Started: April 1

Heavy feeders that require lots of compost/manure. Cabbage can damage the soil by absorbing all of the potassium and nitrogen if they are planted in the same spot consecutively. They require an inch of water a week to produce a good head, however, do not drown them. They have a shallow, delicate root system and are prone to root rot if they don't have good drainage. They prefer to mature before the intense heat of summer so plant early for spring harvest and again in late summer for fall harvest. The closer the spacing the smaller the heads.

Copenhagen

Size: 2 feet by 2 feet

Location: sun or partial shade, humus-rich soil amended with composted manure

Matures in: 63-100 days

Native: No, heirloom cabbage from Denmark introduced in 1909

Why did I choose it? I thought they were pretty. 

Uses? Good fresh, cooked or in sauerkraut. They make outstanding coleslaw. We love cabbage cut into ribbons and fried in plenty of butter and salt and pepper with hot Italian sausage. 

Specifics: It's a reasonable size, 1.5 -2 kg. The cabbages hold well in the field without splitting. They are the largest, early round head for summer harvest with good keeping ability and rich flavour. 

Companion plants: Cabbage likes aromatic herbs - chamomile, hyssop, thyme, rosemary, dill, peppermint, spearmint, sage, oregano. 

Yarrow around the perimeter improves poor soil and the vitality of neighbouring plants. It also repels unwanted insects and is a beneficial addition to the compost pile. 

Marigolds are attractive and repel aphids and cabbage moths.

Root veg that work well are onions, beets and celery. They enhance the flavour and repel insects. 

Sage and rosemary deter cabbage moths.

Chamomile enhances the flavour with sulphur, potassium and calcium. It also masks the aroma that attracts common cabbage pests. Chamomile tea is used to spray on seedlings to prevent damping-off, a fungal infection that kills many young plants. When used as a companion plant its natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties can help plants prone to fungus, mildew, mold and blight. 

Mustard and bittercress in a separate area of the garden will lure cabbage pests to them instead of to your crop. Bittercress produces a substance that is toxic to the diamondback caterpillar and may be toxic to imported cabbage worms. 

Avoid: mustard plants (planted close), strawberries, tomatoes, grapes, pole beans

Personal notes: Hawthorn’s germination rate for these guys is 92%. I planted 40 cabbages and 40 cabbages sprouted. I started them on April 2 and planted them out June 1 (after last frost here). That was my mistake. They could have gone out much earlier I’m sure. I also didn't realize that maturity is after you plant them out, not from when you sow the seeds. So 65 days to maturity is not from April 1 but from June 1. Because of that they were maturing in the heat, which they hated. Most didn't really grow. About 10 tried to make a head, only 6 succeeded. This took until the fall because they pretty much stopped forming in the heat. Because of this the flea beetles got at them pretty badly so the chickens enjoyed the cabbage more than we did. But we did get one head into the freezer and have been enjoying it this winter. Next year I’m putting them out much earlier in the spring and maybe I’ll try a fall planting as well to see how it goes. 

Next up Chamomile