🌱 Sowing & planting
White cabbage ( Brassica oleracea capitata alba ) is a sturdy cabbage from the cruciferous family. You can choose between an autumn crop or a storage crop.
- Sowing depth: approximately 1.25 cm.
- Sowing method: usually sow in 8cm pots with two seeds in the middle; keep the best plant.
- Germination temperature: from 5 °C.
- Germination time: 🕒 5–10 days.
- Planting distance: approximately 60 cm around each plant.
- Growth cycle: average 175 days from sowing to harvest.
📅 Growing times throughout the year
- Autumn cultivation: sow under glass in late February–March; harvest from September to early November.
- Storage: sow outdoors mid-March–April; harvest from late October to November.
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
NOV DEC
🪟 Autumn cultivation
Storage cultivation
🪟 Under glass / greenhouse
Outside / open ground
Popular breeds
- Pointed Cabbage Express – early, pointed cabbage suitable for autumn cultivation.
- Glory of Enkhuizen – classic storage variety.
- Langedijker Bewaar – sturdy storage cabbage for late harvest.
Basic information about white cabbage
- Crop group: cabbage crops.
- Crop family: Cruciferous family.
- Height: 45–60 cm.
- Root system: approximately 30 cm deep.
- Frost resistance: no; white cabbage can tolerate some cold but is not a true winter cabbage.
- Fertilization: after planting, apply plenty of nitrogen (e.g. nettle manure, cow manure pellets); switch to after two weeks comfrey manure . Too much nitrogen produces a lot of leaves and little head.
- Soil: pH 6.0–7.5, nutritious, water-retaining soil.
Location & water requirements
- Sun: ☀️ lots of sun, preferably in a well-ventilated spot.
- Water: 💧💧💧 Water regularly and generously for even growth and dense heads.
Companion vegetables
✅ Good neighbors
- Geranium
- Dill
- Onions (leek, garlic)
- Beans (possible in rotation, but not directly next to it in all schemes)
- Beets
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Marigolds , nasturtium
- Rhubarb and other aromatic herbs
❌ Bad neighbors
- Mustard
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Bell pepper
- Strawberries
- Beans (less ideal as a direct neighbour than as a rotation crop)
- Eggplant
- Parsnip
Dangers & Concerns
- Cabbage fly – a cabbage collar helps, but you are really safe with insect screen .
- Cabbage whites (caterpillars) – fine insect netting also offers the best protection here.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
Early varieties are quick to harvest and can burst if you wait too long; harvest these early. Late varieties ripen in late summer and autumn when the growth rate is slower, allowing them to remain in the bed longer.
Nutritional value per 100 g (cooked, without salt)
- 23 kcal
- 0 g fat
- 7 g carbohydrates
- 1 g protein
- 2 g fiber
- 3 g sugar
- Vitamin B6, C and K
- Thiamine, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid, calcium, potassium and manganese
