DO CABBAGES GROW FROM SEEDS?

Cabbages grow from seeds, but the seeds are produced by the plants only if the weather is cool enough during part of the growing season.

Under normal conditions, commercially grown cabbage is a biennial crop. Plants grow through the spring and summer and then are left by the farmers in the ground during the winter. In the spring, the new crop of seeds is produced by the plants.

Cabbages subjected to cool weather between 50 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit will produce seeds rather than marketable heads. Many other plants show this same response to cool weather.

In warmer weather, when the temperature is in the 60 to 70  degree range, cabbage plants produce heads.

Cabbage seeds are small and look like those from cauliflower and broccoli plants.

In parts of the country where the climate is mild, farmers plant the seeds directly in the field. They sow the cabbage seeds in rows about three feet apart. When the young plants grow, workers thin the rows to allow a space of about 18 to 24 inches between plants.

In areas where there is a short growing season, farmers sometimes start the seeds in greenhouses or hotbeds. They put the seeds in rich earth that is in shallow boxes called flats. After the seeds sprout and small plants start to grow, workers transplant them into larger flats. Then, after about 10 weeks, the plants are transplanted again, but this time to the field.

Each time the small cabbage plant is transplanted, it must be allowed time to re establish itself before it is moved again. If the plants do not re establish themselves, growth will be retarded.

Most home gardeners buy small plants and then never have to worry about seeds.

Cabbage is a vegetable that is native to England and northwestern France. Today, you'll find them growing throughout Europe, Asia and North America.

Other leafy vegetables closely related to cabbage include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and turnips. Cabbage actually belongs to the mustard family.

There are three kinds of cabbage: white, red and savory. The leaves grow close together and form round, hard heads. Leaves of the white and red cabbage are smooth, while the leaves of the savory cabbage seem to be blistered and wrinkled.

Cabbage is enjoyed raw in salads or cooked as a hot vegetable. The vegetable is also pickled to make sauerkraut.

Cabbage plants are sometimes attacked by insects, including aphids, cabbage loopers, maggots and cabbage worms. Insecticides are often used to control these pests.

The plants are also occasionally hit by diseases such as blackleg, club root, mildew, mosaic, root rot and yellows.