Savoy cabbage: crinkled leaves and a harvest for cooler days
The deeply crinkled leaves make Savoy cabbage recognisable from a distance. With a suitable autumn or winter variety, your garden remains productive after summer. Give plants enough room to form a head and avoid interruptions to growth.
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
- Sowing
- Spring to early summer, according to the variety’s seasonal type
- Harvesting
- Autumn and winter with varieties suitable for this
- Location
- Sun, fertile soil and even moisture
- Space
- According to variety: approximately 30–60 cm as a practical guide
This growing advice helps you choose. Your variety, growth stage, weather and conditions in your space determine the actual timing.
Sowing under cover and raising seedlings
Start under cover in cool conditions in modules or a seedbed · Savoy cabbage
March–May, only for a suitable harvest typeSow somewhere cool and bright and avoid long, weak growth.
- Germination and temperature
- Germinate under cover, then grow on in cool, bright, well-ventilated conditions; avoid a hot growing space.
- After emergence
- Give seedlings light immediately after emergence. A dark loft needs suitable grow lights; warmth alone is insufficient. Ventilate and keep the compost moist without saturating it.
- Pricking out and potting on
- Sow in modules or prick out manageable young plants. Let the root ball firm up without a check in growth.
- Hardening off and planting out
- Gradually acclimatise indoor-raised plants to sun, wind and outdoor temperatures; shelter them again on cold nights. Plant out sturdy young brassicas and protect against cabbage root fly and caterpillars where needed.
Early, summer, autumn and winter cultivars have their own windows. The spring period shown is a basic route; use cultivar guidance for overwintering and winter cauliflower.
Sources and use
Royal Horticultural Society · RHS — kool kweken ↗Soort- of productgebonden bron; buitenlandse perioden zijn geen vaste Nederlandse zaaidatum.
University of Minnesota Extension · UMN Extension — kool in de moestuin ↗Soort- of productgebonden bron; buitenlandse perioden zijn geen vaste Nederlandse zaaidatum.
Guideline periods for the Netherlands and Flanders. Check the variety, available light, soil and measured temperatures. Greenhouse heating does not guarantee enough winter light.
A different flavour, a different harvest.
Choose by more than the name. Discover how these varieties and crop types taste, what you can use them for and what growing them involves.
2 of 2 choices · 2 named varieties
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
Plainpalais
Plainpalais is a Geneva Savoy cabbage selection with flattened heads. Head shape gives a concrete distinction among green cabbages.
Choose this variety for flattened heads and documented cooler-condition growing. It does not replace local winter assessment.
Flavour, kitchen and growing
How does it taste?
The source does not give a distinct aroma profile for Plainpalais. Shape and cold suitability are better supported than a special flavour claim.
This flavour description applies to the crop; there is no separate tasting result for this variety.In the kitchen
Use individual leaves to wrap a filling or cut the cabbage for a stew. The outer leaves sometimes need longer cooking.
A space in the garden
Plant with enough room for the broad cabbage shape and maintain even moisture. Let the head fill without long interruptions to growth.
Harvesting
Harvest a well-formed head and remove damaged outer leaves. After cold periods, assess the healthy harvest portion separately.
Also listed as: Savooikool Plainpalais (groene kool).
Read the source notes →
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
Lorient
Lorient forms large, flat heads with lightly blistered leaves and purple-green shades. The source emphasises a firm structure.
Choose Lorient for a larger cabbage and uses welcoming firm leaves. Consider available space and portions.
Flavour, kitchen and growing
How does it taste?
The product source describes crispness but no specific aroma. Texture is therefore distinguished from a cultivar-specific flavour promise.
This flavour description applies to the crop; there is no separate tasting result for this variety.In the kitchen
Slice leaves finely for raw use or ferment the cabbage. A large head can provide several cooking sessions.
A space in the garden
Give each plant room for a broad head. Do not use conflicting product durations as fixed harvest planning.
Harvesting
Harvest according to head development and healthy leaves. Divide a large harvest only after checking the inside, and use cut cabbage promptly.
Also listed as: Savooikool uit Lorient.
Read the source notes →Choose your way to grow
From a garden bed to a suitable pot or support: give your plant a place that suits your garden and the care you can provide.
This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
One head per plant in a spacious bed
In open ground, Savoy cabbage has room to form a firm head. Do not plant extra closely to promise more yield: outer leaves need light to feed the heart.
- Start in modules or begin with healthy young plants.
- Plant in prepared soil at the cultivar’s spacing.
- Place insect mesh over hoops and seal the edges well.
For anyone able to reserve a cabbage bed for much of the season.
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This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.
A compact cultivar in a deep pot
A demonstrably compact cabbage variety can grow in a large, deep pot. Soil and position are easier to choose, but water and feeding need more attention. A small balcony pot gives insufficient roots for a large cabbage.
- Choose a cultivar with confirmed compact growth.
- Use a deep pot with drainage holes and suitable compost.
- Check moisture regularly and allow light and air to the leaves.
For a small number of heads on a sunny patio.
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See the confirmed differences. Characteristics without supporting evidence are left blank.
0 of 0 varieties
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Choose two to four varieties to compare their source data side by side.
Choose by flavour, shape and use
Plainpalais: A Geneva Savoy cabbage selection with flattened heads, a concrete distinction within Savoy cabbage. Use separate leaves for wrapping filling or slice for stew. Outer leaves may take longer to cook.
The source does not give a distinct aroma profile for Plainpalais. Shape and cold suitability are better supported than a special flavour claim.
Lorient: Lorient forms large, flat heads with lightly blistered leaves and purple-green tones. The source emphasises firmness. Slice finely raw or ferment. A large head can supply several kitchen sessions.
The product source describes crispness but no specific aroma. Texture is therefore distinguished from a cultivar-specific flavour promise.
A cabbage that suits your cooking
Savoy cabbage adds garden structure and leaves suited to stuffing or cooked dishes. Winter growing starts well before winter. Variety choice determines whether the plant tolerates cold or is intended for earlier harvest.
Sow for the intended harvest season
The same cabbage species can include early and late cultivars. Follow your cultivar's recommended sowing window and work in small batches. A late sowing of a long-season winter cultivar will not automatically catch up.
Sturdy plants in individual modules
Sow in clean seed compost and place emerged seedlings in good light. Keep the compost moist. An individual module gives each plant its own rootball. Move the plants before growth stalls for long in a cell that is too small.
Bring the soil into contact with the rootball
Acclimatise plants raised under cover to outdoor conditions. Plant in a sunny bed with good drainage and firm the soil around the rootball. Water to bring roots and soil into contact. Leave enough space for the mature leaves.
Support growth without waterlogging
Cabbages need fertile soil that retains moisture. Mature compost helps on poor or badly structured soil. Base additional feeding on the soil and product advice. Do not work wet clay into a compact, smooth planting hole where rainwater collects.
Even growth through to heart formation
Check the root zone more often during heart formation. Prolonged drought restricts development, while a sudden change to plentiful water may split vulnerable hearts. Water directly where needed during dry weather and retain an airy soil around the plant.
Avoid trapping the first caterpillars inside
Put insect mesh in place early and seal the edges, but also inspect beneath it. Mesh does not exclude a caterpillar already on a plant. Remove affected leaves and identify the pest before choosing a measure.
Consider all brassicas in your plan
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and turnips also belong to the brassicas. Do not grow them in the same position every year. With clubroot, ordinary rotation is insufficient: have the cause assessed and use healthy starting material and a suitable growing position.
Feel the heart and look at the leaves
Feel whether the head has filled and cut before it deteriorates. Harvest as needed with a variety that stands well in the field. Handle frozen leaves minimally and preferably wait for thawing.
Adapt storage to the cultivar
Use crinkled leaves fresh or cool the whole head after harvest. Extended standing is possible only while variety and conditions allow. Remove rotting leaves, but do not continually strip healthy leaves from the growing plant.
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More background, sources and image information
SeedSteps editorial team · updated on 11 October 2026. The AI images illustrate species and practical growing situations; they do not prove an exact cultivar, observations from your own garden or yield.
Britse gewasadviezen worden gecombineerd met Nederlandse en Vlaamse informatie waar beschikbaar. Amerikaanse Extension-bronnen ondersteunen plantprincipes en herkenning; hun kalenderdata, lokale plaagdruk, bestrijdingsmiddelen en mestdoseringen worden niet rechtstreeks op Nederland of Vlaanderen toegepast. Vorst, bodemwarmte, standplaats en expliciete rasinformatie blijven de lokale controle. Commerciële bronnen onderbouwen uitsluitend benoemde ras- en plantkenmerken; zij zijn geen affiliate-aanbeveling.
- World Checklist of Vascular Plants — 4 juni 2026Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · accessed 2026-10-07
- Savooikool Plainpalais (groene kool) zadenFeggies · accessed 2026-10-11
- Savooikool uit Lorient zadenFeggies · accessed 2026-10-11
- RHS — kool kwekenRoyal Horticultural Society · accessed 2026-10-10
- UMN Extension — kool in de moestuinUniversity of Minnesota Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
- USU Extension — kool in de tuinUtah State University Extension · accessed 2026-10-10
Supporting evidence by chapter: Choose by flavour, shape and use: Feggies, Feggies. A cabbage that suits your cooking: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Sow for the intended harvest season: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Sturdy plants in individual modules: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Bring the soil into contact with the rootball: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Support growth without waterlogging: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Even growth through to heart formation: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Avoid trapping the first caterpillars inside: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Consider all brassicas in your plan: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Feel the heart and look at the leaves: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension. Adapt storage to the cultivar: Royal Horticultural Society, University of Minnesota Extension, Utah State University Extension.