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The piece of ground I want to use for my Brussels and Cabbages is very compacted.  Otherwise it is good soil and weed free (at the moment ;)).

Do I need to dig it over or can I just dib a hole and pop them in?

Thanks in advance.

Conventional thinking says that Brassicas like compacted soil. I think it to do with them being big plants that need to have a secure footing so as not to be blown over in the winter. So dib away.

Hi,what i do with brussels is make a trench about 4"-6" deep.Plant the sprouts and as they grow backfill the trench ,firming the soil each time.Also find it is easier to water them like this.

I'd agree - just dib & plant.

Unless, of course, you have the time & inclination to carry out a controlled scientific experiment, try both methods and report back later in the year?

Old Bedfordshire saying-invented by me just now--"if you need a crow bar to make the hole the soil is not bad" ;D

yes my problem has always been that i did not have compact enough soil, So this year i have divided the bed there in into 10 sections and the bit that has the BS in is where i need to stand to sow the rest of the bed so the soil will be really really really compact :-)

Thanks guys.

Great news - there's only so much digging a girl can do. ;D