Cabbage - a Plant for all seasons

Growing Cabbage – brassica oleracea

Cabbage – one of the group of vegetables known as Brassicas which includes – Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, broccoli, calabrese, kale, mustard and even radishes. Brassicas are, not only my my favourite group of vegetables they are also one of the most healthy. Brassicas are also one of the vegetables which suits my heavy clay soil brilliantly. Gardeners on light, sandy or alluvial soils may find brassicas more difficult though, not impossible

o   Sowing and Growing

It is possible, with careful management, selection of appropriate varieties and clement weather, to have cabbages all year round. That said, I have to own up to one of my continuing failures – Savoy cabbage – germination- no problem; planting out- no problem; growing on – no problem but, by December/January the heads of my cabbages have usually failed to ‘heart up’ and are eventually demolished by slugs as I find the results of my efforts so disappointing, I don’t harvest.

That said, for all other types and seasons, cabbages are wonderful, reliable and delicious.

Cabbage suitable for harvesting from summer into autumn can be sown from February until early May although, early sowings should be done under cover – I start mine in my poly-tunnel – a cold but,  not outdoor environment. If you don’t have poly-tunnel, green house or cloche, start your sowings from late March into April although outdoor sowings can still be good when the ground has warmed up a bit.

Winter harvesting cabbage – should be sown in outdoor seed beds from early April until late May – depending on which part of the country you live in [and the weather!].

Spring harvesting cabbages – are very precious as they are maturing when there is little else around to harvest during the ‘lean’ time from March until late May. I have started to grow some in my poly tunnel – following the tomato and pepper crops – so that I can have an early, protected crop. The plants just sit there all winter [do keep them watered] then, in spring them heart up and what a joy! I have found Frostie F1 to be really successful – a wonderfully dark green vegetable which, although slow toheart up, is my idea of a proper spring cabbage. – Spring harvesting cabbages should be sown from July into August.

Summer harvesting cabbages – a wonderful group of vegetables, often very overlooked as there are so many other exciting vegetables around at that time of year.

Autumn cabbages – while some of the summer cabbages will heart up in the autumn, the main autumn cabbage is the wonderful group of red cabbages. Like many cabbages they mature when there is so much other stuff around and as they don’t ‘sit’ too long once ready, they can go to waste. This is a shame and I am as guilty of this terrible sin as anyone else. Once hearting up and looking wonderful, the heads will readily split if left for even a week. The trick is to plant just a few or share with a neighbour or a group of neighbours if you can get that arranged.

Sowing cabbages is easy – provide a fine tilth or if that is not possible on your soil, add good quality compost and sow the seeds directly into the compost. Cover with more compost and water well. Don’t allow the seedbed to dry out and continue to water, if necessary until the young plants have grown on well.  Plant out when the young plants are sturdy and at the 6-7 true leaf stage. Water in well and keep watering [if necessary] until the young plants are established. Don’t leave the seedlings in the seedbed or pots too long as this can result in the plants bolting –[running to seed too early].,  As with all brassicas, there is an optimum distance apart for the plants to achieve their full potential. This is the recommended distance for the biggest and best harvest. Usually the recommendation is for plants to be 45cm [18 inches] apart. However, for growers with small families or iving alone who would prefer a smaller vegetable, try planting closer together – 30cm [12inches] is fine for all brassicas where the need is for smaller, more compact vegetables which can be harvested as needed.

o   Storing and Cooking

Cabbage should be cut as soon as it has reached a good sized, firm head. Most varieties won’t ‘sit’ too long in the ground. The heads will split and allow diseases and bugs to enter to the heart of the vegetable. It can be difficult to plant to ensure you have crops coming to maturity every few weeks so, if you can organise this with a neighbour [not always a successful manoeuvre].

Cabbages will stored usefully in the fridge [ preferable in a plastic bag] for a week or more, red cabbages perhaps somewhat longer. They are the basic ingredient of coleslaw and, although white cabbage is normally used for this dish, any cabbage with a firm dense head will work well. They should be cooked – steamed or simmered for the minimum time, 3 – 5 minutes, seasoned, buttered and served quickly. Of course there are traditional recipes for Champ and Colcannon which are well worth trying. Red cabbage, which is very different, can be sliced finely and used in salads but make a wonderful vegetable dish when sliced finely and simmered with cider or wine vinegar, a little sugar, a spoonful of caraway seeds, a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. This dish will take somewhat longer to cook than the normal 4-5 minutes used as a guide for cooking cabbage with a good dollop of butter and seasoning. For the red cabbage dish allow 30 – 40 minutes on very gentle heat. Of course, this is a simplified version of a more delightful dish.

o   Types and Varieties  - a rough classification would give 4 types – see above. For all varieties, check with your favourite seed supplier for what are the recent developments and what suits you and your ground best. Different seed houses can have very different ranges of vegetables. I have put the varieties in order of when best to harvest rather than when to sow.

Ø  Summer/Autumn Harvesting cabbages – Greyhound and Hispi are reliable pointed headed varieties – suitable for early sowing and will ‘sit’ for a reasonable time without splitting. Try also Primo [Golden Arce] , Elisa F1, Surprise F1. From Nickys Seeds[organic] try Derby Day, Mozart for mini heads, also Pixie for small compact heads.

Ø  Autumn/Winter Cabbages – should be sown from April until May [depending on the area you live in]. January King is an old favourite.

Try also Marabel from Nicky’s Seeds, and Cabbage Greens and Pixie.

The Savoy cabbages, those wonderfully dark green vegetables with deeply crinkly leaves and superb flavour are among this group. A popular variety is January King – although I have had disappointing results from this variety it is a favourite for good reason. Try also Tundra F1, Jewel, Brigadier, Marabel.

For Savoy types – Tarvoy F1, Tourmaline, Siberia F1 and Endurance.

Ø  Spring Harvesting Cabbages – Sow from July to August [outdoors – make sure you keep pots or seed beds well watered in possibly very dry weather]my best success with these vegetables is Frostie F1 [Dobies seeds], some of which I planted in my poly-tunnel to over-winter [see above] but, there are many others.

Kalibos – which look red when harvested and in winter salads will not hold the red colour when cooked. Pixie – form small heads, useful for using up in one meal. Wheeler’s Imperial [a heritage variety]– the leaves can be cut and used from February onwards. April – good for close planting [ packing them in to a small space]. The Real Seed Catalogue provides organic seed [always] and recommend Precose de Louviers and Baccalan de Rennes.

Ø  Red Cabbages – this cabbage is a late summer into autumn variety and is often overlooked or left until the heads split, as there are so many other vegetables around. The most common variety offered by the main seed houses is Red Jewel F1 which is an excellent variety forming good solid heads though it doesn’t ‘sit’ too long once mature. Try also Redruth and from the Real Seed Catalogue Rouge Tete Noir.

o   Nutritional Value

Excellent Source of	Useful Amounts	Traces
Vitamins C and K	Vitamins A and folate	Vitamins –thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6 pantothenic acid, E Minerals – calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese selenium
Cabbage is low in sodium [salt] and very low in fat and cholestrol

o   Pests and Diseases – although I know I’m exaggerating I sometimes think that every pest and bug homes in on brassicas!

Ø  Birds – pigeons love brassicas of all sorts, at any stage and at all times of the year. I have observed them sitting close bu while I’ve planted out young brassicas and have been down on the crop while I’ve gone to my shed to collect the netting to go over it. It is important also, to  make sure the netting is supported robustly well above the growing plants as they will sit on top of the netting, thus pushing it down to crop the young leaves through the netting.

Ø  Flea Beetles – tiny, shiny black beetles which, in an infestation, devastate your young transplants or seedlings. Usually the plants will grow through the damage from these pests in a normal year. If you feel they are causing too much damage try spraying with Py solution. I have tried walking slowly over the crop holding a large sheet of sticky plastic close to the plants. AS the bugs are aware of your presence they will jump and stick to the glue. I have tried this but, while it does work- somewhat, I think I prefer to leave the plants to deal with it. For many pests a regular spraying of SB plant Invigorator is excellent – this is an organic plant food [based on urea] which strengthens the plants to fight off predators. The only downsides are the time spent in spraying and the cost of the product – so far, only available on-line.

Ø  Caterpillars – of course we love to see the wonderful variety of butterflies around but, most of them will be homing-in on your barssicas. If you plan to use netting as a deterrent – I have watched butterflies sit on the netting and crawl through the small gaps to lay their eggs on my precious plants – they can’t get through environmesh [I think!]. My best recommendation is to assume the net is doing its job but, check the plants regularly for caterpillars and remove them.

Ø  Whitefly – hates wet years, loves dry years. They can be difficult to eradicate and they weaken the plants allowing in other pests and diseases. In a really good year for white fly, I have found that I was even breathing them in! As I approached the plants, clouds of them [thousands] would fly up and enter my eyes and lungs. Fortunately this is not an annual event but has been disturbing, none-the-less. Regular spraying with SB plant Invigorator  and Py solution, though time consuming, seriously reduced the numbers and the damage they were provoking.

Ø  Aphids – of course aphids. In particularly wet years they are a major pest as the plants struggle to grow beyond them and in very dry years, for many crops, aphids [and their ant controllers] take advantage of the plants’ vulnerability. Keep the plants well watered in dry years and treat as above.