Savoy Cabbage January King

'January King', also known as 'Pontoise' Savoy cabbage is a superb heirloom variety. This productive, exceptionally cold-resistant cabbage is perfect for winter crops. It forms large heads of purple-tinged, slightly blistered green leaves with sweet flavour and tender texture. An attractive, tasty variety that stores very well. Sow from May to June and harvest from October to March.

Savoy cabbage or Curly cabbage (Brassica oleracea sabauda) is an attractive, popular leaf vegetable belonging to the large Brassicaceae family (ex-Cole family). This biennial plant, grown as an annual, is native to Milan in northern Italy. Unlike regular green cabbage, the deep green leaves are crinkled rather than smooth. An ornamental, mild-flavoured vegetable that is a real must-have in the kitchen garden!

Cabbage can be sown and harvested virtually all year-round. Varieties are generally grouped into three main categories: spring cabbages (late April to June); summer and autumn cabbages (July to October); and winter cabbages, which planted alongside leeks and parsnips make the long wait until spring more bearable. Cold-resistant Savoy cabbage is an autumn and winter vegetable par excellence.

Cabbage can be eaten raw, finely shredded in a salad. It is also very tasty cooked: braised to accompany meat and fish dishes, stuffed with meat or rice, or incorporated into soups. White cabbage is the main ingredient in sauerkraut. There are lots of fantastic traditional or new recipes to choose from. From a nutritional point of view, cabbage is remarkable: its energy value is low but it is very rich in vitamins C, B6 and B9; it also contains lots of fibre and minerals such as calcium.

Cabbage is an easy vegetable to grow as long as you meet its basic requirements: deep, rich soil, and regular watering. It enjoys plenty of sun and generally does well in cool and rainy climates.

Harvest: Savoy cabbage heads are ready to be harvested when they form a nicely-shaped heart, before the leaves start to turn yellow. With a sharp knife, cut off the stem just below the head.

Storage: Savoy cabbage will keep can be kept for several days in the refrigerator. It also freezes very well after being blanched in boiling salty water. The heads can also be left in the ground during the winter until you are ready to harvest them.

Good to know: Even if the vegetable garden is first and foremost a place for growing great quality veg, it’s always a good idea to leave a bit of room for flowers. Growing flowers alongside your vegetable plants will make your general gardening experience more enjoyable and is a great way to attract pollinators and repel garden pests! Flowers such as gaillardia, marigolds, zinnias, cosmos or nasturtiums can be sown in and around the rows of vegetables. Herbs such as dill can be very useful also. Bear in mind that some companion plants self-seed easily and can be a bit invasive (borage, chives, lemon balm etc.)