How to Harvest Cabbages

• Harvest when heads reach desired size and are firm. This will take around 70 days for most green cabbage varieties. Most early varieties will produce 1- to 3-pound heads.
• Cut each cabbage head at its base with a sharp knife. After harvesting, bring inside or put in shade immediately.
• To get two crops from early cabbage plants, cut the cabbage head out of the plant, leaving the outer leaves and root in the garden. The plant will send up new heads—pinch them off until only four or so smaller heads remain. When these grow to tennis-ball size, they’ll be perfect for salad.
• After harvesting, remove the entire stem and root system from the soil to prevent disease buildup. Only compost healthy plants; destroy those with maggot infestation.

How to Store Cabbages

• Cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two weeks, wrapped lightly in plastic. Make sure it is dry before storing. In proper root cellar conditions, cabbage will keep for up to 3 months. See our article on root cellars.
• Follow this old-time technique to get the most out of your cabbage crop:
  1. In the fall, harvest the entire cabbage plant—stems, head, and roots—enjoying the head as usual and storing the roots in a root cellar through winter. 
  2. As soon as the ground has thawed in spring, plant the roots outdoors. 
  3. Soon, fresh sprouts will form, which can be eaten alone or added to soups, salads, or a dish of your choice.
  4. These replanted cabbages won’t produce full heads, but they should go to seed by the end of summer, providing next year’s round of cabbage seeds!
  • Note: This can also be done indoors on a windowsill in mid- to late winter; keep roots damp and sprouts should form.