Michigan | Seriously - when you transplant them - cap them and keep them far apart - keep the soil moist but well drained and treat for insects and other diseases - powdery mildew (locally). Incorporating some manure in the soil before transplanting and fertilizing regulary will help. Keeping the plants cool and giving them a lot of sunshine/artificial light will grow the largest cabbage. The biggest problem you will probably have is the heat in the summer where you are located - if you put them outside. Here are some quick tips on growing cabbage. Space plants 15 to 18 inches apart in the row depending upon the variety and the size of head needed. Plant spacing affects head size – the closer the spacing, the smaller the heads. Many growers have discovered that two rows can be planted 12 inches apart on a bed if the plants are staggered on the bed. Early varieties are usually planted 9 to 12 inches apart; late varieties are planted 15 to 18 inches apart within rows. Early varieties produce one- to three-pound heads, and late varieties produce four- to eight-pound heads. Sow cabbage seed 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep. Keep the seed moist, and thin or transplant the seedlings to the desired spacing. The removed plants may be transplanted to another row. Care When transplanting, use 8 ounces per plant of a starter fertilizer solution (1 tablespoon of 20-20-20 per gallon of water). Later, side-dress the plants with a nitrogen fertilizer (10-20-10 or 13-13-13) when they are half grown. On sandy soils or after periods of excessive rain, fertilize every three weeks. Use shallow cultivation and mulches to control weeds. Ample soil moisture is necessary to produce good cabbage. Irrigation is especially important in a fall planting for starting the plants and developing the heads. Insects Aphids – Apply a suggested insecticide before cabbage begins to head. Flea beetles – Apply a suggested insecticide. Cabbage worms – Three species of cabbage worms (imported cabbage worm, cabbage looper and diamondback worm) commonly attack the leaves and heads of cabbage and related cole crops in Arkansas. Imported cabbage worms are velvety green caterpillars. The cabbage looper crawls by doubling up (to form a loop) and then moves the front of its body forward. The moth is brown and is most active at night. Diamondback worms are small, pale green caterpillars that are pointed on both ends. The moth is gray with diamond-shaped markings when the wings are closed. Larval or worm stages of these insects cause damage by eating holes in leaves and cabbage heads. The adult moths or butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves but otherwise do not cause damage to the plant. The worms are not easy to see because they are very small and blend in with the cabbage leaves. Cabbage worms are quite destructive and can ruin a crop if not controlled. They are more destructive in fall gardens than in spring gardens. Loopers, a severe pest of cabbage, are easy to control using the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.). This material gives excellent control of worms and can be used with complete safety around the home garden. It is sold under many trade names such as Thuricide, Dipel and B.t. Be sure to use one to two drops of a liquid detergent per gallon of spray mixed to ensure complete wetting of the waxy leaf surface. Protect your plants with suggested biological or chemical insecticides from the time they are transplanted until harvest. diseases – clubroot, yellows or fusarium wilt, blackleg or black rot, downy mildew insects – cabbage root maggots, cutworms, imported cabbage worms, cabbage looper worms, flea beetles, aphids cultural – head cracking or splitting (excessive water uptake and growth near maturity, root prune with spade or trowel or twist stalk to break some roots and reduce water uptake) Frequently Asked Questions Q. What can I do to prevent my cabbage heads from splitting? A. Splitting is caused by the pressure of excessive water taken up after the heads are solid. Cutting the roots or breaking the roots often reduces excessive splitting or bursting. Q. What causes cabbage to develop seed stalks instead of solid heads? A. Cabbage plants "bolt" (form premature seed stalks) when started too early and exposed to low temperatures (35 to 45 degrees F) for extended periods. Q. What causes cabbage heads to be loose and puffy instead of firm and hard? A. Some varieties of cabbage just produce a looser, less dense head than others. This condition is generally associated with improper growing conditions. Cabbage grows best when planted in time to head while daytime temperatures are under 80 degrees F. Overfertilization, improper water conditions and heat can cause loose, puffy heads. Q. I often have trouble getting my cabbage to form a head. What is wrong? A. Cabbage and all members of the cabbage family, such as cauliflower and broccoli, require cool temperatures, adequate moisture and high fertility to produce high yields of quality produce. Any condition that results in stunting or stress on the plants during the growing period can result in some degree of crop failure. Q. What is savoy cabbage? A. Savoy cabbage is a crinkled or crumpled leaf variety. It is cultivated and harvested the same as common types of cabbage. It is commonly used fresh in salads or coleslaw. Q. What causes the dark or black areas on the margins of the leaves inside cabbage heads? A. The description is similar to internal tip burn. Tip burn has been related to low soil moisture, high fertility and calcium deficiency. To avoid this problem, maintain adequate fertility, especially during formation of the cabbage head, and avoid excessive fertilization near maturity. Have a soil test completed for the garden and check the soil pH. The minimum soil pH for cabbage is 6.0. Q. What are these inch worms that are literally destroying my cabbage? A. Cabbage and related vegetable crops are bothered by many different types of worms; chances are these are cabbage loopers. Loopers, a severe pest of cabbage, are easy to control using the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.). This material gives excellent control of worms and can be used with complete safety around the home. It is sold under many trade names such as Thuricide, Dipel and B.t. Be sure to use one to two drops of a liquid detergent per gallon of spray mixed to ensure complete wetting of the waxy leaf surface. This is a well-established method of "organic" vegetable production. Q. Could you please tell me how to control the green velvety worms that get in my cabbage? A. These may be imported cabbage worms or perhaps head worms. Whatever the type of worm, satisfactory control can be obtained using a product containing Bacillus thuringiensis. This is a biological insecticide that gives excellent control for most types of worms. For this material to be effective, it must be applied when the worms are very small because the worm kill is not immediate. This is a safe insecticide that can be used to control most types of worms on most commonly grown garden vegetables. Use one to two drops of a liquid detergent per gallon of spray mixed to ensure complete wetting of the waxy leaf surface. Use approved insecticides only as directed by the label. |
Any Cabbage Farmers here?
