Cabbage Manon F1 plants - Brassica oleracea sabauda

The 'Manon' F1 Milan or Savoy Cabbage is a fast-growing hybrid variety, producing beautiful round heads with curly leaves of a bright green colour. This Cabbage with blistered leaves is delicious raw in salads but can also be cooked, braised with sausages or even with fish. The seedlings of the 'Manon' F1 Milan Cabbage can be planted from March to July for a harvest from June to October.

Originating, unsurprisingly, from Italy and more precisely from Milan, this Cabbage is quite similar to the Savoy Cabbage but differs by the blistered or curly appearance of its leaves. It belongs to the large family of Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae), like other vegetables: Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Smooth-leafed Cabbage (or Dutch Cabbage), Green Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Chinese Cabbage.

The Milan Cabbage carries the Latin name of Brassica oleracea sabauda (in Latin, sabauda refers to Savoy). There are many varieties of Milan or Savoy Cabbage, with seasons extending from spring to winter. A vegetable of autumn and winter par excellence, Milan Cabbage withstands cold well. It is delicious raw in salads but can also be cooked, braised with sausages or even with fish. From a nutritional point of view, this leafy vegetable is remarkable: it is low in calories and very rich in vitamins C and B6. It also contains a lot of dietary fibre and minerals such as calcium.

In the garden, like almost all cabbages (except Brussels Sprouts), Milan Cabbage is a demanding vegetable. It requires excellent organic fertiliser and regular moisture.

Harvest: it is harvested when its head is well formed by simply cutting it off at ground level. This variety can be harvested from June to October.

Storage: Cabbages can be stored for a fairly long time in the field and can be kept for several days in the refrigerator. They also freeze very well after being blanched for 3 to 5 minutes in salted boiling water.

Gardener's tip: The main enemy of cabbage is the Cabbage White Butterfly (Pieris brassicae), a pretty cream-white butterfly with small black spots that emerges in April-May to wreak havoc throughout the summer by devouring its leaves. Don't be caught off guard and opt for prevention by installing an insect-proof cover tightly on vegetable hoops. These covers are easy to put in place and reusable to protect, for example, your carrot and leek crops.