Learn all about which cabbage variety for sauerkraut in this post. Most cabbage varieties can be used to make sauerkraut but traditionally, tight round heads of cabbage are used and they are usually not the savoy or red cabbage varieties. Read on to learn what varieties of cabbage make the best sauerkraut and how to grow them.
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Cabbage Variety For Sauerkraut
There are 3 key types of cabbage: early, mid season and late. Cabbages are split into these types based on the number of days they take to mature.
- Early cabbage is the most tender and will make the most tender sauerkraut. Early cabbages do not keep well and are varieties like Greyhound, Cannonball, Early Wakefield.
- Mid season cabbage such as All Seasons is also tender and matures later than the early cabbage. Mid season cabbage varieties will store for a fairly long time and make a good sauerkraut.
- Late cabbage varieties such as Savoy or Brunswick keep well in storage for most of the winter, but they will make the least tender sauerkraut. Late cabbage is often made into sauerkraut because it is ready at the time that the harvests and work in the garden is slowing down.
The drum head varieties of cabbage are usually best for sauerkraut and will grow from early summer to fall. These cabbages mature around the time of the first fall frosts. The tight heads of cabbage are easier to slice and turning them into sauerkraut is a delicious way to preserve them to eat later in the season. Common heirloom varieties of cabbage used for sauerkraut include:
- Late Flat Dutch (100 days to maturity)
- Brunswick (90 days to maturity)
- Golden Acre (65 days to maturity)
- Glory of Enkhuizen (90 days to maturity)
Some of these varieties of cabbage can weigh up to 10 pounds a head! That’s a lot of sauerkraut and can keep you sufficiently in sauerkraut for a year or more depending on how many cabbages you grow!
Related Post: How to Homestead on Less than 1 Acre
How To Grow Cabbage
Cabbages grow in zones 3 to 10 and need fertile, well drained soil and regular watering to grow well. Cabbages are heavy feeders and will grow well in a bed where you have added plenty of well rotted compost. I always have plenty of compost maturing in my tumbling composter
Related post: How to Start Composting
Start your seeds for spring cabbage in March to transplant in April or sow winter cabbages in July directly outside. If you are starting indoors, sow your seeds in flats or 3 inch pots to give them room to grow then harden them off before transplanting outside.
If you have soil which is acidic, you will need to lime your soil to prevent clubroot from forming. Clubroot thrives in soil pH lower than 6.8. As your cabbages grow, it is important to give them plenty of space to grow as some varieties can grow 3 feet wide. Airflow around your plants can help minimize fungal problems on your plants, as will removing yellowing leaves and practicing crop rotation.
Check your cabbages regularly for caterpillars or hornworms and aphids. Pick the caterpillars off by hand and aphids can be blasted off with water from a hose. Many organic gardeners dust the cabbage plants with diatomaceous earth
Cabbages grow in sunny to semi shade, afternoon shade can be important of you are located in southern states to help your cabbages form heads. Heads develop in cooler temperatures and are ready when they feel firm when you gently squeeze them. Winter cabbages can store really well in a root cellar if you want to eat them fresh. Spring and mid season cabbages do not keep well and need to be eaten or processed quickly.
You can extend the harvest of cabbage by growing a cabbage variety for sauerkraut from each type, for example growing an early variety, a mid-season variety and a late season to keep you in cabbages throughout the whole growing season.
Related Post: Planning a Garden for Self Sufficiency
Sauerkraut Recipes
Sauerkraut is best made shortly after the harvest. I like to follow the National Center For Home Food Preservation recipe for sauerkraut and use a traditional fermentation crock
If you are just getting started with fermenting you can use the canning jars you already have with one of these Easy Fermenter lid kits
In Summary: The Best Varieties Of Cabbage For Sauerkraut
You can make sauerkraut with any tight headed variety of cabbage, grow a cabbage variety for sauerkraut which you already enjoy. Early season cabbages will be the most tender sauerkraut whilst the hardy late varieties of drum head cabbage like Late Flat Dutch will produce more sauerkraut which will keep much longer but will not be as tender.
Cabbages are easy to grow and require plenty of well rotted compost in their growing bed and even regular watering throughout the growing season. Northern climate may plant cabbage in full sun to semi-shade. Southern gardeners should plant where the cabbages can get respite from the afternoon heat or use shade cloth to reduce the temperatures around the plants.
Check your cabbages regularly for pests and diseases and remove yellowing leaves and debris from around the plants. Drum head cabbages are ready when the swollen center heads are firm when squeezed by hand. Early and mid season cabbages do not store well but hardy winter or late season cabbages store well, especially in root cellars or if processed into sauerkraut or blanched and frozen.
What’s your favorite cabbage variety to grow and make into sauerkraut?
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