Ornamental cabbage, Brassica oleracea – sowing and care

The care of ornamental cabbage is uncomplicated. The plant is versatile. It not only serves as an ornament in beds or containers, but is also often used to garnish serving dishes. Homegrown organic ornamental cabbage, so to speak, can also be eaten and is even healthy. The cooler the temperatures in autumn, the more intense the coloring of the ornamental cabbage. Temperatures below 10°C are ideal. It is too warm for the plants in the apartment, they do not last long. Outside, on the other hand, they can even withstand a few sub-zero temperatures. However, if you want to overwinter ornamental cabbage, you should do it cool, or even cold, but not in frosty weather.

Ornamental cabbage is one of the heavy feeders. The plants have a high water and nutrient requirement. Otherwise, they hardly need any care, at least if the location and substrate are right.

location

The location should be sunny, only then can the plants develop well and the colors really come into their own.

• Sunny
• Partial shade is tolerated
• At least 4 hours of sun a day, more is even better

plant substrate

It is important for the plant substrate that it is neither too dry nor too wet. Nutrient-rich soil is favourable, because ornamental cabbage requires a lot of nutrients. He is one of the heavy feeders. If there are too few, growth stagnates. The cabbages stay small and neither develop the leaves nor the colors properly.

• neutral earth
• Sandy-loamy
• pH between 6.5 and 7.4
• Loose and well ventilated
• Not too dry and not too wet
• Nutritious
• Lime acidic soil
• For vessel keeping – unit earth will do

plant

There is not much to consider when planting. Even grown plants should not be planted out too early. In containers, but also in borders, the cabbages should not be placed too densely together, as this will hinder their development. However, group planting looks particularly decorative.

• Planting distance 40 x 40 cm
• Do not plant too densely, lack of light causes yellow leaves
• Enrich the soil with well-rotted compost or manure before planting
• For keeping vessels – install drainage
• plants in September
• Especially decorative – group planting
• Also goes well with heather herbs

watering and fertilizing

Ornamental cabbage has a high water and nutrient requirement. Watering and additional fertilizing is absolutely necessary. However, the soil should not be too wet, as this does not do the plants, like so many others, at all. Regular watering is important. However, the top layer of soil should be allowed to dry out in between.

• Overhead watering when needed
• Heavy feeder – nutrient deficiency leads to yellowing of the outer leaves and leaf fall
• After rooting, fertilize with nitrogen, preferably with tomato fertilizer, which promotes the intensive colors of the cabbage
• Fertilize every 14 days throughout the growing season
• Reduce fertilization from the end of August
• Now fertilize with a focus on potash, this ensures the coloring of the leaves

To cut

Pruning is usually not necessary, unless you want to use long-stemmed varieties as cut flowers. Then they are simply cut off. Otherwise, it may be necessary to simply remove wilted leaves, which can mainly appear on the outside.

hibernate

Ornamental cabbage is not very frost tolerant, although the individual varieties differ from each other. Some can survive fairly mild winters. If you want to make an ornamental cabbage bloom, it is better to overwinter it frost-free. Only in mild areas or in winters with little frost do the plants survive outdoors without protection.

• Withstands temperatures down to -8°C
• New varieties can also cope with lower temperatures
• Watering should be done on frost-free days, at least plants in containers.
• As soon as it gets warmer in spring, the plants start to shoot up and then bloom.

multiply

Ornamental cabbage can easily be grown by sowing. Seeds of the most diverse types of ornamental cabbage are commercially available. If you have already overwintered a plant and made it bloom, you can of course also harvest seeds from it.

Sowing indoors

• Best sowing date – early to mid-April
• Ideal cultivation temperatures between 16° and 20°C
• Germination time – about 5 days
• Substrate – commercial seed or vegetable soil
• Sowing depth 3 to 5 mm
• Location – sunny and bright
• Keep the substrate evenly slightly moist, never too wet
• Do not cover the culture vessel
• Transplant when plants are about 5 cm tall
• Continue culture at 10 to 15°C

Alternative sowing directly outdoors 

• Best date – end of May
• Sunny location – at least 4 hours a day
• Keep soil evenly moist
• Prick out after 3 to 4 weeks
• Carefully cut off the tip of the main root to get lateral roots and thus a really strong root
• Cool weather can cause the plants to shoot
• There is danger from snails
• Use snail rings
• Fertilize with organic vegetable fertilizer

diseases and pests

Diseases are quite rare, unless you make gross care mistakes. Constantly wet soil, for example, inevitably leads to root rot.

• Black aphids – especially love young leaves and fresh shoots. They multiply rapidly. An infestation must be discovered quickly. The sooner you do something about these pests, the easier it is to get rid of them. Better to avoid chemicals when fighting. Home remedies also help well, for example a mixture of water and soft soap, which is sprayed on the pests. It is best to repeat the process every two days until the pests are gone. Nettle stock is also helpful. It strengthens the plants at the same time.
• Whitefly – Identified by dozens of small whiteflies, 2 to 3mm in size, rising when touching plants. There are also white dots on the underside of the leaves. Dispose of affected leaves if possible (not in the compost). Yellow decals are also helpful, but not always effective enough outdoors. Spraying with a soft soap solution helps here too, but make sure that the underside of the leaves are also sprayed, i.e. also spray into the cabbage, preferably leaf by leaf.
• Cabbage fly – a distinction is made between small and large cabbage flies. The little ones appear in spring and late summer, the big ones all summer long. Lay their eggs between the plants, which the larvae then feed on. They can destroy the entire plants. The white larvae sit under the leaves. Ash placed in the planting holes is said to help against these pests. Tomato plants also help, but they don’t do well among ornamental cabbages. Heavily infested plants should be removed before all are affected and nothing can be saved. Alternatively, an insect litter is suitable. However, these are usually very expensive.
• Cabbage White Caterpillars – collect as soon as you spot them. Alternatively, birds help with gathering, provided there are any.

Frequently Asked Questions

The cabbage is completely out of shape. Instead of growing rounded, it now grows taller. What can you do?
Nothing at all. The plant wants to bloom and shoots up, as they say. This is a natural process. You can only let the cabbage do it. This is typical for all types of cabbage.

How long can ornamental cabbage be planted?
Since the plants like it cool, they can in principle be planted until the ground freezes, but then you usually won’t get any more. But it is better to plant them in September or October, then the plants have time to take root properly and survive frost much better.