Tips for Growing Healthy Cabbage: From Seeding to Harvest

Cabbage is a cool season vegetable that can be grown in spring and fall. Check out our Cabbage Growing Guide to learn how to plant, grow and harvest this hardy, vitamin-rich leafy vegetable!

For some gardeners, a vegetable garden is not complete without this essential element: cabbage! You can plant in mid-spring, late spring or late summer (to harvest the following year). We'll show you everything you need to know to grow the perfect cabbage, from planting to transplanting to harvesting, and everything in between!

Sauteed in coleslaw, fried, steamed or cooked, there's not much you can't do with cabbage. And with a little planning, it is also possible to enjoy cabbage throughout the year, planting a variety of carefully selected varieties suitable for each season. So here's how to do it!

Cabbage is not so disgusting anymore. Now we know that this hardy vegetable is rich in antioxidants and nutrients and is a great addition to any garden!

That said, note that cabbage can be difficult for beginning gardeners to grow if you don't have the right conditions; it just likes cool temperatures and can attract certain types of garden pests. Crop rotation every two or three years prevents the accumulation of diseases in the soil.

Follow our guide to planting a successful spring or fall crop. We will help you provide the tender care your children need and set you up for success!

Choose a planting location that receives full sun (6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day) for the best results.

Cabbage is a heavy consumer; it quickly depletes the soil of nutrients and needs a constant supply of water and nutrients throughout its growth. Prepare the soil in advance by mixing it with old manure and/or compost. The soil must also be well drained: the roots left in the water will cause the buds to burst or they may.

When you plant the cabbage

For a summer harvest, start the seeds indoors, planting about 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. Check our planting calendar for suggested dates. For autumn crops, sow the seeds directly outside (or transplant the plants) in mid to late summer. If your area is particularly hot and dry, wait until late summer to plant. Make sure the new plants don't dry out in the heat of the summer sun!

How to plant cabbage

Plant the cabbage seeds ¼ inch deep. Before growing the seedlings outside, harden the plants for a week. Transplant the seedlings outside on a cloudy afternoon 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost date. Plant seedlings 12-24 inches apart in rows, depending on desired head size. (Tighter spacing results in smaller heads.)

When the seedlings reach about 5 inches tall, thin them to allow the desired space between them. If you want, transplant the cleared seedlings elsewhere. Mulch heavily around the area to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Water at a rate of 5 inches per square foot per week. The optimal soil temperature for growth is 15-18 ° C. Young plants exposed to temperatures below 7 ° C for a period of time can bolt or form loose heads. Cover the plants if the weather is cold. Fertilize two weeks after transplanting with a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10). Three weeks later, add a fertilizer rich in nitrogen; Cabbage needs nitrogen in the early stages. Practice crop rotation with cabbage to avoid the accumulation of soil diseases.

Protect seedlings from pigeons with wire netting and use netting during the summer months to prevent butterflies from laying eggs on the leaves. It is also worth growing nasturtiums nearby as a sacrificial crop for cabbage caterpillars, which will be more likely to eat nasturtiums than your cabbages. Peppermint can be used to repel beetles.

Water the cabbage regularly and clean between the plants with a hoe or by hand. In extremely cold weather, winter crops may need to be protected with blankets or covers. In very cold regions, growing cabbage in a greenhouse or cold frame protects them. "When the heads of cabbage mature, they tend to split in response to heavy rain, especially after dry periods. To minimize split split, avoid fertilization at the end of the season, provide abundant water throughout the season of growth, and pick the buds as soon as they are firm. Also, pruning the roots with a spade to one side of the plant, or twisting the plant after the buds have hardened, will break the roots and prevent over absorption of water.

There is a fantastic range of cabbage varieties to choose from, offering different shapes, colors and textures.

For a first harvest, try 'Primo' or 'Stonehead'.

The quick-maturing varieties 'Golden Acre' and 'Quick Start' produce 3-pound buds. For Savoy types, try 'Alcosa', an early variety, or 'Wirosa', a late variety that overwinters as in southern gardens, but needs protection in the north. "Early Jersey Wakefield" resists cracking. This is an old variety, slightly pointed, with 2 to 3 pounds of buds. 'Gonzales' produces soft, ball-sized buds, making it an ideal choice for small gardens. Disease resistant varieties include 'Blue Vantage' and 'Cheers'. If you are planting for a fall crop, try red cabbage or Chinese cabbage. Red cabbage 'Integro' and 'Ruby Perfection' as well as 'Li Ren Choy' (small Chinese cabbage) are good varieties. Cabbage, or hearts, can be rounded or conical, with light green, dark green, red or purple leaves. Red cabbage is popular for stew or marinade.

Some varieties have a smooth, almost shiny appearance, while others, like savoy cabbage, produce deeply wrinkled leaves that are perfect for pursing sauces or juices.

Cabbage is grouped according to harvest time. Spring cabbage, which can also be harvested young as "spring green", is ready in mid-late spring. Summer cabbage is harvested from summer to early autumn, while autumn cabbage and winter varieties cover the rest of the year.

Savoy cabbage has a long harvest period that extends from autumn to winter to early spring.

Harvest when the shoots reach the desired size and are firm. Ripe shoots left on the trunk can split. Maturity takes about 70 days for most green varieties, and most produce 1- to 3-pound heads. To harvest, cut each head of cabbage at its base with a sharp knife. Remove the yellow leaves (keep the green leaves, provide protection during storage) and immediately bring the head inside or place in the shade. You can also cut the plant (roots and all) and hang it in a wet basement that reaches temperatures close to freezing. Winter cabbage is sweeter after a light frost. Spring cabbage can be harvested young and loose as spring greens, or left to grow to form a head of narrow leaves.

To get two harvests, cut the head of cabbage from the plant, leaving the outer leaves and roots in the garden. The plant produces new buds; Cut it down until there are only four smaller heads. Harvest when they are the size of a tennis ball (perfect for salads!). After harvesting, remove all stem and root system from the ground to prevent disease. Compost only healthy plants; destroy those infested with worms.

How to save the sprouts

Cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, wrapped in plastic. Make sure they are dry before storing. In the right conditions of the root cellar, the cabbage will be stored for up to 3 months.

Follow this ancient technique to get the most out of your cabbage harvest:

In autumn, harvest whole cabbage (cuts, heads and roots), enjoy the heads as usual and store the roots in a root cellar over the winter.

When the ground has thawed in the spring, plant the roots outside.

Soon new sprouts are formed, which can be eaten alone or added to soups, salads or a dish of your choice. These replanted cabbages will not produce full heads, but will go to seed in late summer, providing the next round of cabbage seeds!

Note: This can also be done at home in a window in the middle to the end of winter; keep the roots moist and the shoots should form.