[Beginners Guide] How To Start Cabbage Farming In Ghana

How to grow cabbage in Ghana- To start growing cabbage in Ghana, most farmers begin with seeds started inside in a controlled setting (nursery). From the time of indoor seeding until the time of outdoor transplanting, anywhere from 18 to 38 days passes. Then they take the tender seedlings and plant them on a freshly plowed, weed-free field.

The seedlings are planted in rows for even spacing and airflow. Drip irrigation and fertigation are commonly used (fertilization through water-soluble fertilizers that are injected into the irrigation system).

Most cabbages can be picked between 75 and 88 days after planting. The harvesting process can be done by hand or by machine.

How To Start Cabbage Farming In Ghana

Following are step by step guide to starting farming Cabbage in Ghana

Step 1: Choose a Farm Site

In order to grow cabbage, you will need some land. Therefore, selecting a suitable location is crucial for harvesting a bountiful harvest of cabbage in Ghana. Not everywhere has ideal soil or rainfall levels, so it’s important to do some investigating before you get started.

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To ensure the health and survival of your seedlings without compromising their genetic makeup, you should pick a site with plenty of sunlight, rich soil, and a mild environment. Below are some soil requirements to plant cabbage:

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Cabbage Soil Requirements:

Growing cabbage successfully requires soil that is both fertile and well-drained. Also, it must be in a bright, sunny spot. Before you sow the seeds or transfer the seedlings, you must properly prepare the soil.

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Expert farmers say that tilling the soil and applying compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting seeds or transplants increases success rates. Cabbage grows best in acidic soil, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.6.

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Maintaining consistently moist soil is the standard method for ensuring plant health and a high yield.

Before planting, farmers should do a soil examination. Talking to a certified agronomic in your area will help you establish a sensible strategy for getting your field ready for planting.

How Much Water Does Cabbage Need?

Drip irrigation and fertigation are commonly used methods of watering crops (fertilization through water-soluble fertilizers that are injected into the irrigation system).

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For cabbage to form its characteristic leafy heads, it requires a good deal of water. Maintaining a soil moisture level that is neither too low nor too high is crucial.

Plants can’t grow in soggy soil, therefore we need to be careful not to over-irrigate our crops. To mature normally, make sturdy heads, and produce healthy leaves, cabbage needs steady, regular irrigation.

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Cabbage can be grown successfully in the field with either a sprinkler or drip watering system. Putting down a thin layer of mulch helps farmers maintain a consistent soil moisture level (ask your local licensed agronomist).

Step 2: Purchase Quality Cabbage Seed

Choose high-quality seeds when starting a cabbage farm. The best place to find high-quality seeds or sprouted cabbage plants to sow on your farm is at an Agro shop or from a professional husbandry farmer.

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Step 3: Prepare Nursery

To start nursing the seed of cabbage, you will need to plant the seed you procure either in dark small pots or containers or nylon that you can buy from the Agro stores. It is best you plant these seeds one or two per hole.

To get a head start on the growing season, we can start our cabbage seeds indoors in seedbeds or pots around six to eight weeks before the last spring frost.

The ideal temperature range for cultivating cabbage is between 12 and 23 degrees Celsius (or 55 and 75 Fahrenheit). We need to keep watering our plants until they have three or four leaves.

Step 4: Start Transplanting

After sowing seeds, you’ll need to wait between 18 and 38 days to transplant the plants. After the plants have grown at least three leaves and are around 10 to 13 centimeters (4 to 5 inches) tall, they will be ready to be moved to their permanent locations.

Transplanting cabbage on an overcast day is recommended by seasoned farmers to protect the plants from the shock of being exposed to direct sunshine. Every single one of our growing techniques requires consistent watering. Watering regularly is essential for plant growth, as dry soil stunts plant development.

Step 5: plant management

Cabbage is a frost hardy plant, yet it still suffers greatly when spring frosts hit. Generally speaking, the quality and quantity of the product made from injured plants is reduced. The timing of cabbage seed sowing is critical if we want to reap the crop at the right time.

In the middle of spring, farmers begin planting summer cabbage. This is followed by the planting of autumn-winter varieties in late April. Finally, producers plant spring cabbages in late summer for harvest the following year.

Guidelines for planting and spacing cabbage:

The following are some considerations that farmers may want to make for optimal growth and harvests.

Sow between 250 and 400 grams (9 and 14 ounces) of seeds per hectare.

There are 20,000 to 40,000 plants in one hectare.

An area of 1 hectare is equal to 2.47 acres or 10,000 square feet.

Plants should be spaced 40–70 cm (15–27 inches) apart in a row, and rows should be spaced 60–90 cm (2 feet) apart (23-35 inches). Please keep in mind that the ideal number of heads per person varies. Plants in close proximity to one another tend to generate smaller heads.

Cabbage plants benefit most from reduced watering as they mature. Cabbage heads have been known to break open if they are watered too much.

Farmers interested in developing a strategy for cultivating plants that are both productive and healthy might consult with certified agronomists in their area.

Fertilizer Requirements To Grow Cabbage:

A soil study should always be done prior to applying fertilizer. Knowing the precise nutritional profile of the soil is the safest option. To flourish and produce abundantly, cabbage must be planted in soil that is rich in nutrients.

Two weeks prior to planting, some cabbage growers apply well-rotted manure and plow the soil.

Furthermore, they note that fertilizer can be applied to the young plants around the two- to three-week mark following transplant. Fertilizing cabbage plants before they have reached their full height is not recommended.

Drip irrigation and fertigation are commonly used (fertilization through fertilizers that are injected in the irrigation system). Application to the soil is another option.

For optimal plant growth, most farmers recommend using a granular fertilizer containing a balanced ratio of nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P).

These N-P-K fertilizers, such as 10-10-10 or 10-3-3, could be used. Granular fertilizers are easy to use because they can be applied to the top of the soil and then irrigated. As the granules can catch fire, it’s critical that they don’t come into contact with the tender plants.

However, they are only generalizations that you shouldn’t rely on without first doing your own investigation. To put it simply, the requirements of one industry are not the same as those of another. After you’ve done a soil analysis, you might consult a professional for advice.

Pests and Diseases:

Cabbage is vulnerable to a wide variety of pests and illnesses during its growth season. Many insects and other pests are drawn to this plant. Understanding our agricultural enemies and developing a strategy that does not harm the ecosystem is essential.

For help with managing cabbage pests and illnesses, we can consult a qualified expert in our area. You can find a list of the most common cabbage pests and diseases below.

Pests:

Cabbage, either little or big The eggs of the white butterfly are typically found hidden beneath cabbage leaves. Once the larvae hatch, they eat plant matter.

Aphids: The cabbage aphid is a cryptic gray-green color. They subsist largely on plant matter.

Pigeons and other small birds frequently swoop down on vulnerable crops from the sky.

Diseases

Alternaria leaf spot:

Alternaria species are the fungi responsible for this illness. Dark stains on the stem and brown spots on the leaves are symptoms seen on both seedlings and mature plants. Infected leaves will turn yellow and fall unless we take immediate action.

Black Rot:

The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris are responsible for this illness. The disease mostly affects the plant’s outer layers.

Downy Mildew of Cabbage:

This disease, characterized by necrotic patches on older leaves, is caused by Peronospora parasitica.

Pest and Disease Control

By far, the most effective method of controlling pests and diseases is a preventative one, rather than reactive measures. The following guidelines should be considered by all cabbage farmers.

Certified seeds must be used.

It’s crucial to utilize kinds and hybrids that can withstand local pathogens.

It’s possible that if we set up nets to cover our crops, the cabbage will be safe from some of the pests that

To that end, don’t use too much fertilizer.

Cauliflower and cabbage plants can be shielded from pigeons with the use of wire mesh.

Removal of caterpillars and larvae from crops by hand can be effective in some situations.

Alternaria leaf spot can be avoided if the residues that may remain in the field after harvest are collected and disposed of.

Pests and illnesses can be naturally managed if we cycle our crops with others of a similar nature.

Step 6: Cabbage Harvesting

Sowing and transplanting often occur between 18 and 38 days apart. Cabbages can be harvested anywhere from 75 to 88 days after planting, depending on the variety.

Some early types are ready to pick just 55 days after transplanting. Some late-maturing cultivars reach maturity 95-105 days after transplanting. Our cabbage harvest date will vary from variety to variety.

It’s important to leave certain varieties in the field for a few more weeks after they’ve formed a firm head. The opposite is true for other types, which must be picked as soon as they reach maturity.

What You Need to Know Before Harvesting Cabbage:

When cabbage has reached its maximum growth, it is time to harvest.

When the head of a cabbage is solid and fully developed, it is time to pick it.

Cabbage firmness must be checked frequently. We can pinch it when it’s 12 cm (5 inches) in diameter to see how firm it is.

Cabbage heads should be harvested as soon as possible after the first signs of splitting appear.

A sharp knife will allow us to easily remove the cabbage head from the stem.

Harvesting in commercial cabbage operations is typically done by automated machinery hitched to tractors. The machines use a share to raise the entire plant out of the ground. As a result, the entire factory has been annihilated. Eventually, the cabbages are moved onto a series of webs, where they are separated from the soil, dirt, rocks, and other contaminants.

Cabbage plants should be immediately moved to a cool, shaded location after harvesting.

Storing cabbage between 32 and 40 °F degrees (or 0 and 4 °C) is ideal. The ideal environment for this plant is somewhere cool and damp with a humidity level of around 95%.

Cabbage Production per Acre:

Between 30 and 70 tons can be harvested from a single hectare of cabbage. Remember that 1 ton is equal to 1000 kilograms, or 2200 pounds, and that 1 hectare is equal to 2,47 acres, or 10.000 square meters. In certain instances, farmers have recorded harvests of 80 tons per hectare or more. Such massive harvests are possible, of course, for farmers who have put in the time and effort to become experts in their fields.

How Many Months Does It Take For Cabbage To Grow?

Cabbages can be harvested anywhere from 75 to 88 days after planting, depending on the variety.

What Is The Best Month To Plant Cabbage?

Early and midseason cabbage seed are best started inside between the middle of March and the beginning of May. May and June are ideal for planting early and midseason cabbage seedlings outdoors. Plant seeds of late-maturing cultivars in May, and then move them outdoors in June or July.

How Many Cabbages Are In An Acre?

Between 30 and 70 tons can be harvested from a single hectare of cabbage. Remember that 1 ton is equal to 1000 kilograms, or 2200 pounds, and that 1 hectare is equal to 2,47 acres, or 10.000 square meters.

In certain instances, farmers have recorded harvests of 80 tons per hectare or more. Such massive harvests are possible, of course, for farmers who have put in the time and effort to become experts in their fields.

How Much Is Cabbage Seed In Ghana?

In Ghana, the going rate per 100 grams for cabbage seeds is 274 Ghanaian cedis (GHS).

What Makes Cabbage Grow Faster?

The single most crucial thing you can do to speed up the cabbage’s growth is water it. In addition, fertilizer is useful. New leaf production signals the time to sidedress with 20-20-20. Remember to water the fertilizer in after applying it.

Which Fertilizer Is Best For Cabbage?

Start fertilizing cabbage plants when they have two to four true leaves if you started them indoors. Balanced liquid fertilizer (10-10-10) solutions, weak compost tea, or fish emulsion are all good options.

Does Cabbage Need A Lot Of Water?

Yes! The single most crucial thing you can do to speed up the cabbage’s growth is water it. In addition, fertilizer is useful. New leaf production signals the time to sidedress with 20-20-20. Remember to water the fertilizer in after applying it.

How Many Cabbages Do You Get From One Plant?

You can end up with as many as six miniature heads instead of just one. They’ll sprout up around the base of the mother plant.

How Many Heads Of Cabbage Do You Get Per Acre?

Between 30 and 70 tons can be harvested from a single hectare of cabbage. Remember that 1 ton is equal to 1000 kilograms, or 2200 pounds, and that 1 hectare is equal to 2,47 acres, or 10.000 square meters.

In certain instances, farmers have recorded harvests of 80 tons per hectare or more. Such massive harvests are possible, of course, for farmers who have put in the time and effort to become experts in their fields.

How Much Does It Cost To Plant An Acre Of Cabbage?

To start cabbage farming in Ghana, you will be needing at least 10,000 to 20,000 Ghana Cedis depending on the scale you want to venture into it.

How Many Days Does It Take For Cabbage To Mature?

Sowing and transplanting often occur between 18 and 38 days apart. Cabbages can be harvested anywhere from 75 to 88 days after planting, depending on the variety.

Some early types are ready to pick just 55 days after transplanting. Some late-maturing cultivars reach maturity 95-105 days after transplanting. Our cabbage harvest date will vary from variety to variety.

Does Cabbage Regrow After Cutting?

If you trim the bases off a cabbage, it will usually regenerate a few leaves.

What Soil Is Best For Cabbage?

Growing cabbage successfully requires soil that is both fertile and well-drained. Also, it must be in a bright, sunny spot. Before you sow the seeds or transfer the seedlings, you must properly prepare the soil.

Expert farmers say that tilling the soil and applying compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting seeds or transplants increases success rates. Cabbage grows best in acidic soil, with a pH of 6.0 to 6.6.

Maintaining consistently moist soil is the standard method for ensuring plant health and a high yield.

Before planting, farmers should do a soil examination. Talking to a certified agronomic in your area will help you establish a sensible strategy for getting your field ready for planting.

Conclusion

Do you know anything about commercial cabbage growing? In the comments, please tell us about the things you’ve tried and what worked for you. Our agronomists will be reviewing all the new information you provide shortly. Approval means it can be shared with the thousands of new and seasoned farmers that visit agrolearner.com every month.