Cabbage: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow heading cabbage under cover?
Sow heading cabbage under cover at the time recommended for the variety and intended harvest season. Fill individual modules with moist seed compost and sow about 1 cm deep. Keep the seedlings in good light and thin them to one strong plant per module.
Keep the compost moist without waterlogging it and ventilate the growing space when needed. Once plants are well rooted and around 10 to 15 cm tall, gradually harden them off before planting outdoors. Use the variety's final spacing rather than a fixed 50 cm for every cabbage.
Label the variety and sowing date: two cabbages sown on the same day may be intended for different harvest seasons. Moisten the compost before filling the modules and check that water can escape through the bottom. Do not crowd a small cell with seeds: each seedling needs to form a root ball without its roots becoming tangled with its neighbours. A seedling stretching strongly towards the window often needs more light. Move the tray to a brighter position and avoid keeping it in a room that is unnecessarily warm.
How do you sow heading cabbage outdoors?
Sow heading cabbage outdoors according to the variety and local conditions. Summer, autumn, winter and spring crops have different sowing periods; outdoor sowing is not limited to spring after the last frost. Protect early sowings when necessary.
Prepare a fine, weed-free seedbed and sow thinly about 1 cm deep. Keep the soil moist without waterlogging it. Distinguish nursery spacing from the wider spacing needed after transplanting. Thin or transplant as plants develop, following the variety's instructions, and check seedlings for slugs and caterpillars.
Mark the rows so you can distinguish young cabbages from emerging weeds, and label them with the variety name. A nursery bed is a small area reserved for seedlings before they move to their final positions; it does not need to occupy the whole future cabbage bed. Water with a fine rose so you do not wash out the drills or displace the seeds. Insect mesh can protect young leaves if its edges are secured. Check underneath the cover and allow enough room for the foliage as it grows.
How do you plant heading cabbage?
Plant heading cabbage in a sunny spot with fertile, firm, well-drained soil. Choose the planting period and spacing according to the variety and desired harvest season. Gradually harden off plants raised under cover and transplant them when well rooted, usually around 10 to 15 cm tall.
Water the root balls before moving them, keep them intact and firm the soil gently around the plants. Water thoroughly after planting. Mulch can help retain moisture and limit weeds. Avoid treating a single 50 by 60 cm spacing as suitable for every compact or large variety.
Prepare the holes before removing plants from their pots to minimise the time their roots are exposed. Arrange the plants according to their eventual size and leave access for watering and harvesting. Firm soil gives the root ball good contact with its surroundings, but avoid planting into waterlogged ground that you would compact by walking on it. After watering, check that each plant stands upright. If protection is needed, fit insect mesh over hoops as soon as you plant and secure its edges without trapping or crushing the young leaves.
How to care for this plant
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Maintain the mulch
Once the plants are established and the soil has warmed, check the mulch and top up bare patches if needed. Keep the stem bases clear and remove weeds before covering them.
How do you harvest heading cabbage?
Harvest your heading cabbage when the head is firm and well formed, before it splits. The season depends on the variety and sowing time, rather than being limited to autumn. Cut the head at the base with a clean, sharp knife.
For storage, choose healthy, undamaged heads and keep them in a cool, frost-free place or the fridge, checking them regularly. Storage life varies greatly: winter storage varieties keep longer than many tender early cabbages. For longer preservation, you can freeze prepared cabbage after blanching and cooling it.
Gently squeeze the head with your hand to assess its firmness; size alone does not tell you whether it is ready. Check the crop regularly and start with the mature heads rather than waiting for the whole row to look identical. Avoid knocking or dropping cabbages intended for storage. Keep split or damaged heads separate from your storage crop and promptly prepare any that remain suitable to eat. For a staggered harvest, leave the less developed heads growing and check their progress instead of cutting every plant on the same day.
Cabbage
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Leafy vegetables
- Botanical Family : Brassicaceae (cruciferous)
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Full Sun
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Resistant
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Mature height : 40 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 1 cm
- Plant Spacing : 50 cm
- Row Spacing : 60 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Moderate
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Other characteristics
- Soil Type : Mixed
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing