How to grow Cabbage

Brassica oleracea (Capitata Group)

Use starter fertilizer when transplanting and side-dress with nitrogen fertilizer when the plants are half grown. Cultivate shallowly to keep down weeds. 4

Water regularly during the growing season to produce a good crop 4.

Transplanting Cabbage

Do not plant too close together otherwise the plants will become leggy.

Transplant out at 6 weeks or when there are 6 – 8 true leaves and danger of frost has passed.

For “early cabbage”, make sure to transplant soon enough that it matures before the heat of summer 4. “Late cabbage” must be started during the heat of mid-summer, but develops its main head during the cooling weather of fall 4.

Exact row and plant spacing will depend on the variety – between 12 and 24 inches apart 4. The closer the plants are spaced, the smaller the heads will be 4.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Cabbage is a hardy plant.

By our calculations*, you should look at planting out Cabbage about 21 days before your last frost date.

Harvesting Cabbage

Early types mature fast and burst quickly, so they must be harvested promptly. Types that mature in late summer or autumn, when growth rates are slow, hold in the field relatively longer.

Cabbage can be harvested anytime after the heads form. For highest yield, cut the cabbage heads when they are solid (firm to hand pressure) but before they crack or split. When heads are mature, a sudden heavy rain may cause heads to crack or split wide open. The exposed internal tissue soon becomes unusable. Harvest and salvage split heads as soon as possible after they are discovered. 4

In addition to harvesting the mature heads of the cabbage planted in the spring, you can harvest a later crop of small heads (cabbage sprouts). These sprouts develop on the stumps of the cut stems. Cut as close to the lower surface of the head as possible, leaving the loose outer leaves intact. Buds that grow in the axils of these leaves (the angle between the base of the leaf and the stem above it) later form sprouts. The sprouts develop to 2 to 4 inches in diameter and should be picked when firm. 4

Seed Saving Cabbage

Seed viability is four to five years.

How long does Cabbage take to grow?

These estimates for how long Cabbage takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Days to Germination How long does it take Cabbage to germinate?
6 days

Average 6 days | Min 2 days | Max 19 days (379)

Days to Transplant How long until I can plant out Cabbage?
+ 37 days

Average 37 days | Min 4 days | Max 82 days (146)

Days to Maturity How long until Cabbage is ready for harvest / bloom?
+ 135 days

Average 135 days | Min 18 days | Max 293 days (175)

Total Growing Days How long does it take to grow Cabbage?
= 178 days

When should I plant Cabbage?

Our when to plant Cabbage estimates are relative to your last frost date.

When to sow The number of days to sow Cabbage before or after your last frost date.
45 days before Last Frost Date
When to plant out The number of days to plant out Cabbage before or after your last frost date.
21 days before Last Frost Date

Cabbage Etymology

Normanno-Picard “caboche” (meaning “head”)

Cabbage Folklore & Trivia

When cooking cabbage it’s a good idea not to use aluminum utensils and cookware because it may alter the flavor and color of this vegetable.

The veins of a cabbage leaf can be gently crushed and applied to the skin to reduce swelling. 2

Other names for Cabbage

Common cabbage, Garden cabbage, Bowkail, Colewort, Savoy cabbage

Brassica oleracea, Brassica oleracea capitata, Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Brassica oleracea convar. capitata, Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. alba

Misspellings: Cabage, Cabbagge, Head Cabbage, Heading Cabbage, Brassica olerasa

Footnotes

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants

2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763679/

3 http://jerry-coleby-williams.net/2014/09/23/in-production-today-september-2014

4 University of Illinois Extension

5 Gardenate


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