VegetableCabbage
Early Round Dutch Cabbage
Early Round Dutch Cabbage is a beloved Southern heirloom that produces solid, uniform heads weighing 2 to 5 pounds in just 70 to 79 days. This short-stemmed cultivar features striking dark blue-green, crinkled leaves with excellent flavor and a compact growth habit that rarely bolts, making it reliable for both home gardeners and early market growers. Hardy from zones 2 to 10 and reaching just 12 to 18 inches tall, it delivers consistent results across diverse climates and adapts beautifully to small spaces.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Consistent Moisture
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
Early Round Dutch delivers solid, oval heads with good wrapper leaves and a short core, all on a compact plant that rarely runs to seed. The crinkled dark blue-green foliage is as visually striking as it is flavorful, and its 70 to 79 day maturity makes it one of the quickest cabbages to reach harvest. What gardeners love most is its reliability: uniform sizing, minimal bolting, and that excellent flavor that reminds you why this Southern favorite has endured for generations.
Common Uses
Early Round Dutch Cabbage shines as a fresh vegetable for coleslaw, salads, and quick-cooking applications where its tender, flavorful leaves make a difference. Its compact head size and short core make it excellent for households that want fresh cabbage without excess waste. The solid heads store reasonably well and work equally in both raw and cooked preparations.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing at a depth of 1/4 inch and keeping soil temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors once they have 3 to 4 true leaves and after hardening off over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 18 inches apart in full sun, and transplant when soil temperatures have reached at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Harvesting
Harvest heads when they feel firm and dense to gentle hand pressure, typically 70 to 79 days after transplanting. Cut the head at the base with a sharp knife, leaving the stem and outer wrapper leaves intact if you plan to store it. Early Round Dutch's compact size means mature heads are easy to handle and quick to prepare.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica oleracea
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (W)GL (W)
History & Origin
“As a Southern favorite known as 'Round Dutch Cabbage,' this cultivar carries the legacy of practical market gardening in America's agricultural past. Its short stem, uniform heads, and reluctance to bolt made it an ideal choice for early-season commercial growers who needed dependable production and consistent sizing for sale. The variety persists today because it solves real problems for gardeners: quick maturity, reliable heading, and flavor that justifies its place in seed catalogs across generations.”