Yesterday evening The Deer Hunter and I planted a long row of cabbage.
I’ve been wanting to get the plants I started earlier this year in the ground for over a week. It’s been so rainy it’s hard to find a time that the ground isn’t too wet.
The dirt was a mite damp but we planted them anyway since rain was in the forecast again.
We started two varieties this year: Brunswick and Copenhagen. We’ve grown both before and they do well for us.
Brunswick is said to be a good cabbage for long term storage, but we usually don’t store our cabbage very long. We make kraut with it and the rest we eat up pretty quick.
As usual, I mixed some of the trays up so I’m not sure of the exact variety of all the plants. I suppose all that matters is that we accomplished the second step of having tasty cabbage straight from the garden.
We will add a row cover to protect the cabbage from worms, but we didn’t manage to get that part done.
The Deer Hunter said the long line of green in the bare garden sure was pretty. I wholeheartedly agreed.
Last night’s video: Common Folks 8.
Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox
Hope you got my message about my husband being 7th son of a 7th son? He was from family of 13 and since age of 5 he could cure Thrush,bleeding,help pain. No one has large families anymore to have a 7th son. pls let me know if you got my prior writing I sent?
I watched your episode about curing Thrush. Both my family and husbands families are from Appalachia. My husband had 12 brothers and sisters and came to Cincinnati,Ohio at age 9. His father and my husband were both 7th sons of a 7th son. The story is they were born with a Vail over their face. They both had special skills at curing Thrush,stopping pain and bleeding etc. They came from miles to see him since he was around 5. You are never allowed to give money but only gifts. One time I remember receiving a large garden basket on porch full of vegetables at 5 am in the morning!!! I lost my husband in 2018 at age 73. Miss him everyday. He was such a kind caring person! Love watching your show! My mom was from Berea Kentucky. My Grandmother an herb doctor and midwife. My Grandfather a carpenter that built all the furniture in the Boone Tavern in Berea. I just love watching you on U-Tube.
This interests me because I’m a graduate of Berea College. Boone Tavern is a lovely hotel.
I don’t know why but I just don’t have no luck with cabbage. I’ve tried and tried. Everything else is fine.
You all and Tipper start me recalling to. Growing up in southeast KY onion bulbs for planting were “sets” but it has been so long since I heard “set out” regarding gardening that I do not remember what sort of things got “set out”. I think maybe it was for anything planted. (Then there is ” set out” as in starting on a journey or commencing to begin any new endeavor.) Like yourself and others here, that first new green in the year’s garden is good to see. I have radish, pea and onion plants liking the rain last night and the sun today.
Need to get my cabbages in the ground soon as well. Variety is ‘Golden Acre’ and I’ve never grown cabbage before, so need to get some row covers. Yes, indeed. That row of green is so uplifting!
I agree that a touch of green is very welcome in the garden. I left Brussel sprouts from last year and I don’t know exactly what they are doing out there, but it’s something! I actually mowed around my house yesterday where my grass looked ragged. I never mowed in March before. It felt good to hear the birds and watch the bees on my mini purple hyacinth. I wish you many cabbages in your future and lots of “cabbage” too in your wallet! Have a great weekend!
I dearly love eating cabbage but have never had much luck with growing my own. Now a days, it wouldn’t be worthwhile to grow my own anymore. Like Sanford said in my area we “set out” cabbage , tomatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and other similar plants. Is there really that much difference in taste from a cabbage grown in another area and mountain grown cabbage? In the fall of the year it seems like everyone around here, including me are looking for mountain grown cabbage at the produce stands. When we went to the NC mountains in the fall, I would always bring many of them back to give away to my neighbors. I would tease them and say “no charge”, just invite me for supper when you get the cabbage cooked!
I know you are excited to get started with the cabbage. Even though we didn’t see the whole row in the picture, just seeing that one green plant in the ground sure is indeed very pretty!! Can’t wait to see your garden this year! Enjoyed last night’s reading. I couldn’t pick a favorite part of the chapter. It’s such a wonderful book. Have a blessed day everyone!!
I love cabbage about any way it can be prepared. I hope your crop does very well this year.
I like the idea of ground cover and I am going to try cheese cloth that I bought years ago at a yard sale. The roll was about as much weight as I could pick up. I am making hoops from hazelnut prunings. With those and bamboo I should be able to support it. I looked at the price of ground cover material and think it is ridiculously priced. May as well buy the cabbage.
Here’s an idea for you. I have replaced the rotten wood on my raised beds (42″ wide x 72′ long and average height of 18″) with metal garage door panels. So far the winter freeze thaw has not affected them as much as it did the old wood. The panels are free for the taking and either metal or vinyl should last a lifetime. I even use the old side rails cut to 30″ for the posts to hold them in place. I also made (2) 22″x9′ beds for strawberries.
Nothing prettier than fresh green in the garden! The rain and turned earth must add a divine fragrance!
Tipper,
A slight difference in terminology when referring to cabbage plants either being “planted” or “set out.”
Here in Upper Northeast TN cabbage plants are always “set out” as compared to your area where cabbage plants are “planted.” A slight difference in terminology that I think is interesting.
Happy “planting” or “setting out!”
Sanford. Here in central N.C when daddy was farming, and it was time for tobacco it was always time to “set out” tobacco. Tobacco was never “planted” it was “set out.” Same with collards and cabbage. It is interesting how we all say things a little different.
Gloria,
I found another one that I do not remember ever hearing: (The Perfect Time to “Plant Out” Seedlings and Young Plants – GrowVeg)
In my part of Western North Carolina “starts” generally are “set out”. Vegetables whose seeds go directly in the ground are planted or sown. In Tipper’s case she both grows the “starts” and puts them in the ground. There is where the terminology gets kinda fuzzy. Does she plant cabbage then set it out or is putting it in the ground just part of the planting process? And does the fact that she is referring to the entire row change the language used?
When I refer to the garden as a whole I use the word plant. “I planted a garden last year and the bugs took it over!” Can that also apply to “planted a long row of cabbage”? Or could the word “plant” refer to any and all methods of getting vegetables to grow? Oxford Definitions says plant means “place (a seed, bulb, or plant) in the ground so that it can grow”.
Ima,
I have always believed the most important aspect of communicating is if the other person understands what we are saying regardless of how many different uses of terminology are used in different areas or situations. There seems to be no right or wrong terminology in this particular usage of words?
Seems that “place in the ground” when referring to either planting or setting out covers either?
Here’s another expression that I can’t remember hearing concerning the placing of seed or plants into the ground. (The Perfect Time to “Plant Out” Seedlings and Young Plants – GrowVeg)
Thank you for your very interesting thoughts.
How exciting to get the cabbage planted in ground! I’m sure going to miss not planting an in ground garden this year, but my garden ground needs a rest and apparently so do I. Looking forward to reading and seeing videos on how your garden grows this year.