Diane Grover, age 9, of Lake Charles, La., for her question:
DOES CABBAGE GROW FROM SEED?
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable that is closely related to cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and turnips. It grows from seed.
Cabbage grown commercially under normal conditions is a biennial. Farmers grow the plants one year and leave them in the ground during the winter. In the spring the plant produces seed.
Sometimes cabbage plants that have been subjected to cool weather of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit produce seeds rather than marketable heads. Many biennial plants show this response to cold weather. In warmer weather, about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, cabbage plants produce heads without difficulty.
Cabbage seeds are small and look almost exactly like those of cauliflower and other similar plants. Cabbage, by the way, actually belongs to the mustard family.
In regions with a mild climate, most farmers prefer to plant the cabbage seds directly in the ground of a field. They sow the seed in rows about three feet apart. When the young plants grow, workers thin the rows to allow a space of about 18 to 24 inches between the plants.
In regions with short growing seasons, farmers may start the seeds in a greenhouse or hotbed. They plant the seeds in small, shallow boxes called flats.
Shortly after the plants sprout in the flats, workers transplant them to larger flats and space them about two inches apart. The plants grow for another eight to 10 weeks, and then workers transplant them to the field.
However, each plant must re establish itself every time it is transplanted, so growth is retarded. Therefore, most farmers, particularly those in mild climates, seed their cabbage directly in the field.
Most home gardeners buy their cabbage in small plant form and skip planting seeds.
There are three kinds of cabbage: white, red and savoy. The leaves grow close together to form a hard, round head.
The leaves of the white and red cabbage are usually quite smooth, but have rather prominent veins. Those of the savoy appear wrinkled or blistered.
White cabbage, which has pale green leaves, is the most popular type in the United States and Canada. People eat it raw in salads, cooked as a hot vegetable, or pickled as sauerkraut.
Red cabbage, with its reddish purple leaves, is not so popular as white cabbage, but can be eaten raw or cooked. Experts say that the savoy type, perhaps, has the best flavor.
Chinese or celery cabbage is not a true cabbage. Its long leaves form stalks similar to celery.
Cabbage plants are attacked by aphids, cabbage loopes, maggots, cabbage worms and other insects. Some insects eat the leaves, destroying the round shape of the head. Insecticides can be used to control insects. Cabbage plants can also be affected by mildew, root rot and the yellows.