How to Grow Cabbage
'Red Drumhead' from Seed
The heritage autumn and winter cabbage whose deep purple-red colour intensifies dramatically after the first frosts — large, dense, long-standing heads that improve in flavour as the temperature drops, the foundation of braised red cabbage, vivid coleslaw and winter pickling
There is a moment in October when Red Drumhead comes into its own — when the first sharp frosts arrive and the already deep purple-red of the tightly-packed heads deepens further, to a colour that in good light reads as almost violet-black. The anthocyanin pigments that give the leaves their colour respond to cold temperatures by increasing in concentration, so frost literally improves both the appearance and the flavour of this cabbage. A head of Red Drumhead left in the ground until November, touched by several frosts, is a more colourful, sweeter, more flavourful vegetable than the same head harvested in September.
'Red Drumhead' is one of the oldest and most celebrated cabbage varieties in British cultivation — a heritage drumhead type grown in cottage gardens and allotments for generations. The heads are large, round and deeply dense, with tightly packed leaves from outer to core that make it an excellent storing and keeping cabbage. It is the cabbage of braised red cabbage with apple, winter spice and red wine vinegar — a dish that requires a large, firm, flavoursome head with sufficient natural sugar to balance the acidity. It is the cabbage of vivid purple coleslaw and of pickled red cabbage that keeps through the winter months. Red Drumhead is a maincrop winter vegetable at its most traditional and most useful.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Crop Type
Autumn / Winter Cabbage — Heritage
Sowing Time
Apr–May indoors / seedbed
Harvest
October – February (long-standing)
Position
Full sun; fertile, firm, well-limed
Head size
Large — 45–50cm spacing needed
Difficulty Rating
3 out of 5 — Moderate (netting essential)
Understanding the Variety
'Red Drumhead' is a large, round, maincrop autumn and winter cabbage — the drumhead form describes the flat-based, rounded shape, and the red designation refers to the deep purple-red colouration caused by high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the same class of pigment responsible for the colour of red wine, blueberries, and purple cabbage — water-soluble, pH-sensitive, and in the case of Red Drumhead, intensified by cold temperatures and acidity. This is why braised red cabbage cooked with vinegar and apple turns a more vivid, jewel-like purple-red during cooking — the acid environment preserves and enhances the anthocyanin colour.
Why Frost Improves Red Drumhead
Cold temperatures trigger an increase in anthocyanin production in red-pigmented leaves — the plant effectively produces more purple pigment as a cold-protection mechanism. A Red Drumhead head in October, touched by several nights below 5°C, will be noticeably more vivid in colour and sweeter in flavour than the same head harvested in September before any frost. This cold-sweetening effect — the conversion of starches to sugars under frost — is shared with kale, Brussels sprouts and parsnips. Red Drumhead genuinely benefits from being left in the ground through October and into November, harvested as needed rather than all at once.
⚠️ Netting from Day One — No Exceptions
Red Drumhead, like all brassicas, must be covered with fine-mesh butterfly netting immediately on planting out. The cabbage white butterfly attacks brassicas from spring through to autumn. Pigeons will strip unprotected plants through winter. Install hoops and netting before or on the day of planting and maintain it throughout the season. Check weekly for caterpillars that may have entered through gaps.
Sowing & Transplanting
Lime Acid Soil Before Planting
Club root disease thrives in acid conditions. Apply garden lime to the planting area the winter before, aiming for a soil pH of 7 or above. Liming also provides the calcium that brassicas need for sturdy stem development. Do not grow Red Drumhead or any brassica in the same ground two years running — rotate to a fresh bed each season to prevent club root build-up.
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Sow indoors or in a seedbed from April to May. Sow in modules or small trays at 1cm depth at 10–20°C. Germination takes four to seven days. Grow on in cool, bright conditions. Outdoor seedbed sowing (directly into a prepared patch of soil) can begin in late April once the ground has warmed.
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Transplant to final positions June to July. When seedlings have five or six true leaves and are 10–15cm tall, transplant to their final growing positions. Plant deeply and firm very hard — Red Drumhead develops large, heavy heads that need a securely anchored stem and root system.
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Space 45–50cm apart. Red Drumhead heads are large — they need significantly more space than Greyhound. Cramped plants produce smaller, less well-developed heads. The larger spacing also allows better airflow that reduces the mildew risk in autumn damp conditions.
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Net immediately. Install butterfly netting on the day of planting. Red Drumhead's long season from June to February means it is exposed to both the summer cabbage white butterfly and winter pigeon damage. Netting must cover the entire crop without gaps throughout this period.
Growing On & Care
Consistent Moisture
Large drumhead cabbages need consistent watering through summer to develop their substantial heads. Irregular moisture causes split heads — a sudden flush of water after drought causes rapid leaf expansion that the tight head cannot accommodate. Water deeply at the base every few days in dry spells.
Heavy Feeding
Brassicas are among the heaviest nitrogen feeders in the kitchen garden. Prepare the bed with generous well-rotted manure or compost before planting. Apply a nitrogen-rich side dressing — chicken manure pellets or liquid seaweed feed — three to four weeks after transplanting and again in August for continued vigorous growth.
Leave Until After Frost
The key harvest principle for Red Drumhead: do not rush. The heads improve measurably in both colour and flavour after two to three frosts. They stand in the ground through October and November without deteriorating, getting better as the temperature drops. Harvest as needed from October onwards — there is no need to cut the entire crop at once.
Long-Standing Ability
Red Drumhead can remain in the ground for weeks to months after reaching maturity without significant quality loss — far longer than summer varieties like Greyhound. This long-standing ability means the crop can be harvested gradually as needed through autumn and into winter, providing fresh cabbage on demand rather than requiring storage.
The Anthocyanin Chemistry
The purple colour of Red Drumhead is pH-sensitive — it turns bluish-purple in alkaline conditions and more red-pink in acid. Braised red cabbage with vinegar and apples stays vivid purple-red because of the acid. Without acid, long cooking can produce a dull blue-grey result. Always add vinegar or apples when cooking Red Drumhead — both for colour and for flavour balance.
Pest Vigilance
Check under leaves weekly for cabbage white caterpillars and eggs throughout summer. Red Drumhead's dense head makes pest entry harder once the head is fully formed — they cannot penetrate the tight leaves — but the outer leaves remain vulnerable throughout. Winter pigeons are a serious threat; netting must remain in place through January and February.
Harvesting & Cooking
Red Drumhead in the Kitchen
When to harvest: From October onwards, after the first frosts. Cut with a sharp knife at the base. The head should feel very dense and heavy for its size. Leave three or four outer leaves in place if storing in a cool place — they protect the inner leaves. Stored in a cold shed or garage, heads keep for eight to twelve weeks after cutting.
Braised red cabbage: The finest use of Red Drumhead. Finely shred the head, combine with onion, apple, red wine vinegar, sugar, allspice, a cinnamon stick and cloves. Braise slowly in a covered pot at 160°C for ninety minutes to two hours. The result is deeply coloured, sweet-sharp and warming — a classic winter accompaniment to game, pork or goose. It keeps and reheats superbly, improving over two to three days.
Purple coleslaw: The vivid colour makes Red Drumhead coleslaw visually striking — deep purple ribbons against white mayonnaise with carrot and apple. Finely shred and salt for fifteen minutes, rinse, and dress with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and honey. The colour is dramatically more beautiful than coleslaw made with green cabbage.
Pickled red cabbage: Traditional British pickling in malt vinegar with pickling spices produces a vivid, crunchy winter condiment that keeps for three to four months. The acid environment turns the cabbage a brilliant ruby-pink and preserves its crunch perfectly. Serve with cold meats, cheese, and Christmas pie.
Raw: Very finely shredded Red Drumhead can be eaten raw as a salad component — the slight peppery bite of raw red cabbage is pleasant in small quantities dressed with citrus. The colour is dramatic in a mixed salad.
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Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Caterpillar damage | Cabbage white butterfly | Net from day of planting. Inspect weekly under leaves for yellow egg clusters. Remove caterpillars by hand. A single week unnetted in summer can result in complete defoliation of young plants. |
| Split heads | Irregular watering after dry period; over-maturity | Water consistently in dry spells. Harvest once the head feels very firm and heavy — do not leave past full maturity in warm weather. In autumn and winter cool conditions, splitting is much less likely and the heads can stand much longer without splitting. |
| Colour fades or turns blue-grey when cooked | Alkaline cooking conditions; no acid added | Always add vinegar, lemon juice, or apples when cooking Red Drumhead. The anthocyanin pigments are pH-sensitive — in acid conditions they remain vivid purple-red; in alkaline (or neutral) conditions they turn blue-grey. A tablespoon of cider vinegar in the braising pot preserves the dramatic colour. |
| Club root | Soil-borne disease; acidic soil; no rotation | Rotate brassicas annually. Lime acid soil to pH 7+. Remove and destroy affected plants. Cordesa F1 Savoy is the clubroot-resistant alternative if this disease is established in your garden. |
Plant Specifications
The heritage cabbage that gets better every time the frost comes
Red Drumhead rewards patience above all other virtues in the kitchen gardener. Sow in April, plant in July, net without exception, and then wait — for the heads to firm up, for October to arrive, and for the first sharp frosts to come and do their work of deepening that already spectacular purple to something approaching violet-black. Then harvest one large head at a time, through November and December, knowing the heads still in the ground are getting better with each cold night. Braise with vinegar, apple and winter spice. This is British kitchen gardening at its most traditional and most satisfying.
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