Try to grow cabbage in container since it is easy to do. You can do it everywhere without the need of big garden. Cabbage is a necessity ingredient that you need in your kitchen. Growing them, yourself means you will get fresh cabbage for your daily salad.
Variety to Grow Cabbage in Container
There are a lot of cabbage variety that you can choose when you want to grow it in a container. You can choose them based on the taste that you like the most.
1. Savoy variety
Late Bloomer
This variety is known as curly cabbage. It has mild flavor; the leaves are tender and curly. The best variety to use are savoy king and savoy ace when you plant them in container.
2. Green variety
You might often see this variety since it is the most common one. It has dark green leaves and pointed head. The best variety to use are blue boy, stovehead, jersey wakefield, head blue, badger ban, ribbon golden, green boy and acre flat.
3. Red variety
The heads of this variety have purple reddish color and enclosed by smooth leave. The best variety to use are Red Acre, Ruby Perfection, Red Ribbon and Red Ball.
How big a container do you need to grow cabbage?
Once you choose the variety, now it is time to prepare the containers. It should have 10 to 12 inches minimum measurement for the depth and the width. It is best to only plant one cabbage in each container so the heads can grow to maximum size. However, if the width is bigger, then you can plant more on each container. To grow cabbage in container the drainage should be adequate.
What is the best month to plant cabbage?
January is the best time to plant cabbage because it takes about 100 days to grow to maturity.
Meanwhile the best time to plant is different for each variety that you use. That is why, you need to choose the right variety that suit the climate and season where you will grow them. In warmer climate you can start sowing the seeds during fall and keep continue sowing them until the winter ended. But for cooler climate then it is better to start sowing the seeds in spring until summer. You can then harvest them during summer until fall.
For frost free temperature, you can always start sowing the seeds between 10 Celsius or 50 Fahrenheit to 30 Celsius or 85 Fahrenheit. The best temperature for maturing them would be between 15 Celsius or 60 Fahrenheit to 20 Celsius or 70 Fahrenheit. This will make the cabbage grow well and taste better.
Preparation to Grow the Cabbage
To grow the cabbage, you can start using seeds or seedling. You can purchase the seeds from online store or local shop. Or you can visit a nursery to get the transplant. Choose high quality seeds or seedling to get the best result for your harvest.
How to Grow the Cabbage from Seed
If you choose to grow the cabbage from seed then you need to prepare seedling tray and fill it with starting mixture. Sprinkle the seeds from the bag roughly then cover it with potting mix in thin layer. Water them all around but do not let them to be soggy.
Put the seedling tray in area with 2 to 3hours of sunlight every day. Germination will take around 1 to 2 weeks. The temperature needed for germination is between 20 Celsius or 68 Fahrenheit to 24 Celsius or 75 Fahrenheit.
After the seedling grows around 3 to 4inches tall and have 3 to 4true leaves then you can start the transplant. This usually happen around 4 to 6 weeks of germination.
How to Grow the Cabbage from Transplant
To grow cabbage in container from transplant you need to put well-draining soil inside the container. Create a hole with 2 inches size right in the middle then put the seedling inside before tapping the surrounding soil to cover.
Water them regularly to keep the soil moist.
Do not put the containers under shade since it can affect the growth. Cabbage need around 4 to 6hours or lights to grow well. Usually, the cabbage can mature after around 60 to 105days. However, this is also affected by the variety that you use when planting them.
Common Pest
Common pests that you need to keep an eye on are cabbage loopers, aphids, and root maggots. You can keep them away by pouring strong water stream. Meanwhile for the diseases that commonly attacking are black speck, clubroot and purple blotch. You can add lime to the soil to increase the PH level and prevent the disease. Do not water the foliage since it can cause purple blotch.
Watering the Cabbage
Regular watering is needed to grow cabbage in container and keep the soil moist. It is important to prevent drought but do not overwater them.
Fertilizing the Cabbage
For optimum growth, you need to spray organic fertilizer once a month. Another fertilizer that can be use are fish emulsion diluted in water or 10-5-5 fertilizer that can be applied once every 14 days. Those that want to go the organic route can use compost tea which can increase the level of nutrient in the soil.
Taking Care by Mulching
To keep the temperature and moist soil you need to use mulching. It will also help to prevent splitting that might happen during overwatering or drought. Of course, you still need to water the cabbage sufficiently to prevent the splitting.
How to Harvest the Cabbage and Storing Tips
When it is time to harvest, you can use sharp knife and cut the heads off the roots. However, do not damage the root in the process. That is why, it is better to keep around 1 to 2inches distance from the root. It is better to leave 2 to 3layers of leaves to protect the inner leaves.
It is best to consume the cabbage right away after cutting them for fresh taste. However, you can also keep them at room temperature for 1 to 2days. If you want to keep them longer then you can put them in refrigerator. This will increase the storing time up to 1 to 2weeks. You can grow cabbage in container multiple time for better yield.