Filderkraut Cabbage, also known as Spitzkhohl, is an ancient German heirloom that was developed for making sauerkraut. According to Annie's, this variety has "huge pointed heads, is very sweet, and makes for an excellent sauerkraut." The plant is expected to grow to about 28 inches, and the arrow-shaped heads should be about 12 inches tall when ready for picking.
I'm pleased that these came up first, as these are a very long seasoned crop--mature heads aren't even expected for 90-100 days after transplanting them into the ground, which is still a few weeks away.
Also, like most cabbages, they are a cool weather crop and best seeded indoors in early spring so the plants can develop while the temperatures are still cool. I'll try to keep some warmth underneath the soil, and bright light via the sun and/or a grow light above the seedlings until the outdoor temps are warm enough again to harden them off outside for a few hours a day, lengthening the time they're out each day as time goes on, before transplanting them in the ground for the season.
In the last few years, I've started to really enjoy several varieties of cabbage, and in raw and cooked forms. I'm fascinated that cabbage has been around for thousands of years and was loved by the Greeks and Romans. I'll dig into the history of cabbage and post what I find in a few days.
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