Overview

When it comes to diversity in the plant kingdom, cabbage is king, sporting multiple varieties that vary in shape, color, and size. Most types of cabbage, particularly grocery store varieties, are purple, green, or white in color with smooth or crinkly leaves and can be anywhere between 1 to 5 lbs. As a member of the brassica family, cabbage will do best in more moderate temperatures and rich, loamy soil.

The January King is a truly regal varietal of cabbage with a green head and lovely purple surrounding leaves that make it a great ornamental as well as edible type. Plant your January King crop in late fall for an early spring harvest in mild climates or sow in the spring for a hearty, late fall crop in areas with harsh winters. Don’t worry if you end up experiencing some unseasonably cool weather while your plants are in the ground since frosts improve your cabbage’s flavor.

  • Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
  • Plant Type: Vegetable
  • Variety: January King
  • Growth Cycle: Annual Biennial
  • Season(s): Spring Fall Winter
  • Climate Zone(s): 1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
  • Light: Full Sun
  • Soil Type(s): Clay Loamy Sandy
  • Yield: 4–5 lbs per plant
  • Garden Dimensions: 1.5 square feet per plant
  • Germination: 7–12 days
  • Maturity: 160–210 days
  • Harvest: 160–250 days

Cultivation

Propagation

Seed:
Seed Depth: 1/4″
Space Between Plants: 6–8″
Space Between Rows: 20″
Germination Soil Temperature: 40–85°F
Days for Germination: 7–12
Sow Indoors: 4–6 weeks before last frost in preparation for transplanting in early spring.
Sow Outdoors: 4–6 weeks before last frost, or 3–4 months before first frost. In mild climate zones, plant outdoors whenever soil can be worked.

Vegetative: While growing from seed is generally an easier way to plant cabbage, it can also be grown from cuttings of the root stock. After harvesting the cabbage, dig up the roots and place in a shallow bowl of water in a sunny location. Once new leaves start to appear, replant your root stock.

Climate

For best results, plant in early spring. You can also get a fall crop when starting seeds in late summer. Like most other greens, leaves can become bitter in warm weather, so grow in fall and winter if your garden is located in Zone 9 or above.

Light

Natural: Full sun.

Artificial: Use fluorescent or LED lamps to reduce the effects of emitted heat. We also recommend installing a fan to encourage air flow between the tight leaves of the cabbage.

Growing Media

Soil: Prefers sandy, loamy soil with a neutral pH. Enrich soil before planting with mature humus compost and till to be sure that soil will drain well. Although some varieties will tolerate heavier clay soils, their yield and flavor will decrease.

Soilless: Germinate seeds in a soilless mix.

Hydroponics: Can thrive in a media-based system with clay pellets, using net pots, or with the floating raft technique. However, this is not recommended for the inexperienced hydroponic grower.

Care

Water: Prefers moderate to high levels of water. Keep soil moist but not soggy by watering regularly, 1–2 times per week.

Nutrients: A low maintenance plant, this cabbage should be fine with a singular application of compost to the soil when planting.

Foliar: Will generate larger, firmer heads when given a foliar treatment rich in nitrogen such as fish emulsion a week prior to being transplanted, as well as a week following transplanting.

Mulching: Mulch to keep weed growth to a minimum and retain moisture.

Troubleshooting

Pest(s):

  • Aphids
  • Cabbage maggot
  • Cabbage worms
  • Crickets
  • Cutworms
  • Flea beetles
  • Snails
  • Slugs
  • Thrips
  • Whiteflies

Disease(s):

  • Anthracnose
  • Black blight
  • Clubroot
  • Downy mildew
  • Fusarium wilt
  • Verticillium wilt

Deficiency(s): Soils that are too alkaline can lock nutrients into an unusable form, so check soil pH if deficiencies arise.

Rotation and Companion Plants

Rotation: Remove all leftover plant parts and rotate cabbage family plants every year. Planting cabbage in the same location can encourage diseases to proliferate.

Companions: Grows well with basil, wormwood, rosemary, members of the onion family, nasturtium, lettuce, marigold, dill, garlic, sage, as well as many herbs that exhibit pesticide abilities. Avoid planting with strawberry, grapes, and bush/pole beans.

Harvest and Storage

Harvest: Feeling the firmness of the cabbage is essential to a good harvest, so gently squeeze the head to confirm maturity. Heads will be ripe about 120 days after planting. To harvest, cut from the stem with a sharp knife. Remove entire plant and root system from the soil to prevent disease buildup.

Storage: Eat or refrigerate immediately. Cabbage that is refrigerated can last anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months depending on it’s freshness and the amount of humidity in your crisper drawer.

Other Info

Fun Fact: When travel and exploration took place on the high seas, many sailors would suffer from the affliction known as scurvy. This malady, which causes fatigue, loss of teeth, fever, hemorrhaging, and even death, was caused by a vitamin C deficiency due to extremely limited diets and a lack of fresh foods. In order to remedy this issue, governments started seeking foods that would keep sailors healthy, and while citrus seemed to do the trick, the problem of spoilage still remained. That’s when cabbage came to the rescue! Raw cabbage possesses very small amounts of vitamin C; however, when fermented (or turned into sauerkraut), the amount of vitamin C increases to levels that prevent this affliction.

Consumption

Preserve and Prepare

Preserve: Sauerkraut and kimchi, or lacto-fermented cabbage, are easy and tasty ways to preserve extra cabbage that cannot be immediately used or eaten.

Prepare: Cabbage leaves can be eaten raw in salads or slaws, cooked as a side dish, or incorporated into soups or stews. Alternately, use large leaves as low-calorie replacements for tortillas and veggie burger buns!

Benefits

Nutritional: Provides fiber and vitamin(s) K and C. Cabbage is an extremely low-calorie veggie: 1 cup contains only 15 calories!

Medicinal: Cabbage contains various phyto-chemicals which are being studied for DNA repair as well as their action against colorectal cancers. The ancient Greeks used cabbage juice as an antidote for mushroom poisoning and laxative. Poultices of cabbage juice have been used to treat warts, boils, and ulcers.

Culinary

Even though you may not be suffering from scurvy, you’ll still enjoy this Mason Jar Sauerkraut.

Resources

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