Cultivation
Cabbage is generally grown for its densely leaved heads, produced during the first year of its biennial cycle. Plants perform best when grown in well-drained soil in a location that receives full sun. Different varieties prefer different soil types, ranging from lighter sand to heavier clay, but all prefer fertile ground with a pH of between 6.0 and 6.8. Temperatures of between 40 and 75 °F (4 and 24 °C) prompt the best growth, and extended periods of higher or lower temperatures may result in premature bolting (flowering). Plants are generally started in protected locations early in the growing season before being transplanted outside, although some are seeded directly into the ground from which they will be harvested. Growers normally place plants 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) apart. Some varieties of cabbage have been developed for ornamental use, these are generally called "flowering cabbage". They do not produce heads and feature purple or green outer leaves surrounding an inner grouping of smaller leaves in white, red, or pink.
When being grown for seed, cabbages must be isolated from other B. oleracea subspecies, including the wild varieties, by .5 to 1 mile (0.80 to 1.6 km) to prevent cross pollination. Other Brassica species, such as B. rapa, B. juncea, B. nigra, B. napus and Raphanus sativus, do not easily cross-pollinate.
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