🥬 Cabbage

Cabbages are among the most dependable crops for UK gardens and, by choosing different types, you can pick them nearly all year round: spring cabbages, summer and autumn types, red cabbages, and frost-hardy Savoys for winter. A freshly cut head is sweeter and crisper than anything from a shop.

They are heavy feeders that like firm, fertile, limey soil, and they need protection from pigeons, butterflies and slugs. With netting and a little attention they are one of the most rewarding vegetables you can grow.

Varieties to try

Hispi (early pointed summer cabbage)Greyhound (small pointed heads, fast)Red Jewel (red cabbage)January King (hardy winter, purple-tinged)Ormskirk (traditional winter Savoy)

Sow in modules or seed trays from March to June, 1–2 cm deep, in a cool, bright place. Prick out into larger pots if needed, and plant out when the seedlings have 4–5 true leaves, usually five to six weeks after sowing. For spring cabbages, sow in July and August and plant out in autumn.

Choose a sunny site with firm, fertile, well-drained soil, dug over the previous autumn and limed if acidic. Plant seedlings 30–45 cm apart, setting them deeply up to their first leaves and firming the soil well with your heel. Water in thoroughly, and cover with netting.

Top tips

• Firm the soil before and after planting; loose soil gives loose heads.
• Plant deeply, up to the first true leaves.
• Lime acidic soil to guard against clubroot.
• Use a collar around each stem to deter cabbage root fly.

Water regularly, particularly in dry spells, and feed with a high-nitrogen fertiliser a few weeks after planting. Keep weeds down, hoeing carefully, and mulch to hold moisture. Pull a little soil around the stems to help stability in windy weather.

Protect plants with netting or fine mesh from the start against pigeons and cabbage white butterflies, whose caterpillars can strip a plant. Check the underside of leaves regularly for eggs. Clubroot, a soil disease, is the biggest threat; liming, good drainage and crop rotation help keep it away.

Top tips

• Net as soon as you plant to stop pigeons and butterflies.
• Squash yellow butterfly eggs on the undersides of leaves.
• Feed with nitrogen for leafy growth.
• Rotate brassicas on a four-year plan.

Watch out for

Cabbage white caterpillarsClubrootPigeonsCabbage root flySlugs

Cut cabbages when the heads are firm and have reached a good size, around 12–16 weeks after planting out. Squeeze a few; a solid head with a tight heart is ready. Cut at the base with a sharp knife on a dry day, leaving the stalk in the ground.

Cut a shallow cross in the top of the stump and you will often get a flush of small, tender loose-leaved ‘cabbage greens’ a few weeks later. Winter types stand in the ground through frost and are cut as needed. Do not let heads split, which happens after heavy rain.

Top tips

• Cut a cross in the stump to get a second flush.
• Harvest before heads crack after heavy rain.
• Cut winter cabbage as required.
• Clear old stumps at the end of the season to deter pests.

Shred raw cabbage into coleslaw, steam wedges lightly, stir-fry, braise with apples and spices, or turn it into sauerkraut. Savoys are lovely stuffed and baked, and red cabbage is a traditional winter side dish braised with vinegar and sugar. Avoid overcooking, which gives a strong smell and a limp texture.

Whole heads keep for two to three weeks in the fridge and for several weeks in a cool, frost-free shed hung in nets. Firm winter varieties such as white and red cabbage keep longest. Shredded cabbage can be blanched for a minute and frozen, or fermented into sauerkraut that will last for months.

Top tips

• Ferment shredded cabbage with salt for sauerkraut.
• Cook briefly so it keeps its texture and sweetness.
• Hang firm heads in nets in a cool shed.
• Add caraway seeds for traditional flavour.