“Oldie but goodie!”

Cabbage is high in antioxidants, which can help in preventing cancer and lowering the risk of heart disease. Cabbage is one of the oldest vegetables in existence and continues to be a dietary staple throughout the world.

Cabbage is in the same family as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and collards. It can be eaten raw in coleslaw, fermented to make sauerkraut or kimchi, or cooked into a variety of dishes. Cabbage is high in vitamins, particularly vitamin C.

Cabbage needs to be grown during the cooler months in Florida. It should be planted around the month of September to grow best. The growing season for each region of Florida is very similar. Cabbage may be one of the easier vegetables in the brassica family to grow. Like it’s relatives, broccoli and brussels sprouts, cabbage also needs cool weather. Cabbage plants take their time to produce. They usually take about 85-110 days in order to be harvested.

Did You Know?

·         Cabbage offers the fewest calories and least fat of any vegetable.

·         Cabbage is high in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant and aids in wound healing.

·         There are at least a hundred different types of cabbage grown throughout the world, but the most common types in the United States are the green, red and savoy varieties.

·         Avoid cabbage with holes. Smell the core for sweetness when shopping.

·         Whole, raw cabbage should be refrigerated in a plastic bag and will keep for up to two weeks.

·         Red and green cabbage should have firm leaves with good color.

Types of Cabbage Grown In Florida

·         Baby Pixie

·         Bravo

·         Bronco

·         Bobcat

·         Copenhagen Market

·         Flat Dutch

·         Red Acre

·         Rio Verde

·         Round Dutch

·         Savoy

·         Wakefield types

Content Courtesy of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and UF/IFAS