Cabbage (Summer)

Overview

Cabbage Brassica olearacea capitata     Rotation group – Brassicas

Summer and autumn

Cabbages have been bred to be available all the year round and by carefully selecting from the seed lists there are cabbages to meet everyone’s needs.  The Summer isn’t often associated with cabbages but they are used in cole slaw, sauerkraut and eaten raw in salads. Although they are harvested at different seasons the seed of summer and autumn cabbages are sown around the same time.

Varieties to choose (sold by Kings Seeds): -

• Greyhound (AGM) - an early maturing pointed variety with compact heads which are produced quickly. A reliable and old favourite.
• Red Drumhead - solid round heads with crisp hearts of purple red colour. Ideal for pickling and cooking.
• Primo - one of the most popular of this type. Very firm medium size heads of excellent quality and flavour.

How to grow

Sow

Summer and autumn cabbage is grown from seed. The seed is sown in short drills during March and April. To make the drills, score the earth to a depth of ½ inch (12mm) and leave 9inches (20cm) between each drill. Make the rows of drills long enough to supply and support enough plants.

Thin the seedlings to 3ins (7.5cm) apart and remove any young plants with crooked stems as they will never make good cabbages. Water the young seedlings regularly never letting the soil dry out and add some liquid seaweed to the water to encourage healthy growth.

Growing on

When the young plants have produced 3 pairs of leaves they are ready for transplanting to their final positions. Choose a cool spell of weather to carry out the operation and water along the rows the night before to lessen the transplant shock to the young plants. Take care to lift the plants keeping as much of the root-ball intact as possible. It may be easier to use a small spade or trowel to do this job.

Transplant the young cabbages 18inche (45cm) apart in the row. Leave a gap of 18ins (45cm) between each row.  Firm the soil around each plant and water the plants well to settle them in, they may need some protection against strong sunshine or drying winds for the first couple of weeks after being transplanted.

Aftercare

Hoe the soil between the plants regularly to keep it weed free and to create dust mulch. Make sure that the soil around the roots never dries out and occasionally add liquid seaweed to the water especially in dry periods to keep the plants growing and healthy. As the season goes on draw soil up around the stalks of the plants to give them extra support.

How to Harvest

Harvest according to the season of use. When the hearts feel firm they are ready, don’t leave them hanging around too long otherwise the heads will split open. This is why it is important to only grow enough to meet you requirements. The F1 Hybrids selections will all be ready to harvest at the same time but the older open pollinated cabbages will become ready over a couple of weeks. After you have cut the head off the stalk, there is a chance that smaller clusters of loose leaf mini will regrow. These are perfectly usable but if by the end of summer they aren’t up to muster dig them out.

Issues

Cabbage root fly is a problem early in the season. Use 6ins/15cm square collars placed around the neck of the plants to defeat the female fly’s eggs.

Cabbage white butterfly is also a major problem. It can be controlled by regularly inspecting the cabbages and crushing the clusters of yellow eggs between finger and thumb. It is possible to use small mesh netting but it can make working between the plants difficult. The best control for cabbage white butterflies is Bacillus thuringiensis which is available through companies that specialise in the biological control of pests.