Cabbage is a vegetable that I grew up with, and this is because my parents planted and sold cabbage and used it voraciously in our salad and rice sauce. So when I grew up and became interested in gardening, cabbage became a major part of my garden.
Cabbage is a plant that does well when the soil is rich and well-drained, and it also performs well when properly spaced. If you want to grow big and strong cabbage plants, spacing must be done correctly. Read on to find out how to space your cabbage for maximum productivity.
Cabbage Spacing and Growing
Cabbage is a plant that can withstand frost except for spring frost. Injured plants produce undeveloped heads, poor-quality leaves, and low-quality products.
Depending on when you want to harvest the cabbage, it is important to concentrate on sowing the seeds at the right time. Mid-spring is when I start to download cabbage. Then, in late April, I plant autumn-winter varieties. The remaining days of summer are used to seed spring cabbages harvested the following year.
The typical plant row spacing for cabbage should be between 40 and 70 cm, and rows of cabbage should be spaced 60 to 90 cm apart. The plants’ heads get smaller the closer they are to one another, similar to what happens when you plant strawberries too close together.
Away from spacing, you can start your cabbage seeds indoors in seed beds or pots six to eight weeks before the last spring frost. Most of the time, a temperature range of 55 to 75 °F is ideal for growing cabbage. You must consistently water your plants until they have three to four leaves.
18 to 38 days after seeding, plants are suitable for transplanting. You can move plants to the desired area once they have three leaves and are 10–13 cm tall. To prevent plants from being suddenly exposed to harsh sunshine, you should transplant cabbage on a gloomy day. Regular watering is always essential, regardless of the growing techniques you use. When you are spacing others vegetables such as tomatoes, be careful of how you water them so as to prevent soaking them in water.
How To Grow and Space Cabbage On Raised Bed
If you want to produce cabbage from seeds, plant the seeds 12 inches deep in the raised bed’s soil. Avoid 12 to 18 inches should be available space. One cabbage should be planted in each square; however, this depends on your cultivating type.
Cabbage seedlings should be between four and six weeks old if you wish to transplant them. Transplanting should occur when there are 4–5 leaves on each seedling. Ensure that plants with slim or thick stems are planted deeply and sink the primary stem between the top two sets of leaves, 1 to 2 inches deep.
You can cover the raised bed’s soil with black plastic or garden cloth if you plant the seeds in the early spring. By doing so, the soil will be warmed and kept moist.
You must plant succession crops if you desire a constant harvest. It implies that you should simultaneously grow or sow seeds early and midseason types every two weeks.
Growing and Spacing Cabbage in Containers
If you do not have space in your garden or raised bed, you can plant your cabbage in a container. If you are planting your cabbage in a container, you must ensure that it is watered frequently yet moderately. Also, make sure that the container you choose has holes for drainage. Tomatoes and pepper are other vegetables that are well suited for a container garden.
Now, to the issue of spacing your cabbage in a container. Sow seeds 12 to 34 inches below the surface of the soil. Give each cabbage plant a minimum of 1 to 2 square feet. Remember that each plant has a potential spread of between 1.5 and 3 feet. Traditional cabbage should be planted with a spacing of between 9 and 16 inches between plants and approximately 24 inches between rows. Also, they can grow them in individual pots, making growing cabbage easier in winter.
Caring For Your Cabbage
Below are some ways you can care for your cabbage to ensure that they give you an optimal yield.
- Water Your Cabbage Regularly
Your cabbage plant should receive water at regular intervals. You see, uneven watering will cause your plants to have stunted or broken growth. Your cabbage plants require 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water every week. It would help if you also avoided overwatering because it will cause the cabbage heads to split.
- Feed Your Cabbage
It would help to fertilize your cabbage plants in the middle of the growing season. If you are in the fertilizer market, look for one with a high nitrogen content. The best fertilizer has a high nitrogen content, such as 10-5-5. You can also apply a diluted fish emulsion or seaweed solution on a Bi-weekly basis. Because cabbage consumes a lot of food, be sure, it has all the nutrients it needs.
- Keep an Eye on Your Cabbage Soil
It is important that the soil you use to fill your raised bed be nutrient-rich. You should also utilize soil that has been well-amended and well-drained and ensure that your soil contains all the necessary organic materials. Adding organic matter to your soil is one of the best ways to increase fertility.
Harvesting Cabbage
Did you know that cold weather can improve the taste of your cabbage? Also, cabbage is a vegetable that can withstand light cold temperatures so ensure that you harvest your cabbage before the temperature picks up.
You can harvest cabbage heads once you notice that they are well-formed and firm. The cabbage should be chopped with a sharp knife, and you should cut off the head of the plant high if you want a second crop. Also, when harvesting your cabbage, leave plenty of outer leaves. One way you can know that your cabbage is ready for harvest is by watching the size of the head. When the cabbage head reaches the size of a tennis ball, you can harvest it.
There is a technique called the cut-and-come again in harvesting cabbages. If you wish to apply the cut-and-come-again technique, take the older outer leaves and leave the plant’s centre; this will promote the development of new leaves. About a month after planting, the leaf cabbage can be harvested. The plant’s roots and stem can be cut off after harvesting is finished to protect your plant from soil-borne illness.