How to grow Cabbage?
- Latin Family: Brassicaceae
- Latin Genus: Brassica
- Ease of Growing: Moderate
- Growing Type: Biennial
Cabbage is an ideal crop for food self-sufficiency for many reasons. It is easy to grow and store, nutritious, high yielding, hardy (it will survive temperatures down to 20 degrees F) and can be harvested in cold weather after most other crops are finished. For centuries it was a staple food of northern European peasants, and was considered a crop to depend upon when all else failed. There are varieties for harvesting for most of the year. Perhaps because of this association with poor peasants, Cabbage has never been held in very high esteem by gourmets, even though it can be very good.
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Cabbage History
Wild Cabbage (Brassica oleracea ssp oleracea) is native to the coastal areas of Western Europe and is still found growing wild there.
An impressive variety of cool weather garden crops have been bred from this unimpressive looking plant, including Kale, Collards, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and Kohlrabi. Cabbage was probably refined into the familiar crop we know in Germany and Italy. The word Colewort is an old name for cabbage (hence coleslaw).
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 6.0 - 7.5
- PH Ideal (min/max): 7.0 - 7.5
Cabbages are hungry plants and must have rich soil if they are to produce well. They prefer heavy soil with lots of organic matter to retain moisture and lots of available nutrients (especially potassium and phosphorus). They don't need a lot of nitrogen however, as this can lead to sappy growth that isn't very hardy. It doesn't like poorly drained soil. Potential micronutrient deficiencies include boron and manganese.
Early crops may do better in lighter soils that warm up more rapidly, or in raised beds.
How to care for Cabbage?
Cabbage doesn't do well in hot weather, as it causes excessive transpiration from the large leaves. It really needs cool weather and short days to head up satisfactorily. This means that it does best when planted early (to mature before mid-summer), or late (to mature in the fall).
Water
Cabbages need a regular water supply to grow well, so keep the soil evenly moist. Heads may split if a heavy rain follows a long dry spell without irrigation.
Fertilizer
Cabbages are hungry plants and must have rich soil if they are to produce well. They prefer heavy soil with lots of organic matter to retain moisture and lots of available nutrients (especially potassium and phosphorus). They don't need a lot of nitrogen however, as this can lead to sappy growth that isn't very hardy. Early varieties require a higher soil fertility than mid or late-season varieties.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 3-8 years
Germination Percentage: 75.0
Cabbage is a biennial and takes two years to produce seed. Don't save seed from plants that flower in their first year, as you don't want to raise an annual strain that [bolts] quickly. Cabbage is usually self-incompatible and must be cross-pollinated by insects. This means there must be a number of plants flowering at the same time. All of the Cole crops are the same species and will cross with each other--Kale, Collards, Kohlrabi, Broccoli, etc. To maintain racial purity you have to ensure that only one type flowers at once. The alternative is to isolate them, either by distance (1000 yards for different varieties, 1500 yards for different crops), or by caging them (don't forget they need insects for pollination).
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Fun sun or partial shade in warm climates
Conditions:Cold, Cool
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
In mild winter areas, it is easier to leave them growing in the garden until you need them. Protect with mulch if necessary.
Storage Req: Ground
Storage Temp: 40-55°F
Storage Length: days
Cabbage will store for a few weeks in a plastic bag in a refrigerator (don’t wash the heads).
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-21 days
Cabbage can be stored for months as sauerkraut, which is a simple fermentation process in brine. This is a great way to use up an abundance of organic cabbage from the garden which contains health and flavor benefits.
Storage Req: Canning
Storage Temp: 50-60°F
Storage Length: 1-180 days
Heads store well in cool (32 -40 degrees Fahreinheit), moist locations for 5-6 months.
Storage Req: Cool, Moist
Storage Temp: 32-40°F
Storage Length: 1-180 days
Problems
Boron deficiency
All plants of the Cabbage family are susceptible to boron deficiency, which manifests itself as hollow stems. Compost should supply the plants with all the boron they need.
Cabbage Types
- Mid-season
- Chinese Cabbage
- Late/Storage
- Early
There are many types of cabbage based on the time of harvest. Late cabbage is usually larger, hardier and often good for storage.
In mild winter areas cabbage is a good winter crop, planted in late summer or early autumn. This will mature in late autumn and then stand right through the winter in good condition. Such plants can get very big.
This species is actually more closely related to the turnip than the cabbage. It is a very important vegetable in China. It has been grown in the cooler parts of eastern Asia for over 1500 years, but has only recently become popular in the West.
There are many types of cabbage based on the time of harvest. Late cabbage is usually larger, hardier and often good for storage.
In mild winter areas cabbage is a good winter crop, planted in late summer or early autumn. This will mature in late autumn and then stand right through the winter in good condition. Such plants can get very big.
There are many types of cabbage based on the time of harvest. Late cabbage is usually larger, hardier and often good for storage.
In mild winter areas cabbage is a good winter crop, planted in late summer or early autumn. This will mature in late autumn and then stand right through the winter in good condition. Such plants can get very big.
Pests
- Cabbageworms
- Cabbage Root Maggot
- Flea Beetle
- Birds
- Blister Beetle
- Thrips
- Aphids
- Nematodes
- Slugs and snails
- Gophers
- Deer
Diseases
- Boron
- Scab
- Wirestem
- Clubroot
- Fusarium Wilt
- Blackleg, Aerial Stem Rot
- Damping Off
- Downy Mildew
Related Plants
Greens, Juicing
Sprouts
Seacale
Kohlrabi
Collards
Anise
Caraway
Cumin
Cauliflower
Culantro