Fall Garden Update: My eBucket Cabbage

This is one of two Bonnie cabbages I grew and harvested from seedlings given to me in the Summer of '08. A neighbor gave me 3 she got from a church project by the Bonnie company. It was a nationwide contest for school kids to grow the largest, healthiest 50lb. Bonnie cabbage. There would be one winner per state (visit the Bonnie website to see the winners).

Since I was a newbie at growing anything but tomatoes, I did not know that trying to grow these cabbages in the summer heat was a futile attempt! Well, they did absolutely nothing except wilt. Being a die-hard for a challenge I didn't toss 'em on the compost heap. Instead, I just kept nursing them with water and an occasional hit from the MG liquid sprayer. At the end of last summer, I pulled up all the dead stuff, and repotted everything else for the winter sleep.

When the weather turned cooler they began to perk up, and then they woke up! This particular cabbage was grown in a 5-gallon eBucket. It managed to sit and grow perfectly in the center of the eBcket. Not a hole anywhere on it. The other two cabbages were repotted into a 24" planter from Sam's Clubs. How was I to know I was only supposed to plant one HUGE cabbage per container.?

Well, the snails attacked one cabbage unmercifully, and turned the leaves into delicate, precise "lace". They also did NOT bother the second cabbage in the planter. It served as a total decoy, all season long. Well, "Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's BONNIE!"

Linda

This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 10:37 PM

Ya got yourself a hand full of slaw there..LOL
Nice..Bet your glad you didn't give up on them.

Tubby

Thank is a beautiful cabbage Gymgirl! Are you going to cook it or pickle it or?

my gaud!!! that's one big cabbage!!! way to go...virginia

Wow! Beautiful cabbage! I aspire to grow like that. Very exciting.

Good going there!

Now that's an inspiration! I had trouble with my timing and composted the ones I planted too early. Waaaa

WOWZA Linda! Get the cornbread ready, I'll be there for supper! You did good girl.

Your messages of affirmation have brought joy to my heart this morning. There were only two cabbages harvested this time, but they were beauties. It's these little successes over time that make this whole adventure worthwhile. And to be able to dream of more possibilities. And having friends who cheer you on! Linda p.s. I'm feeling like smothered cabbage over rice with baked pork chops and cornbread.

Yum Yum! Gg, you've been keeping this to yourself. So the cabbages are really much older but they were willing to wait out the heat. Did it affect the flavor?
Please set aside a plate for me. I'll be there soon as I get there. But could you have a little buttermilk on the side? [In TN we like our cornbread crumpled in buttermilk...every bit as good as dessert.]

WOOHOO, cornbread 'n buttermilk! Texans like that too! Grandmammy used to spoon feed it to me when I was a tyke.

Gg best have a big table company's a COMING..LOL
I'll have to pass on the buttermilk..DD & DM loved it..UGH

I would be smiling if I grew that too. Thats just beautiful

D,
The length of time they grew did not affect the taste at all! The first one was SWEET (as cabbages go)!

Interesting. Nobody in my fam likes cabbage but me save for an occasional coleslaw. Not sure if I want to spend an Ebucket on one... Oh heck yeah. I'll do it. There is still time for cabbage here in TN.

I made a cabbage dish once...it had bacon in it. Was the only time my family ever would eat cabbage. Darned if I havent lost it. I believe it was the only recipe I ever used of Emerils. Yummy, but hardly healthy.

Gymgirl: Thanks for the pic and the info; I planted some red and green cabbages a little while back, they are still doing okay; but, after reading what you did, if they don't sprout, will leave them in the HEBs and keep nursing them anyways, maybe I'll wind up with huge cabbages too? Just having cabbages would delight me, coleslaw and sauerkraut and just corned beef and cabbage is fine would be fine by me.

joy112854

you have been busy! gorgeous heads...both of you!

Ya but which one is bigger..LOL
NO just joking..I can't help it I like to tease.
Besides you deserve to have the praise
They are a couple of nice HEADS..LOL

Whoaaaaaa!!!! That's some cabbage right there!

Now you've got my mouth all ready for some stirfried cabbage. With bacon.
And nothing in the grocery store is going to come close to what you've got there. Enjoy!

Just don't toss out those outer leaves - sure the compost and/or the snails will make quick work of them, but they are perfect for cabbage rolls.

Blanch them, and freeze a few in a huge ziploc freezer bag. That will tenderize them a bit. Make some stuffing of your chosing (DW uses rice, spices, ground bison, fresh onion, garlic, carrot, parsley, cilantro, then rolls and places them in an ovenproof glass dish and pours a can of tomato sauce over the whole thing - bakes for an hour or so). Usually askes me to serve, so I top with some fresh grated italian cheeses, or crumble one of the many goat cheeses from the Farmers Market, then pop under the broiler for a minute or two.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-favorite-cabbage-recipe/index.html

I dont remember putting in the bay leaf...but I did find the recipe the non cabbage eaters would eat.

Good Growing, Gymgirl. That is a whopper!!

Gymgirl,

You make me proud.!!!!! Keep growing veggies like that and medals will fly your way !!!

Linda how did you end up cooking your cabbage, hon?

Haven't yet. I put it in a garbage bag n into the fridge til I address it this evening. Pretty sure it's gonna get smothered down with onions and seasoning.

AWESOME cabbage...way to grow Gymgirl

" I put it in a garbage bag"

Gymgirl, did you ever think you'd need a GARBAGE BAG for a head of cabbage? LOL!

Gymgirl ---- Amazing! Nice going! Boy I love fresh cabbage. My mother used to shred it put it in a big pot with vinegar, salt pork, s&p and serve with a pork roast. I could never get enough. Sure miss it. I've tried to copy but could never get it to taste like hers.

Shucks, ya'll! It was just a 13 gallon WHITE kitchen can liner. I cut the outer leaves off to make stuffed cabbage. Then I rendered drippings from 2 lbs. of bacon and sauteed chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. I had bought some smoked pork necks and put them on the bottom of the gumbo pot. Layered the leaves on top. Mixed 1-1/2 tbls. Season All Brand Seasoning and 1/2 tbls. black pepper in 1 cup of water and poured over the cabbage and covered. Simmered on low til the cabbage was tender. Stirred lightly a copula times. Served over rice, cornbread on the side. Had t-bone steak on the side (a little miscommunication with the DH -- didn't really need the steak...). Oh, don't forget the Louisiana Red Hot Sauce! Sweet!

AUNT BEATRICE said my cabbage was better than hers!!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! ^_^

Scare me, Gymgirl. I thought you were going to forget the Louisiana Red hot sause. Whewww!

Gymgirl: I'm writing, I'm writing, that sounds scrumptous. And if that were my cabbage picture I'd frame that baby. LOL
joy

And she's lived long enought to know how it outta taste, huh?

D. be kind! I can't help it if I'm getting older AND better!

Not you, Ggirl, Aunt Bea. LOL Now that the lovely cabbage is all gone what will you do for fun?

Ggirl...if i'm reading this right...you had this cabbage in the ground/pot from august to the end of march? what is the usual time for them before harvest? virginia

I was worried when I read "garbage bag", but ws delighted to know it was a white one.

The brown, black, green (dark colors) are treated with an insecticide. Learned that in Food Manager's class.
So never put anything edible in them unless thouroughly sealed - ie cans. And wash them before opening.

Glad the meal was a success.

the most beautiful pic, that one of a persevering gardener and her prize. congrats, gymgirl.

Bubba and Vossner,
Ya'll KNOW how many questions I've asked about veggie gardening over these 2 years! I guess I am perservering.

ONE 9 lb. cabbage: $.15 cents
Meal for 6: $7
DG Family of Gardeners: PRICELESS!!

That's why we're here - One HUGE Family - making improvements where we can.

One of these days we need to plan and execute a meal together