About Parel Hybrid Cabbage
An early season cabbage with just 45 to 50 days to maturity, you can start Parel from seed and have mature, fully grown heads of cabbage in just about six weeks. This is a green ballhead cabbage that forms particularly tight, compact heads. You can grow more of this variety in a smaller space than with other types of cabbages. The outer, wrapper leaves of Parel are bluish green and protect a very dense, white head. The head is juicy and slightly sweet. You can use this variety any way you would enjoy cabbage in the kitchen, from raw in salads and coleslaws to pickled, roasted, and stir fried.
Growing Parel Cabbages
If starting with Parel cabbage seeds, you can sow them indoors or out, depending on outdoor temperatures. Generally, it’s safe to start them inside four weeks before the typical last frost of spring or outdoors when the soil has warmed enough. You can also sow seeds directly outside in midsummer for an additional fall harvest. Give your Parel cabbages a spot with adequate sunlight, good drainage, and fertile soil. You will need to water them regularly but try to keep the heads and leaves dry to avoid rot diseases. The heads, when mature, will hold in the field for about three weeks. This means you do not have to harvest them all at the same time. Harvest as needed and those left in the field will not split as other varieties sometimes do. Harvest cabbage heads by cutting them off from the base of the plant. You can store the heads in a cool, dry area for a month or two although they are best enjoyed fresh. Pickling or making sauerkraut is a good way to preserve your cabbage.
