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Red Cabbage Ruby Ball F1 - Brassica oleracea capitata

Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra Ruby Ball F1
Cabbage

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

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A very good variety of red cabbage that produces beautiful heads of red, sweet and succulent leaves. Sowing from February to October for a harvest 10 to 12 weeks later.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
40 cm
Spread at maturity
50 cm
Drought resistance
Poor
Germination time (days)
14 days
Sowing method
Direct sowing, Sowing under cover
Sowing period February to October
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Harvest time January to December
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

The 'Ruby Ball F1' Cabbage is a perfect variety of red cabbage that produces beautiful, sweet, and sugary red leaf heads. It can be sown from February to October for a harvest 10 to 12 weeks later.

The Round Cabbage or White Cabbage is a trendy leafy vegetable. It is a must-have in the vegetable garden, and if we love it so much, it may be as much for its flavour as for the generous appearance of the heads it forms.

Called interchangeably White Cabbage or Round Cabbage (in Latin Brassica oleracea capitata, capitata meaning "head"), this beautiful vegetable plant belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). Originally from Europe, it is a biennial plant cultivated annually that produces a more or less tight head, which can be round, flattened or distinctly conical in pointed varieties. The leaves of the Round Cabbage are smooth, and their colour varies depending on the varieties: from very light green, almost white, to dark green, sometimes slightly bluish, to red tinged with violet or nearly black.

The Cabbage, although emblematic of winter, can be sown and harvested almost all year round. The varieties are generally grouped into three main categories: spring Cabbages, which are harvested from late April to June; summer and autumn Cabbages for the period from July; and winter Cabbages, which, along with leeks and parsnips, allow us to wait until the first spring harvests.

Round Cabbage can be consumed raw or cooked; it can be prepared, grated in a salad, braised to accompany meat and fish dishes, stuffed or even in soup and sauerkraut. There is no shortage of recipes, both in traditional and modern cuisine.

From a dietary point of view, it is remarkable: its energy value is low, but it is very rich in vitamins C, B6 and B9; it also contains a lot of fibre and minerals such as calcium.

In the vegetable garden, it is easy to grow as long as you meet its requirements: deep soil, excellent manure and regular moisture. It thrives in the sun and generally does well in cool and rainy climates.

NB: This variety is labelled F1 for "hybrid F1" because it results from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be exceptionally flavourful and early while resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are attractive for their homogeneity and resistance. Still, unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations: it will, therefore, not be possible to recover the seeds for later sowing.

Harvest occurs when the Cabbage forms a nice head before the leaves turn yellow. It is done with a knife by cutting just below the head.

Storage: Round Cabbage can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. It also freezes very well after being blanched in salted boiling water. Winter varieties can also be left in the ground. Finally, the preparation of sauerkraut (lacto-fermentation) allows the autumn varieties with white heads to be preserved in a tasty way.

The gardener's little tip: Don't forget the flowers! Even though the vegetable garden is primarily a garden for producing quality vegetables, it is always interesting to plant flowers. Firstly, even if the beauty of certain vegetables, such as Cabbage, is sufficient for their aesthetic pleasure, it also repels pests and attracts valuable pollinators. So, don't hesitate to plant Blanket Flowers, Marigolds, Zinnias, Cosmos, Nasturtiums or even beautiful herbs like Dill in the middle of the rows or at the edge of the bed. However, be careful with certain plants, which are nevertheless very useful, such as Borage, which tends to reseed abundantly in areas dedicated to cultivation.

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Cabbage: planting, sowing and harvest
Family sheet
by Virginie Thailly, experte plantes et jardin 15 min.
Cabbage: planting, sowing and harvest
Read article

Harvest

Harvest time January to December
Type of vegetable Leaf vegetable
Size of vegetable Medium
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Colour

Plant habit

Height at maturity 40 cm
Spread at maturity 50 cm
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour red

Botanical data

Genus

Brassica

Species

oleracea var. capitata f. rubra

Cultivar

Ruby Ball F1

Family

Brassicaceae

Other common names

Cabbage

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference • 23171

Planting and care

Sowing:

The germination temperature of 'Ruby Ball F1' Cabbage is around 15°C (59°F) (minimum 10°C (50°F), maximum 30°C (86°F)) and takes 5 to 14 days.

Sowing period: February to October sowing

Harvest period: 10 to 12 weeks later

You can proceed by direct sowing in place or preparing seedlings that will be later planted in their final position in the garden.

Preparing seedlings: Under cover from late autumn to late winter or in a greenhouse in the garden for the rest of the year (depending on the recommended sowing period), sow the seeds at a depth of 1 to 2 cm (0 to 1in) in a good seed compost or fine soil. Cover lightly with compost and keep the substrate moist but not soggy.

When the young plants appear strong enough to be handled, transplant them into pots if necessary before planting them in the garden when there is no longer any risk of frost. When planting, respect the recommended spacing for direct sowing.

Direct sowing: In suitably amended and finely worked soil, make furrows one or two centimetres deep, spaced 50 centimetres (20 inches) apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil. When the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, leaving one plant every 50 centimetres (20 inches).

Cultivation:

Cabbage is grown in full sun. It is a greedy vegetable that requires well-rotted, nitrogen-rich and potash-rich soil. It is advisable, preferably in autumn, to generously add mature compost (about 3/4 kg per m2) by scratching it into the soil to a depth of 5 cm (2in) after having, as for any vegetable cultivation, thoroughly loosened the soil. It is not very tolerant of soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually raise the pH by adding calcium in the form of Dolomite or Lime.

It is beneficial to associate it with many vegetables, such as tomatoes and lettuce. But avoid planting it next to other Brassicas and zucchini, fennel, lamb's lettuce, leeks, and strawberries.

Beware of pests such as Cabbage White Butterfly or Flea Beetles, and consider installing insect netting. Cabbage is generally quite susceptible to diseases such as Clubroot, so it is important to rotate crops in the plots.

Seedlings

Sowing period February to October
Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover
Germination time (days) 14 days

Care

Soil moisture Damp soil
Disease resistance Good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Vegetable garden
Hardiness Hardy down to -29°C (USDA zone 5) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), Damp soil

Planting & care advice

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