Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
• 10 to 15 healthy plants, selected from at least 30 plants
• overwintering strategy
• insect netting (or absence of cabbage pests)
• trellis or one support pole per flowering plant
• bed sheet or cloth bag
GROWING FOR SEED
Cabbage is a two-year crop when grown for seed. The timing for sowing seed
depends upon the method used for overwintering the plants and the local climate. For overwintering
complete cabbage heads, sow seed late (late spring to early summer) so that the heads stay compact
and small. Such heads overwinter far better than large, fully ripe heads. This late-sowing method is es-
pecially important for early cabbage varieties, whose heads ripen quickly.
Cabbage seeds
Cabbage plants grow their heads the first year, but do not send up stalks for flowering until the
second year. Plants require a vernalization period, where temperatures stay below 50°F (10°C) for sev-
eral weeks, before they begin to grow stalks that will later produce flowers. In the Mediterranean re-
gion and in southern England, some local cabbage varieties are started in late summer/autumn which
in the following year produce ripe heads in early spring and ripe seed by summer. Young cabbage
plants can be overwintered outdoors in areas with mild winters and in colder areas with the help of suf-
ficient frost protection. Full cabbage heads, however, are fairly frost sensitive, handling temperatures
as low as 23°F (−5°C) only briefly. Harvest plants to be overwintered at the same time as plants for
eating. Dig them up with a spade or digging fork and remove outer leaves such that only a tight, com-
pact head remains atop the plant. Shake and drip dry cabbage heads for storage that have gotten wet
from the rain.
OVERWINTERING ENTIRE PLANTS
Cabbage heads must then be guided through a sort of hibernation
to ensure they survive the winter. This is often the most challenging phase of cultivation. Several dif-
ferent methods have been tested and developed by gardeners over the years, and their appropriateness
depends upon the climate of your region (severity of winter, humidity, length of growing season) and
the availability of overwintering facilities. For the three overwintering methods outlined here, we have
also given the locations where they are practiced. Ultimately, however, the exact methods employed
are up to you, based on your preferences and what you find most effective. When overwintering in-
doors, whether in a root cellar, in an attic, or elsewhere, check plants on a regular basis. Gray mold
