These plants have been growing indoors, I sowed them in January and I replanted them twice.

I finally got to take my lovely little plants outside! This savoy cabbage is called Vorbote 3 and it's one of my favorite early varieties. I have been taking good care of my little plants since I sowed them in January. Don't they look great?!

I replanted the cabbage twice and fertilized them with diluted urine after the first time. You can read more about fertilizing with urine here on my blog, for example in the article Using diluted urine as fertilizer. The plants have been standing under a grow light in a window for the most part. Just like previous years, the plan was always to get them out into the polytunnel in March so that I can start harvesting the outer leaves in April and then the entire heads in May.

I used to grow lamb's lettuce in this old hot bed. Now it's time to grow savoy here. I removed the wooden frame and raked the soil.

Put the plants close by the short side of the bed. Since I harvest them leaf by leaf from the outside in, it doesn't matter that they are close.

Hardy cabbage

I planted the cabbages in the same spot as last year's hotbeds. The soil is lovely here, hopefully still nutritious. I decided to fertilize with some urine when I planted them too just to be sure. All while the snow was blowing horizontally! It felt very strange those last days in March.

This savoy cabbage grows really nicely even in low temperatures. It's just a few degrees above freezing during the day and of course colder at night, but it's nice and warm in my polytunnel as soon as the sun comes out. Easily up to 70 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) when the sun is shining. We had around 41 degrees (5 degrees Celsius) when I planted the cabbage though. I'm counting on that it will be frost free even when it's freezing outside.

This is what my Vorbote 3 plants look like after eight weeks indoors! This is the perfect time to plant them.

You can learn more my cabbage projects in my series Cabbage, from sowing to harvest. I just recorded the second part in this series where I talk a bit more about how to fertilize and take care of the cabbage. The variety in the videos is called Early Jersey Wakefield.

There is just something special about cabbage. I just love it so much, I can't get enough! I can sit and observe the little Vorbote 3 plants forever. They just look more and more beautiful every day. The savoy cabbage is by far the most impressive vegetable in my polytunnel right now when all of the other winter vegetables look a bit worn out. The best part is that I can start harvesting my cabbage in only a few weeks!
/Sara Bäckmo