Golden Acre Cabbage stands as a testament to American seed innovation, having risen from its 1920s debut to become the most beloved cabbage among home gardeners within just thirty years. This compact heirloom produces perfectly round, dense heads weighing 3-5 pounds in just 60-65 days, making it one of the earliest cabbages you can harvest. Growing well in zones 2-10, its spherical grey-green heads with tightly folded white interiors pack incredible sweet, delicate flavor into a space-saving 12-18 inch plant that fits beautifully in small gardens.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Preferred Temp60-70°F
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
—
Width
18 in
Spacing
60–65
Days to Harvest
PeriodPerennial
TypeForb/herb
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
Perennial
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Golden Acre apart is its remarkable combination of early maturity and compact efficiency. These plants produce substantial 5-7 inch diameter heads while taking up significantly less garden space than other varieties, allowing you to plant them closer together without sacrificing quality. The heads form with exceptional uniformity and density, creating tight, ball-shaped cabbages with few outer leaves. Its sweet, tender flesh lacks the coarse veins found in many cabbages, and the heads have the unique ability to firm up before reaching full maturity, giving you flexibility in harvest timing.
Common Uses
Golden Acre excels in fresh applications where its sweet, tender character truly shines. The delicate flavor and absence of coarse veins make it exceptional for coleslaw, where its crisp texture and mild taste complement dressings beautifully. It performs wonderfully in stir-fries, maintaining its texture while absorbing flavors, and works perfectly for fresh salads and quick cooking preparations. While not typically considered a storage variety, its dense heads are excellent for immediate use in soups, fermentation projects, and any dish where you want cabbage flavor without overwhelming intensity.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
N/a
First Harvest
Late Spring
Last Harvest
Early Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date for spring harvest, or in late spring to early summer for fall crops. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix, maintaining soil temperature around 50-75°F. Seeds typically germinate in 7-10 days. Once seedlings develop 2-3 true leaves, begin hardening off over an 8-day period before transplanting.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant hardened seedlings outdoors when soil temperature reaches at least 50°F, spacing them 18 inches apart. For succession planting, transplant every few weeks as growing conditions allow. In mild winter areas, transplant between September and February.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds from late summer through early spring, depending on desired harvest timing. Plant 1/4 inch deep in well-prepared soil, then thin seedlings to proper spacing once they emerge. Protect early sowings with row covers if needed.
Harvesting
Harvest Golden Acre when heads feel firm and solid, typically weighing 3-5 pounds at 60-65 days from transplant. The heads should be dense and well-balanced, measuring 5-7 inches in diameter. Cut just above soil level with a sharp knife before heads begin to split or bolt. The unique characteristic of this variety is that heads firm up before reaching full maturity, so you can harvest slightly early if needed. Look for tight, grey-green outer leaves wrapped around a white, densely folded interior.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica oleracea L.
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Duration
Perennial
Growth Habit
Spreading
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)GL (W)
History & Origin
“Golden Acre Cabbage began its journey in American gardens during the 1920s, quickly capturing the hearts of home gardeners with its reliable performance and exceptional quality. Within three decades, this variety had achieved something remarkable, becoming the most widely grown cabbage among American home gardeners by the 1950s. Historical seed catalogs from the late 1920s praised it as resembling Copenhagen Market but maturing six days earlier with more uniformly round heads. The 1932 Burpee catalog called it a very superior stock that matured even earlier than Early Jersey Wakefield, while the 1929 Steele Briggs catalog highlighted its remarkable fine quality and tenderness, noting the complete absence of coarse veins that plagued other varieties of the era.”