Spring planting doesn’t start when the air feels warm, It...Read More
Red Acre Cabbage is an heirloom variety that does exceptionally well in cool weather and will tolerate a light frost. This bright reddish-purple cabbage will add marvelous color to both your garden and your table! The crisp, tender heads reach 7 inches in diameter and have good resistance to splitting and cabbage yellowing. Red Acre Cabbage stores exceptionally well for an early cabbage. This seed can also be used for sprouting or microgreens. Red Acre Cabbage is delicious when prepared in a variety of ways. Use thinly shredded raw cabbage in coleslaws, salads, sauerkraut and fermenting. You can cook Red Acre Cabbage as well by steaming, sautéing, steaming or roasting alongside other veggies for a flavorful side to any meal.
NAME: Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
VARIETY: Red Acre
DAYS TO MATURITY: 80 – 90 days
POLLINATION: Open Pollinated
HARDINESS ZONE: Zones 3 – 10
TYPE: Annual
SUNLIGHT: Full Sun / Medium Sun
SOIL: Fertile, loose soil with a pH 6.0 – 6.5
PLANT HEIGHT: 9 – 18 inches
SPACING: 16 – 24 inches
TEMP: 35 – 80 °F
These seeds do not required stratification.
To learn more about Stratification, click here!
Cabbage seeds should be started indoors in cell trays or small pots 6 weeks before your last local frost. Seeds generally take 7 to 10 days to germinate.
When seedlings grow to be between 2.5 and 3 inches tall with about 6 leaves, you can begin to harden off the seedlings. Do this by taking them outside during the day and bringing them in at night. Outside temps should be above 50°F when you start this process; harden off plants daily for about 1 week before transplanting outside
Once hardened off, transplant the seedlings outdoors into fertile, well drained and weed free prepared soil beds.
Plant the seedlings 2 inches deep; it’s okay if some of the leaves are covered. Space them 12 to 24 inches apart; closer spacing means smaller cabbage heads.
While it’s possible to directly sow Red Acre Cabbage seeds outdoors, it is not recommended due to their susceptibility to insect damage.
If starting seeds outdoors, choose a location with well-draining soil and partial shade to protect young seedlings from intense sun.
Prepare the planting area by loosening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches and removing any debris or weeds.
Sow the seeds ¼ inch deep and space them 12-18 inches apart in rows spaced 24-36 inches apart.
Protect the seedlings from pests such as cabbage worms, aphids, and cabbage loopers using floating row covers or other organic pest control methods.
Red Acre cabbage prefers cooler temperatures and partial shade
If planted correctly, you can get two crops in one year; one that is harvested in the spring and another harvested in the fall
Always keep the soil around the cabbage moist but not soggy, cabbage does not like wet roots
Insect netting helps prevent insect damage
Hardened off Red Acre Cabbage can tolerate frosts, meaning they’re one of the first vegetables you can plant for the season!
Red Acre Cabbage matures between 60 to 70 days, but you can harvest your cabbage as soon as the head is firm all the way through when you squeeze it.
Harvest Red Acre Cabbage heads by cutting them at the base of the plant with a sharp knife or garden shears.
Remove any outer leaves that appear damaged or discolored before storing or preparing the cabbage.
Store harvested cabbage heads in the refrigerator for up to several weeks, or blanch and freeze them for longer storage.
For a continuous harvest, pick outer leaves as needed while allowing the inner leaves to continue growing.
