Cabbage is a versatile and easy-to-grow crop that can be cultivated throughout the year. With multiple varieties available, it adds both colour and nutrition to your meals. A member of the Brassica family, cabbage comes in many varieties - including red and white (technically green).
Cabbages are named based on when they are harvested and not sown. Depending on which time of the year you are growing cabbage, it can be broadly classified into four categories- spring, summer, autumn and winter. If you’ve previously grown cauliflower or broccoli in your garden, then growing cabbage will be fairly simple, as they all belong to the same family.
If this is your first time growing cabbage in the UK, then the Allotment Online community can be a huge help. Read our guide on how to grow cabbage in your garden and get started today!
Growing Cabbage in the UK: Choosing the Right Variant & Weather
When you plan to grow cabbage in your allotment, you’ll first have to decide which variant you want to plant and when. Here’s a quick look at the four main types of cabbage:
Choose when to plant cabbage depending on the variety you enjoy the most.
How to Grow Cabbage
Cabbage is grown from seeds found at local nurseries and garden centres. Summer cabbage can be sown in February-March, winter cabbage in April-May, and spring cabbage to be sown July-August. You can sow them in seed trays to be transferred later, although cabbage tends to do better when sown directly.
Pro tip: Rotate your crops! Avoid planting cabbages in the same spot where you previously grew other brassicas to reduce the risk of disease.
Early sowing for summer cabbage should be in cloches/under fleece cover. Seeds sown inside can be re-potted and hardened off before being planted into their final spot. It is worth sowing a few surplus cabbage plants for any that fail; however, know that they take up a lot of space and tend to be ready all at once. Preempt this by thinning them out if need be.
Prepare the soil before growing cabbages in it. Remove weeds and shuffle the soil, so it is firm yet loose. Check if your soil tends to cause club roots (if you’ve seen previous instances of brassica family plants forming clubbed roots) and balance its acidity to make it as nourishing as possible.
When you finally plant cabbages in their soil bed, space them out approximately 15 inches apart. Water the hole thoroughly before planting and ensure that the bottom leaves are just above soil level.
During the hotter months, you can add a layer of mulch to the soil to allow water retention. Cabbage likes a sunny position in firm soil. Once you have planted them out, you can flatten down the soil bed with your heels. Water generously during dry spells, and use a nitrogen-rich feed, especially for summer and winter cabbage varieties.
When growing cabbage, protect it from pests such as snails, caterpillars, cabbage root flies and pigeons using mesh or fine netting.
How to Harvest Cabbage
The obvious next question you may have is when to pick cabbage?
Your harvest time depends on when you sowed your crop. Essentially, when your cabbage plant has developed a firm head and has grown to your preferred size, it is ready. Cut the cabbage off at the stem just above the soil and remove the outer leaves, and it's ready to be used in your next meal.
You can even encourage a second, smaller head to grow by cutting a deep cross in the stem of spring and summer varieties.
Enjoy cabbage fresh in salads and coleslaw, or cook it into stir-fries, soups, and more. It is best to remove a few outer layers of cabbage and use only the dense head for consumption. Consume your cabbages fresh though they can be stored in the freezer for a few days or as sauerkraut or kimchi.
It is best stored in a cool place, but it can be blanched and frozen. When it has cooled, chop it up and lay it flat in an airtight freezer bag and use it as per your convenience.
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