Leggy cabbages falling over

[ken the chef]

Last year virtually all my cabbages grew very spindly and fell over.
I am planning to grow the same again and need advice on how to avoid it and correct it

[Geoff]

How did you raise your plants? Are you talking about before or after planting out?

[ken the chef]

I raised the plant from seed in trays , transplanting at 5 leaves into 3inch pots before planting out at 5/6 inches tall. I planted just a little deeper than the pot after turning out. they then went on to grow very tall before falling and raising their heads to try and grow on.
Does that make sense?

[Primrose]

I wonder if it would help to sow them a little later? The low light levels earlier in the year do tend to make for more spindly plants and if that happens I think that planting them deeper in the soil when tranplanting them doesn't necessairly make them any stronger. Also, did you plant them in a good sunny spot where they're in good light for most of the day? Too much shade can also make them grow spindly.

[Tony Hague]

I see a lot of brassica in my job. Some varieties are prone to this, producing a plant with a sort of dog leg then righting themselves. I have always been told it is a varietal trait, not something that you can do much about, or that presents much of a problem (unless, of course, you are trying to guide a tractor hoe around them, then it is a right pain !). I would imagine, though, that any lack of light might make matters worse.

[ken the chef]

I must admit to the position being a bit shaded but it was the only available spot at the time. I will bring them to the oposite end of the bed into the sunnier spot and dump the leeks in their place.
I only have about 6 suare meters of raised beds

[thetangoman]

An old timer on our site told me to slightly earth up the stems , a few of mine were becoming spindly .Gave it a go and it worked a treat , almost all turned out fine.