Cabbage

General Information:
Cabbage is a cool-season crop, closely related to broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and mustard. It can be grown as either a spring or a fall crop. Cabbage is a popular high-quality vegetable for fresh use. Cabbage is highly nutritious and delicious fried, boiled or eaten raw as a salad or coleslaw. This vegetable is a good source of Vitamin C.

Soil Preparation:
For best results incorporate moderate amounts of compost or well rotted manure deeply dug into the soil. Beware of fresh manure as it may contain seeds, & high concentrations of urine & salts. Using a garden hoe form a shallow trench in the center of the 36" wide bed about 4" deep. Do not allow the trench between the 2 rows too extend beyond the end of the beds as this trench will hold water later. The 2 rows in the 36" wide bed should be about 12" apart. Since Cabbage is a shallow rooted plant it is very sensitive to moisture fluctuations.  Without adequate moisture the shallow roots cannot deliver the required nutrients to produce properly. Rake to break up & remove debris from the soil. Work the soil only when it is dry enough not to stick to garden tools. Soils that are well-suited for the production of cabbage are fertile, well drained, and have texture ranging from sandy loam to clay loam.

Seed starting:
A great Cabbage crop begins with large vigorous health seedlings 4 to 6 weeks old, grown in 4" or larger growing pots. Growing your own seedlings insure quality and varieties not commercially available. Cabbage seedling are commonly found commercially if you prefer just buying your seedlings. The seeds should be started about 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date in your zone, or 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date for a early spring crop. Make sure the seed starting mix is a light sterile soil mix with a liberal portion of Perlite or Vermiculite to maintain moisture. Sow 2 seeds per 4"pot about ¼" deep in pre-moistened growing mix. During the day, keep the seedling next to a sunny window after they have germinated. Move to top of the water heater or refrigerator at night if you do not have a greenhouse. A heated greenhouse will produce ideal, controllable growing conditions. I also use supplemental overhead florescent lighting when needed. Never allow your lights to burn more than 16 hours per day. A cheap electrical timer is the key to success here. Seedlings must be allowed to have a period of rest from light to grow properly. Hang your lights 1½ inches above the tops of the seedlings. This will prevent the seedling from becoming leggy. Raise the lights suspended by a chain as the plants grow. Do not allow the soil to dry out. I feed my newly emerged seedling every other watering cycle. I prefer feeding my young seedlings with Fish Emulsion or liquid seaweed. After they have grown 2 true leaves I use a fertilizer high in phosphorus like Scotts Peters Professional 9-45-15 plant starter item #91140. Call 1-800-492-8255 for a dealer near you. Fertilize every two weeks until transplant time. Four weeks after seedlings have emerged clip off at the soil line the smallest of the 2 seedlings with scissors. Seeds can also be started by directly sowing into your prepared wide row beds. Plant 2 seed ¼" deep about 16" apart and water gently. Four weeks after seedling have emerged thin the seedlings to one seedling per hill. Clip the smallest one at ground level with scissors.

Fertilization:
Perform a complete soil analysis to determine fertilization needs. Soil sample kits including sample bag and instructions can be obtained from your local county Agricultural extension service office free of charge. However the fee for the actual soil analysis is usually about $15.00. 

Generally apply about ½ cup of ammonium nitrate fertilizer for each 10 feet of 36" wide bed. This should be applied and worked into the soil 3" deep about one week before the plants are set. Cabbage plants are shallow rooted heavy feeders requiring ample, even supplies nutrients including Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash, & Boron. It is always wise to follow a nitrogen fixing crop such as beans, hairy vetch, rye or buck wheat if possible. Time released fertilizers like Osmocote have become very popular and work great lasting for 4 months. An organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion can be used bi-weekly.

Hardening Off:
It will be necessary to harden off your seedlings before transplanting into the garden bed. The seedling must become accustomed to the harsher elements outdoors. This is accomplished by placing the seedling outside to a sheltered location. At this point the seedlings are very tender and easily broken by wind and rain. Start out by placing the seedling in full morning sunlight for one hour. Increase the time in full sunlight gradually adding time each day. Protect your seedlings from wind and animals to prevent breakage of the tender vegetation. Within two weeks your plants should be able to stand full sunlight the entire day without wilting or burning the tender leaves. At this point your seedlings are ready for the harsh elements of the garden.

Planting & Growing:
Transplant 2 rows of seedlings spaced about 12" to 18" apart in the center of the rows formed earlier. Plants can be set slightly deeper when transplanting. Water the seedlings well in growing pot 1 hour before transplanting. Water the plants well during transplanting using about 1 pint of starter solution on each transplant, or use commercially prepared starter solution according to manufacturer's instructions. This can be a weak solution of 20-20-20 general plant food or commercially available root stimulator. This will encourage rapid root growth & produce heads of acceptable quality. Large head hybrid varieties should be spaced further apart to promote larger head size. To lengthen the harvest plant seedling plant 1/3 at a time 1 weeks apart. This procedure will also require starting your seedlings 1 week apart as well. Cover the entire 36" wide bed including the trench between the rows with leaves or straw mulch. The mulch will retain moisture, attract worms, and reduce the growth of weeds in the beds. Any weeds that do germinate are easily removed by hand or light cultivation.  When it is time to water your plants simply apply a moderate amount of water into the trench between the row you formed earlier. Do not apply water to quickly as you may wash out soil holding the water. The water will slowly soak deeply onto the root zone. Using this method your plants will always have adequate moisture to perform well. If your cabbage head try to split cut the roots on one side of the plant with a shovel or twist the head slightly braking some roots. Be prepared to irrigate 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week if natural rainfall is lacking to help ensure a high-quality cabbage crop. Cabbage requires above average moisture, and when this is lacking it responds with slow growth and poor appearance. Excessive rainfall will present a problem as cabbage don't like to stand in water for prolonged periods causing root rot.

Direct Seeding:
Row spacing is the same as transplanting but spacing of seeds should be reduced to 4 to 6 inches.  Cabbage is sometime difficult to germinate when direct seeding. Sow seeds ¼" to ½" deep and water frequently to keep surface moist until plants germinated. Monitor insects closely during this time. Thin seedlings to 12" to 18" to allow adequate growing space. If some seed fail to germinate move seedlings that would have been removed by thinning. I do not recommend this method of starting cabbage, transplanted seedling is my method of choice.

It is suggested that the control program start early (emerging seedlings) and continued on a regular basis. Consult your local county extension service office for recommended treatment.

Harvesting:
Cabbage should be harvested in the early morning assuring peek flavor. The Cabbage head should be cut as needed to prevent spoilage.

Yield :
Heads will vary in size, depending on variety, spacing and growing conditions. The heads weights will range from 2 to 25 lb each, A bed containing 2o plant will feed an entire family for a season.

Varieties:
Varieties that I have found reliable in recent years are listed below:

Storage:
Cabbage generally is not stored or frozen unless fully cooked.