Cabbage
Some hybrid types, e.g. Superette, are
quick maturing and offer continuous cropping. They produce sill cabbage
within about 8 weeks from transplanting while those that were not
transplanted gain size over the next month or so. Other popular
quick-maturing types, e.g. Sugarloaf, may be planted in small batches 3
or 4 weeks apart to give continuity.
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Requirements to Grow Cabbage
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Cabbages need a well-drained and
preferably limey soil and if possible a full day's sunlight.
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Planting time for Growing Cabbage
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Many of the hybrid cabbages such as
Ballhead and Superette can be sown throughout the year in mild
districts. However, the main sowing times for most varieties are in
temperate districts from August through to May, in cold districts from
August to April and in tropical regions from March to July. If the
older Drumhead or Ballhead types are exposed to frosty winters,
particularly when the plants are in the half-grown stage, they will run
to seed as soon as the warm weather occurs. This applies less to
conical or Sugarloaf types such as Enfield Market, Eastham, Irish, etc.
which in cooler districts are known as 'springheading' or
'spring-maturing' types.
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Long-maturing types such as Savoy and
Drumhead which are mainly grown for winter maturity are sown during
November or December for planting out in late January and February.
This applies particularly in the cooler districts where they need to
make the most of their growth before winter.
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Cultivation for Cabbage
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Soils that are known to be acid and have
not been limed during the past season will benefit from the addition of
about a quarter-cup of garden lime or dolomite per sq. m. Also add
plant food or a shovel of dried poultry manure to the same area. A
bucketful per sq. m of well-rotted compost is also beneficial
especially in very sandy or clay soils. Dig this in with the lime and
fertilizer if most of it is well decomposed or otherwise use as a
surface mulch after planting.
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In sandy soils particularly it is an
advantage to give very light sprinklings (say 1 level dessertspoon per
sq. m) of complete plant food every 4-6 weeks and in all cases water
when the surface soil dries out. When plants are starting to form
hearts, give fortnightly watering with either liquid animal manure or
any of the complete soluble plant foods.
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Special Problem
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Slugs, snails and the caterpillars of
white cabbage moths can devastate the foliage of cabbages. Make regular
use of snail baits or spray and applications of cabbage dust which will
also control grey aphids. Club root — a fungus disease causing
distorted knobby roots — may occur in some areas. This disease is
unusual in limey prepared soils as suggested but where it has
previously been a problem it is advisable to apply burnt limestone
(quicklime) or hydrated lime 5-6 weeks prior to planting out.
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Browning and shriveling of the leaf
margin indicates a deficiency in potash. This is more likely to occur
in sandy soils where complete plant foods have not been used, in
un-limed acid soils or occasionally where prolonged rainfall followed
heavy liming which had increased the solubility of potash, and made it
more readily leached from the soil. Correct by scattering about 1 level
tablespoon per sq. m of sulphate of potash or muriate of potash around
the plant and water in well.
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