Holiday Red Cabbage Seeds

We promise to provide you with high-quality, fresh and viable flower seeds.

Bullet Points:

• A Show-Stopping Holiday Star: The deep, vibrant magenta heads are visually stunning. They add an instant pop of festive color to Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, making your dishes look like they belong in a gourmet magazine.
• Perfectly Crisp & Sweet: Unlike standard green cabbages, this variety offers a wonderfully dense, crunchy texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. The cold weather naturally converts starches into sugar for an even tastier harvest.
• The Ultimate Coleslaw & Pickling Cabbage: Classic American deli-style coleslaw gets its iconic rainbow look from Red Cabbage. It holds its bright color and crunchy texture beautifully when shredded and dressed.
• Rich in Antioxidants: The gorgeous purple pigment comes from natural anthocyanins, offering powerful health benefits and making it a true "superfood" for your family.
• Exceptional Winter Storage: Heads are incredibly dense and keep fresh in your refrigerator or root cellar for months, giving you a gorgeous supply of crisp greens all winter long.
• Versatile Kitchen Staple: Great for coleslaw, pickled cabbage, festive stir-fries, braised dishes, and using raw as a colorful food wrap.

Product Details:

• Genus: Brassica
• Species: Brassica oleracea (Capitata Group - Red/Purple variety)
• Hardiness Zone: USDA Zones 3 – 11 (Excellent cold tolerance; hardy down to 20°F).
• Days to Maturity: 70 - 80 days (From transplanting).
• Days to Germination: 5 to 10 days (Optimal soil temp: 60°F - 75°F).
• Seeding Depth: ½ inch (1.2 cm).
• Row Spacing: 24 - 36 inches (60 - 90 cm).
• Plant Height: 10 – 14 inches (25 - 35 cm) upright.
• Growth Habit: Upright, leafy basal rosette. Forms a dense, firm, perfectly round/globular head of deep magenta/purple leaves with a smooth waxy texture.
• Soil Preference: Deep, loose, fertile, moisture-retentive loam heavily amended with organic matter. pH 6.0 – 7.5.
• Temperature Preference: Cool weather. Best performance at 55°F - 65°F (12°C - 18°C). Will bolt if temps consistently exceed 75°F.
• Light Preference: Full Sun (minimum 6-8 hours of direct sunlight).

How to Plant & Grow:

• Site Preparation: Cabbages are heavy feeders. Choose a location with full sun (6+ hours). Enrich the soil with 4 inches of aged compost and a balanced organic vegetable fertilizer worked into the top 8 inches of soil.
  
• Sowing: Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring (4-6 weeks before the last frost) or, for the best holiday harvest, in mid-summer for a spectacular fall crop. Plant seeds ½ inch (1.2 cm) deep and cover lightly with soil. Keep consistently moist until germination (5-10 days).

Spacing:

• For Large, Round Heads: Space seedlings 18 to 24 inches (45-60 cm) apart in rows spaced 24 to 36 inches (60-90 cm) apart.
• Square Foot Gardening (SFG): Plant 1 plant per 1-square-foot area.
• Watering: Deep and consistent watering is essential for tight heads. Provide about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) of water per week. Crucial Tip: Fluctuating moisture levels (too dry then a sudden heavy rain) will cause the round heads to split open.
• Harvesting: The heads are ready when they are firm, dense, and heavy when you lift them (usually 70-80 days). For the sweetest flavor, harvest them after your first light autumn frost. Use a sharp knife to cut the thick stalk just below the lowest outer leaves.
• Gardener's Tip: The intense purple color comes from natural plant pigments. To keep this stunning color vibrant, sauté, roast, or eat it raw. Avoid boiling it in water, as the pigment can leach out and turn the water bluish-grey.

Planting Calendar:

• Early Spring Crop (Riskier in heat):
  Start Indoors: Late February to Early March. 
  Transplant Out: March to Mid-April.
  Harvest: Late May to June.
  
• Fall Crop (Highly Recommended for Best Holiday Quality):
  Start Indoors: Late June to Early July.
  Transplant Out: Mid-July to Early August.
  Harvest: October to November (Perfect timing for Thanksgiving!).