Reasons Cabbage Plants May Not Form Heads

24.02.2024 - 16:34 / gardenerspath.com / Heather Buckner

Reasons Why Your Cabbage Plants May Not Form Heads

If you’ve planted cabbage and waited patiently for it to mature, it’s disappointing to find that in place of the crisp head that you’d hoped for, you’ve got a lot of leafy greens instead.

Why does this happen and what can you do to prevent it?

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Continue reading to learn what may stunt head formation on cabbages and steps you can take to prevent this from occurring.

Cabbage, (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), is a member of the Brassicacae family of cruciferous vegetables and is known for its crisp, round heads.

A cool weather crop, it is available in a number of different varieties, from small, compact, early-maturing types, to large late-season cultivars suitable for a winter harvest.

Leaves may be flat and smooth, developing into tight, drum-like heads, or crinkly in the case of Savoy types.

There are a variety of reasons why these plants sometimes fail to form heads, and it can be a bit tricky to diagnose precisely why. In most cases, however, the leaves are still edible and can be prepared in a similar way to collard greens.

The first thing to check is your seed packet for the expected time to maturity of the variety you’re growing. In some cases, it just requires a little more time and patience!

Cabbage is best planted in the spring or fall and requires 60 to 100 days to reach maturity, depending on the variety.

Plants prefer well drained, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. For more information on how to grow cabbage, check out our guide.

If your plants are not forming heads, here are a few possibilities to consider:

When the