Two of our 30 Elisa F1 cabbage have finally split.
cabbage-split
The cabbage have been ready for several weeks, with hard, compact, round shiny heads.
Mature-Cabbage-Elisa
Most F1s, including Elisa cabbage, have good standing – which means they stay in this firm state for many weeks. Even though Elisa is not generally prone to splitting, the long period of dry weather experienced when the heads were mature, followed by a heavy downpour, has caused the cabbage to crack and split wide open.
The main causes of cabbages splitting are:
- the pressure of excessive water when the heads are mature
- sudden heavy rain
- a growth spurt caused by water after a long dry period
Ways to avoid cabbages splitting
- choose a variety which does not normally split
- keep cabbages well & evenly watered
- mulch the cabbage so that they do not dry out & rain is slowly released to the soil
- after rain: either
cut the roots, by pushing a spade down either side of the cabbage, so that it cannot take up too much water
or, lift the head & twist to one side so that the roots break – but the cabbage will have to be harvested quite soon after this
split-cabbage
Harvest split cabbage heads as soon as possible because the open surface will allow disease to enter & the head will deteriorate.
Summer cabbages are harvested in the summer. Two good varieties are Primo and Elisa.
cabbage-seedbed
Sow seeds:
- outdoors
- in a well prepared seed bed
- in early spring
- sow seeds thinly 12mm ( ½in) deep in rows 23cm (9in) apart
- keep well watered
- cover plants with fine netting to keep off birds and insects
net&water-cabbage
Transplant seedlings when they have 5 or 6 true leaves:
- 45cm (18in) apart in rows 45cm (18in) apart – plant closer together for mini-cabbage
- into firm soil which contains plenty of well rotted compost etc..
- plant firmly with lower leaves just above soil level
- water until established, then do not allow to dry out
- keep weed free
- cover with enviromesh to keep butterflies and other insects off
PrimoCabbage
Harvest cabbages:
- by cutting with a sharp knife close to ground level
- June – October
-
cabbage-Elisa
Mid-July and August is a good time to sow Spring Cabbage in the vegetable garden for harvest next Spring (April or May).
springcabbage
Plant Spring Cabbage seed:
- 0.5cm deep
- in a seed bed or trays of seed compost
- the seed bed should be kept moist
transplanting-cabbage
Transplant the spring cabbage plants to their final positions:
- 5 or 6 weeks after sowing
- into a deeply dug, well cultivated soil
- firm the plants well into the ground
- water well until they are established
- cover with enviromesh to protect against aphids, butterflies and birds
cabbage-under-enviromesh
cabbage-spring
The Spring Cabbage will produce:
- good firm hearts ready for harvest in April and May
- Spring Greens earlier in the year, before the hearts develop
SpringCabbage
TopVeg is growing the spring cabbage variety Offenham 2 – Flower of Spring.
The Primo cabbage seed has grown quickly and was ready to harvest 20 weeks after sowing.
PrimoCabbage
Primo is a summer cabbage which produces very firm, medium sized heads.
The cabbage is excellent quality and has a good, sweetish flavour.
Kevin in Cornwall’s definition of a Chinese Cabbage:
- Texture between a cos and cabbage
- good for stir fry & salad where former trad. cab too tough & latter, lettuce too limp
- plant in August
Cabbage Elisa is a a vigorous, compact cabbage which can be grown close together. Therefore the vegetable production per square meter is higher than with winter cabbage which are planted further apart.
cabbage-Elisa
Elisa cabbage are ready for cutting from June to October. Elisa stands well, that is, once it matures it lasts as it is in the garden, and does not have to be cut immediately. This is important for a family kitchen garden.
elisa-cabbage
Elisa cabbage:
- sweet tasting
- summer ball-head Cabbage
- compact, round, shiny heads
- good standing
- not prone to splitting
- good resistance to bolting
- eat sliced raw in salads, in stir-fries or as a steamed vegetable
- excellent source of Vitamin C
- darkest green leaves contain the most nutrients
- F1 hybrid
Mature-Cabbage-Elisa
Elisa cabbage is a cabbage variety well worth growing in the vegetable garden.
Cabbage can be cooked in 3 ways:
- Microwave – place shredded cabbage in a microwaveable dish with 3 tablespoons (3×15ml) water. Cook on fullpower for 3 minutes, stand for 1 minute.
- Steam – place shredded cabbage in a steamer, cover & steam for 10-15 minutes until tender
- Boil on hob – place shredded cabbage in a pan of boiling water. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until tender. Drain well.
Serve cabbage with a dot of butter and sprinkle with ground pepper.
Green Cabbage is high in vitamin C and folic acid, which means it is good for your health.
A 100gram serving of green cabbage contains:
- 49mg Vitamin C – which is 82% of the recommended daily allowance for an adult.
- 75 milligrams of Folic Acid – which is 38% of the recommended daily allowance for an adult.
The darkest green leaves in cabbage contain the most nutrients.
A 100gram serving provides one of 5 a day. Green cabbage is a great source of vitamin C and folic acid.
Cool cabbage leaves are recommended for nursing mothers who suffer from breast engorgement.
The outer green leaves of white cabbage are washed, dried and put in the fridge to cool. When required the leaves are crushed in the hands and laid on the breast, covering the entire breast completely. Wearing a bra over the cabbage leaves will keep them in place. The leaves should be changed every two hours, or when the leaves are wilted. Continue to use the cabbage leaves until the breasts are soft enough to nurse comfortably.
cabbage-cut
The Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia recommends laying the outer green cabbage leaves on engorged breasts of nursing mothers. Green cabbage leaves relieve engorgement, sometimes within 30 minutes.
Watch out for the eggs of the Large White or Cabbage White (Latin Name – Pieris brassicae) butterfly. The eggs are laid on the underside of brassica leaves. So check your cabbage, sprouts, broccoli etc. regularly. The female butterfly lays batches of 20 to 100 yellow eggs underneath the leaves of the plants.
cabbage-white-eggs
If seen the eggs should be removed. Soapy water will help unglue the cabbage white eggs from the leaf.
