CABBAGE

Identifying the Environmental and Agricultural

Requirements
 INTRODUCTION:

Cabbage or headed cabbage is

a leafy green, red (purple), or white
(pale green) biennial plant grown as
an annual vegetable crop for its
dense-leaved heads.
 GENERAL ASPECT
BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae
Order Capparales
Family Brassicaceae – Mustard family
Genus Brassica L. – mustard P
 GENERAL ASPECT
HISTORY AND ORIGIN
■ WEST: cabbage is domesticated in Europe some 3,000 years ago.
■ EAST: cabbage is used since the 4,000 BC and was cultivated in North China.
■ EARLY ROME: cabbage became common food in the Egypt along with other vegetables.
■ Theophrastus (371 – 287bc), which is considered “father of botany”, mentions cabbage in his
texts.
■ Charlemagne (Charles the Great, 8th century), cabbages were directed to be cultivated in the
“Capitulare de villis”,
■ 14th-century England- the first round-headed cabbages appeared in ,
■ 1541 – 1542 - the first cabbage in America was brought by a French explorer Jacques Cartier
on his third voyage.
■ PRESENT- China is the largest producer of cabbage, followed by India and Russia, which is the
biggest consumer of cabbage.
 GENERAL ASPECT
ORIGIN OF CABBAGE
■ Cabbage is from a group of plants known as the cole crops. The word "cole" derives
from the Middle English word "col". The Romans called these crops "caulis", and the
Greeks called them "kaulion". All these words mean "stem".
 GENERAL ASPECT
MAJOR PRODUCTION AREAS
Rank Country Production (tons)
• In terms of international, China is
the number one producing area
1 China 32,800,000
for cabbage.
2 India 8,500,000 • While in the Philippines,
3 Russia 3,309,315
Cordillera Administrative Region
(CAR) remained the leading
4 Japan 2,300,000 cabbage producer with
5 South Korea 2,118,930
production of 18.17 thousand
metric tons, contributing 80.8
6 Ukraine 1,922,400
percent to the total production
7 Indonesia 1,487,531 this quarter. Central Visayas and
Ilocos Region ranked far second
8 Poland 1,198,726
and third with 4.2 percent and
9 Romania 990,154 3.8 percent shares, respectively.
10 United States 964,830
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Cannonball Cabbage
. It is so named for the way its leaves wound tightly over
one another in a dense, compact fashion; with the final
product resembling a cannonball.
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Bok Choy
It is a dark, leafy vegetable with slender stems that's
more reminiscent of Swiss chard or spinach than it is a
cannonball cabbage
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Choy Sum
The leafy veggie appears similar to kai lan and its
Chinese cabbage sibling, bok choy, but can be easily
recognised by the distinctive yellow flowers it bears.
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Napa Cabbage
Oblong in shape with frilly, yellow-green leaves, this
cabbage variety is sweeter and softer than the other
varieties and is widely used in East Asian cuisine.
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Savoy Cabbage
. The leaves of the savoy cabbage are more loosely
layered and less tightly packed than green or red
cabbage, which gives it a shorter shelf life.
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ January King Cabbage
The colours on this curly-leafed vegetable differ
from head to head and can range from deep, royal
purples to cool, crisp turquoises
 GENERAL ASPECT
CULTIVARS
■ Red Cabbage
Also known as the purple cabbage or red kraut, the red
cabbage changes its colour according to the pH value of
the soil it grows in - the leaves grow reddish in acidic soil
and more purplish in neutral - acting as a litmus test of
sorts.
 GENERAL ASPECT
CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
■ Cabbage requires an optimum day requirement of 15 to 20°C but good heads can
still, be obtained at temperature up to 28°C.

SOIL REQUIREMENT
■ Loamy sand is the type of soil suited to cabbage, provide there is adequate
irrigation. But cabbage also adapted to a wide range of soil texture. Cabbage does
not very well in a highly acid soil. A pH range of 5.6 to 7.3 gives a good yield.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PROPAGATION
■ Cabbage may be planted by direct-seeding or
transplanting of seedlings.
SOIL PREPARATION
• The land should be clean cultivated eight weeks before planting
and the ground must be plowed deeply, immediately.
• Before planting, with a disk harrow or other suitable implement to
a depth of 450 to 600 mm.
• The soil should be fumigated two weeks before planting time if
necessary, to control nematodes.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
SOIL PREPARATION
• Plants depend on the soil for physical support, nutrients, and water.
• The degree to which the soil adequately provides these factors
depends upon topography, soil type, and soil structure and soil
fertility.
• Under cultivated conditions, soil and fertilizer management are two
key factors influencing plant growth and yield.
• Tillage is a general term for any operation that disrupts and/or
moves the soil, typically within 10 to 12 inches of the soil surface.
• Land preparation involves one or more tillage operations that
loosen, pulverizes, smooth or firms the soil and makes it more
conducive to plant establishment and root growth.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
SOIL PREPARATION
• Cabbage and leafy greens may be planted or transplanted on flat or
raised beds.
• A raised bed will warm up more quickly and enhance earlier growth.
• Cabbage and leafy greens do poorly in excessively wet soils.
• Raised beds facilitate drainage and help prevent “wet feet” in low or
poorly drained soils.
• Keep in mind, however, that cabbage or leafy greens planted on
raised beds may require more irrigation during drought conditions.
• The optimum pH range for cabbage and leafy greens production is
6.0 to 6.5.
• Alternatively, you use the fertilizers if you can use these organic
manures in a better way.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
FERTILIZATION
■ Cabbage is a heavy feeder and requires supplemental fertilization in
the form of manure or compost, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
■ Fertilizer programmers should be based on soil analyses and should
be developed for each field.
■ Cabbage requires 200 to 250 kg nitrogen per hectare.
■ Nitrogen is supplied in split applications, where 50 % to 66 % is
broadcast and plowed in just before planting.
■ The first application is made together with phosphorus and
potassium.
■ The remainder is side-dressed two to three weeks after transplanting
and again three weeks later or applied once-off at about six weeks.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
FERTILIZATION
■ If a fertilizer mixture is preferred, 1 500 kg of 2:3:2 (22) and 100 kg
potassium per hectare may be broadcasted before planting.
■ A top dressing of 300 kg LAN should be applied approximately four
weeks after transplanting and again 4 weeks later if required.
■ Cabbage also needs micronutrients for proper growth and
development.
■ The crop has a high requirement of calcium and deficiencies of this
nutrient may occur on acid soils, on soils with very high potassium or
on very dry soils.
■ Foliar sprays of calcium nitrate can be used to supply calcium.
■ Magnesium may also be deficient on acid soils, on very light soils or
on soils that are very high in potassium.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
FERTILIZATION
■ Spraying the plants with 5 kg magnesium per hectare can rectify the
problem.
■ Cabbage is very susceptible to molybdenum deficiency.
■ Plants should be sprayed with 125 g of sodium- or ammonium
molybdate in 500l of water per hectare as soon as signs of deficiency
are noticed.
■ A foliar spray of 5 kg per hectare of manganese sulfate or 2 to 3 kg/ha
of manganese oxide is suggested as soon as symptoms of deficiency
are observed.
■ Cabbage may have boron deficiencies in areas with high rainfall.
■ Three kilograms of Solberg are effective in controlling boron deficiency
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
IRRIGATION
■ Even though cabbage and leafy greens are primarily cool-season
crops, irrigation will significantly increase their yield and quality in
most years.
■ Thee crops are shallow rooted, and even though their water
requirements are less than those for most crops, they can use up
the Available moisture in the shallow root zone very quickly.
■ The most serious yield reductions result when moisture deficits
occur during late development and, in the case of cabbage, during
head formation.
■ Sprinkler irrigation is the only method that has proven practical for
irrigation of these crops.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
IRRIGATION
■ Common types of systems include center pivot, linear move, traveling
big-gun, and permanent set and portable aluminum pipe with
sprinklers.
■ Any sprinkler system used on cabbage or greens should be capable of
delivering at least 1¼ inches of water each week.
■ In addition, the system should apply the water slowly enough to
prevent run-off.
■ With most soils, a rate less than 2 inches per hour safely prevents
runoff.
■ Drip irrigation is often used when cabbage, collard or kale are double
cropped with another vegetable on mulched beds.
■ Irrigation can best be managed by monitoring the amount of moisture
in the soil
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
IRRIGATION
■ Densitometers or resistance blocks can be used to
measure soil moisture.
■ For best results on cabbage and greens, maintain soil
tension below 30 cantinas.
■ For cabbage, maintaining uniform moisture during head
formation is especially important to prevent bursting.
■ Maintain soil moisture until harvest.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
Imported Cabbageworms: Dill protects all members of the cabbage family by attracting
beneficial wasps that kill cabbageworms and other pests.
HOW TO GET RID OF CABBAGE WORMS
■ Manually remove (handpick) the eggs if possible.
■ Yellow sticky traps will catch the adult butterflies, but may also catch beneficial insects.
■ Spraying with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) every 1 to 2 weeks will also help
control cabbage family pests. Sevin also is effective. And, the few pests that remain on the
vegetables can be washed out after harvest using water and a small amount of detergent or
other surfactant.
■ It is said that if you dampen cabbage leaves and sprinkle them with cornmeal, the
caterpillars will eat the meal, swell, and die.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
Aphids
Aphids are small green or yellow like insects found on the leaves of vegetables. They sack the sap
from plants ad also carry diseases.
HOW TO GET RID OF APHIDS
■ Try spraying cold water on the leaves; sometimes all aphids need is a cool blast to dislodge
them. Typically they are unable to find their way back to the same plant.
■ If you have a large aphid invasion, dust plants with flour. It constipates the pests.
■ Neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and horticultural oils are effective against aphids. Be sure to
follow the application instructions provided on the packaging.
■ You can often get rid of aphids by wiping or spraying the leaves of the plant with a mild solution
of water and a few drops of dish soap. Soapy water should be reapplied every 2-3 days for
2 weeks.
■ One variation of this soap-water mix includes cayenne pepper: Stir together 1 quart water, 1 tsp
liquid dish soap, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Do not dilute before spraying on plants.
■ Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a non-toxic, organic material that will kill aphids. Do not
apply DE when plants are in bloom; it is harmful to pollinators, too.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
Cabbage Root Maggots
HOW TO GET RID OF CABBAGE ROOT MAGGOTS
■ If you see flies in the air, scout for eggs in the soil. Run your fingers through the top layers
near the bases of your plants. Destroy any eggs found.
■ You can try installing ‘cabbage collars’ at the base of the stem. These can be made from
cardboard and will simply be a skirt around the base of the plant. It protects the plants from
egg laying.
■ Sticky traps in the garden are effective at trapping cabbage flies. They are available at most
nurseries.
■ Check with your nursery about using nematodes as a biological control for root maggots.
Another biological control are wasps, so leave them alone.
■ Carefully dig up your plants and swish their roots in cold water to remove the maggots, then
replant them. Either allow the maggots to drown in the water or feed them to your chickens
for a tasty snack
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
Flea Beetles
■ Homemade spray to control flea beetles: 2 cups rubbing alcohol, 5 cups water, and 1
tablespoon liquid soap. Test out the mixture on a leaf of the plant, let it sit overnight, then
spray the rest of the plant if you don’t notice any adverse effects. Spray the mixture on
the foliage of garden plants that are susceptible to these pests.
■ Dusting your plants with plain talcum powder repels flea beetles on tomatoes, potatoes,
peppers, and other plants.
■ Use white sticky traps to capture flea beetles as they jump.
■ Insecticides may be used early in the season, but are generally unnecessary in the
control of flea beetles on adult plants. Be extra diligent if your soil has history of bacterial
diseases. Please contact your local nursery or cooperative extension for further advice.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
PEST CONTROL AND DISEASE CONTROL
Cutworms
HOW TO GET RID OF CUTWORMS
■ Make plant collars. Put a 4-inch piece of cardboard around each plant stem to help stop cutworms from reaching
tender stems, especially right at transplanting. This time-consuming task works, though it is only efficient for a
smaller garden.
■ -Or, try this method: Save toilet paper tubes, cut them in half, fill with potting soil, and stand up in a tray. Use for
planting seeds. When young plants are ready, plant them, tube and all.
■ Hand pick. Go out at night with a flashlight and gloves. Pick off the cutworms and drop into soapy water; repeating
this every few nights.
■ Sprinkle used coffee grounds or egg shells around your plants.
■ Circle stems with diatomaceous earth, a natural powder made from ground up fossils which kills insects when they
walk over it.
■ Apply an insecticide late in the afternoon for best control. Some readers use Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural way to
kill cutworms. However, note that this bacterium may harm butterflies, an important pollinator.
■ Try this folk advice from The 1963 Old Farmer’s Almanac:
■ -A mulch of oak leaves is useful against cutworms.
■ -Tansy planted near cabbages keeps them free of cutworms.
■ -A hog turned into a garden in early spring will root up cutworms.
 CULTIVATION PRACTICES
HARVESTING
■ Harvest when heads reach desired size and are firm. This will take around 70 days
for most green cabbage varieties. Most early varieties will produce 1- to 3-pound
heads.
■ Cut each cabbage head at its base with a sharp knife. After harvesting, bring inside
or put in shade immediately.
■ To get two crops from early cabbage plants, cut the cabbage head out of the plant,
leaving the outer leaves and root in the garden. The plant will send up new heads—
pinch them off until only four or so smaller heads remain. When these grow to
tennis-ball size, they’ll be perfect for salad.
■ After harvesting, remove the entire stem and root system from the soil to prevent
disease buildup. Only compost healthy plants; destroy those with maggot infestation.
 POST- HARVESTING HANDLING
■ Cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks, wrapped lightly in
plastic. Make sure it is dry before storing. In proper root cellar conditions, cabbage will
keep for up to 3 months. See our article on root cellars.
■ Follow this old-time technique to get the most out of your cabbage crop:
■ In the fall, harvest the entire cabbage plant—stems, head, and roots—enjoying the head as
usual and storing the roots in a root cellar through winter.
■ As soon as the ground has thawed in spring, plant the roots outdoors.
■ Soon, fresh sprouts will form, which can be eaten alone or added to soups, salads, or a
dish of your choice.
■ These replanted cabbages won’t produce full heads, but they should go to seed by the
end of summer, providing next year’s round of cabbage seeds!
PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
UTILIZATION AND NUTRIONAL VALUE
Cabbage Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cup, chopped raw (89 g)

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 22

Calories from Fat 1

Total Fat 0.1g 0%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Monounsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 16mg 1%

Potassium 151.3mg 4%

Carbohydrates 5.2g 2%

Dietary Fiber 2.2g 9%

Sugars 2.8g
Protein 1.1g

Vitamin A 2% · Vitamin C 54%

Calcium 4% · Iron 2%
 UTILIZATION AND NUTRIONAL VALUE
■ Cabbage is often added to soups or stews. In the
Philippines, cabbage usually boiled together with beef
(meats) and other vegetables as part of a boiled dinner, this
popular dish was called “Nilagang Baka”.
■ Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins and dietary
fiber. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an
amino acid that has anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage
can also be included in dieting programs, as it is a low
calorie food. Fresh cabbage juice has been shown to
promote rapid healing of peptic ulcers.
REFERENCE/S:
Althea, T. (2015). 7 Varieties of Cabbage and How To Use Them. Retrieved from
https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/7-varieties-of-cabbage-and-how-to-use-them-sg
Barbie, C. (2019). Cabbage Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfit.com/cabbage-
nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefit-4117541
Cabbage General Information. Retrieved from
http://discworld.imaginary.com/cabbage/info/origin.html
Cabbage Production. Retrieved from https://www.pinoy-entrepreneur.com/2010/04/21/cabbage-
production
Joyce, C. (2017). The World Leaders In Cabbage Production. Retrieved from
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-leaders-in-cabbage-production.html
N.A. (n.d). Cabbage. Retrieved from https://www.almanac.com/plant/cabbage
N.A. (n.d). Cabbage Farming Information. Retrieved fromhttp://userspecial.com/cabbage-farming-
information/
Vegetable Facts (2019). History of Cabbage - Where does Cabbage come from?. Retrieved from
http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-cabbage