by Lisa Giroday, Sandra Lopuch and Sam Philips | Do you dream of having an abundance (or at least one) beautiful savoy cabbage to enjoy in the winter months ahead? We sure do, and while right now seems to be all about tomatoes, blueberries, cucumbers and zucchini during the heat of the summer, it’s also prime time to get some cabbage transplants into the ground.

Our favourite is a semi-savoyed little beauty called Embassy. It may take several months to mature, but a 2-3lb cabbage can make a fair bit of sauerkraut, no? And if you set out your transplants now, you can harvest from October right through to April (Fall/Winter cabbage can withstand temperatures of -12 degrees).

Cabbage thrives in cool weather, so get ‘em in the ground now so they can mature as the weather starts to cool off in the Fall. Short on space right now because you have a small garden, or your summer veggies are currently going off? Transplant your cabbage starts into the corners of beds that will have space once you harvest your summer crops. Cabbage doesn’t need a ton of space to begin with, but eventually it’ll need a couple of feet around, so planting them in a corner will give them space without taking up much of your growing area.

Another perk to growing Fall and Winter cabbage? Cabbage grown in the Winter is less susceptible to pests, so if you have the space, this Fall might be a good time to grow some. It’s rich in betacarotene, vitamin C and fiber, and the cold-weather comfort food recipes are endless (think cabbage rolls and quick coleslaws with late harvest/stored apples).

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Victory Gardens is a team of local urban farmers for hire. Lisa, Sandra and Sam help transform tired or underused residential and commercial green spaces into food producing gardens. Their goal is to challenge the way communities use space and to participate in the change needed to consume food more sustainably. For the rest of the growing season, they’ve hooked up with Scout to share some cool tips and tricks on how to get the best from of our own backyards.