I planted our cabbage seeds this week and I’m sure hoping they do better than they did last year.
Although we’ve started pepper and cabbage plants for at least a decade, last year not a one of them lived. There were several reasons why.
The main one was neglect. With Granny’s long stay in the hospital and the birth of our first grandson we weren’t worrying about the seedlings as much as we should have been.
The other reasons were related to the shelf where we had them.
We decided to use two lights above each shelf instead of one which gave the plants a lot more light and heat, too much heat. We didn’t use the cover that helps keep moisture inside the shelving unit. And we left the grow mats on too long during the growing cycle (that was part of the neglect). All three of those things caused the plants to just dry up.
I tried to salvage some of them by up-potting and moving them to the greenhouse once warmer weather arrived, but it was too little too late. Not one lived.
The varieties of cabbage I planted are the ones we’ve grown for several years. Copenhagen Market and Late Flat Dutch.
I’m hoping the cabbage plants thrive this year. We love to eat fresh cabbage boiled, fried, or made into slaw. And we use a lot of what we grow to make kraut.
For the last two years I’ve canned coleslaw and we’ve really enjoyed it. In fact we’ve already eaten all I made last year.
This time of year I start dreaming about the spring and summer gardens. As fast as time goes they’ll be here before I know it. Even though I’m excited I sure wouldn’t mind a big snow before they get here 🙂
Last night’s video: Planting the First Seedlings of 2025 – The Garden Has Begun!
Tipper
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Last year my husband bought a green house but he hasn’t put it together yet. (imagine that) lol Hopefully he will get it up cause we plan on planting seeds this year. I love cabbage . But for some reason I have no luck with them.
Tipper, the white cabinet against the wall behind you in the picture of the seedlings immediately stood out to me. Wondering if this is an antique–I have one that looks exactly like it except that it is natural wood, was my mothers 1st piece of furniture in her kitchen after I was born in l948, next week to be 77 years old.
she also had a large claw foot round table made in Huntington, Wv, both are now my proud possessiions. As a child Mother would plant seeds of all kinds in egg cartons as starters, a sure sign spring cant be too far away. Keeping all in my prayers, those here in California amidst the fire losses, those still suffering from Helene, and those of you experiencing really below normal temperatures. Keeping in touch with my niece who lives in the little town of Matoaka, WV– has been below freezing there for over a week now, today may reach 30. Burr!!
Thank you Sharon! The cabinet was Granny and Pap’s when they were first married 🙂
Tipper, last year was the first time i start seedlings and I really enjoyed the process. I loved watching them sprout and grow until we could get them in the garden. I love what you say about plants just want to grow! Where we live in central Alberta, planting the garden doesn’t start until the end of May, possibly 1st week of June, so I won’t be starting our seedlings until the beginning or middle of April. I’ve got so much to learn so I appreciate your videos on planting seedlings. This year I hope to start more plants as I bought a 3 tiered shelving unit (2nd hand) to start the seedlings. As much as I enjoy our winter break, by March I start getting excited about getting back into the garden. For now my winter projects are knitting and quilting which I also love! ❤️
My buddy Virgil called me late Winter many years ago and asked if I wanted to grow a garden together. I told him Yes, but it wasn’t fair. We were traveling 2 days a week after my day job, and both days on the weekend from May and into June shearing other peoples’ llamas and alpacas. So I told him it wasn’t fair when so much work needed to be done when planting, that I wouldn’t be there. He said, “We’ll do something.” We grew 3 probably eighty foot rows of potatoes we had a GREAT experience hoeing up when they laid over. I saw him on the BIG tractor the year before with the potato plow BRINGING UP the potatoes We planted beans. And of course Summer/Winter squash etc and some tomato and pepper plants.
One of the things was planting cabbage so we could make his family’s recipe for salt-cured/canned sauerkraut. We grew plants from seed (and bought some) and then Virgil passed in June, before the garden came in. I still went and helped tend the garden and we got together with his sister and made the sauerkraut. I can still see the 5 gallon crocks with the moisture barrier then round wood “lid” pushed down in it. We stirred it, as I remember for a week or so until it was “done,” then canned it. It IS salty; and boy is it GOOD! STILL good after all these years; have opened the last few on “special” occasions. God’s bounty, both in real groceries and especially fellowship. I look forward (understatement) to seeing Virgil AGAIN!
I would be very interested in knowing how you canned the cabbage.
One year we stored them upside down hung in the dry well. They were ok but took on a bit of an odd smell.
Last night you talked about up-potting your plants. Is there a reason for this I need to know about? Why wouldn’t I start my seeds in the pot I wanted them to finish up in? I can understand it if they are going to live their whole lives in a pot but if they are going to be transplanted into the ground, why disturb their roots more than once?
Don’t get me wrong I’ve done up-potting and repotting for years and never knew exactly why. I just wanted to try putting my seeds in larger containers from the start and didn’t want to mess everything up and have to buy plants.
Please tell me what I am missing, besides my good sense.
Ed-I agree it makes more sense to just plant in a bigger container not to mention that it is easier. The benefit of starting the seedlings for us is space. We have room for the small containers inside but not the big ones. By the time we start tomato plants the weather is warmer and we can start them in larger containers in the greenhouse:)
Anticipating the coming of Spring and planting a small garden never fails to lift my spirits during the cold winter season.
Hoping and praying this year’s garden provides you with an abundant harvest.
Uh huh, gardeners never quit gardening for long. They think about next season while this season is still here. And in the deep winter there are seed catalogs. My garden is in sad shape. It needs a fence proof against deer, groundhog, squirrel, rabbit, chipmunk, moles, voles, mold, mildew, dog fennel, purple dead nettle, sucking bugs, kudzu bugs and squash bug. Anybody know where I can get one?
To Randy, I just wish I had an area of good sun here in Scaly Mountain NC. To be able to grow my own food would be marvelous. I lean on the amazing Farmers Market just down the road in Rabun Gap. Many years ago I had gardens and loved going out & plucking tomatoes, egg plant, squash, peppers, multiple types of lettuces and of course beans & peas. Tipper we had a similar situation as you in the Ocala Natl Forest; momma & daddy lived right next to us & we planted together a big garden. Never had too good luck with corn though or cabbages. I think it just got too hot. I sure do miss those days. Stay warm, looks like Randy said a warm streak is coming, still have little piles of snow laying around.
I have just started trying to grow vegetables since I retired mid-last year. My husband built me beautiful grow boxes so I could start winter growing. Just like Randy, things would grow a little and then stop. Alright, I thought, I’ll try growing inside with a lamp. I cheaped out apparently on the light. Oh the seeds are growing like crazy; but straight up and then they fall over. A little research and I found that the light was insufficient which caused them to grow straight up and then fall over. Too fragile to transplant! I also found out that the plants I planted did not transplant well. Back to the drawing board!
Wonderful! A start to a great garden year!
My cabbages always do poorly. I don’t know why. The kale and turnips and radishes thrive, but cabbage is always sickly and shriveled. Any ideas from gardeners would be great. Maybe it’s our soil? It isn’t bug because we’ve used row covers and not too many eaten up places or eggs in the cabbage.
Meg-other than thinking it might be the soil I’m not sure. Hopefully someone will chime in with some tips 🙂
There are some crops that I plant directly in the ground and some that I start early. I’ve decided that with peppers, it’s not worth trying to get them to germinate and stay viable until it’s time to transplant outside, the ones I get from the store already grown are much easier. Tomatoes are easy so I do those from seed, as well as almost everything else. I get my eggplant plants already grown too, I find I get much more out of them if I buy a vigorous plant. I just started a flat of lettuce downstairs in the basement, it grows great underneath grow lights.
My mom used to try to grow cabbage but they never got bigger than a softball. I thought maybe it was our climate but i saw others grow them big. And all the flavor has been bred out of tomatoes. For years i’ve been looking for some open pollinated tomatoes like Daddy used to grow. You can plant seeds from the hybrids and make tommy toes; they’re good in salad and make really good soup. And Yellow Jarvis or Merritt corn – yeah!
Hi Tipper, I have never heard of canned coleslaw before. Would love to see a recipe or video about how it is done. Thank You.
Good morning Tipper, God bless you very much, it has been cold here for so many days, it did get up to 37 yesterday, but this morning is in the teens again, praise God the pipes have not busted, I have left the water dripping in the sink, a styrofoam cover was placed over the spigot outside, that is the one I have been concerned about, I really wish the sun would shine more . God bless you and have a great day
We love cabbage! Last year our cabbage did really well, so I made some sauerkraut and the rest we ate in varying ways. The year before our cabbage did not do well. What is your recipe for canning coleslaw? That sounds like something we would like to try.
i’d love to be able to grow a garden again but the deer have gotten so bad here in the city, it just don’t happen. Our dog we got after apollo crossed the rainbow bridge at 15 is great at keeping the groundhog population down but ain’t worth a hoot at sleeping outside at night to keep the deer out of the yard lol..
But i wanna know…canning cole slaw? ok this is going to require further information….i’m sure you have a post on here about that but if you don’t, please… inquiring minds want to know…
I look forward to my garden, but I’m not even sure I will have one this year. My husband is waiting for a church to make a decision on him coming to be their pastor. If so, we won’t have a garden or one like we are used to. Please pray for us.
Laura Lee- I will pray for you both!!
Hard to believe it’s that time already. I’ve never had success at starting seeds but I also have always tried to do it in a window. I’ve never had grow lights. I have a friend who swears by winter sowing seeds in old milk jugs and setting them outside. I’m going to try it with a few things this year and see how it goes. My grandma is like Randy and loves her cornbread in milk. She especially loves it in buttermilk. I never could get into that myself but I’ll always remember grandma’s cornbread in milk in her little glass cups with flowers etched on them fondly.
I have never had any luck growing any seed like you are doing. They will sprout and grow a little bit and then stop. I know I am doing something wrong. I wish I could have better luck with growing my own tomato plants. I love boiled cabbage, a pone of unsweetened cornbread and sweet ice tea. I often end a meal that includes true unsweet cornbread, not Jiffy Mix, with eating a small bowl of cornbread and milk. For flatlanders like me it is mandatory to buy a NC “mountain cabbage” along with NC apples during the fall months of the year. There is a law somewhere that requires us to do this. 20 degrees right now and again tonight before a heat wave starts Sunday with nighttime temperatures in the 30’s and daytime highs in 50’s, maybe even a few days of the low 60’s. It will sure feel good to these old arthritis bones. Getting old ain’t what it is cracked up to be but I guess it beats being underground! After the death of my wife, daughter and other love ones, I feel guilty and think it is wrong for me to write things like that.
That “law” must have been left out when King James had the Bible translated to English. The one about having to go to North Carolina to get your wings to fly to Heaven was left in. You have to go to Mt Pisgah to get the wings. The song “Sweet Hour OF Prayer” has a line based on it. I think it’s in Deuteronomy.
I did not realize that. In the past we would often sing Sweet Hour of Prayer at our church.