Sapporo Giant #4 is a Japanese heirloom cabbage that delivers exactly what its name promises: truly massive heads that can reach 17 to 37 pounds under typical conditions, with reports of 44-pound specimens in optimal growing seasons. This legendary variety comes from Hokkaido, Japan, where it was prized since the 1800s and nearly disappeared from cultivation before being preserved and reintroduced to gardeners worldwide. Growing in zones 3 through 11 over 65 to 100 days, it thrives in full sun and moderate temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, making it surprisingly adaptable across North American climates. The sheer presence of these giants in the garden turns heads; they're as much a conversation piece as they are a culinary workhorse.
36
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
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Moderate
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This is a cabbage that stops people in their tracks. Hokkaido growers developed Sapporo Giant #4 into something genuinely extraordinary: an heirloom that can feed a family for weeks from a single head. The variety survived near-extinction to reach modern gardeners as a direct link to Japanese agricultural heritage. With 36 inches of spacing and just 65 to 100 days from transplant to harvest, it rewards patient growers with an almost shocking abundance of produce. For anyone who loves growing things big, rare, and meaningful, this is the variety.
As an exceptional volume producer, Sapporo Giant #4 is primarily grown for fresh use in coleslaw, stir-fries, and other preparations where its substantial yields justify the space it occupies in the garden. The sheer size of the heads makes them particularly suited to family-scale fermentation and pickling, where a single head can fill jars for months of storage. Gardeners often use these cabbages for large-batch cooking, preserving, and sharing with neighbors and community members. The variety also excels in soups and braised dishes where extended cooking times benefit from its robust texture and mild flavor.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your anticipated transplant date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist seed-starting mix at soil temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep seedlings under grow lights for 12 to 16 hours daily and maintain consistent moisture without waterlogging. Thin seedlings to individual containers once they develop their first true leaves.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors when soil temperatures reach at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and plants have 4 to 6 true leaves. Space plants exactly 36 inches apart in full sun with rich, well-amended soil. Transplant in early spring for summer harvest or in mid to late summer for fall harvest, depending on your zone. Water thoroughly at planting and keep soil consistently moist for the first two weeks.
Harvest when heads feel firm to slight pressure and have reached full size, typically 65 to 100 days after transplanting. Cut the entire head at soil level using a sharp knife, leaving the roots in the ground. The outer wrapper leaves can be peeled away if damaged. Sapporo Giant #4 heads store exceptionally well after harvest, developing better flavor and longer shelf life when harvested in cool weather.
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“Sapporo Giant #4 traces its roots directly to Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost major island, where it earned recognition as a distinct variety by the 1800s. During Japan's Showa Period, this massive brassica became a cornerstone crop for regional growers who selected and refined it over generations, prizing both its tremendous size and reliable production. The variety fell into obscurity as industrial agriculture shifted toward more uniform, commercial cultivars, nearly vanishing from seed catalogs entirely. Through dedicated seed-saving efforts, primarily by heirloom organizations and Japanese heritage seed companies, Sapporo Giant #4 was rescued from near-total loss and reintroduced to contemporary gardeners. Today it stands as a living connection to Hokkaido's agricultural past and the wisdom of growers who understood that bigger, older varieties often held lessons worth preserving.”