How to Grow Copenhagen Market Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata 'Copenhagen Market'
Copenhagen Market Cabbage is a reliable heirloom brassica prized for its sweet flavor and excellent resistance to splitting and bolting. Gardeners value this variety for producing firm, compact heads that thrive in cool weather while tolerating light frosts.
📷 Wikipedia: Brassica oleraceaStarting Copenhagen Market Cabbage: indoors or direct sow?
🏠 Start indoors 4 weeks before your last spring frost, then move the seedlings outside.
You can start seeds indoors four weeks before the last frost, then harden off seedlings gradually before moving them outdoors once the danger of severe frost has passed.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil by incorporating organic matter to ensure consistent moisture and adjust the pH to between 6.0 and 6.8 for optimal growth. As a cool-season crop, you should sow seeds directly outdoors or start them indoors two to six weeks before your last expected spring frost. Plant the seeds at a depth of roughly one-half inch, where they will typically germinate within seven to twelve days.
Space plants twelve to fifteen inches apart to allow proper head formation without overcrowding. While this cabbage does not require trellising, maintain consistent moisture by providing about one to one-and-a-half inches of water weekly. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, while feeding lightly if growth appears slow.
Watch for common pests like cabbage worms, cutworms, aphids, flea beetles, and cabbage root maggots; use row covers or organic sprays to manage them. You may also encounter clubroot, black rot, fusarium yellows, or downy mildew, so ensure good air circulation. Harvest your heads in sixty-five to seventy-five days after sowing when they are firm and full-sized.
When to Plant Copenhagen Market Cabbage
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Copenhagen Market Cabbage
✓ Good companions
Break up soil for shallow cabbage roots and don't compete for nutrients
Repels cabbage white butterflies and helps deter cabbage worms
Attracts beneficial wasps that parasitize cabbage worms and aphids
Provides ground cover and efficient space use without competing for nutrients
Deter cabbage moths and other flying pests with their strong scent
Act as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, drawing pests away from cabbage
Repel cabbage maggots, aphids, and flea beetles with their strong sulfur compounds
Repels cabbage worms and flea beetles while attracting beneficial predatory insects
✗ Keep away from
Can shade cabbage and compete for space, while nitrogen fixing may cause excess leafy growth
Both are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, leading to poor growth in both crops
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt cabbage growth through root competition
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
