Heirloom Garden Series – Red Drumhead Cabbage: From Victory Gardens to Your Cottage Garden

Welcome to Everlea Journal's Heirloom Garden Series, where we celebrate the timeless beauty of flowers and vegetables that have graced gardens for generations. Each week, we uncover the stories, history and unique charm of a classic heirloom varieties - from fragrant blooms to heritage vegetables - and share tips for bringing these vintage treasures into your own cottage garden. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting your garden journey, this series invites you to explore the magic of plants that have stood the test of time.

The ‘Red Drumhead’ cabbage was introduced from Germany and the Netherlands in the 1800s. This variety was included in U.S. seed catalogs and gardens by the late 19th century. By the late 1800s, red cabbage varieties were familiar in Philadelphia and other Northern U.S. regions, and gardeners valued Red Drumhead for its superior adaptation and vibrant appearance compared to older red types like Red Dutch.

A cold-hardy cabbage, ‘Red Drumhead’ is known for its dense, deep-colored heads and excellent keeping quality. Its crisp leaves and sturdy structure make it well suited for pickling, fermenting, braising, or slicing fresh for slaws. Thriving in cooler weather, it develops its best flavor and color in fall, and stores reliably through the winter months in a root cellar or cold storage. The flavor is sweet and tender, less bitter than some green cabbages, making it a favorite for fresh salads, pickling, and cooking alike.

Planting & Care

Seeds are started 6-8 weeks before the last frost, and transplanted once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed for summer harvests, or direct sown in mid-to-late summer for a hearty autumn crop. The cool weather of fall enhances its sweetness, making late-season cabbage a gardener's delight.

Planting Method: Transplant (or Direct Sow in cool weather)

Days to Germination: 7-14 days

Days to Maturity: 75-95 days

Water Needs: 1-2 " per week; prefers deep, regular watering

Grows Best In: Full Sun

Season Notes: Thrives in cool weather; flavor and color improve with fall temperatures.

Companion Planting:

Dill, thyme, sage, and mint help repel pests. Dill attracts beneficial insects that prey on cabbage worms, while Thyme's strong scent acts as a repellant to the cabbage moth. Mint is best grown nearby, not directly beside, to confuse pests with its scent.

Carrots, beets, onions, leeks, garlic, and celery make excellent companion vegetables for cabbage. Carrots and beets grow at different soil depths, reducing competition below ground, while onions, leeks, and garlic deter pests with their strong scent. Celery is traditionally planted nearby to support healthy growth and reduce pest pressure.

Bright companions like marigolds, nasturtiums, and calendula bring both beauty and function to the cabbage patch. Marigolds help deter pests while attracting beneficial insects, nasturtiums act as a trap crop for aphids and cabbage pests, and calendula encourages pollinators and supports a balanced, healthy garden ecosystem.

Certain plants should be avoided near cabbage to prevent competition or increased pest pressure. Strawberries compete for nutrients and space, tomatoes are heavy feeders that can stunt growth, pole beans may inhibit development, and planting other brassicas too closely can encourage pests and disease.

Heirloom varieties carry the stories of gardeners who once tended the soil through both peace and hardship. In growing even a few heirloom vegetables today, we honor their care and find a bit of self-reliance for ourselves in uncertain times. May your garden nourish you with the same comfort and hope that these humble seeds once brought to generations past.

Here's to homegrown abundance and the simple magic of tending what matters most,

Everlea Journal