Cabbage Farming in Kenya has been one of the most profitable enterprise for farmers for a long period of time.
There are three varieties of cabbages in the country that is smooth-leafed green, smooth-leafed red, and crinkled-leafed green, also known as savoy cabbage.
Cabbage grows well in full sun, but being a cool-weather crop, it can tolerate some shade during the day. It especially likes cool nights with morning dew. In highland areas, cabbage can be grown all year round by successive sowing after every two months.
You can sow cabbage directly in situ or grow seedlings in a separate seedbed and then transplant.
Cabbage seeds take four to 10 days to germinate and if grown in a seedbed, they should be transplanted after five to seven weeks. They, thereafter, take 80 days to mature and harvest.
So, for a July or August harvest, you should plant your seedlings in March or April. But you can also plant them on any four-month cycle as long as you avoid sowing in October or November if you are in a hotter area.
The recommended spacing is 50 by 50cm to 70 by 70cm for larger varieties. In a square-foot planting system, plant a single cabbage per square foot.
The crop is what we call a “heavy feeder”. Cabbage needs adequate nutrition to grow those heavy heads.
Therefore, it is preferably grown in soils with some clay content, but the soil also needs to be deep and rich in organic matter with a high water retention capacity. This is the ability of the soil to hold rain or irrigation water for longer periods.
To achieve this, loosen the soil deeply before planting and dig in 12 to 20 tonnes of high quality compost per acre six weeks before planting.
Cabbage also needs well-aerated soil, so loosen the soil regularly and apply mulch. A thick mulch layer of 15 to 20cm deep will help to keep the soil moist and cool. Shortly before head formation, heap up the soil around the root or stem area. This will increase root and plant growth.
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gold soil 