Many gardeners have their favorite varieties of vegetables they grow year after year, but trying something new can be rewarding. Growing Stonehead cabbage is one of those pleasant surprises. Often lauded as the perfect cabbage, Stonehead hybrid cabbage is early maturing, tastes great and stores well. With such endearing qualities, it’s no wonder this 1969 AAS winner is still a popular choice among gardeners.
What is Stonehead Hybrid Cabbage?
Stonehead cabbage plants are easy-to-grow members of the Brassicaceae
family. Like kale,
broccoli
and brussels
sprouts, Stonehead hybrid cabbage is a cold weather crop. It can be planted
early in the spring for a summer harvest or later in the season for a fall
crop.
Stonehead cabbage forms small, round globes that average
between 4 and 6 pounds (1.8 to 2.7 kg.). The flavorful heads are perfect raw
ingredients for slaw and in salad and is equally delicious in cooked recipes.
The heads mature early (67 days) and resist cracking and splitting. This can
extend the harvesting season, as not all Stonehead cabbage plants need to be
harvested at the same time.
Stonehead cabbage plants are resistant to yellowing leaves, black rot and pest infestations. They grow to a maximum height of about 20 inches (51 cm.) and can withstand a mild frost.
Care of Stonehead Cabbage
Start Stonehead cabbage plants indoors approximately 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds to a depth of ½ inch (1.3 cm.). Give seedlings plenty of light and keep the soil moist. Cabbage started indoors is ready to be hardened off once the seedlings develop two sets of true leaves.
Plant
cabbage in a sunny location with good drainage. Cabbage prefers nitrogen
rich, organic soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Space plants 24 inches (61 cm.)
apart. Use organic
mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds. Keep seedlings moist until
established. Established plants require a minimum of 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to
3.8 cm.) of rainfall per week.
For a fall crop, sow seeds directly into the garden bed in
mid-summer. Keep the ground moist and expect germination in 6 to 10 days. In
USDA hardiness zones 8 and above, seed Stonehead cabbage in the fall for a
winter crop.
When to Harvest Stonehead Cabbage
Once they feel solid and are firm to the touch, cabbage
can be harvested by cutting the stalk at the base of the plant. Unlike
other varieties of cabbage which must be harvested upon maturity to prevent
split heads, Stonehead can stay in the field longer.
Cabbage heads are frost tolerant and can withstand temperatures down to 28 degrees F. (-2 C.) without loss. Hard frosts and freezes, below 28 degrees F. (-2 C.) can damage produce and shorten shelf life. Store Stonehead cabbage in the refrigerator or fruit cellar for up to three weeks.
Many gardeners have their favorite varieties of vegetables they grow year after year, but trying something new can be rewarding. Growing Stonehead cabbage is one of those pleasant surprises. Often lauded as the perfect cabbage, Stonehead hybrid cabbage is early maturing, tastes great and stores well. With such endearing qualities, it’s no wonder this 1969 AAS winner is still a popular choice among gardeners.
What is Stonehead Hybrid Cabbage?
Stonehead cabbage plants are easy-to-grow members of the Brassicaceae
family. Like kale,
broccoli
and brussels
sprouts, Stonehead hybrid cabbage is a cold weather crop. It can be planted
early in the spring for a summer harvest or later in the season for a fall
crop.
Stonehead cabbage forms small, round globes that average
between 4 and 6 pounds (1.8 to 2.7 kg.). The flavorful heads are perfect raw
ingredients for slaw and in salad and is equally delicious in cooked recipes.
The heads mature early (67 days) and resist cracking and splitting. This can
extend the harvesting season, as not all Stonehead cabbage plants need to be
harvested at the same time.
Stonehead cabbage plants are resistant to yellowing leaves, black rot and pest infestations. They grow to a maximum height of about 20 inches (51 cm.) and can withstand a mild frost.
Care of Stonehead Cabbage
Start Stonehead cabbage plants indoors approximately 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds to a depth of ½ inch (1.3 cm.). Give seedlings plenty of light and keep the soil moist. Cabbage started indoors is ready to be hardened off once the seedlings develop two sets of true leaves.
Plant
cabbage in a sunny location with good drainage. Cabbage prefers nitrogen
rich, organic soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Space plants 24 inches (61 cm.)
apart. Use organic
mulch to conserve moisture and prevent weeds. Keep seedlings moist until
established. Established plants require a minimum of 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to
3.8 cm.) of rainfall per week.
For a fall crop, sow seeds directly into the garden bed in
mid-summer. Keep the ground moist and expect germination in 6 to 10 days. In
USDA hardiness zones 8 and above, seed Stonehead cabbage in the fall for a
winter crop.
When to Harvest Stonehead Cabbage
Once they feel solid and are firm to the touch, cabbage
can be harvested by cutting the stalk at the base of the plant. Unlike
other varieties of cabbage which must be harvested upon maturity to prevent
split heads, Stonehead can stay in the field longer.
Cabbage heads are frost tolerant and can withstand temperatures down to 28 degrees F. (-2 C.) without loss. Hard frosts and freezes, below 28 degrees F. (-2 C.) can damage produce and shorten shelf life. Store Stonehead cabbage in the refrigerator or fruit cellar for up to three weeks.