How to Successfully Grow Cabbage in your Garden

I never ate much cabbage until my mother-in-law introduced me to a recipe for Greek Stuffed Cabbage with Egg-Lemon. Now, this recipe is a regular rotation in our meal planning. What a special treat to use freshly grown cabbage from the garden. Continue reading to learn how to successfully grow cabbage in your garden.

Cabbage is part of the Brassicaceae family with a species of Brassica oleracea. This species name is shared with cauliflower, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, collards, and brussels sprouts. Interestingly, cabbage has many shapes, textures, and colors.

1. Ball Head – This is the most popular variety and can be either red or green.
2. Arrowhead – Cone-shaped cabbages on the smaller side.
3. Savoy – Cabbage with beautiful crinkly leaves that are thinner and more tender.

Furthermore, cabbage is very cold hardy and withstands temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, with enough sunshine and water, it’s easy to grow.

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Growing Cabbage

• Timing: Cabbage is a cool-season vegetable. As such, cabbage can be grown in most areas as both a spring and fall crop from March through December. In warmer climates, a winter crop is also possible. Mature cabbages will be ready 60-100+ days after being transplanted depending upon the variety.
  • Spring Crop – Start seeds indoors 4-5 weeks before the last spring frost for your area. Seedlings should be about 4-6 inches tall before being transplanted. To minimize transplant shock, try to transplant on a cloudy or rainy day. To understand the frost dates for your location, launch this link from the National Gardening Association and enter your zip code. 
  • Fall Crop – Direct seed into your vegetable garden sometime between July and September depending upon your garden zone. Soil temperatures should be at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plan to harvest before the first hard freeze.
  • Winter Crop – In milder climates where the temperature rarely goes below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, a winter crop can be planted. Cabbages can be transplanted between September and February.
• Light: Cabbage prefers full sun.
• Soil: Cabbage needs soil that is well-drained, moist, and fertile. In addition, a pH of 6-7 is best (to determine your soil pH, perform a soil test by contacting your local Cooperative Extension). For better harvests, prepare your soil with the addition of composted organic matter and an all-purpose fertilizer (like Plant Tone). Next, work the organic matter and fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil.
• Spacing: Plant seedlings 18 inches apart in rows that are 24-30 inches apart. Always double-check the guidelines on the back of the seed package for planting depth and spacing. Because cabbage takes up a lot of space, it’s important to give them the room needed. Cramped cabbages will develop smaller heads.

Caring for Cabbage

• Fertilizing: 
  • At transplant: When transplanting seedlings, add 1 cup of diluted starter fertilizer to the hole prior to placing the seedling. I use an organic fish and seaweed emulsion fertilizer (diluted by 50%) with an NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) of 2-3-1.
  • Three weeks after transplant or when there are multiple sets of true leaves: Side dress with a balanced fertilizer (for example, an NPK of 10-10-10). Sprinkle the fertilizer in a 6-inch band and work gently into the soil.
• Watering: Cabbage needs a consistent 1-inch of water per week to develop strong roots. Sandy soil requires more frequent watering due to the fast draining nature of this soil type. Without consistent watering, a good quality head may fail to form.
• Mulch: Organic mulches (e. g. straw, dry shredded leaves, wood chips) can be used to ensure that the ground retains moisture and maintains soil temperature. Apply 2-3 inches around the base of the plant.
• Row Covers: Protect cabbage with row cover. Row cover protects the cabbage from the cabbage moth and other pests. This is the most effective form of organic control to use. For more information on row cover, check out my post How to use Floating Row Cover in your Organic Garden
• Companions: Common companion crops include celery, dill, chamomile, sage, peppermint, rosemary, and onions. Avoid planting cabbage with beans, tomatoes, or strawberries.
• Crop rotation: Practice crop rotation to reduce disease. Plant in a bed where you have not grown anything in the brassica family including broccoli, kale, cauliflower, or kohlrabi for the past three-four years. For more information on how to develop a crop rotation plan for your home garden, check out my post Crop Rotation for the home gardener.
• Seeds: Cabbage seeds can be saved for four years.

Problems

Remember, the best prevention from problems is raising healthy plants and keeping them healthy:

• Plant cabbage at the correct time (spring/fall/winter)
• Apply correct fertilizer
• Rotate crops each year. Do not plant cabbage in the same bed for 3-4 years or in beds that grew broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, or cauliflower.
• Purchase high-quality seed and look for disease-resistant varieties
• Use drip irrigation for watering

However, even with the best prevention, a few problems can occur:

• Cabbageworm, cabbage maggot, and flea beetles are common pests of cabbage. Control these pests by covering the crop with a light row cover.
• Slugs in the soil can get in-between the cabbage leaves and start eating both the outer leaves and inner leaves of the head. Apply an organic control to eliminate slugs from reproducing in the soil. Determine the breeding time for slugs in your zone and apply it during that time.
• Two common diseases of cabbage are black rot and fusarium wilt. To prevent disease, plant disease-resistant varieties and follow good cultural practices (soil, water, sun, mulch). Never put diseased plants into the compost pile.
• Cabbage head-splitting. Cabbage heads may spilt under stress from temperature or rainfall changes. To prevent, choose resistant varieties, don’t plant cabbages close together, and twist the head to sever some of the roots when nearing maturity.

If you suspect that something is wrong with your cabbage and live in the US, check with your Cooperative Extension for help in identifying and determining appropriate controls for pests and disease.

Harvesting and Storage

Cabbages can be harvested approximately 60-100+ days after they are planted. I find it amazing to watch as the heads form. Slowly the leaves begin to overlap and a head forms. Harvest when the head reaches its mature size. You will notice that the top leaves on the cabbage head begin to turn back on themselves. Cut the head above the bottom leaves. I find a Hori Hori knife to be highly effective at cutting off the cabbage head.

Cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks after harvest. In a root cellar (32 degrees F and high humidity) cabbage can be stored for five months.

Preparing

There are several ways to prepare cabbage:

• Simmered cabbage
• Sautéed or stir-fried cabbage
• Roasted cabbage
• Raw cabbage (coleslaw)
• Fermented cabbage (sauerkraut)

Here are my favorite recipes for using cabbage:

• Greek Egg-Lemon Stuffed Cabbage (my own recipe)
• Sautéed Cabbage and Kielbasa
• Sautéed Red Cabbage

Recommended varieties

• Green: Farrow F1 Cabbage with 3-4-pound heads that mature in 63 days.
• Red: Red Express Cabbage with 2-4-pound heads that mature in 62 days.
• Savoy: Famosa F1 Cabbage with 2-4-pound heads that mature in 68 days.

Botanical information

• Family: Brassicaceae
• Genus:   Brassica
• Species: Brassica oleracea

Cabbage is fun to grow and I wish you luck to successfully grow cabbage in your garden.

References:

• University of Minnesota Extension
• University of Illinois Extension