A member of the Brassica family, Cabbage is great addition to every garden. This cool season crop can prove pretty tricky to grow, but with the right conditions and a little care, it can be done successfully. From the classic large green heads of cabbage to red and savoy types of cabbage, you cannot go wrong with growing cabbage in your Spring and Fall gardens.
I love growing cabbage in the garden. Cabbage is one of my favorite Spring crops to grow. In my house we LOVE fried (sautéed) cabbage. However, growing this delicious crop hasn’t been the easiest for me to grow. My first few attempts at growing cabbage I was left with small heads of cabbages that were absolutely riddled with pests. While that certainly made the chickens happy, this gardener was not so happy. After a lot of research and persistence, I have been able to grow large cabbage heads that are worthy of pictures, and cooking!
Cabbage Varieties to Try
Round Green Cabbage Varieties
- Copenhagen Market Cabbage
- Brunswick Cabbage
- Golden Acre Cabbage
- Danish Ball Head Cabbage
Red Cabbage Varieties
- Red Acre Cabbage
- Mammoth red
Other Cabbage Varieties
- Pak Choi
- Napa Cabbage
- Bok Choy
- Savoy Cabbage
When to Plant Cabbage
Cabbage is a cool season crop, meaning that it thrives in cooler weather. Spring and Fall are the best times of the year to grow cabbage. If grown in the summer, cabbage plants are more likely to bolt and go to seed. They key to growing great cabbage is knowing when to plant it. Knowing your growing zone and following a planting calendar are the best way to make sure you plant cabbage at the right time for your area.
Spring Planting
- In general start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost.
- Since cabbage is frost tolerant, you can plant it out before your first frost. If you live in an area where the ground freezes, wait until the ground is workable before planting.
I am in East Texas, growing zone 8a and I typically plant my cabbages starts out 4-6 weeks after starting them indoors.
Fall Planting
The key to Fall planting is waiting until the weather cools in late summer before planting your starts out. Cabbage does not like hot weather and will not thrive it planted in the heat of summer. You will want to really watch your weather forecast and wait to plant your cabbage.
- Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before first frost.
- Plant out when the weather cools down enough to not stress out your cabbage starts.
It is best to wait until late summer when the weather is consistently below 90° F. Cabbage will not tolerate the heat very well.
A kitchen garden should be beautiful and reflective of your personality. You should want to spend time in it. A kitchen garden should be productive but is not meant for growing large quantities of food for preserving. Grow herbs, vegetables and fruit that you and your family normally eat and cook with.
Where to Plant Cabbage
Plant in full sun, aiming for a minimum or 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Although cabbage likes growing in cool temperatures, it needs full sun to grow. Plant in fertile, well-draining soil amended with compost.
How to Plant Cabbage
Cabbage plants get quite large and require ample space to grow. Aim to plant your cabbage plants 18-24 inches apart. At planting, fertilize with an all-purpose organic fertilizer. I like to add some blood meal along with my fertilizer for a boost of nitrogen.
Caring for Cabbage Plants
Cabbages are heavy feeders and require a regular feeding schedule to form large heads. Once the plants have been in the ground for 3 weeks, I like to fertilize with fish emulsion every 3-4 weeks until harvest.
When it comes to watering cabbage plants, stick to a regular even watering schedule. Uneven watering will cause stressed plants that do not form good heads. Mulching will help the soil retain moisture and keep your cabbage happy.
Harvesting Cabbage
When harvesting “heads” of cabbage, harvest when the cabbage has formed a nice tight head. You can harvest at any size, just be sure to harvest before it heats up in the summer. Fall grown cabbage can tolerate a light freeze but should be harvested before a hard freeze.
When harvesting “leafy cabbages” such as Pak Choi, use the cut and come again method for continuous harvests.
Pests
Cabbage worms, slugs and pill bugs love to feast on plants in the brassica family. I struggle with all three of these pests throughout the year. These pests can decimate your cabbages in a short period of time if you do not keep up regular pest control.
I typically reach for Diatomaceous Earth (DE) for these pests. You can lightly dust the plants whenever you see pest damage to help rid them of the pests. Another organic product that works well is Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). This is a spray that is very effective against cabbage worms.
If caught early enough, simple hand picking may be all you need to fight these pests and save your cabbages.
