Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage Seeds

Early Jersey Wakefield — The Earliest Cabbage of the Season

Early Jersey Wakefield is one of the oldest cabbages still grown in North America — an heirloom tracing back to the 1840s, when seed brought from Wakefield in England was popularized by market growers in New Jersey. Nearly two centuries later it’s still a favourite for one simple reason: it’s fast. At around 63 days from transplant it’s among the first cabbages of the season, forming compact, pointed (conical) heads of 2–3 pounds with a sweet, tender heart that’s at its best eaten fresh in slaws and salads.

The pointed shape isn’t just good looks — it lets you plant Wakefield closer together than round storage types, which makes it a smart choice for raised beds and small gardens where space is tight. It’s also notably cold-hardy and reasonably bolt-resistant for such an early variety, so it transplants out well ahead of summer heat to catch the cool spring window. In mild-winter regions it doubles as a fall and overwintering crop.

🌱 Sowing & Growing Early Jersey Wakefield

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost, sowing ¼ inch (6 mm) deep at 18–24°C (65–75°F); seedlings appear in 5–10 days. Harden off over a week or two, then transplant out 2–4 weeks before your last frost — Wakefield is frost-hardy and young plants take a light freeze in stride. Because the heads stay compact and pointed, you can space plants tighter than round cabbages: 30–38 cm (12–15 in) apart works well, versus the 45–60 cm round storage types demand. Our complete guide to growing cabbage from seed covers indoor starting, hardening off and timing in detail.

Give it fertile soil with a pH near 7.0 to suppress clubroot, and keep moisture steady so the fast-developing heads don’t split. The most effective pest defence on tender early heads is a floating row cover installed at transplant — it blocks cabbage moths before they lay eggs. Interplant aromatic herbs and flowers from our vegetable companion planting chart to reinforce that protection.

🌿 Soil, Care & Watering

Wakefield grows fast, so it appreciates a fertile, compost-rich bed and consistent moisture — about 4 cm (1.5 in) of water per week. Apply a balanced fertilizer at transplant to fuel quick leafy growth, then keep watering even as heads form to prevent splitting. A light mulch conserves moisture and keeps spring soil temperatures stable. Because the crop matures quickly, the pest window is short — a few weeks of row cover after transplant usually carries it through.

✂️ Harvesting & Using

Cut Wakefield as soon as the pointed heads feel firm — don’t wait for them to bulk up like a storage cabbage, as early types hold less long and can split if left standing. Slice at the base with a sharp knife; if you leave the rooted stump and a few outer leaves, it often throws a cluster of small secondary heads for a bonus cutting. These early heads are higher in moisture and best eaten within a week or two: shred raw for slaw, wilt into stir-fries, or braise gently. For long keeping, grow a dense storage type like Danish Ballhead alongside it.

🌱 Saving Seeds from Early Jersey Wakefield

This is a true open-pollinated heirloom dating to the 1840s, so saved seed grows true to type. Like all cabbage it’s biennial, flowering in its second year — overwinter a plant and let it flower the following spring. It cross-pollinates by insects with other flowering Brassica oleracea, so isolate from broccoli, kale, cauliflower and kohlrabi for pure seed. Our complete seed-saving guide explains the biennial cycle.