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Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra

Red cabbage

Common names: Blue cabbage, Red cabbage

Red cabbage

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The plant forms firm, blue‑violet heads and is a classic winter vegetable in autumn and winter. Whether it looks more like red cabbage or blue cabbage depends on the soil, acidic soil makes it appear redder, while calcareous soil gives it a bluer hue.

Care instructions

Start seedlings in March or purchase transplants and plant them about one arm’s length apart in a nutrient‑rich, firm bed. Keep the soil evenly moist, give one feeding during the season, and protect young plants with a net against cabbage white and soil flea beetles. Harvest from August to November.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6.5–7.58.0

Soil type

loamy, humus-rich, moist, nutrient-rich, lime-loving

LightFull sun
HardinessFrost-sensitive
Crop rotationBrassicas
Water needHigh

Feeding

Heavy feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

legume family (Fabaceae)

particularly well established

Leguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.

For example Bush beanPole beanBroad beanMarker peaSugar peaRed bean and 30 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

carrot family (Apiaceae)

You can pair celery and dill with all Brassicaceae because they repel the cabbage whitefly with their scent, a proven companion.

For example Carrotcelery rootDillParsleyCarrot fennelCoriander and 19 more species in the catalogue

Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed-culture Practice

mint family (Lamiaceae)

You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.

For example LavenderThymeBasilRosemarySageHyssop and 31 more species in the catalogue

Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice

nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae)

Nasturtium serves as a trap plant for you. Aphids and cabbage whiteflies prefer it over the brassicaceae next to it.

For example Tropaeolum majusMashua

Source: Trap plant practice in organic horticulture

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Some of these explanations were machine-translated.

Diseases & pests

3 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

PesthighApr–Sep
Cabbage fly

Delia radicum

The cabbage fly lays its eggs at the root collar of crucifers, and the white maggots feed on the roots and root collars.

More on Cabbage fly
DiseasehighMay–Sep
Clubroot

Plasmodiophora brassicae

Clubroot is a soil-borne fungal disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae that affects all cruciferous plants.

More on Clubroot
PesthighMay–Sep
Large White

Pieris brassicae

The Large White is the striking white moth whose yellow and black caterpillars can devour cabbage plants down to the leaf veins in a short time.

More on Large White

Varieties

4 varieties
View all 4 varieties

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