Organic Care for Cabbage Seedlings

Image by Facing North East via Flickr

The time has now arrived for me to transplant the cabbage seedlings from my first ever organic kitchen garden. We are entering winter here in the southern hemisphere and I have been concerned about the notorious stormy Cape winters but so far the seedlings have done very well. I am learning as I go along and this is what I’ve discovered so far about organic care for my cabbage seedlings.

Water after transplanting and keep this up daily in dry weather for 3-4 weeks, about ¼ pint (100ml) per plant. A well-prepared bed with retain moisture.

Hoe regularly to keep down weeds but don’t loosen the soil too deeply. Earth up around the plant stems but maintain a firm bed, firming the soil down around the plants to support them. Hoeing keeps the soil weed-free. Mulching conserves moisture and also suppresses weed growth. Remove rotten leaves from the winter varieties regularly.

My cabbage seedlings before transplanting

Plants respond well to a foliar feed as more nutrients are absorbed this way than by feeding the roots. Sufficient nutrient levels are achieved by top-dressing or applying a liquid feed such as a seaweed fertilizer during the growing period.

Knowing the Enemy:

Crop rotation is important for pest control. This simply means you don’t grow the same family of vegetables on the same piece of soil year after year.

The Various Enemies:

Cabbage Root Fly can be a problem so use protective discs (cabbage collars) at the base of the growing cabbage plants. These flies lay their eggs in the soil at the base of the plants. After transplanting, place a collar around each plant. Follow this up immediately with thorough watering to ensure the collars are firmed down. When the plants are past the stage of being at risk to cabbage root fly, the collar may be removed. These collars also control slugs and snails. The collars can be made from old bits of hessian backed carpet, underlay or roofing felt or even newspaper. Gardening centres also sell them. These can be re-used when properly taken care of.  A gardening fleece will also control pests and frost while allowing rain and light through.

Cabbage Collar (Image via gardening-naturally.com

Caterpillars can be devastating to cabbage plants. They feed on the underside of the leaves and the best answer is to harvest them off the leaves. They also lay their eggs there so be sure to look for yellow clusters and remove them. If you don’t have the time for harvesting caterpillars, another option would be to ask your local gardening centre about an environmentally friendly treatment for caterpillars.

Club Root is a fungus and all brassicas (that`s the family umbrella for cabbages along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, turnip, cauliflower) can be affected by this. The roots become stubby and swollen. Leaves become yellow and wilt causing severe stunting of growth. This causes swelling and reduces the flow of water and nutrients to the plant. Spores are produced and can survive in the soil for up to five years. Crop rotation is an effective way to prevent club root. Be careful when purchasing seedlings as this is often the way this fungus is introduced to your soil. Reducing the acidity of the soil by adding lime will help. Other steps to prevent infection of soil include keeping the soil well drained, liming acidic soils to a pH of around 7, working in high levels of organic matter, and thoroughly cleaning boots and gardening utensils used for working on infected soil before working on unaffected soil.

Aphids can be a problem since they weaken the cabbage plants and introduce viruses. Marigolds and Tagetes are good companion plants as they attract the beneficial insects like hover flies and lady birds. These in turn feed on the aphids and will keep infestation under control.

Marigolds (Image via wallawalla.edu)

Spraying is the only way to have a real impact on badly infested plants. Spray with Derris, an organic compound recommended by organic growers. Ask your gardening centre about the latest available organic treatments for pests.

Flea Beatles are tiny beetles that turn your cabbage leaves into sieves. Place horticultural fleece over your cabbage to deter them. Lightly hoe over the soil regularly to destroy eggs and larvae and expose them to predators. Give your plants a midday shower with the hose (not in full sun though), as they’re most active then and they don’t like wet conditions. Use companion plants to attract the beneficial insects.

Horticultural Fleece (image via rhs.org.uk)

List of Companion Plants for Cabbage Family (Brassica):

Companion plants refer to those plants that assist in the growth of other plants by attracting beneficial insects, naturally regulating pests, repelling harmful insects and by providing nutrients to their companions. The term also includes plants that provide climbing support.

Plants that are beneficial to cabbage include: Geraniums, dill, alliums which include onions and garlic, rosemary, nasturtium, borage, mustards, tomatoes and peppers.

I’m looking forward to harvest time, but in the meantime, I’ll keep myself occupied with resisting the enemy.

Related articles

• Kitchen Garden: First Signs of Life (lifeinthecape.wordpress.com)
• The Veggie Patch Re-imagined – A fine blog! (vegplugs.wordpress.com)