Spring cabbages going to seed

[ron]

I have some spring cabbages which have gone to seed. I have two questions, what would make them go to seed, and how can I prevent it happening to the others?

[Allan]

I have never heard of a method of halting the inevitable, you just have to cut them when ready. You don't say what varieties or when they were sown. My spring hero have had their first cut, regrowth should give me a second cut but that's all.
If the cabbages have been checked at ant time in their growth that could cause premature bolting.
Allan

[richard p]

hi ron its either irregular temperature or watering coupled with daylight length changes. u can easily do something about watering ie ensure they dont suffer a drought. temp is more difficult and daylight length almost immpossible even if we knew precisely what conditions caused the bolting.
however even after theve bolted u can still salvage some of the leaves. if the top growth is cut and the stump left in the ground they will reshoot and you may eventually get hearted cabbage, but at least you will get a lot of usable leaves.

[ron]

Thanks Richard, I guess it could be a water shortage. I will try to give them a good soaking to-night to try to save the rest of them.

Ron

[John]

Hello Ron
Its likely to be something to do with the sowing time and early growth of the cabbages. Sowing should never be earlier than late July and if you are in a mild district then you should leave it until mid-August or later. A mild Autumn can bring on too much early growth and this will also give you premature flowering.
I suspect most of your cabbage will have initiated flowering so there's not much you can now except enjoy them while you can.

John