About Cabbage

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Cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata) is a member of the cole family, as are cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale kohlrabi, and collards. A related plant grows wild along the coasts of western and southern Europe, and it was probably from this "sea cabbage" that our garden varieties originally developed. People have eaten cabbage for more than 4,000 years,and several different types were already being cultivated by the height of the Roman Empire. Cabbage can be grown throughout the continental U.S., but late varieties must be chosen in the South.

What to Plant

Today's gardeners can chose from hundreds of early-, midseason-, and late-maturing varieties. Among the early cabbages are Copenhagen Market, Golden Acre, Early Dark Green Savoy, Early Jersey Wakefield, Marion Market, Emerald Cross Hybrid, Stonehead Hybrid, and Dwarf Morden. (This last is a miniature Canadian cabbage that is only 4" across and matures in 55 days.) Autumn Marvel, Penn, Red Acre and Savoy King are midseason and midseason-late varieties, while late cabbages, like Penn State Ballhead and Wisconsin Hollander, provide an autumn or—in mild climates—even a winter harvest. Because cabbage takes from 60 to more than 180 days to mature, only early types are suited to regions of the country with very short growing seasons.

Of course, there are other ways to classify cabbages. Leaves, for example, can be smooth or crinkled (A crinkled-leafed Savoy c ontains more iron than other cabbages.) Shades vary from reddish purple (Red Acre, Ruby Ball, and Mammoth Red Rock, for example) to light green, and stems can be almost nonexistent to 20" long. Some, such as the Wakefield varieties, have conical heads, while others produce hearts that are round or flat. There are ornamental cabbages, too, having loose, flowering heads with ruffled centers of red, white, or pink and outside borders of green leaves. Gardeners grow them for their beauty alone in containers on patios or even indoors in a sunny location. However, besides being showy autumn plants, they're quite edible and make a colorful addition to salads.

There are other considerations when selecting the type of cabbage to grow. For instance, a Wakefield, as well as most purple cabbages, keeps better than, say, the Savoy types, which are best eaten right from the garden. (And your first taste of garden-fresh cabbage will convince you of the value of growing your own! Store-bought versions are usually harvested weeks, if not months, before they're marketed.) If you want a good winter cabbage that's flavorful cooked or raw, consider the tight-headed white cabbages and such varieties as Celtic Cross F1. Should diseases be a problem in your area, Golden Acre, Marion Market, Stonehead Hybrid, and Early Jersey Wakefield are among the more disease-resistant types. In regions with long hot spells, a heat-resistant cabbage, such as Savoy King, is a good selection.