Allotment Growing
Vegetable Growing Advice - Vegetable Guides
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Growing Cabbages - Types of CabbageThe cabbage comes in three waves, spring, summer and winter with varieties being described by their cutting period not their sowing times. Just to add to the fun, summer cabbages last into and can also be cut in the autumn! I've split into the main types of cabbage below, for details of cultivation of cabbages please see How to Grow Cabbages. Spring Cabbage Spring cabbages are usually sown in July and August being planted out in September and October to overwinter and be harvested from late February through to the beginning of June. In windy areas, earth up around the stem and compress the soil with your foot to ensure the plants are stable and don't suffer root rock. They tend to be conical in shape and quite loose leaved, often referred to as spring greens or collards. Summer Cabbage Usually these are ball headed (drumhead) sown from mid-February under glass to mid-May being planted out in May and June to provide a harvest from late June to November although more usually August and September are the prime harvesting months. Most tend to be round in shape although the Greyhound and Hispi varieties are conical like spring cabbages. For the earliest crop, sow early - obviously! Winter Cabbage The winter cabbages are generally sown in late April through May, being planted out in July to provide a harvest from November right through to March. They're ball or drum-headed and obviously hardy. Some varieties will store for months, cut the head and remove outer loose leaves (bet you find a slug!) then store in a cool dark place, preferably on slatted shelves to allow airflow. White varieties are ideal for coleslaw and all will make sauerkraut. Savoy Cabbage The savoy type of cabbage is basically a ball head but the leaves are crinkled rather tan smooth. Sowing and planting are just like winter cabbages except the cutting season tends to be a little wider. Some faster maturing varieties are ready as early as September and some will hold in the ground until the beginning of April Many people prefer the texture of savoy cabbages to smooth ones. Red Cabbage Red cabbage is traditional for pickling but it is great for adding colour to a winter salad when shredded finely and cooked it adds colour as well as flavour to a meal. Grow just like a summer cabbage, sowing in April, planting in June and harvest in September. They will hold a while in the ground or can be stored for a few months.
Chinese Cabbage Chinese cabbage, often called Chinese leaves in supermarkets are the odd one out in the cabbage family. They look more like a cos lettuce than a cabbage for starters. The cultivation method is completely different than conventional cabbage as well, they do not like root disturbance and usually would be sown in situ rather than being transplanted.
Cultivation of Chinese CabbageLike the other brassicas they like a rich soil with a high pH - neutral at least.. Sow about 3 or 4 seeds at 30cm spacing each way, usually in May although some fast growing varieties can go in as late as early August and thin to the strongest seedling. Harvest is from late September to min-November. The biggest problem with Chinese cabbage is bolting and providing some shade can prevent this in a hot summer. Club Root Resistant CabbagesIf you have clubroot on your plot then these varieties will help no end:
Small Cabbages Suitable for Container Growing
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