Organic Red Express Cabbage Seeds - Brassica oleracea
Organic Red Express Cabbage Seeds
This wonderfully vibrant petite purple cabbage is an excellent choice for compact gardens, raised beds, and container growing. Red Express produces smaller, dense heads with exceptional flavor and strong resistance to splitting, making it a reliable and rewarding cabbage for home gardeners.
Known for its striking deep-red to purple color and naturally sweet flavor, this heirloom cabbage variety is prized for its early maturity, allowing gardeners to enjoy a quick harvest and extend the cool-season growing window. Red Express forms tight, round heads with crisp, tender leaves that are beautifully colored and highly versatile in the kitchen.
This productive variety thrives in cool weather and full sun, growing best in fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture. Its compact growth habit makes it ideal for smaller gardens, intensive planting, and succession planting throughout the season.
Harvest when the heads become firm and well formed, typically when they reach about 6–8 inches across. Cut the head at the base with a sharp knife, leaving the outer leaves and root system in place, which can sometimes encourage small secondary heads.
Red Express cabbage is wonderful enjoyed fresh, bringing vibrant color and crisp texture to salads and slaws. It is also excellent sautéed, fermented into sauerkraut, or added to stir-fries, making this beautiful cabbage both nutritious and versatile. Rich in vitamins C and K and beneficial antioxidants, it is a flavorful way to add both color and nourishment to the garden and kitchen.
Seed Profile
- Organic
- Non-GMO
- Annual
- Sun: Full
- Indoors: 5-6 weeks before last frost
- Direct Sow: After last frost
- Seed Count: 50
- Days to Maturity: 60-80
- Head Size: 6"-8"
Gardener Tips
Do not plant in same location as previous year to minimize diseases.
When starting seeds indoors, it is key that your new starts be hardened off. This is a process that requires taking them outside during the day, for a period of time, before they are planted. This acclimates your seedlings to the outside world, meaning the elements like the wind and sun. We do it for several weeks to a month as this strengthens their stems and overall plant structure.
- Start for a short period of time initially, then graduate to more time each day
- One week minimum is recommended
- Bring them inside in the early evening and overnight
- Keep an eye on them and constantly water them. Make sure they have not blown over.
Mulch base of plant.
Read our blog post on The Power of Mulching
Harvesting Tips
Harvest when the heads become firm and well formed, typically when they reach about 6"– 8" across.
Cut the head at the base with a clean, sharp knife, leaving the outer leaves and root system in place, which can sometimes encourage small secondary heads.
