Flat Dutch

Family: Brassicaceae Brassica

Sink your senses into Flat Dutch’s crisp, cool crunch—heads form with a distinctive, flattened silhouette and a tender, sweet-leaning bite that feels fresh and clean.

The foliage builds into a sturdy, blue-green rosette that holds its shape beautifully through the season, delivering reliable cabbages for gardeners who love dependable performance. Ideal for hearty, traditional cabbage preparations and for preserving flavors that deepen with time, Flat Dutch is a satisfying staple from garden to storage.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 100 DaysHabit: Rosette

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 28th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Aug 3rd
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	100
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	45
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	32
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Flat Dutch gives you that satisfying cabbage crackle—sweet-leaning, mildly peppery, and sturdy enough to resist turning to wet rags in a long braise or a vinegar-laced slaw. It’s also a storage-and-fermentation workhorse: its leaf structure stays tight, so tang builds without the texture collapsing.

Best Uses

shredded slaw that stays snappy under a vinegar dressing
braises and stews where you want cabbage to keep a clean bite
fermentation-friendly wedges for tangy, crunchy pickles
pan-sautéed cabbage with a sear for sweet, caramel edges

Flavor Profile

crisp cool crunch sweet-leaning cabbage bite blue-green, mildly peppery brassica snap holds texture when cooked, not mushy

Kitchen Pairings

caraway mustard bacon apple cider vinegar butter smoked paprika

Frequently Asked Questions

What pests or diseases commonly affect Brassica oleracea var. capitata (cabbage) like Flat Dutch, and how can I treat them?

Watch for cabbage worms (imported cabbageworm/diamondback larvae) and aphids; inspect undersides of leaves and remove heavily infested foliage early. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) on larvae and spray aphids off with a strong water jet, repeating as needed. For disease, keep airflow high and avoid overhead irrigation to reduce black rot and clubroot risk; remove yellowing or blackened leaves promptly.

How often should I water Flat Dutch cabbage during the main head-forming phase, and what soil moisture should I maintain?

During head formation (about mid-season to maturity), keep soil evenly moist—aim for roughly 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week total, adjusted for rainfall. Water deeply so moisture reaches root depth, then let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly before the next watering to prevent stressed, splitting heads. Mulch around plants to reduce fluctuations that can lead to cracking.

How do I tell when Flat Dutch cabbage is ready to harvest?

Harvest when heads are firm and reach their variety-appropriate size, typically near 100 days from sowing and long after leaf growth slows. Gently squeeze the head—if it feels tight and won’t compress much, it’s ready. If you notice leaves yellowing and the head stays firm, cut at the base immediately to prevent bolting or splitting.