Developed as a heat-tolerant version of Early Jersey Wakefield, this cabbage can thrive anywhere but is especially attractive for Southeast growers. Wherever you plant Charleston Wakefield Cabbage, give it full sun for at least six hours a day and 1-1.5 inches per week. Use fertile, well-draining and neutral-pH soil. Mulching is excellent for these cabbages to manage moisture and weed control, as long as you don’t let it touch the head.

Be on the lookout for all the normal cabbage pests, including aphids, flea beetles and assorted cabbage worms. Downy mildew, clubroot, Fusarium yellows and black rot are potential fungal diseases. The best ways to reduce risk are to avoid soggy soil and keep the growing area clean of weeds and debris.

To extend the growing season, start Charleston Wakefield Cabbage indoors from seed 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost. Choose trays or flats with drainage holes, fill them with seed-starter mix and sow the seeds a quarter to half-inch deep. Keep the soil moist and give the seeds as much sunlight or grow lighting as you can. Seeds can germinate at temperatures anywhere from 45 to 80 degrees. Germination takes one to three weeks; acclimate the seedlings outdoors for a week before transplanting.

This cabbage variety can withstand a light frost, but make sure there’s no remaining threat of a hard spring frost before transplanting or sowing in the ground. In some regions, late summer planting is also an option for a late fall/early winter harvest. Choose a sunny spot and avoid other cabbage-family plants. Space the plants 18-24 inches apart and the rows 24-36 inches apart.

You can also grow cabbage in a large, well-draining container (at least three gallons), which is ideal for patios. Use a high-quality potting soil, and if growing indoors, place the container by a south-facing window for more sun.

Like other cabbage varieties, Charleston Wakefield needs to be fed early and often. After the seedlings develop their first true leaves, apply a half-strength balanced liquid fertilizer every 7-10 days. Add compost or an all-purpose fertilizer when planting or transplanting. Then switch to a high-nitrogen fertilizer every 3-4 weeks as a side dressing (two weeks for container plants). The extra nitrogen will promote more leaf growth.

This cabbage is treated as an annual when grown for food, but mulch or a frost blanket can extend its season well into the winter. Officially, Charleston Wakefield cabbage is a biennial, and overwintering it allows the plant to flower and go to seed in year two. Additional protection, such as row covers, may be necessary for this purpose.

The only pruning you need to do is removing damaged leaves and any that are touching the ground. This redirects resources and makes it harder for pests and diseases to converge.

It takes 70-85 days for Charleston Wakefield cabbage to fully mature; you can tell it’s ready when the head is 6-8 inches across and feels firm. Harvest by removing the head at the base using a sharp knife. If you leave the roots, secondary heads will often grow. Be sure to harvest before the head cracks.