Growing Aquaponics Cabbage? Read This First
Aquaponics gardening has attracted many people due to the idea of producing one’s fresh food. In the aquaponics system, you can grow vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, and spinach.
The thought of you planting aquaponic cabbages and harvesting them after every 3 to 4 months is fascinating. After all, cabbages make epic salads and sandwiches, among other recipes. So you can get creative in your kitchen and enjoy the health benefits this vegetable offers you.
The good thing about growing aquaponics cabbage is that it is effortless to develop them and requires fewer hands since no soil is involved. As a result, growing aquaponics cabbage requires very little maintenance, grows fast, and can feed you with salad for a while. Cabbages are vegetarians’ new besties, and you can understand why.
Can Cabbage Be Grown In Aquaponics?
Yes, you can grow cabbage in aquaponics systems. However, you should have a sturdy and more extensive system since cabbages are huge and bulky. Therefore, you need a system that can support the weight of several cabbages without collapsing.
Cabbage does well within the pH range of 6.2 and 6.6 and 60 to 70 F temperature. As a beginner, you can learn quick ways to care for your vegetable. Aquaponics cabbage only requires the proper temperatures, nutrients, pH levels, and light to thrive in these systems.
The variety doesn’t matter as long as you provide the proper environmental conditions. Then, after the plant reaches maturity, you can harvest it and start the cycle all over. You can also plant other vegetables and herbs alongside the aquaponic cabbage and get a bountiful harvest.
How to Grow Cabbages Aquaponically
You need to understand how to prepare the right environment for your aquaponics cabbage for them to reward you with giant and healthy cabbages. You can prepare the perfect salads and stir-fry with your freshly grown cabbages, among other recipes. Ensure that you observe the correct condition after transferring your cabbage seedlings to the aquaponics system.
The following are the conditions that will help your aquaponics cabbage to thrive in the system and offer you a great harvest;
- Sun
Ensure your cabbages have access to direct sunlight for them to thrive. Partial sunlight might cause stunted growth and pathetic harvest. You want your cabbage to have enough daylight for about six hours each day to grow correctly. You can also opt for artificial lights if you don’t have a location with full sun access. For your aquaponics cabbage to produce large and solidly formed heads, it must get exposed to full sun for most of each day. If the aquaponics cabbages fail to get the correct amount of sun, you may harvest loose heads or even fail to form heads entirely.
- Temperature
Aquaponics cabbage can withstand temperatures ranging about 45 and 75 degrees. You can also plant cabbages during the cold season since they can endure low temperatures of 20 degrees but only for a short period. When growing cabbage in an aquaponics system, the temperatures should not rise above 80 degrees since this can cause your cabbage to rot and die.
- pH Level
When growing your aquaponics cabbage, maintain a pH of 6.2 to 6.6 to assist your aquaponics cabbage in thriving till maturity. To ensure the aquaponics grows at the correct pH, check the pH constantly using a quality pH meter.
How Long Does It Take To Grow Cabbage In Aquaponics?
It takes 3 to 4 months to reach maturity. Depending on the variety of cabbage you decide to use, you can enjoy the harvest earlier or later than expected.
The best thing is for you to select a cabbage variety that proliferates and is ready for harvest by springtime, especially if you live in a location with a warm climate. Under normal and stable conditions, your aquaponics cabbage will be ready in 80 to 180 days. If you’re looking for the cabbage type that matures early, you can plant stone head, Earliana, and primo varieties.
Health Benefits of Cabbage
Growing cabbages in the aquaponic system assures you of fresh and sustainable cabbage for harvest since they are grown organically. Fresh cabbage from your garden offers you more health benefits. An aquaponics cabbage is free from chemicals and therefore promotes good health. The aquaponics cabbage is bigger and tastier than cabbages grown in traditional methods. Some of the health benefits of cabbage that you can enjoy are;
- Improving your digestion
- Cabbages contain vitamin C, which is vital for your body
- May help keep your heart healthy
- It may help lower blood pressure since it contains Potassium
- It could also help your cholesterol levels
- It has soluble fiber
Final Thought
Growing aquaponics cabbage is one of the best ventures you can engage in, especially when starting an aquaponics system. Cabbages grow quickly in an aquaponics system and guarantee you fresh food and salads. Furthermore, cabbages have more health benefits you can enjoy with your family, and thus it will be a great choice.
If you are new to aquaponics, cabbage is perfect for you. Although it is easier to grow and maintain, you still need to ensure the vegetable gets the required optimal environment to thrive.
After planting, you must continuously monitor the progress and check the temperature, nutrients, and pH levels to ensure your cabbage thrives in a healthy environment. Then, you get to enjoy bountiful harvests with giant heads to show.
When searching for the cabbage varieties, ask which ones do well in your region and the requirements to maintain them to maturity. Then, you get to grow healthy aquaponic cabbages that feed your family healthy and nutritious vegetables.
Happy planting!
