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 classic heirloom varieties—from fragrant blooms to heritage vegetables. We also share tips for bringing these vintage treasures into your own cottage garden. Wander through the world of heritage gardens and discover how they can enrich our lives with beauty, history, and purpose beginning with How to Plan a Heritage Garden That Lasts for Years. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting your journey, this series invites you to explore the magic of plants that have stood the test of time.

The Rich History of the ‘Red Drumhead’ Cabbage

The ‘Red Drumhead’ cabbage was introduced from Germany and the Netherlands in the 1800s and appeared in U.S. seed catalogs by the late nineteenth century. By then, red cabbage varieties were already familiar in Philadelphia and other Northern regions, where gardeners came to appreciate Red Drumhead for its strong garden performance and vibrant colour compared with older red types such as Red Dutch. Its reliability, generous heads, and excellent storage qualities helped it earn a lasting place in kitchen gardens where dependable harvests mattered.

A cold-hardy cabbage, ‘Red Drumhead’ is known for its dense, deep-coloured 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 finest flavour and colour in the fall and stores reliably through the winter months in a root cellar or cold storage. Before supermarkets and year-round produce, vegetables like Red Drumhead cabbage helped families carry the harvest of autumn into the deep months of winter. Sweet and tender, it is often less bitter than many green cabbages, making it a favourite for fresh salads, pickling, and comforting seasonal dishes.

Planting & Care

Starting Seeds

Seeds are started 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Transplant them once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed for summer harvests. Alternatively, you can direct sow 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.

Key Growing Information

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 inches 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

Companion planting is a wonderful way to enhance your garden's health and productivity. Consider planting dill, thyme, sage, and mint to help repel pests. Dill attracts beneficial insects that prey on cabbage worms, while thyme's strong scent acts as a deterrent to the cabbage moth. Mint is best grown nearby, not directly beside, to confuse pests with its scent.

Ideal Companion Vegetables

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

Beautiful and Functional Companions

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, while calendula encourages pollinators and supports a balanced, healthy garden ecosystem.

Plants to Avoid

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.

The Legacy of Heirloom Varieties

Heirloom varieties carry the stories of gardeners who once tended the soil through both peace and hardship. Growing even a few heirloom vegetables today allows us to honour 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.

Embracing the Joy of Gardening

Gardening is more than just a hobby; it's a way to connect with nature and ourselves. As we nurture our plants, we also nurture our souls. The act of planting seeds, watching them grow, and eventually harvesting the fruits of our labor is a beautiful cycle. Each moment spent in the garden is a reminder of the simple joys in life.

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

Everlea Journal

If you would like to learn more about another heirloom vegetable covered in this series, read Danvers Carrot: A Sweet, Sturdy Favourite of Early American Gardens