Mini cabbages for single serving portions

5 years ago

I like cabbage but i do not especially like left over cabbage. Since I live by myself, I grow the tiny ones, Gonzales, Katarina etc. I also like Early Jersey Wakefield even though it is a bit too big. All of them are easy. I also had them all sprout secondary heads after the main one was taken when I left a good rosette of mature leaves. Both types threw 4 new ones, all of which were much smaller, but the ones on Early Jersey Wakefield were still large enough and firm enough to be handled and used as a full if small head and the new growth on smaller varieties could be harvested before new heads and used as baby greens or even a salad base if left connected; their secondary heads would be more like Brussels sprouts but much earlier.

I intend to pinch a few Early Jersey Wakefields when transplanting to see whether i can get the small pointed heads as a first crop. It is still one of the better tasting varieties IMO.

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Comments (3)

dlfox90
5 years ago
Hey OldDutch! I grew Early Wakefield this year too, and Red Express, as succession planting after my garlic. I got them started a bit later than intended and they went in at the end of July, but I managed to get one nice Wakefield head two weeks ago before leaving town for the Iron Range for a while. We cooked it up and had enough for dinner for two and a bit of leftover. Two other Wakefields and two Red Express stayed behind because they had not really headed up. And now snow. Is it as bad as forecast down in the metro? I fear the worst for my cabbages, collard, kale, and leeks. We'll be back in Sunday and can check then then. I am also not so sure about getting garlic in this year. Looks like highs will be right around 32° F for a while. Did you get yours in?
OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
Original Author
5 years ago
We got seven and a half inches of heavy, wet snow yesterday. That is the earliest major snow fall on record. And I didn't get my garlics in yet or even get the leaves raked. I expect the snow to be gone in a couple of days and am hoping that I have nice enough weather next week. I work Sat Sun and Mon; so it will have to be later than that.

Early Jersey Wakefield was my late mother's favorite cabbage, along with Golden Acre.

I got my cabbages in very early along with all my coles. They produced off and on again all summer.

IIRC the cole family can take cold down into the lower 20's, I hope so. The Brussels Sprouts are way late. Your late heading cabbage should be able to take some cold, too. Of course they don't have to be completely headed to be perfectly edible and they all sweeten up with autumn cold anyway. Unheaded cabbages are simply "baby" collards.
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dlfox90
5 years ago
Hey again OldDutch. Nice day yesterday! I got the garlic in at last. Six each of Armenian, Chesnok Red, Deerfield Purple, Georgian Crystal, Krasnodar Red, and Metechi. The Georgian was a large head that I harvested in July, and this is the first time I have replanted my own garlic, about which I am quite pleased! The others are from Mother Earth. Looks like they will get some nice weather for the next week to set up home and then it cools off again.

The kale and collards were badly wilted last Sunday when we got back from up north, and I feared they had cell damage from freezing, but I cut some leaves and put them in a vase of water and after a few hours they had perked right up! Turns out they were just thirsty, so I cut the rest and brought them back to life. I have a mess of collards in the fridge and the kale are waiting their turn, although some will become kale chips today! I also cut the cabbages and I think they will be ok. One decent head of Early Wakefield and one small one and one small one of Red Express. I will slice them up today and see how they look and hopefully cook them up with some leeks and garlic from the garden and some bacon!

I cleaned up the rest of the garden also, so one season ends and, with the garlic in the ground, the next one begins! Next stop seed purchasing!!