Producing your own cabbage seedlings

Farmers living in communal farming regions may feel that they are unable to grow cabbages because they don't have access to places selling seedlings. Shane Brody has a solution for them.

- By Shane Brody

Smallholder farmers often don't have the money to get to specialised places selling seedlings.

I recently undertook a trial to self-produce seedlings and the outcome was very positive – many of the cabbages produced from these seedlings have already been sold.

While producing seedlings is in some respects quite technical, it's not that difficult to master, and with some innovation and good care, you can produce seedlings that should result in healthy cabbages.

Producing seedlings in a 'professional' manner requires infrastructure and equipment, such as temperature-controlled areas or greenhouses and purpose-fit seedling trays, but if you cannot afford these or don't have access to them, you can always innovate.

Some prospective producers may also not have access to sanitised potting soil, but this hurdle can also be overcome.

IMPROVISED EQUIPMENT

If you do not have seedling trays, you can utilise anything from old ice-cream tubs to 2ℓ cool drink containers. The tubs can be used as they are, while the cool drink containers can be cut in half lengthwise. Yogurt cups or old egg boxes can also be used.