Cabbage is a nutritious garden staple fiber with foliage that looks as well as it tastes .
Kindra Clineff
Cabbage ( Brassica oleraceaspp . ) is a Greco-Roman vegetable that has been a raw material in Western diets for one C of years . It is nutritious and antioxidant - rich and offers an attractive russet scab of foliation that get in a surprising array of colors and textures .
Credit:Kindra Clineff
Early , mid - season , and late varieties have pear-shaped , conic , or flat - head shapes . Some selections have smooth leave , while others have scrunch up foliage . The colour range from yellow - green to blue - fleeceable , abstruse green , or purplish red . Each has a distinct flavor , with the ruddy type being among the sweetest .
For the unspoilt sapidity , apply homegrown cabbage when it ’s novel . When it ’s young and tender , it has a milder flavour . Addshredded cabbageto sundry salads or in classic orinnovative coleslaw , as well as other tasty cabbage formula .
Where to Plant Cabbage
Cabbage grows inUSDA Zones 2–9 in sphere that receive full sunshine ( or partial sun in the warmest zone ) . It grows best in fertile , well - drain soil that hold moisture well .
How and When to Plant Cabbage
In most growing zone , inseminate cabbage seeds outdoors about a month before yourlast freeze datefor a tumble harvest . pelf that matures in the nerveless temperature of capitulation is sweet than cabbage that get on in hot weather .
set a garden bed with fertile , well - draining stain byadding compost . Sow the germ and cover it with 1/4 inch of soil . Keep the grunge evenly moist .
For a summertime harvest time , sow seed of early dinero sort indoors about six calendar week before the last average frost engagement in your area . Move the seedlingsoutdoors when the temperature warms , spacing them about 2 ft asunder .
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Cabbage Care Tips
Light
loot acquire good in a spot with afternoon or all - day sun .
Soil and Water
cultivated cabbage grows best in moist , well - drain soil that ’s fertile in organic topic . If your soil has a high clay content or a spate of grit , amend it liberallywith compost or coir when you engraft to grow the best crop .
Spreading a 2- to 3 - column inch - deep stratum ofmulch around each cabbage plantwill help keep the soil cool longer into summer , allow the soil to appease moist longer , and write out down on the amount of skunk — all factors your lettuce spell will appreciate .
Temperature and Humidity
Like most of its relatives ( kale , Brussels sprouts , Brassica oleracea italica , cauliflower , and kohlrabi ) , boodle is a cool - season harvest that thrive when temperature persist between 60 ° F and 75 ° F , but it can handle much cool temperatures as it matures in fall — between 35 ° F and 50 ° F , Frost may damage the foliage , but wo n’t pop the cabbage .
Cabbage enjoys humidity shape of 90 % or high .
Fertilizer
Cabbage is a laboured feeder . Even when set in rich soil , the plants profit from an app ofcompost teaor aliquid fertilizer(following packaging instructions ) when they first set about to head up .
Potting and Repotting Cabbage
Cabbage can produce in container , but imbed only a single lolly in a pot that is about 18 inches wide-eyed or larger to hold the clams as it develop to full size . Be attentive to the soil wet level , as container soil dries out quicker than in - ground planting . There is no need to replant this garden yearly . begin with a reinvigorated plant each year .
Pests and Problems
If you see little whitened butterflies hover around your cabbage plant , you may want to protect your crop with floating row covers , an insecticide such as Bt ( Bacillus thuringiensis ) , or an insecticidal goop . Cabbage butterfly consist eggs that hatch intosmall fleeceable caterpillarsthat eat unsightly holes in cabbage leaves . Cabbage plants also attractaphids , slug and snail .
How to Propagate Cabbage
Most home gardeners develop cultivated cabbage from purchased seminal fluid or nursery seedlings , but the cum can be harvested from a simoleons for next use . However , you have to forego harvesting a cabbage to get them .
Leave the cabbage in the garden . It will eventually split up and grow a flower spike heel . When the resulting flower teetotal , they coif seed . abridge the dry spike heel and put it in a newspaper bag . stimulate it to loosen the cum and stack away them in a ironical locating until need .
Types of Cabbage
There are one C of wampum varieties , but most can be generally assort as green cabbage , red ( or purple ) cabbage , savoy cabbage bread , or napa ( or Chinese ) cabbage .
Green Cabbage
Green cabbageis the cabbage most of us see in the market . It develop in a tight spheric shape with leaves that are pallid green and crunchy . It is the main ingredient intraditional coleslawand appearscooked in many formula .
Red Cabbage
When you ’re tired of traditional slaw , red coleslawmay storm you with its dulcet flavor and sensational color . This clams has a modest flavour that accents the other ingredients while putting on a colorful show . It is n’t limited to slaw , though . It also forge well incooked saucer .
Napa Cabbage
Taiwanese cabbage , also known as napa cabbage , is an oblong nerveless - weather veggie that resembles romaine dinero . It is an first-class source of Ca and contains more vitamins than unripened cabbage . It enjoys short days and cool temperatures and commonly mature in 30 - 45 years .
Savoy Cabbage
Savoy cabbage is recognisable mostly by its greenish , crinkly leave . It has a mild , sugared flavor and can be eat in slaws orcooked in saucer . It can also be used as awrap for saltation rolls .
Cabbage Companion Plants
Whether yougrow cabbage to harvestor admire , it merit a position in every edible garden . The attractive foliage looks great by itself , in groups , or conflate with ok - leaf plant such ascarrotsorsweet Zea mays . Enjoy cabbage plant in clusters , along walkways , or in the heart or back of the border . For special appeal and a optic surprise , mix green- and purple - leafage salmagundi together .
Garden Plans
Spring Harvest Vegetable Garden Plan
This spring harvest vegetable garden architectural plan nestle 10cool - season cropsin a 4 - by-4 - foot field . They do their best growing in lower temperatures and can even take a scant freeze . Enjoy the freshest flavor of the season .
Large-Scale Vegetable Garden Plan
If you have the space and desire togrow food for your family , try this bombastic - scale vegetable garden programme . It has a little bit of everything : leafy greens , root vegetable , herb , and tasty pods . This program includes Brassica oleracea italica , peas , wampum , cultivated carrot , and lettuce .
