Cabbage ?

[dipence71]

Sorry if this is a stupid question...but...Do cabbage only produce one head and are done? Or Do they produce more than one head over time? New to cabbage and picked one today and threw the rest of the plant to the chickens only to find a baby head on the plant. So I was just wondering

 

[Ridgerunner]

They will make baby heads. I've never had any get big enough to be useful. It might help to remove all but one. Someone else may have a different experience, but the worms or the heat always take over on mine so I normally remove them when I harvest the head. I don't want the worms maturing on there and reproducing.

I have chickens for the first time this year, so I have been cutting off a few of the leaves each day of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower to feed to them instead of giving them all of what is left at one time. I may find out how big those baby heads get.

 

[me&thegals]

If you cut off the cabbage as usual, and then cut a large X across the remaining stump, 1 mini cabbage will grow from each quadrant. I tried this last year and it worked The mini cabbages are small enough to easily fit in your palm, but they're still nice! Of course, if you don't have much room in your garden, you may not want to give the cabbages that much space and time and simply pull out and get another crop in...

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

So I'm good with pulling the plant and being done with it. My question is - how do you get cabbage seeds? How long does it take? Do they bolt like lettuce and cauliflower?

 

[dipence71]

ok Thanks for all your help. I will try the x thing in the next one. This one I ended up pulling out (by mistake) as I can't use my left arm as well and it was a hassle at the least. LOL. But after I heal up some more I will try again ......

 

[davaroo]

So I'm good with pulling the plant and being done with it. My question is - how do you get cabbage seeds? How long does it take? Do they bolt like lettuce and cauliflower?

Cabbage is biennial, (taking 2 seasons to produce seed), being part of the large family Brassicae spp. This big family, the Brassica's, consists of many species, including rutabaga/turnips, broccoli, cabbages of all kinds, kale, Brussels Sprouts and most of the mustards, to name but a few.

Most brassicas require a cold treatment (vernalization) in order to flower. After first year production, cabbage plants should be dug up and overwintered in a root cellar with the roots buried in sawdust or sand. This means it grows this year, over-winters and then seeds next spring.

 

[digitS']

I once tried to keep cabbage in what was apparently a too warm cellar. Before I could use them all, some sent up huge flower stalks ! It was kind of incredible . . .

I've never heard of the x'ing. Some of my early cabbage may be left after harvesting the heads. The side shoots that grow are loose leaves but they make tasty greens during the heat of summer when there aren't much of this sort of thing.

I think I'll try the x-ing . . .

Steve

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

So I'm good with pulling the plant and being done with it. My question is - how do you get cabbage seeds? How long does it take? Do they bolt like lettuce and cauliflower?

Cabbage is biennial, (taking 2 seasons to produce seed), being part of the large family Brassicae spp. This big family, the Brassica's, consists of many species, including rutabaga/turnips, broccoli, cabbages of all kinds, kale, Brussels Sprouts and most of the mustards, to name but a few.

Most brassicas require a cold treatment (vernalization) in order to flower. After first year production, cabbage plants should be dug up and overwintered in a root cellar with the roots buried in sawdust or sand. This means it grows this year, over-winters and then seeds next spring.

So if I don't have a root cellar then I can forget about it? We very seldom get a lot below freezing here - could I leave them in the ground or will a freeze kill them? Do I go ahead and harvest the cabbage head the first year then the following year I can get seeds?

I think I'll try the x-ing . . .

x-ing?

 

[davaroo]

So if I don't have a root cellar then I can forget about it? We very seldom get a lot below freezing here - could I leave them in the ground or will a freeze kill them? Do I go ahead and harvest the cabbage head the first year then the following year I can get seeds?

You could try mounding straw around the stem, once you've removed the head. Select an early (short-term) variety and time their maturity with the first frosts in your locale. Invariably this means planting in mid-late summer.
CAUTION - Too early and the heat of summer may cause them to stay loose headed.

Then, after the first frosts hit, remove the head and cover the stems with a 4"-6" heap of clean straw, leaves, etc. to insulate them. This is similar to the English practice of "clamping," which is a way to store root vegetables outside in winter.

Then in the early spring, remove the straw "blanket" and allow them cabbages to grow normally. They should then go to seed as summer approches, the second year.

X'ing?

Look up-thread, its explained there.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

Hey, very cool info! I had planned on starting some cool-weather crops (cabbage was included) in late August since our growing season is exceptionally long here. So I will just cut the heads off, leave the plants then hopefully I will have my seeds next year. But I am understanding I won't have my own seeds to grow from until late summer, correct?