🥬 Cabbage
How to grow
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, or direct sow 4 weeks before. Transplant when seedlings have 4-5 true leaves. In Florida, cabbage is a fall-through-winter star: transplant October through December and harvest through March. Up north, plant for spring AND fall — fall cabbage is sweeter and stores better. Cabbage is a heavy feeder with a big appetite; work compost and 5-10% worm castings into the bed before transplanting. Heads form best in steady cool weather (60-65°F is the sweet spot). If a spring planting gets hit with a late cold snap, young plants may bolt — use varieties bred for your season. Water consistently as heads form; a dry spell followed by a downpour splits heads like overfilled water balloons.
Water & feeding
About 1-1.5 inches per week, and consistency matters more than volume. Uneven watering = split heads. Drip lines or soakers are ideal. Side-dress with worm castings or compost when heads are tennis-ball sized — that's when the plant is packing on the most mass. Mulch 2-3 inches to keep soil cool and moist, but pull mulch back from stems in wet weather to prevent rot.
Common problems
- Cabbage worms — the #1 pest; row cover from day one or Bt spray weekly.
- Clubroot in acidic soil — lime to keep pH above 6.5, rotate brassicas 3-4 years.
- Splitting heads — even watering, and twist the plant a quarter turn to slow water uptake if a big rain is coming.
Harvest
Squeeze the head — when it's firm and solid, it's ready. Cut the stem just below the head with a sharp knife, leaving the outer leaves and root in place; many varieties sprout a second crop of mini-heads from the stump. Harvest before a hard freeze (below 25°F), though light frosts improve flavor.