How much does a hectare of cabbage earn?
Welcome to the Dongo the Market Gardener channel. Does market gardening really provide a good living? I would say yes. Market gardening provides more than just a living; it does more than just feed a person. You can even find fulfillment in market gardening. But you have to love it. It's a very exciting profession if you love it. People don't become market gardeners because they've failed elsewhere, but because it's a beautiful profession, like any other. Successfully Growing Headed Cabbage
Headed cabbages can be classified into two main families:
Smooth-headed cabbages (also called Savoy cabbages), round or pointed, and red or green depending on the variety.
Curly-headed cabbages (also called Savoy cabbages)
Headed cabbages can be grown almost year-round by alternating the different available varieties and their planting times. Due to their low climate requirements, they can be grown in all regions of France.
Climate: Mild and humid.
Exposure: Sunny.
Soil: Well-drained, cool, humus-rich, and slightly acidic.
Sowing: From March to June or from mid-August to September, in a nursery bed.
Planting: Cabbage should be transplanted from February to August for spring and autumn harvests. Savoy cabbage should be transplanted either in spring or summer. Plant the strongest seedlings and remove any that do not have a central bud.
Spacing: Plant head cabbages 50 cm apart in all directions.
Harvest: Cabbage is harvested one and a half to two and a half months after planting. Savoy cabbage is harvested two to seven months after planting, depending on the variety.
Good companion plants: Cabbage thrives when planted near cucumbers, celery, beets, bush beans, peas, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. It is especially beneficial to plant it alongside certain aromatic herbs, which will repel most of its pests. Thyme, sage, mint, rosemary, lemon balm, hyssop, and dill are excellent choices for this purpose.
Fertilization: Cabbage needs a good fertilizer rich in nitrogen and potassium, as well as plenty of water.
Maintenance: At the beginning of the year, it is advisable to cover cabbage to prevent premature bolting (going to seed) due to dormancy. Regular hoeing and weeding should be carried out throughout the cabbage's growth. Water during dry periods and don't hesitate to mulch.
Diseases and pests: Flea beetles attack cabbage leaves, leaving them riddled with holes. It's easy to prevent damage from this insect, which can proliferate during periods of drought, by repelling them with companion planting (see above).
Slugs are voracious eaters of newly transplanted seedlings. To prevent them from ruining your plants, place slug traps around them.
Downy mildew is the most common disease affecting head cabbage. It is recognizable by the white, fuzzy spots it leaves on the leaves. Affected plants should be destroyed. As a preventative measure, spray with horsetail tea and Bordeaux mixture.
Cabbage moths (caterpillars) and cabbage white butterflies (butterflies) literally devour young plants and tender leaves. Companion planting with aromatic herbs is an excellent way to prevent these defoliating pests. Collecting and destroying eggs and caterpillars is recommended as soon as they appear. For curative treatment, a biological insecticide is required.
The cabbage aphid sucks the sap from leaves. Its feeding causes yellow spots and leaf deformation. Weakened plants die. They can be easily eliminated by spraying with a pyrethrum-based aphid insecticide.
The cabbage root fly is a pest found mainly in May. Its larvae create tunnels downwards in the plants, destroying the roots and killing the cabbages. Here again, companion planting with aromatic herbs is a good preventative measure. Mounding soil around young plants and protecting their base helps reduce the risk. Finally, placing insect netting over the plants when planting prevents females from laying their eggs.
Crop rotation: Due to its specific requirements, it is advisable not to plant cabbage in the same location for 3 or 4 years.
TIPS AND IDEAS