Description
Description For Cabbage Seeds
How To Grow Cabbage From Seeds:
Introduction and Uses: Cabbage is power food that is savoured since ages. In the ancient times, people declared this veggie to have moon power as it grew in the moonlight. But actually, its power comes from Vitamin C and Sulphur. It is known as the brain food and is ideal for weight loss, detoxification, lowering blood pressure, relieving headache and reduce hangover.
Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Sowing Season: Throughout the year. Best grown in winter.
Sowing method: Transplantation.
Because the seeds are small in size, Cabbage plant is grown by transplantation method. Seeds are first sown indoors in seedling trays or outdoors on seed beds & later the seedlings are transplanted into the containers or in raised beds.
Growing container: Seedling trays/ seed cups/ small polybags/ Seed bed.
Growing medium: Coco Peat (indoors), Fine soil (outdoors)
STEPS FOR SEED SOWING (SEED STARTING) IN A CONTAINER:
Sowing Technique:
Covering: Keep the seed tray in a box or cover it with paper for first 4-5 days to encourage faster seed germination.
Watering:
GROWTH STAGES OF CABBAGE PLANT:
Sprouting Stage: Seeds will germinate within first 6-8 days & tiny sprouts will be visible. Once seeds germinate, put the tray on an open partially sunny spot near the window. Don’t cover the tray anymore.
Cotyledons: The first two leaves will emerge in the second week of germination. These are false leaves called as cotyledons
First leaves: First leaves will emerge above cotyledons at the end of the second week.
Seedling stage: Second week onwards, seedlings will start growing into a small plant. At this stage exposé the seedlings to more & more sunlight for leaf growth.
Thinning: After the second week, keep only single seedling per cell/cup. Cut off the weak, small & lagging seedlings with a pair of scissors.
Transplantation:30 to 35 days after the seed sowing, your seedlings will be ready to transplant in container pots or raised beds.
Container:
Spacing: Plant the seedlings minimum 2 feet apart (60×60 cm), from each other on raised beds or in a container.
HOW TO TAKE CARE FOR CABBAGE PLANT:
Sunlight: Cabbage grows well under full sunlight in winter. So place your containers accordingly.
Watering: Water your potted Cabbage plant every alternate day in winter. Water at the soil near the plant. Use a watering can and make sure that the plants get water in the form of the shower & not by a single flow. You can also make provision for watering by drip irrigation system for your raised beds. Avoid overwatering.
Manuring: Add good quality organic manure in the soil with 2:1 ratio before transplanting the seedling. Organic fertilizer can be well rotten cow dung manure, farmyard manure, compost or Vermicompost.
Top Dressing: Apply balanced liquid fertiliser or handful of vermicompost to each plant, every 15 days after transplantation.
Plant care: Always look for the early signs of any insect/fungal/ any other infections. Spray appropriate medicines as soon as any symptoms of such diseases are spotted. Watch out for snails & slugs.
Microgreens: If you plan to grow microgreens Cabbage, grow it indoors in flat containers. Sow-scatter the seeds in a crowded manner. You can harvest it in 10-15 days by uprooting baby plants.
Harvesting: (100-110 days from seed sowing) 55 to 60 days after transplantation, ‘cabbage heads’ will be ready to harvest. You can get single cabbage per plant. Harvest the cabbage when it is full sized, firm & solid.
