50 Pcs (FL150) Flowering Cabbage Seeds- Ornamental Cabbage- BRASSICA OLERACEA

Ornamental cabbage look and grow very much like their close relatives of edible cabbages. Although you could eat them, they have been bred for looks, not flavor. Their leaves have been hybridized to feature purple, rosy, and creamy white colors, making them look more like large flowers than vegetables.

Plants with smooth leaf margins are called flowering cabbage, while those with serrated or fringed leaf margins are considered flowering kales. Just like their edible cousins, ornamental cabbage and kale are cool-season annuals. Ornamental cabbage and kale look especially good in a large planting or as edging plants, where their purplish hues blend in well with other fall colors. Or, use them to replace warm-weather annuals in your containers over the winter.

• Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea species

• Common Names: Ornamental cabbage, flowering kale

• Plant Type: Annual

• Mature Size: 18 inches tall and wide

• Sun Exposure: Full sun, part shade

• Soil Type: Loamy

• Soil pH: 5.8 to 6.5

• Bloom Time: Ornamental leaves in fall through winter

• Flower Color: Ornamental leaves in purple, rose, cream

• Hardiness Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

• Native Area: Southern and Western Europe

 

Growing Condition:

Light

They will do fine in either full sun or partial shade. When grown in warmer climates, partial shade is preferable.

Soil

Both cabbages and kale prefer a slightly acidic soil pH of about 5.8 to 6.5. Rich, well-drained soil is best.

Water

These plants like to dry out slightly between watering but will suffer stress if left dry for prolonged periods. If your usual cool weather climate includes rain, you probably won't have to water at all. If there is a long dry spell, water occasionally.

Temperature and Humidity

Ornamental cabbages and kale don't develop their full colors unless they get a good chill from a frost. They can last throughout the winter, but their appearance depends a lot on the weather. Too hot and they will bolt to seed; too wet and harsh and they’ll look tattered. They will survive as long as temperatures remain above 5 degrees Fahrenheit. However, a sharp drop in temperature can damage or kill plants that haven't been acclimatized.

Since most pests are scarce in the cooler months, there aren’t too many problems to look out for. Aphids seem to be the most persistent pests, although cabbage looper and leafroller are still active in some areas and powdery mildew can become a problem if the weather remains damp.

Fertilizer

Fertilize only at planting time using a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12. Don't fertilize while growing or they can lose color and get leggy.

Starting:

Seed can be started indoors in a soil-less mix 6 weeks early. Sow 12 mm (1/2″) deep and keep the temperature around 20 C (70 F). Grow-on under lights at 14 C (58 F) until transplanting outside in mid to late May. Direct seed outdoors in mid-May to mid-June then thin seedlings to 60 cm (2′) apart when the plants reach 5 cm (2″) in height.