Growing Cabbage
Few people nowadays eat cabbage on its own. It is generally mixed into coleslaw, stir-frys or added to soups. Cabbage should be considered as much a part of your five a day as the fabled apple. With it's renowned health properties it really is a tasty game changer.
Call us old fashioned if you will... but there is always a place on our table for this tasty vegetable!
Growing cabbages from seed
Planting your cabbage seedlings
Transplant the young plants to their final growing position when plants have five or six true leaves, setting the lowest leaves at ground level. Make sure spring cabbages are transplanted no later than early autumn, so they can establish before winter bites
Leave about 45cm (18in) between spring seedlings. Autumn and winter types need a little more space between rows – about 60cm (24in) is ideal.
Caring for cabbage
Cabbages are easy to care for but beware of attack from pigeons and caterpillars of the Cabbage White Buttefly. Wire mesh will protect seedlings against pigeons, but to stop butterflies from laying their eggs on the leaves it’s best to use netting during the summer months.
Your cabbages requires regular, even watering. Uneven watering can result in stunted or cracked heads.
How to harvest cabbages
After about 20 weeks, use a sharp knife to cut the cabbage. Savoy and other winter cabbages benefit from a light frost to bring out their flavour.
Tip for a bonus crop:
It’s a good idea to leave a 10cm stalk, as you may get a smaller, second crop from it. Simply score a shallow cross in the stump to encourage smaller cabbages to form. The plant will reward you with up to four baby cabbages a month or two later for almost no effort at all!
Recommended Varieties:
- Golden Acre - An early heirloom variety with a firm round head
- Greyhound - A pointed variety which is a very fast grower
- January King - A hardy winter variety
- Red Drumhead - An easy to grow red cabbage variety