Cabbage
is a great cool season vegetable to grow in spring or fall, or even both for
two harvests per year. The Farao hybrid variety is a green, early ballhead cabbage
with a mild, yet, delicious flavor.
About Farao Hybrid Cabbage
Farao is a hybrid green cabbage of the ballhead form,
meaning it forms a tight head of dense leaves. The leaves are a pretty, deep
green and the heads grow to about three or four pounds (about 1-2 kg.). In
addition to the compact head, Farao grows a generous layer of looser,
protective outer leaves.
The flavor of Farao cabbage plants is mild and peppery. The
leaves are thin and tender. This is a great cabbage for stir fries but will
also hold up to pickling, sauerkraut, and roasting as well. You can also eat it
raw and fresh if you would like.
How to Grow Farao Cabbages
Farao cabbage seeds can be started indoors or outside if the
soil temperature is up to 75 F. (24 C.). Transplant outdoors after four or six
weeks and space plants 12-18 inches (30-46 cm.) apart. Enrich the soil with compost
before planting your cabbages and be sure that the soil will drain well.
Weeding and cultivating around cabbage can be damaging, so use mulch
to keep weeds at bay.
Cabbages of all type are susceptible to rot if you let them
get soggy or if there is poor airflow between plants. Give them enough space
and try to water your vegetables only at the base of each plant.
Cabbageworms,
slugs,
aphids,
and cabbage
loopers can be problematic pests, but Farao cabbage growing is made a
little easier by the fact that this variety is resistant to thrips
as well as tipburn.
The heads will be ready
to harvest in about 65 days, although Farao cabbage plants hold well in the
field. This means you don’t have to harvest them as soon as the heads are
ready. Cabbages left in the field too long will start to split;
however, Farao hybrid variety is slow to do so. You can take your time with the
harvest or pick heads as you need them.
