Planting cabbage and broccoli this weekend - any tips?

[Our7Wonders]

last year was my first attempt at gardening. I used the square foot gardening method - great for beginners like me. I want to step it up a notch, but keep it simple too, since I'm still such a newbie.

I have 18 cabbage and 18 broccoli starts that need to get in the ground this weekend. I'm starting small since I've never grown either. I'm hoping to put away some saurkraut and also freeze some broccoli. Any specifics I should know before jumping in?

 

[framing fowl]

They're pretty hardy plants. I put mine in the ground in KY one set a month ago and one set a week ago. They're all doing great except one that the dog stepped on and broke off...

Are you still doing the square foot method? I did mine in a row along a fence this year and gave them about 18".

 

[Our7Wonders]

I'm still planning to SFG, but not exclusively. I liked it, and I can fit alot into the boxes - but it's limiting too. I'm going to keep my three boxes and add a 30x10 garden plot as well. Not exactly sure how I'm going to work it all yet. I'm going out today to stare at the area a while and try to get a mental plan in place.

 

[framing fowl]

With starts, I take them out of the plastic and just lay them out on the ground before I dig their hole to visualize where I want them. Then you can rearrange them before you commit.