Tony O’Neill , expert gardener and best - sell author of the famous “ Simplify Vegetable Gardening , ” “ Composting Masterclass , ” and “ Your First Vegetable Garden , ” combines lifelong rage and expert knowledge to simplify gardening . His mission ? Helping you civilise a thriving garden . More on Tony O’Neill
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Cabbage involve organically fertile , well - draining soil and peck of water to grow well . It also need full sun and trade protection from pests and disease . Cabbage come in different varieties that have different maturities and harvesting times .
Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ) is a low - calorie vegetable from the Brassica genus of plant and is available in various colors and shapes and can be eaten raw or misrepresent . Cabbage is deep in vitamin hundred , vitamin K , folate , and fiber , which can benefit your wellness in several ways .
extra benefit of cabbage include support digestion , improving fondness health , and reducing inflaming . The folate in cabbage is especially beneficial to pregnant moms .
Homegrown cabbages have many advantages over limited storage - bought options , including better taste , more nutrition , and environmental benefits . Because homegrown cabbages can be glean at their peak , they offer the best of what they ’ve get to offer — tidy sum .
Table of Contents
Selecting the Right Cabbage Variety
Cabbage is a various vegetable offering many different types , colors , and shapes . Some of the most popular simoleons varieties admit fleeceable sugar , red and purple cabbages , savoy loot , and Napa cabbage .
Green Cabbage
Green lolly is the most mutual and widely adapted character of sugar , and it has smooth , bland leaves that form tight pass . Some popular green cabbage varieties are ‘ Farao , ’ ‘ Tiara , ’ ‘ Typhoon , ’ ‘ Tropic Giant , ’ ‘ Tendersweet , ’ and ‘ Charleston Wakefield . ’
These variety have different maturity dates , header size of it , heat leeway , and disease resistance . you’re able to develop green scratch for fresh feeding , preparation , or work .
The smorgasbord has a mild smack and frizzy grain and can be used for salad , slaw , soup , stews , or sauerkraut .
Red Cabbage
ruby cabbage has purple - red leaves that add colour and antioxidants to your lulu . It is interchangeable to immature cabbage in terms of growth habit and use , but it tends to be cold sturdy , and slower to mature .
Some advocate red cabbage varieties are ‘ Ruby Perfection , ’ ‘ Buscaro , ’ ‘ Omero , ’ and ‘ Mammoth Red Rock . ’ These varieties have dissimilar head shapes , weights , flavors , and storage qualities .
reddish cabbages are rich in antioxidants , take longer to mature than green scratch , and can be eaten raw , cooked , or pickle .
Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage has crinkly leaves that form loose heads . It has a mild flavor , and a tender texture , making it idealistic for salad , invoke - chips , gorge , braising , or sautéing .
Savoy cabbage is more resistant to frost than other type of cabbage . you may try savoy cabbage varieties Alcosa , ’ ‘ Famosa , ’ ‘ Deadon , ’ and ‘ Melissa . ’ These varieties have different colors , sizes , shapes , and harvest times .
Napa Cabbage
Napa cabbage is a Chinese cabbage with a more untoughened texture and slightly sweeter tasting than stock green or red lettuce . It is widely used in East Asian culinary art , especially in kimchi , soup , salad , stir - fries , dumplings and noodles .
Napa cabbage has light - green parting with prominent white veins and an oblong shape . It develop best in the cool time of year with light day and must be harvested before it reaches the flowering microscope stage .
Choosing the best variety for your garden
While dinero can be grow in dissimilar season and climates , not all varieties suit every garden . To choose the best cabbage multifariousness for your garden , you must reckon several factors , such as your arise zone , soil eccentric , space availability , harvest clock time , and favour use .
Preparing the Soil for Cabbage
The cabbage plant grows best in well - drained , fat soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 . Cabbage needs sun exposure and consistent soil wet to produce crisp and gamy heads .
Adding compost to the soil before planting can improve its organic subject content and nutrient accessibility . To nullify pest and disease job , cabbage should not be planted in succession in the same seam as other Brassica crop , such as Brassica oleracea italica or cauliflower .
Soil pH and Nutrient Requirements
Cabbage need prolific soil with plenty of constitutive matter and food to produce large , good for you heads . The soil pH should be achromatic ( between 6.5 and 7.5 ) , but cabbages , unlike murphy , can suffer slimly more alkaline soil .
Cabbage also command adequate micronutrient such as calcium , Mg , and Zn for optimal ontogeny . Some varieties do well with add together Boron , especially in soil low in constitutive matter and with a in high spirits pH level .
To educate the territory for shekels flora , consider essay it before planting and remediate it according to the test results . Compost can be add to enrich the dirt with constitutional subject and nutrients .
A balanced fertilizer , such as 10 - 10 - 10 , can be applied before planting and every three to four week until heads form . pelf plants should be water regularly to keep the territory moist and help them absorb food from the soil .
Soil Texture and Drainage
grease grain and drain levels are important factor that impact works outgrowth and health . Soil texture refer to the comparative proportions of soil sand , silt , and clay particles .
territory drain have-to doe with to how well water moves through the soil and away from plant roots . miserable soil texture and drainage can cause trouble such as waterlogging , nutrient deficiency , root rotting , and corroding .
There are several manner to improve dirt texture and drain grade , depending on the character and experimental condition of the land . Some standard practices are :
Planting Cabbage
constitute this cool - season vegetable crop in spring or fall . They want full Dominicus , moist and well - drained soil , and electroneutral to alkaline soil . you’re able to draw out your grow time of year by maturate seedling indoors or planting seed in situ if soil temperatures are above 50 ° F/10 ° blow .
H3: Starting Seeds Indoors
To start cabbage seed indoors for a summer harvest , inseminate them 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your arena . Use pots or flatbed fill up with moist ejaculate - starting mix and sow the seeds ¼ to ½ in ( 6 – 12 mm ) deep .
Keep the pots in a warm place ( around 77 ° F/25 ° C ) until germination , which ordinarily take in 5 to 8 days . Then move them to a cheery windowpane or under grow lights and keep them watered and fertilize .
Transplanting Seedlings
Transplant the seedling outdoors when 4 to 6 inches tall and after daytime temperature reach 50 ° F/10 ° C . you may also harden them off by expose them gradually to outdoor condition for a week before planting .
To assure enough melodic line circulation around the plant life , avoiding the risk of pathogen spread , space them 12 to 24 inch apart in run-in 24 to 42 inches apart .
Direct Sowing Seeds
unmediated sowing cabbage seminal fluid is a simple and cost - effective style to grow this nutritious vegetable in your garden . you may at once sow cabbage seed two hebdomad before the last icing in spring or 12 to 14 week before the first frost in fall .
Choose a sunny location with well - drain soil enriched with compost or manure . Plant the cum a quarter inch deep and two column inch apart in row about three substructure aside .
Keep the soil moist but not soggy until the source bourgeon , which should take about a workweek . slenderize out the seedling to provide one flora every 12 to 24 inches , depending on the variety .
Protect your cabbage plants from plague such as aphids , sugar worms , and cutworm using dustup covers , organic nebulizer , or companion plants .
Caring for Cabbage Plants
Growing simoleons is easy if you get your timing flop , ensure the soil drains well , and plant where the cabbages will get enough sunshine .
Watering Requirements
Cabbage is a veg that demand regular lachrymation to mature well and produce healthy heads . The amount and absolute frequency of lachrymation calculate on several factors , such as the conditions , grunge type , and plant size of it .
Generally , cabbage needs about 1 to 1.5 inch ( 25 to 32 mm ) of body of water per week , which is tantamount to about 25 gallons ( 91 liters ) of water per week for a 10 - foot ( 3.6 grand ) words .
However , cabbage may necessitate more water than usual in hot and dry shape . To verify if your cabbage needs water , insert your finger into the soil up to your knuckle . If it feels wry , then it is prison term to water .
tearing should be done in the morning or early eventide when temperature are cooler and there is less evaporation . tearing from the basis of the flora and void wetting the leaves can help foreclose diseases and pests .
Fertilizing Your Cabbage
fecundate your boodle is full of life for optimal development and tone . Cabbage is a heavy feeder that need a lot of nutrients , especially nitrogen , to produce large and truehearted heads .
There are dissimilar types and schedules of fertilizer program that you may use count on your soil stipulation , predilection , and availability .
I favour using constitutive fertilizer , such as compost , manure , or afternoon tea . Organic fertilizer improves the soil complex body part and provides irksome - release nutrients that feed the plant life throughout the season .
you could enforce constitutive fertilizer before plant by mix it into the top 6 inches of soil at 2 to 4 inches per 100 square feet . you’re able to also side - dress your cabbage plants with organic fertilizer every two to three weeks during the grow time of year by spreading it around the base of the plants .
Whichever eccentric of fertilizer you choose , come the manufacturer ’s instruction and avoid over - fertilise your cabbage plant . Over - fertilizing can cause excessive leaf increment , reduced head organisation , and split or cracked heads .
Also , systematically water your cabbage plant to help them absorb nutrients from the soil .
Mulching and Weed Control
Mulching covers the soil control surface with organic or inorganic materials to improve soil and plant wellness . Mulching has many benefit for weed control and soil health . Some of the benefit are :
Mulching is an efficacious and environmentally friendly way to control weed and amend grunge health . Different mulches , such as bark , leaves , husk , grass clippings , and credit card , are available .
Each type has its advantages and disadvantages , reckon on the spot . The general rule is to apply a stratum of 2 to 4 inch of mulch around plants or over unembellished soil . foliage mold is an splendid constitutive option as it ameliorate soil biodiversity without placing a nitrogen requirement on it .
Protecting Cabbage from Pests and Diseases
Unfortunately , we ’re not the only lover of the Brassica family ( broccoli , Brassica oleracea botrytis , lolly , Brussels sprout , radishes , and others ) . The risk of exposure direction strategy for theCole Crops and Brassica Leafy Greens(EPA Group 5 ) are all similar .
Common Cabbage Pests
Some of the common cabbage pestis to look out for
To key out and control Brassica oleracea pests in effect , it is vital to monitor the industrial plant regularly for signs of impairment and infestation , use appropriate cultural praxis like sanitation , harvest rotation , and resistant variety , and lend oneself biologic , strong-arm , or chemical substance measures as needed .
Preventing and Treating Cabbage Diseases
Some of the most common cabbage diseases to see out for include :
These disease can reduce the takings and quality of bread crops and unfold easily by nothingness , urine , insects , or contaminated seeds .
To prevent or control these diseases , it is of the essence to apply good sanitization , crop rotation , weed control , proper irrigation ( avoid overhead sprayers ) , and the use of tolerant varieties .
Harvesting and Storing Cabbage
If harvest and lay in aright , moolah is a durable alimental harvest . As mentioned earlier , some motley lay in substantially than others . As a point of interest , sugar seeds can remain rich for up to 5 old age .
Signs of a Mature Cabbage
Harvesting it at the correct time is essential to delight the right flavor and tone of cabbage . The leading indicator of cabbage maturity is the firmness of the head . you could squeeze the head gently with your hand to see if it is solid and tight . If it feels soft or idle , it take more prison term to develop .
The head word size may depart depending on the variety and growing condition , but a mature cabbage head should generally be about 6 to 10 inches in diameter . Of course , if you opt for a heavyweight , therecordis 138.25 dog pound ( 62.71 kg ) .
Harvesting Techniques
To harvest cabbage , you involve to see if the heads are firm and mature , which commonly takes 4 to 6 calendar month after constitute , calculate on the variety .
you could harvest them when they make your desired size of it , but avoid leaving them too long as they may split open .
To edit out the scratch , employ a sharp , sterilize tongue and slice through the bow at the humble point possible , leaving some loose outer leaves attached to protect the caput from dry out .
you’re able to also leave some large leaves on the theme if you want it to produce more sprouts later . Discard any top dog with signs of disease or worm damage , such as brown smear , mess , or curled leaves .
Storing Cabbage for Longevity
look on how you design to employ it , you may store cabbage whole or cut in the electric refrigerator or freezer or even ferment it .
The universal rule is to keep cabbage cold and moist and avoid exposing it to melodic line or light that can cause oxidisation and spoilage . Some of the best practices for storing clams are :
FAQs on The Ultimate Guide to Growing Cabbage
What are the closed book to uprise cabbage ?
The secrets to growing lettuce let in establish in organically rich , well - draining grease , providing plenty of weewee and full Lord’s Day , and protecting against pests and diseases . Cabbage also benefits from crop rotation and choosing the correct variety for your location and climate . Proper concern and attention to detail can lead in a successful cabbage harvest .
How do you make loot raise faster ?
To make moolah grow quicker , plant it in organically rich dirt that drains well and ensures it receives pile of water and sunlight . Proper fertilization and timely pest control can also help oneself hurry up growing . Also , choose the correct cabbage variety and planting at the appropriate time can increase growth .
What is the best fertilizer for boodle ?
The in effect plant food for pelf is in high spirits in nitrogen , phosphorus , and atomic number 19 , with a ratio of approximately 3 - 1 - 2 . shekels also benefit from additional nutrients such as Ca , magnesium , and sulfur . Organic options include compost , manure , and bone meal . Applying plant food equally and avoiding over - fertilizing is important , leading to unreasonable leaf growth and delayed head development .
Conclusion
Cabbage is a A-one nutritious veg that is well-to-do to grow if you watch land temperatures and moisture levels and allow adequate light ( sun ) . While pests can be debatable , rowing cover and inviting beneficial insects into your garden can avail manage these .
There is no path to fuck how much expert a homegrown veggie gustation until you ’ve have it . Please take my word ; nothing on the supermarket shelf can savor as skillful or contain as many nutrients as the vegetables you spring up in your garden .
