Description
Cabbage belong to the Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae), which is one of the most important families, for it includes the genus Brassica, the cabbage tribe. This contains a great variety of plants, most of which are very good to eat. They come in different colours. The Green Coronet is the varity released in Sri Lanka.
Planting requirements
Planting season:
Grows in cooler climate/mild climates. Heat tolerant varieties can be cultivated in dry zone;
- Up-country: Year-round
- Low-country: October to February
Planting conditions:
| Propagation | Transplant seedlings |
|---|---|
| Planting method | Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks and then transplant them in the garden when they are 3 to 4 inches (7-10cm) tall. Plant them about ½ inch deep spaced 1 inch (2.5cm) apart. Prepare the planting beds ahead of planting by covering beds with 2 to 3 inches (5-7cm) of aged compost and turning it under to 12 inches (30cm) deep |
| Soil | It requires a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Well-drained loamy soil with lots of organic matter. These plants are heavy feeders that require plenty of organic matter as well as plenty of nitrogen and lime. So mixing the soil with compost before planting is ideal |
| Water | Cabbage requires regular, even watering. Uneven watering can result in stunted or cracked heads |
| Light | Full sun to partial shade |
Growing conditions:
| Temperatures | Needs soil temperatures between 5°C and 18°C (41°F to 64°F) |
|---|---|
| Soil | Cabbages like deeply dug ground with plenty of humus worked into it |
| Water | Give 1 to 1½ inches of water every week. Always water at the base of the plant; avoid over-head watering which can spread disease |
| Pruning | Remove outer leaves as they become yellow or damaged to encourage inner leaf growth and prevent pests |
| Weed control | Keep the garden weed-free, especially during early stages of growth |
Harvesting
Can be harvested within 90-110 days after planting. Cut your cabbages at the top of the stem with a sharp knife. Remember to pull both the stem and the root from the ground.
Curing
Cabbage does not require curing.
Storage
Store cabbages in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, consider processing methods like pickling or dehydrating.
Protecting your plants
Pest control
Pest type:
- Diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella)
- Cabbage looper (Chrysodexis eriosoma)
- Tobacco cut worm (Spodoptera litura)
- Black cut worm (Agrotis spp)
- Root maggot (Delia spp)
- Aphids
- Slug and Snail
Symptoms:
- Diamond back moth: The small green larvae feed heavily on leaves, leaving only a thin layer, and in severe cases, they remove all leaf tissue except the veins, affecting cabbage head formation.
- Cabbage loopers: Holes in leaves; presence of greenish-brown caterpillars with a distinctive loop-like movement.
- Tobacco cut worm: Irregular holes on leaves.
- Black cut worm: The nocturnal larvae make holes in leaves early on, but later cut entire plants at the base during emergence, causing wilting during the day.
- Root maggot: Wilting leaves and plants shrivel, when pulled up, tiny root maggots can be seen on the roots.
- Aphids: They suck sap from the plant, causing leaf malformation and contamination of edible parts.
- Slug and Snail: Irregular holes in leaves.
Control method:
- Diamond back moth: Regular monitoring, crop rotation, and destruction of crop residues. Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides.
- Cabbage loopers: proper nursery management, regular field monitoring, crop rotation, and chemical control (as per local recommendations)
- Tobacco cut worm: Proper field sanitation, crop rotation, and protection of natural predators.
- Black cut worm: Regular monitoring, hand collection, weed management, deep plowing, and encouraging predatory birds.
- Root maggot: Field monitoring, crop rotation, yellow sticky traps, removal of infected plants, and proper compost application.
- Aphids: Visual monitoring, weed control, and protection of natural predators.
- Slug and Snail: Removal of debris, trapping and hand collection, and encouraging predatory birds.
Disease Control
Disease type:
- Cabbage club root disease
- Cercospora leaf spot
- Black rot
- Head rot
- Cabbage ring spot
- Downey mildew
Symptoms:
- Cabbage club root disease: Above Ground stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and wilting can be seeing during hot weather, with temporary recovery at night. Below ground roots become swollen and distorted into club-like shapes, leading to reduced water and nutrient absorption.
- Cercospora leaf spot: Circular, dark brown to gray spots with a purple border on leaves. These spots can cause premature leaf drop, affecting overall plant vigor and yield.
- Black rot: Yellow V-shaped lesions on leaf margins, wilting, and eventual necrosis of leaves. Affected plants may exhibit stunted growth and reduced yield.
- Head rot: Soft, water-soaked areas on the heads that can develop into a gray mold. Affected heads may become mushy and emit a foul odor.
- Cabbage ring spot: Dark green to black circular spots on leaves, often surrounded by yellow halos. This can lead to leaf drop and reduced photosynthesis
- Downey mildew: Yellow patches on the upper leaf surface with a downy white or gray growth on the underside. Affected leaves may die prematurely, impacting overall plant health
Management:
- Cabbage club root disease: Use disease-free planting materials, increase soil pH with lime, rotate crops with non-cruciferous plants, remove weed hosts, and use clean equipment.
- Cercospora leaf spot: Field sanitation
- Black rot: Use healthy seeds, maintain field sanitation and proper drainage, practice crop rotation, continuously monitor fields, and destroy infected plants.
- Head rot: Field sanitation
- Cabbage ring spot: Use healthy planting materials, ensure field sanitation, remove alternate host weeds, and maintain proper spacing to avoid overlapping of plants.
- Downey mildew: Maintaining field sanitation and weed control.
Sources
In addition to our General List of Sources (link), we used these specific references:
