Cabbage farming guide

  -Cabbage seeds take four to 10 days to germinate
and if grown in a seedbed, they should be
transplanted after five to seven weeks. They,
thereafter, take 80 days to mature and harvest.

-Cabbage also needs well-aerated soil, so loosen
the soil regularly and apply mulch. A thick mulch
layer of 15 to 20cm deep will help to keep the
soil moist and cool. Shortly before head
formation, heap up the soil around the root or
stem area.

Cabbage

-Cabbage has high water needs, which peak after they start forming heads. Therefore, the crop is
best grown under irrigation to ensure steady water supply.

There are three varieties of cabbages in the
country namely smooth-leafed green, smooth-
leafed red, and crinkled-leafed green, also
known as savoy cabbage.

Cabbage grows well in full sun, but being a
cool-weather crop, it can tolerate some shade
during the day. It especially likes cool nights
with morning dew.

In highland areas,
-cabbage can be grown all-year round by
successive sowing after every two months. 

-You can also plan your planting cycle in a
way that uses the cooler months for growing.

-Also, avoid planting that will see the crop
mature in hot, dry January weather.

-You can sow cabbage directly in situ or grow
seedlings in a separate seedbed and then
transplant.

Served cabbage and garlic

GERMINATION
-Cabbage seeds take four to 10 days to
germinate and if grown in a seedbed, they
should be transplanted after five to seven
weeks. They, thereafter, take 80 days to
mature and harvest.

-So, for a July or August harvest, you should
plant your seedlings in March or April. But
you can also plant them on any four-month
cycle as long as you avoid sowing in October
or November if you are in a hotter area.

-The recommended spacing is 50 by 50cm to
70 by 70cm for larger varieties. In a square-
foot planting system, plant a single cabbage
per square foot.

-The crop is what we call a “heavy feeder”.
Cabbage needs adequate nutrition to grow
those heavy heads.

-Therefore, it is preferably grown in soils with
some clay content, but the soil also needs to
be deep and rich in organic matter with a
high water retention capacity.

-This is the ability of the soil to hold rain or irrigation
water for longer periods.

-To achieve this, loosen the soil deeply before
planting and dig in 12 to 20 tonnes of high
quality compost per acre six weeks before
planting.

-Cabbage also needs well-aerated soil, so
loosen the soil regularly and apply mulch. A
thick mulch layer of 15 to 20cm deep will
help to keep the soil moist and cool.

-Shortly before head formation, heap up the soil
around the root or stem area. This will
increase root and plant growth.

SOIL TEST
-I strongly recommend that you have your soil
tested before you plant. A soil test will give
you all the necessary information you need
for successful and sustainable fertility
management.

-Cabbage needs a pH of 6 to 7. In case the pH
of your field is lower, the recommendation
that comes with the soil test will advise you
on the amount of lime you need to
incorporate prior to planting.

-Lime should be applied three to six months before planting.
-So do your soil tests early and regularly.

-The soil test will also give you a recommendation on the kind and amount of
fertiliser you should apply.

NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS
Generally, cabbage needs the following
nutrient requirements: 93kg nitrogen, 20kg
phosphorus and 20kg potassium.

-If you do not know what the fertility status of your soil
actually is, feeding these amounts of fertiliser
might create or worsen nutrient imbalances
in your soil.

-That is why soil testing is key to successful
fertiliser application and, thus, farming.
-It is worth noting that adequate compost
manure application will offer 36kg of
nitrogen, plus the nutrients from phosphorus
and potassium.

-Fertiliser applications should be split into
two; at planting and top dressing or even into
three after every six weeks.

-Application of homemade liquid fertiliser made from
comfrey leaves at transplanting and when the
heads begin to form will give the crop an
extra boost.

-Cabbage has high water needs, which peak
after they start forming heads. Therefore, the
crop is best grown under irrigation to ensure
steady water supply.

-If the soil dries out and then a high amount of
water is given suddenly, the heads tend to crack.

HARVESTING
-Harvest during cool morning hours to avoid
cracking of the heads.

-Check for caterpillars and aphids regularly
and dust your cabbages with wood ash from
the start to avoid the pests.

-Cold season planting minimises caterpillar
infestation. Also, keep the soil moist or
mulched to avoid flee beetle damage. Aphid
infestation is a sign of heat or water stress
and inadequate nutrient supply.

-Typical cabbage diseases are black leg, black
rot or leaf blight, club root, damping off and
stem rot. If your cabbages have had problems
in the past, look for disease-resistant
cultivars.

-To avoid soil-borne diseases, don’t plant
cabbage-family plants (Brussels sprouts, kale,
cauliflower and broccoli) in the same area
more than once every three years.

-Plant cabbage after beans and follow with maize
and or potatoes.

Lastly, for better growth, don’t plant cabbage
near capsicum, chilli, eggplant, garlic, lettuce,
maize, mustard, radish or strawberries.

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