topic Re: When do cabbages form tight heads? in Garden

When do cabbages form tight heads?

depglass — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 14:37:00 GMT

Need help from Garden Man or anyone who grows cabbages. I was looking at DH's garden yesterday and saw how big the cabbages were. I had him bring me one for coleslaw even though it seems early in the season. Well, that whole thing was all loose leaves. So I'm assuming somewhere down the line these things tighten up? I can use some leaves for boiled dinner, but not coleslaw.

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

BlueFinch — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 16:07:43 GMT

My dad grew cabbages. If I remember, I think weather conditions and time of planting can lead to cabbages not forming a tight head.

If your cabbages are large and still loose, it's not likely they will tighten up. It's called something I can't remember, but usually it means the cabbage is best for alternative recipes.

I'd check online for some of the gardening specialists advice.

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

Nightowlz — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:04:20 GMT

Far as I know it's more of a cool weather crop. Is it hot where you live? it grows better here in spring or fall but not in the summer when it's hot.

If it's not hot there it could be from soggy soil, cutworms, too much nitrogen etc.

Grows best in temps 55°-65°. Try again in the fall.

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

RedTop — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 20:44:26 GMT

It depends on what type of cabbage he planted. Not all cabbage forms a tight core. When I grew cabbage, I poured salt water on the plants twice a week to keep cabbage moths/worms away, and help set the heads (according to my farm grandpa).

I worked up a HUGE head of White Dutch cabbage this weekend that was so big it set perfectly in my 20 cup Tupperware bowl. It's the first great tasting cabbage I've had in a very long time, and made the best slaw, but the inside was pretty loose.

I used my electric chopper to make the slaw, and cut the rest of the cabbage to fit into ziplock bags to use for fried cabbage or more slaw in the next week or so.

White Dutch is the best cabbage to use for cabbage rolls, due to the strong, large leaves. You can freeze the leaves now, to make cabbage rolls later.

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

CritterKeeper — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 12:00:50 GMT

@RedTop

Salt water?.....interesting. Just plain ol' table salt? I will have to try this. We usually have cabbage worms that like to dine on our goodies. Thanks for the tip!

Now, if I could just figure out what is eating/laying eggs in my peaches!

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

gardenman — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 12:28:26 GMT

Some BT is best for cabbage worms. It's an alkaline-loving bacteria that grows rapidly in the guts of caterpillars (who use alkali instead of acid in their stomachs) and kills them while being harmless to pretty much everything else. I use it on my corn also. No worm/caterpillar issues when I use it.

As to why the heads aren't forming, there are lots of options. It could be a type of cabbage that just doesn't form tight heads. It could be too soon. They tend to form heads right at the end of their life cycle. It could be too hot, too cold, not enough water, too much water, club root, overcrowding, and more.

I haven't grown a lot of cabbage and it's been probably twenty years since I did (it's a cheap thing to buy in grocery stores so I devote my garden space to other things) but I never had an issue with heads not forming if I gave them enough time. As long as the cabbage isn't bolting (putting up a flower stem) it'll probably form a head in time. (Assuming it's a cabbage that forms a tight head.)

Patience is the key for a gardener. For example, I knew I was about a week too early for my next crop of corn, but one ear looked ready to harvest (dark silks, felt fully filled out) and I'd been watching it for the last couple of days, so I pulled it today. Nope. Not ready yet. It still needed another week or so. I got impatient. Oh well, those things happen.

Re: When do cabbages form tight heads?

RedTop — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:33:48 GMT

@CritterKeeper

Yes, plain table salt, and make it strong.