How To Grow Cabbage

Garden Notes

Vegetable garden "real estate" is about to open up as Island garlic crops near harvest. In my garden, eight rows of hardneck garlic take up about one-tenth of the garden space. The plants' foliage has begun to yellow, in the wake of having their emerging scapes removed about two weeks ago. (After digging, the garlic plants are cured in a cool, airy space.)

I have already inserted some cabbage transplants between the rows of still-standing garlic. Cabbages need 24 to 30 inches of space around them to develop. There is room for rows of another crop: carrots, turnips, more beans, radicchio, broccoli, more kale — anything I would want to have as fall crops.

Most of these second-season crops should be seeded by mid-July to reach successful harvest. Other good succession crops are salad greens, Asian greens, beets, spinach, bush beans, sugar snap (mange-tout) peas, and summer squash, keeping in mind heat conditions.

Start weekly application of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on Brassicas. It controls the caterpillars that blight this group, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi, Asian greens, and Brussels sprouts. Cucurbits are attracting squash bugs and striped cucumber beetles. These and squash-vine borers are very difficult to control. If you are deft, hand-picking in the cool of morning or evening, when insects are sluggish, is one means.

Continue to deadhead and deadleaf in the ornamental garden, and keep after weeds while they are small.

Roses, roses, roses

June roses have been exploding in wonderful abundance, and July looks set to be show time for the ramblers. Rosa rugosa, also called beach rose, has been, along with all the rest, in splendid bloom. Its scent on the fresh Island air, along with that of its less welcome, invasive cousin, R. multiflora, is a delight. Welcome to summer!

Rose sawfly larvae, skeletonizers of rose plant leaves, seem to have emerged later and had less impact on plants' vitality and bloom quality. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is ineffective against these caterpillar look-alikes because they are not Lepidopteran caterpillars but Hymenopteran larvae of non-stinging wasps. Japanese and oriental beetles have yet to make much impact. However, insecticidal soap, neem oil sprays, and horticultural oil all seem to give roses and foliage protection from these pests. Apply early or late in the day to avoid foliar damage.

Clean up rose petal drop where practical, to reduce the numbers of earwigs, sow bugs, and other such insects that find cover in the debris. Fertilize after bloom flush is past. I use two cups of low-number organic fertilizer — "soil food" — scratched in lightly per rose. Foliar feed and fungicide applications are made with tank or hose-end sprayers. In addition to fertilizing, deadheading roses encourages formation of more flower buds. With climbing roses, such as New Dawn, cut back laterals to about 12 inches.

How to Grow Cabbage In a Garden

The first step in growing cabbage is to start the seeds indoors where they can stay safe until they start to mature. Be sure to use fertilized and moist soil so your seeds can start growing successfully. When planting them indoors you can place some soil in a cup and place the seed about 1/4 of an inch deep.

Next, when growing cabbage in your garden you will want to decide where you are going to plant it. Amateur gardeners believe that you can plant cabbage anywhere and it will grow. However, experts know that cabbage grows best when planted with certain herbs like rosemary, dill, garlic and chamomile. It is also important to plant them in an area that will receive full sun. You can begin to plant the seeds 8 weeks before the last frost of the season usually takes place.

Once you have chosen the area where you are going to plant the vegetable, you can start digging down about 1/2 inch to a 1 inch deep. Be certain to plant the seed and the sprouts along with the soil that the roots have already attached to. Since cabbage grows fairly large, you will want to space them out about two feet apart. Keeping them in a straight line is helpful to keep your garden looking neat.

Maintain your cabbage by watering it often. It is important to keep the soil damp so it grows properly. When the soil becomes to dry it could cause the cabbage leaves to wilt. You may want to use covers to prevent cabbage worms from entering the area. Moths can also lay eggs on the cabbage which will cause damage to your vegetable.

Lastly, pick your cabbage when it is firm to the touch. You will know if you harvest them too early because the cabbage will be soft. If they are over mature the cabbage may split down the middle.

Growing cabbage in a garden is very easy as long as you follow the steps correctly. There are many different recipes you can use that go great with your cabbage. Cabbage soup and rolls taste amazing and are extremely healthy. Corned beef and cabbage is another good recipe that your family may enjoy.

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