GARDENING Fresh Cabbage Can Be A Heady Experience

How to Grow Fresh and Flavorful Cabbage in Your Garden

You haven’t really tasted good coleslaw until you’ve sampled slaw made with fresh cabbage. While store-bought cabbage often is picked weeks before you buy it and can be tasteless, fresh cabbage is flavorful, crisp, and juicy.

In addition to the typical green, smooth heads of cabbage, there is purple cabbage and savoy, which has crinkly leaves. Baby cabbages are only 4 inches around, and Oriental cabbages such as pak choy and bok choy look more like a cross between celery and lettuce.

Cabbage grows well here during the winter months, says Dennis Glowniak, growing chairman for the California Organic Gardening Club. “Plant cabbage now and you’ll have tasty heads for months to come,” he said.

To have good results growing cabbage, keep the following tips in mind:

Choosing the Right Cabbage Variety

There are different types of cabbage based on growing time. Here’s a breakdown of the options:

  • Early Season: Grows in just 45 days and creates a small 1 1/2- to 2-pound head.
  • Mid-Season: Grows in about 75 to 80 days and produces heads weighing 4 to 5 pounds.
  • Late Season: Takes 90 to 100 days to mature, with large 6- to 8-pound heads.

Just about any variety can be planted now, but early season types should be planted after December or January to ensure they mature before warm weather arrives.

Tips for Growing Cabbage

  • Start from Seed: You can find cabbage plants at the nursery or grow your own from seed. Plant seeds about half an inch deep in small containers. Seedlings should emerge in 7 to 10 days, and transplant them into the garden after about five weeks when they are at least 3 inches high.
  • Sun and Soil: Plant cabbage in full or part sun. Amend the soil with compost to ensure good drainage, working it into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil.
  • Space Properly: Space early cabbage varieties 18 inches apart and larger varieties at least 2 feet apart.
  • Avoid Mulch: Do not mulch around cabbage, as it can attract pests like sow bugs and earwigs. Use plastic to cover the soil and reduce weed growth.
  • Container Growing: You can grow three early-season varieties in a half-barrel-size container or six to eight baby heads in the same size pot. Use high-quality potting soil and a balanced organic fertilizer.
  • Support Larger Varieties: Larger cabbage types may fall over near harvest time. Provide support to keep the cabbage from touching wet soil.
  • Watering: Cabbage roots are shallow, so keep the plants moist but not soggy. They require little water during the rainy months.
  • Feed Regularly: Foliar feed cabbage weekly with a solution of sea kelp or seaweed for extra nutrients.

Watch Out for Pests

Cabbage can attract several pests, including:

  • Sow Bugs and Earwigs: Avoid mulch to prevent these pests.
  • Aphids: Spray plants with a strong stream of water twice a week to control aphids.
  • Cabbage Loopers: Hand-pick these green inchworms or treat with Bacillus thuringiensis (BT). You can also cover your cabbage with floating row covers to prevent moths from laying eggs.

Harvesting Cabbage

Harvest your cabbage heads when they have reached the correct size and maturity as stated on the seed packet. Avoid waiting too long, as heads may crack and lose flavor. Pull up the entire plant when harvesting.

The California Organic Gardening Club meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at 9621 Bixby Ave., Garden Grove. For more information, contact (714) 761-8130 or (714) 971-7954.

Additional Tips

Plant cabbage now for fresh heads throughout the winter and spring months. With proper care and attention to variety, spacing, and pest control, you can enjoy homegrown cabbage in your meals all year round.

Julie Bawden-Davis

Julie Bawden-Davis is a bestselling journalist, novelist, blogger, and YouTuber. A prolific author, Julie writes in several genres. She enjoys creating page-turning suspense served up with a dose of romance, garden books that turn any brown thumb green, and spiritual books meant to enlighten and inspire. Widely published, Julie has written 45 books and more than 4,000 articles for a wide variety of national and international publications. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys sunny, blue skies most days and year-round gardening. Julie gains inspiration from being surrounded by plants when she writes.