Thanks SB

Morning Skinny_bum, Sping Greens are just a hardy cabbge that survives through the Winter, then makes rapid growth in early Spring.

Old varieties like Flower Of Sping, give you the traditional leafy Sring Green, but the modern varieties like Pixie will heart up as well if required.

You can plant them a lot closer together as well, and if going for a modern hearting variety, cut every other one for Spring Greens and let the remaining ones heart up, if so required.

Morning S_b

An exemplary answer from OH

I can only add that you will find that, freshly picked, leafy spring cabbages are a world better than the floppy stuff sold in bags as spring greens

Oh yes, and another thing- you can sow cabbage year-round and cut when still leafy (summer greens and autumn greens).

Hi Alan and OH,
I agree with everything said and I have been in the habit in the past of planting at 15" down the row and 18" between rows. I suspect that just for greens the planting down the row could be as low as 12" by taking every other for Spring Greens etc this leaves a 24" gap for the hearting up of the remainder. Do you think the gapping could be so? So may I enquire your planting distances twixt rows and twixt plants.
JB.

Morning Johnboy

The answer is about 12" each way - in blocks effectively.

Hi Alan,
I somehow expected what you have said because it is so pragmatic.
The gapping you suggest leaves a 24"x24" normal cabbage patch when the "greens" have gone and plenty of room for the remainders to heart-up.
Thank You.
JB.

Normally 12 inches for the older varieties, but down to 8 inches for Pixie, as it is rather a small plant.
I plant in double rows with 18 inches between the rows.

Hi OH,
Thank you. for your reply. Well I maybe got one dimension you mention.
JB.

Out of interest, does everyone want a plant that eventually hearts up?

From what you're saying, we don't have a choice and the "Spring Green" that you see in the shops is something picked before its started hearting up??

Personally though I like cabbage, I find spring greens more versatile. Up until recently, Marshalls have sold something specifically under the heading of Spring Greens. I can't find the seed packet at the moment but see their website lists "Greensleeves"

Hi Colin,
Of course people like cabbages that heart-up. The varieties used are for the production of pointed hearts and you really cannot get a sweeter tasting cabbage than these. By close cropping you get a two for one situation.
The Spring Greens were the old way of bridging the hungry gap and Brussels tops and all manner of green stuff was eaten until the main crop was ready to pick, which is the hearted cabbage. When you have grown and tasted your own Spring Greens you will realise that what you buy in a supermarket are really a very inferior product.
JB.

I have some over wintering cabbages that have not hearted up yet, and will not due to the poor winter, I am now picking them as greens

CoMpO

Have any of you tried Delaway, I think it was from the Heritage Seed Library?

It looks like a kale, but definitely tastes like cabbage. I just take a few leaves at a time while it is producing over winter. It seems to sulk a bit when it is really cold, but has now sprung into life and is producing lovely tender sweet spring greens and will go on for ages if I don't let it flower so its a really handy veg. It doesn't have the strong taste that kale has. It looks nice too with wavy edged leaves.

I am please that I am not the only person confused over this "spring greens" stuff, it is very interesting to know that you can grow the harted sort of cabbage all year round, and chop it up before it harts.
I thank you all for the info & now I can go away and look for some seeds, think I have some in the shed, watch out patch here I come.... SB