Can you harvest cabbage leaves

I live in Northern California. The plants look good covered in row covers to protect form bugs but no heads have formed yet early March. How much longer until heads will form? Cabbage varieties that form heads typically do so about 70 to 80 days after planting.

Several factors come into play for head formation: first is temperature, even temperatures between 55 to 65F C are necessary—too cold or too hot will delay head formation; too much nitrogen in the soil can cause cabbage not to form a head; planting cabbage when temperatures are greater than 80F 27C can cause cabbage not to head; soil too wet can cause roots to rot and heads will not form. Can we store both within same chamber and under same conditions. Get the best gardening tips straight into your inbox!

Email Address:. Join our gardening family to receive the latest tips. Search Search for: Search. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Cabbage is a long-lived food and will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks before spoiling.

Before they can be harvested, they must be properly maintained in the soil. To help cabbage grow, remove any leaves or heads that aren't thriving. Cabbage heads are ready to harvest when they are firm and the interior feels dense when the head is squeezed. Soon after the head forms, you must cut the base of the plant from the stem; cabbage that is allowed to get overly ripe will split in two.

Cut the stem below the cabbage and keep at least two or three of the leaves surrounding the cabbage to protect the vegetable. Store cabbage in a cold, humid environment away from fruits like apples that produce ethylene. Early-season cabbage varieties mature in 35 to about 70 days, depending on the specific variety.

Calculate the expected time of harvest from the variety's seed packet or nursery container information regarding days to maturity. A variety's days-to-maturity information, however, is calculated for plant growth under ideal conditions. The growth rate of your cabbage may vary with weather and growing conditions. Mid-season cabbage matures in about 70 to 85 days under ideal growing conditions. You may be able to able to harvest immature cabbage to eat it fresh about two weeks before the expected maturity date.

If you want to harvest the cabbage when it is mature, however, it needs about 70 to 85 days of growth. Late-season cabbage usually takes more than 85 days to mature under ideal growing conditions.