Harvest red cabbage?

[ruth nobleParticipant]

I have 5 red cabbages in my little veggie patch, with the aim of having them for the winter. But 1 cabbage is already really big, I’m wondering will it get tough if I leave it to continue to grow? Would it be better to harvest it and cook it for the freezer? Thanks, Ruth

[charlesModerator]

 Hello Ruth, you may be better to harvest now if the hearts are solid. But it does depend on variety; for example I just harvested lovely heads of Marner Early Red, very dense. But there is also "Marner Red" which matures later and can carry on growing.

Whereas an early variety, well hearted, is less likely to grow any more and more likely to be eaten, not by you! (caterpillars, slugs)

[ruth nobleParticipant]

Hi Charles, they are Red Drumhead which I had intended to leave there until later in the year, but I will probably take that one out and leave the others to continue to grow, they have ‘headed’ well but could get bigger. Thanks.

[ruth nobleParticipant]

I brought it in and it yielded over 5lbs of usable cabbage! Not sure how that compares to other people’s harvests, but I’m rather proud of it. Thank you for all the inspiration and advice.

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