🥕 Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata

vegetables brassica (cole crop)

☀️ Sun

Full sun (6–8 hours); tolerates partial shade

💧 Water

High; 1–1.5 inches per week; consistent moisture prevents splitting; reduce water slightly as heads mature

🗺️ Zones

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

🪴 Soil Type

Rich, well-drained, heavy loam with high organic matter; cabbage is a very heavy feeder

🧪 Soil pH

6.5–7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline); pH above 7.0 helps reduce clubroot

💧 Drainage

Moisture-retentive but well-drained; benefits from consistent moisture

📏 Spacing

12–24 inches apart depending on variety; rows 24–36 inches; larger heads need more space

📅 Days to Maturity

60-110 days (from transplant); 70-120 days from seed depending on variety

🍴 Edible Parts

🍽️ ["Heads (leaves)"🍽️ "Outer leaves (cook like collards)"🍽️ "Core (edible🍽️ often discarded)"]

🤝 Companions (8)

🤝 Dill

Attracts parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms and loopers; one of the most effective brassica companions

🤝 Rosemary

Strong scent repels cabbage moths and flea beetles; masks brassica odor

🤝 Sage

Repels cabbage moths and flea beetles; strong aromatic

🤝 Thyme

Repels cabbage worms; low-growing ground cover

🤝 Nasturtium

Trap crop — aphids and cabbage worms prefer nasturtiums; repels cabbage pests

🤝 Chamomile

Improves flavor; antifungal; attracts beneficial insects

🤝 Celery

Celery's strong scent repels cabbage white butterfly

🤝 Onion

Repels cabbage loopers and aphids; note: some sources say alliums may stunt cabbage (conflicting)

⚠️ Keep Apart (3)

⚠️ Tomato

Mutual antagonism — brassicas stunt tomato growth; tomatoes may inhibit cabbage

⚠️ Strawberry

Mutual stunting reported; incompatible

⚠️ Pole Bean

Beans may stunt cabbage; conflicting: some say nitrogen from beans helps

💊 Medicinal Uses

["Contains sulforaphane \u2014 anti-cancer compound; red cabbage has anthocyanins (antioxidants)", "High in vitamin C (especially raw/sauerkraut \u2014 fermentation increases bioavailability), vitamin K", "Traditional: cabbage leaf poultice for breast engorgement/mastitis (anti-inflammatory effect)", "Sauerkraut/kimchi: probiotic food supporting gut microbiome; vitamin B12 produced by fermentation"]

📝 Notes

Cabbage is the most widely grown brassica. Types: green, red/purple (extra antioxidants from anthocyanins), Savoy (crinkled leaves, most cold-hardy), Napa/Chinese (Brassica rapa — different species). Cabbage splitting is caused by uneven water uptake — twist the plant to break some roots when heads are mature to prevent this. Sauerkraut is one of the oldest preserved foods. Clubroot is the most serious disease — rotate brassicas on 4+ year cycle.