Ruby Ball Cabbage

A red cabbage sliced in half is one of the prettiest sights you will ever see, and the ruby head surrounded by large, red leaves really perks up any too-green vegetable garden. Great in salads and kraut, but really shines as braised sweet and sour red cabbage. It’s mild and sweet with heads 6-8” wide, weighing in at 3-4 lbs. Plant the young seedlings 2’ apart in a well-watered and composted garden bed (planting closer will make the heads smaller), or plant one seedling in a pot 18” wide and 12” deep. Fertilize for best results. The heads will be ready in 78 days and should be harvested when the head feels firm to a squeeze. A cabbage past its ready time will split, but ‘Ruby Ball’ provides fresh cabbage for an extended period by lasting in the garden for an additional 6 weeks without splitting.