Red cabbage

[Summer 2017 – Columbus, OH]

This year we grew red cabbage for the very first time. Although we got a good harvest, some plants got whitefly damage. So we learned that neem oil and companion plants like marigold could be used to control pest damages. Not only that for a healthy cabbage plant, nutrient-rich soil, regular watering, and weeding is also very important.

After harvesting the red cabbage heads, we left the plants on the bed and got some cabbage sprouts as our second harvest. 🙂

[Summer 2018 – Columbus, OH]

We planted our red cabbage seeds in the second week of May, and they took the entire growing period to give the harvest. They need regular watering. Other than that they are low maintenance plants. To control pests (whiteflies), we sprayed diluted natural neem oil once in two weeks. Last year as we didn’t use any pest controlling method most of our cabbage, collard and kale harvest got pest damages. Therefore this year, we used neem oil – a natural traditional pest control commonly used in the Indian subcontinent. If you have a neem tree at home, you can easily make a biopesticide using either its leaves or seeds.