I am offering a proto-grex of cabbage seeds to anyone in the USA who is willing to plant them this year for overwintering, who will keep them isolated from other B. oleracea (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, many kales, and kohlrabi) while they are flowering and who will return some of the harvested seed for a GTS grex. PM me your address if you would like to participate, and let me know if you have any questions.
The following varieties are included in the grex:
The Peace Seedlings Belarus Cabbage Grex
Primax
January King
Chieftain Savoy
Amarant
Testa Di Ferro
Charleston Wakefield
Glory of Enkhuizen
Amager
Futog
Danish Ballhead
Mammoth Red Rock
Winter King Savoy
Red Acre
Golden Acre
Brunswick
Who is planning to plant cabbage this year for overwintering? And is there interest in creating a “pre-grex” mix of cabbage varieties for folks to plant out? If there is interest, I’d be happy to coordinate this. I’m currently planning on planting the following varieties:
Winter King Savoy
Golden Acre
Belarus Grex (from Peace Seedlings)
January King
And some varieties with old seed which may or may not germinate: All Seasons, Red Acre, Brunswick, and Primo. I may purchase more varieties.
If there is interest, I’d be happy to purchase more varieties and share them around to four or five collaborators, ideally people who have successfully overwintered cabbage or other B. oleracea in the past. If people already have cabbage varieties that they’d like to swap around, that would also be great.
I’m going to plant mine in the next week or so. I’m hoping that they have time to make a full-sized head, which I can then harvest while they still have time to put energy into side sprouts before cold weather sets in.
Depending on climate and goals, and how much protection the plants will be given in the fall, I think the planting window could extend into July.
The idea is to overwinter in order to get the seeds in the second year? Or is it to harvest heads outdoors in winter? (In which case I would use some localized cover).
I’ve in zone 5 going on 6 and have had some surprises with B. oleracea returning after harsh winters to go to seed. Would love to participate in hardening a seed grex for the future.
Yes, the idea is to overwinter for seeds the next year. Though I’m also hoping to harvest and eat the heads, leaving the stalk, outer leaves, and their associated buds in place, which will produce the seed stalks the next year. (In my climate, the head would probably just rot if left in place, and so I might as well eat them!)
Do you currently have any cabbage varieties that you will be planting?
I totally get what you’re saying about harvesting the heads and getting the stumps to produce the next year. I’ve done this before mainly with kale and had some success.
I would love to join this effort though I don’t have enough seeds to contribute at the moment. I’d be happy to send you a few buck to support your buying, mixing and mailing of the “mother grex”.
I just sent orders for a bunch of different cabbage varieties (listed below). I’m happy to send some seeds to anyone who is willing to plant them this year for overwintering, who will keep them isolated from other B. oleracea (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, many kales, and kohlrabi) while they are flowering and who will return some of the harvested seed for a GTS grex. PM me your address if you would like to participate, and let me know if you have any questions.
Varieties ordered:
The Peace Seedlings cabbage grex,
Amager
Charleston Wakefield
Danish Ballhead
Futog
Glory of Enkhuizen
Mammoth Red Rock
Testa Di Ferro
Amarant
Chieftain Savoy
January King
Primax
For those who feel they couldn’t isolate them from other B. oleracea, remember that time isolation can work. I’m planning to save seed from a broccoli grex, but I will simply eat any broccoli shoots that would overlap with the flowering of the cabbage.
