🌱 Sowing & planting
Red cabbage ( Brassica oleracea capitata rubra ) is a classic from the cruciferous family. You can choose an early crop, an autumn crop or a storage crop.
- Sowing depth: approximately 1.25 cm.
- Sowing method: usually pre-sow in pots (± 8 cm), later plant out in the final location.
- Germination temperature: from 5 °C.
- Germination time: 🕒 10–20 days.
- Planting distance: 50–60 cm space around each plant.
- Growth cycle: average 175 days from sowing to harvest.
📅 Growing times throughout the year
- Early: sow under glass mid–late February; harvest from late June to mid-August.
- Autumn: sow under glass in late February–March; harvest from September to mid-November.
- Storage: Sow outdoors mid-March–end of April; harvest from end of October to end of November.
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
NOV DEC
🪟 Early
🪟 Autumn
Save
🪟 Under glass / greenhouse
Outside / open ground
Popular breeds
- Red head – suitable for early cultivation.
- Langedijker Bewaar 2 – ideal as autumn and storage cabbage.
Basic information about red cabbage
- Crop group: cabbage crops.
- Crop family: Cruciferous family.
- Height: 45–60 cm.
- Root system: up to about 30 cm deep.
- Frost resistance: moderate; red cabbage can tolerate some cold but is not a true winter cabbage.
- Fertilization: start with sufficient nitrogen (e.g. nettle manure, cow manure pellets); then switch to comfrey manure . Too much nitrogen produces a lot of leaves and little head.
- Soil: pH 6.0–7.5, good water retention and nutritious.
Location & water requirements
- Sun: ☀️ lots of sun; red cabbage likes an open, bright spot.
- Water: 💧💧💧 An evenly moist soil is important for firm heads.
Companion vegetables
✅ Good neighbors
- Geranium
- Dill
- Onions (leek, garlic)
- Beets
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Marigolds and other flowers such as nasturtium
- Rhubarb and aromatic herbs
❌ Bad neighbors
Dangers & Concerns
- Cabbage fly – preventable with cabbage collars and especially with fine insect screen .
- Cabbage white butterfly (caterpillars) – insect netting also works very well here.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
Early varieties are quick to harvest and can burst if you wait too long, so harvest them early. Late and storage varieties ripen in late summer and autumn when the growth rate is slower – You can leave these on the bed longer.
Nutritional value per 100 g (cooked, without salt)
- 29 kcal
- 0 g fat
- 7 g carbohydrates
- 2 g protein
- 3 g fiber
- 3 g sugar
- Vitamin B6, C and K
- Thiamine, selenium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, folic acid, potassium and manganese
