"Cabbage was originally introduced to Europe by the Romans, who valued it highly for its outstanding health properties - and for its taste. In fact, the Ancient Romans held cabbage in such high esteem that, Columella, waxed poetic about it:"

"But let's face it. Despite the fact it was highly touted by Romans and Europeans, here in North America we tend to regard cabbage as plain fare - or worse - inedible. Just how did cabbage get such a bad rap? It's all in the cooking."

"We shudder at the thought of limp, over-cooked cabbage. However, properly cooked, red cabbage is delicious. Steam slices until they're tender crisp in a small amount of liquid; add a little smoked ham - a mouth-watering dish! Eaten in its raw state, red cabbage makes a crisp, beautiful slaw, either alone or combined with green cabbage. Cooked with apples, sugar, vinegar, onions, and spices - a delectable rote kohl fit for a king! So if watery, over-cooked cabbage makes you see red - blame the cook, not the cabbage."

"Like other Brassicas, red cabbage is a heavy feeder, and requires fertile soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5."

"For early spring cabbages, start seeds indoors at the beginning of March. Seeds should be planted ¼" to ½" deep in individual containers. Expect seeds to germinate in 7-10 days. Within three to four weeks the seedlings should be sturdy enough to harden off, then transplanted into the garden. Spring cabbage has loosely-packed leaves and takes less time to mature than the denser, fall varieties."

"Space plants approximately 15-18 inches apart in a rich, well-drained soil. Tamp the soil firmly around the plants (cabbage does best in a firm soil), and give them a good drink of water. Feed with a high nitrogen "

" or aged manure to the soil to help promote rapid growth. If your soil is acidic, sprinkle in lime or wood ashes to neutralize the soil, and defend against clubroot."

"Cultivate with care, as cabbage has shallow roots. An organic mulch will keep weed competition down, help retain moisture, and keep the soil cool - cool temperature allows the cabbage time to mature properly instead of bolting. The down side of using mulch is that it makes an ideal home for the ubiquitous slug."

"If your area suffers from hot, dry summers, plant spring varieties that mature in 53 - 88 days. Fall varieties may take from 100 -140 days until they are fully mature."

"Garden space limited? No problem! Red cabbages are pretty enough to sneak into the flower border. Plant a few of these beauties at random with your perennials and dazzle your neighbours with your savoir faire. The deep burgundy color of the cabbage makes an attractive
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