ISO: Cabbage tips

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lilmissy said:
One year I had the best cabbage plants ever. Never happened again. Anyone have any tips for having a good crop of cabbage? I am not into chemicals and such. TIA
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I am searching gardening threads and just saw this. I have mostly had good luck with growing cabbage. I am posting a link to suggestions for companion plants. I am not pasting the whole article though. What is interesting is that I have notes from a few years ago, that has conflicting information.

I try to not plant the same things in the same place every year, but to rotate locations. I wonder if planting plants in the place where a combatants grew the previous year would make a difference?

Cabbage likes sun, but not heat.

https://www.garden.eco/cabbage-companion-plants
"Cabbage’s Combatants
Combatant plants should be planted on opposite sides of your growing space or kept at least 4 feet apart. Cabbage’s combatant plants are:
  • Bittercress
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Eggplant
  • Grapes
  • Mustard
  • Pepper
  • Pole beans
  • Runner beans
  • Strawberries
  • Tomatoes
You would think that broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are such closely related siblings that they would grow well together, but they are like selfish, jealous siblings. All three absorb such a substantial amount of the same nutrients from the soil that the soil might not be able to provide enough if these crops are planted together. So, keep them separated so that all three get enough of what they need to be healthy and grow.

Mustard is also related to cabbage. Cabbage and its siblings are all descended from a wild mustard plant. Because they are all related, though, they all attract the same pests. There is an advantage to growing mustard in one area and cabbage in another area, however. The mustard will lure pests away from your cabbage.

Bittercress, a relative of mustard and cabbage which is also known as rocketcress or winter cress, has been shown by research to lure the diamondback moth and the imported cabbage white moth away from crops like cabbage.

In fact, bittercress produces a substance that is toxic to diamondback caterpillars. When they begin to feed on bittercress, they die. Bittercress may or may not be toxic to imported cabbageworms. Only the diamondback moth and its caterpillar were included in the research.

Tomatoes repel the imported cabbageworm, but cabbage still doesn’t like getting close to tomatoes."
 
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How do the roots look when you pull the plant? My grandparents had what they would call club root. The root system looked like a club. I don't remember what they did about it. I do know that veggies were rotated every year except the strawberries and raspberries.
 
Cabbage any anything related have to be rotated from a given spot for at least three years. It's actually beneficial to do that with everything you grow. But cabbage and such in particular will spread disease really easily.

I wasn't aware of the particular combatants for cabbage. Explains why my last 2 crops haven't done well. I had planted cabbage with the brocccoli and cauliflour. Makes sense now. This year just growing cabbage and it's next 2 where my onions and tater will be.
 
I have planted cabbage three times & never had a good crop, but the lack of knowledge of growing cabbage.
I would grow it in winter, so no problem with tomatoes, beans, peppers & grapes.
Two years I planted tender plants late & the first hard frost killed them, the third year, they were stunted growth & a good spring rain split all the heads. Maybe if I plant them in September, they will harden off by winter & picked by spring.
 
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