How to Grow Ruby Perfection Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Ruby Perfection Cabbage is a reliable hybrid head cabbage known for its excellent resistance to splitting and tipburn. Gardeners prize this cool-season brassica for its tender leaves and ability to thrive in cooler temperatures while tolerating light frosts.
Starting Ruby Perfection 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 or direct sow them in the garden during that same window.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil by ensuring it drains well and adjust the pH to fall between 6.0 and 6.8 using lime if needed. As a cool-season crop, you should sow seeds or transplant seedlings 2 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost date. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about half an inch, as they typically germinate within five to ten days.
Space plants 15 to 18 inches apart to allow for proper head formation and air circulation. Provide consistent moisture, aiming for one to one-and-a-half inches of water weekly to prevent stress. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, while feeding regularly with a balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season.
Watch closely for cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, and diamondback moths; use row covers or hand-pick pests early. Prevent fungal issues like black rot and clubroot by practicing crop rotation and avoiding overhead watering. Harvest your heads approximately 85 days after sowing when they feel firm and reach full size.
When to Plant Ruby Perfection 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 | August – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | July – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | June – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | April – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | March – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | March – December |
Companion Plants for Ruby Perfection Cabbage
✓ Good companions
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients, good space utilization
Repels cabbage worms and white cabbage butterfly through natural compounds
Attracts beneficial wasps that parasitize cabbage worms and aphids
Provides ground cover to retain moisture and suppress weeds around cabbage
Deter cabbage worms and other pests while attracting beneficial predatory insects
Act as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, drawing them away from cabbage
Repel cabbage maggots, aphids, and flea beetles with their sulfur compounds
Repels cabbage worms and flea beetles with aromatic compounds
✗ Keep away from
Can shade cabbage and compete for nutrients, reducing head formation
Both are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, particularly nitrogen
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt cabbage growth through root competition
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
