Must Know Cabbage Farming Tips

When you grow cabbages, you are guaranteed a bumper harvest. What is more interesting is that you can plant cabbages throughout the year.

All you need is enough land to rotate your crops, as well as control diseases and pest and you can enjoy nonstop harvest.

Types of Cabbages:

There are several cabbage varieties available varying in size and taste.

The large varieties takes a little longer to mature. While the smaller varieties mature faster. The most common in Zambia is the green cabbage, followed by the red cabbage. Not so common are suvoy types (curly cabbages) which are tolerant to cold conditions and have deep wrinkled dark green leaves.

Below are some common cabbages planted according to the time they mature:

1. Golden Acer (green cabbage) matures in 65 days and red express matures in 63 days. These are called early cabbages. Baby cabbage takes approximately 71 days to grow and are called mid-season cabbages.
2. Red cabbage which looks like the red acer takes 75 days to mature and is one of the last types.

If you choose to grow different types, you can have cabbage growing all year round. However you should not grow cabbage in the same place two years in a row, because it uses too much nutrients from the soil in a single growing season; you have to practice crop rotation.

Cabbage does well in a cool, moist climate. Optimum temperatures for growth are 18°C with a maximum of 24°C and minimum of -3°C.

Popular varieties are:

1. Riana,
2. Tropicana,
3. Star 3001,
4. C.H. Market,
5. Drumhead.

Days to maturity: 90 - 100 days with a nursery period of 20 - 30 days.

Well grown cabbages should weigh 1.5 - 3kg each, yielding from 60 - 120 tons per hectare.

Land Preparation/ Soil Type/ Soil pH:

1. Deep well drained loamy soils perform best.
2. Most effective with a pH from 5.5 - 6.8.
3. Effective rooting depth is 60cm; needs 10 - 15cm depth of fine tilth.
4. Prepare beds to enable irrigation; flat beds in dry season, raised beds in rainy season.

Planting:

1. Seed should be sown 20cm deep on a fine tilth at a seed rate of 0.5 - 2 kg/ha.
2. Transplant seedlings 5cm deep - during cooler time of the day to avoid wilting, followed by irrigation.
3. Plant population is 40, 000 per hectare with: In-row spacing: 40 cm; between row spacing: 60cm.
4. During rainy season, plant on 15cm raised beds to avoid flooding.

Fertilizer Application:

• Within 4 days after transplanting: Apply 15g/plant (150kg/lima) Veg Mix B.
• 21 days after transplanting, apply Veg Top 24 - 2.5g/plant, (25kg/lima).
• 35 days after transplanting - repeat top-dressing - Veg Top 24 x 2.5g/plant (25kg/lima).
• 49 days after transplanting - repeat top-dressing - Veg Top 24 x 2.5g/plant (25kg/lima).
• 63 days after transplanting - repeat top-dressing - Veg Top 24 x 2.5g/plant (25kg/lima).
• 77 days after transplanting - repeat top-dressing - Veg Top 24 x 2.5g/plant (25kg/lima).
• Place fertilizer 3cm deep, 5cm away from the plant followed by irrigation to prevent scorching.

Management Practices:

1. Keep field weed free - weeds compete for nutrients and space with the plant.
2. Remove suckers whenever they appear.
3. Scout for diseases and pests - weekly, at a minimum. Spray immediately upon detection.
4. Crop rotation - change next crop to a different family. Avoid brassicas: chinese, rape, broccoli, and kale.

Irrigation:

Ensure constant soil moisture. Irregular irrigation can trigger bolting and cracking.

Typical Problems:

Pests: American bollworm, Aphids, Diamond back moth, Bagrada bug, Root-knot nematodes.

Diseases: Black rot, Black leg, Downy mildew, Black leaf spot, Bacterial spot, Damping off.

Do you have any questions or other forms of contributions, kindly use the comment section below!!