If you’re planning your garden in Mississippi, knowing when to plant cabbage is your first step to a great harvest. This cool-season crop thrives in our climate, but timing is everything to avoid bolting or poor head formation.
This guide will walk you through the optimal planting schedule for both spring and fall crops. We’ll cover everything from soil prep to variety selection, ensuring you get crisp, delicious heads from your own backyard.
When to Plant Cabbage in Mississippi – Optimal Planting Schedule Guide
Mississippi’s long growing season is split by a hot summer, creating two distinct planting windows for cabbage. The key is to avoid the extreme heat of mid-summer, which causes cabbage to bolt, or go to seed.
Spring Planting Schedule
For a spring harvest, you need to get your cabbage started early. The goal is for it to mature before the intense summer heat arrives.
- Transplanting Outdoors: Set out young cabbage plants in your garden from mid-February through mid-March.
- Starting Seeds Indoors: To have transplants ready by then, sow your seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks earlier. This means starting seeds in late December or early January.
- Direct Seeding: In South Mississippi, you can sometimes direct sow seeds into prepared garden beds in very late January, but transplants are more reliable for spring.
Fall Planting Schedule
Fall is often the easiest and most productive time to grow cabbage in Mississippi. The cooling temperatures are ideal for head development.
- Transplanting Outdoors: The best time to set out fall transplants is from early August through mid-September.
- Starting Seeds Indoors: Sow your seeds indoors in June or July to have sturdy plants ready for the August transplant date.
- Direct Seeding: For a fall crop, you can direct sow seeds into the garden in July. Be prepared to provide extra water and maybe some shade cloth for young seedlings during the summer heat.
Choosing the Right Cabbage Variety
Selecting a variety suited to our climate and your chosen season can make a big difference.
- For Spring: Choose fast-maturing, heat-tolerant varieties that can produce a head quickly. Good options include ‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ (pointed heads) and ‘Gonzales’.
- For Fall: You have more options, as plants mature in cooler weather. Excellent choices include the reliable ‘Stonehead’, sweet ‘Savoy King’, and red varieties like ‘Ruby Perfection’.
- Storage Types: If you want cabbage for long-term storage or making sauerkraut, look for late-season, solid-headed varieties like ‘Late Flat Dutch’.
Preparing Your Garden Soil
Cabbage are heavy feeders. They need rich, well-drained soil to produce those large, tight heads.
- Test Your Soil: A soil test is the best start. Cabbage prefers a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
- Amend Generously: Work in 2-3 inches of well-rotted compost or aged manure into the top 6-8 inches of soil.
- Add Balanced Fertilizer: When planting, mix in a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer according to package directions. This gives your plants a steady nutrient supply.
Step-by-Step Planting Guide
Follow these steps for sucessful transplanting, whether in spring or fall.
- Harden Off Seedlings: If you started plants indoors, acclimate them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before planting.
- Spacing is Key: Space plants 12-18 inches apart in rows that are 2-3 feet apart. Cabbage needs room for it’s leaves to spread and form a head.
- Plant at the Right Depth: Set transplants so the lowest leaves are at soil level. Planting too deep can cause stem rot.
- Water Thoroughly: Water immediately after planting to settle the soil around the roots.
Essential Care Through the Season
Consistent care prevents problems and leads to a bountiful harvest.
- Watering: Cabbage needs 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to keep leaves dry and prevent disease. Water consistently, especially during head formation.
- Fertilizing: Side-dress plants with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer (like blood meal or a balanced veggie fertilizer) about 3 weeks after transplanting and again when heads begin to form.
- Mulching: Apply a 2-3 inch layer of straw or shredded leaves around plants. This conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and keeps soil temperatures more even.
- Pest Watch: Be vigilant for cabbage loopers, imported cabbageworms, and aphids. Check the undersides of leaves. Use row covers immediately after planting to prevent moth damage, or apply organic controls like Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) as needed.
Harvesting Your Mississippi Cabbage
Harvest time depends on the variety and planting date. Heads are ready when they feel firm and solid when gently squeezed.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the head from the base of the plant.
- For a possible second, smaller harvest, leave the outer leaves and base root in the ground after cutting the main head. Some varieties will produce small “side” heads.
- Fall cabbage that matures in cool weather can often be left in the garden for several weeks. A light frost can actually improve the flavor, making it sweeter.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even with good care, you might encounter a few issues.
- Bolting: If a plant sends up a flower stalk prematurely, it’s usually caused by planting too late in spring or a sudden warm spell. Stick to the recommended planting dates.
- Split Heads: Heads cracking open is often caused by uneven watering, especially after a dry period followed by heavy rain or irrigation. Maintain consistent soil moisture.
- Yellowing Leaves: This can be a sign of nutrient deficiency, usually nitrogen. A side-dressing of fertilizer can help green plants back up.
FAQ: Growing Cabbage in Mississippi
Can you plant cabbage in the summer in Mississippi?
It is not recommended. Summer heat stresses the plants, leading to bolting, bitter flavor, and poor head development. The best approach is to plant so that cabbage matures in the cool of spring or fall.
What is the latest you can plant cabbage for a fall harvest?
You can transplant quick-maturing varieties as late as early October in South Mississippi for a late fall harvest. However, mid-September is a safer cutoff for most of the state to ensure heads form before hard freezes.
How long does cabbage take to grow?
From transplanting, most cabbage varieties take between 60 and 90 days to mature. Always check the “days to maturity” on your seed packet or plant tag for your specific variety.
Can cabbage survive a frost in Mississippi?
Yes, established cabbage plants are quite frost-tolerant. In fact, fall cabbage exposed to light frosts often develops a milder, sweeter taste. They can handle temperatures down into the 20s, especially with some row cover protection.
Why are my cabbage heads small and loose?
Small, loose heads (called “buttoning”) can be caused by several factors: transplanting older, root-bound seedlings, extreme temperature shifts, or a lack of nutrients (especially nitrogen) during the growing season. Using young, healthy transplants and providing consistent feed and water is the best prevention.