Harvesting and storing savoy cabbage is not a great art in itself. Nevertheless, there are a few important points to consider so that the savoy cabbage lasts for a long time.
Due to its many uses, savoy cabbage is quickly becoming the star of the vegetable garden. The cabbage with the strikingly wavy leaves can maintain its position almost all year round. Savoy cabbage can also be cultivated in a bucket, so that nobody has to do without homemade cabbage rolls.
While red and white cabbage first have to form a firm head before they can be harvested, the first tender leaves can be removed from savoy cabbage. These are particularly tasty as a salad accompaniment. If the leaves are firmer, they are suitable, briefly fried or blanched, as hearty vegetables.
When can savoy be harvested?
It depends on the variety. The young leaves of the summer savoy, for example, can already be harvested in early summer. You can do the same with the late savoy cabbage. Then the harvest time of the first leaves falls in autumn. Since a distinction is made between early savoy and summer savoy or late savoy, the harvest time can be extended to almost the entire year.
How are individual leaves harvested?
Individual savoy leaves are always cut from the outside in. To do this, use a sharp knife and avoid damaging the center of the cabbage so that the plant continues to develop new leaves.
➮ Tip:
By harvesting the savoy cabbage leaves step by step, the harvest time can be extended because new leaves are constantly being formed.
How do you harvest all the cabbage?
Once a sufficiently large and firm savoy cabbage has developed, you can cut it off just below the head with a sharp knife. You must then remove the outer leaves before storing.
➮ Tip:
To prevent the spread of pathogens, you should dig up and discard the roots of the savoy cabbage after harvest.
To make the savoy cabbage easier to store, you can also dig it up completely with the root. This is useful if you are aiming for longer storage. slicedYou can then keep cabbage heads in the fridge for about a week. Stored cool and dry, the shelf life of cabbages can be doubled.
What should be considered when storing?
Once the savoy cabbage has been harvested, it is usually not possible to use it immediately. It is therefore important to store the vegetables correctly. In order for savoy cabbage to last as long as possible, you should pay attention to a few things. For example, you must always use a clean and germ-free knife for harvesting. This prevents germs from settling in the cabbage, which prevent longer storage. You must also remove any dirty, insect-eaten, or yellowed and unsightly-looking leaves. If there are still pests on the savoy cabbage, you must of course also remove them.
➮ Tip:
The savoy cabbage should not come into contact with water before storage, as this would have a negative effect on the storage time.
Note differences in shelf life
There are definitely differences between the storage period and the type of savoy cabbage. The early varieties have the shortest shelf life. You should therefore use up early varieties as soon as possible. Most types can only be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. The later varieties, on the other hand, appear more robust and therefore last longer. After a week in the refrigerator, however, you should process the savoy cabbage as soon as possible.
Storage in the refrigerator
You can store the freshly harvested cabbage heads in the refrigerator. However, this storage method is only to be regarded as short-term. The savoy should be processed after four to seven days at the latest.
➮ Important:
You should never keep savoy cabbage near fruit, because fruit gives off the ripening gas ethylene, which in turn ensures that vegetables Shelf life is reduced and putrefaction is promoted.
Storage in the basement
Savoy cabbage keeps the longest when stored in a cool, dark place in the cellar. The cabbage can be stored here for up to two weeks. You can pack the cabbages in boxes. Savoy cabbage also stays fresh longer when wrapped in newspaper. If you remove the cabbage complete with the stalk, it can also be easily and space-savingly attached upside down to the ceiling.
Can you also freeze savoy cabbage?
You can also freeze the cabbage to preserve the vegetables and have them available for longer. However, this requires some preparatory work. First of all, you need to wash the individual leaves. Then you shouldCut the cabbage into portion-sized strips and blanch briefly. Now you can put the vegetables in freezer bags or freezer boxes and freeze them straight away. The savoy cabbage will keep in the freezer for up to half a year.
Store savoy correctly - tips and tricks at a glance
- Do not store savoy cabbage near fruit.
- The cabbage will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- If savoy cabbage is harvested with the stalk, it can be hung upside down.
- Do not wash savoy cabbage before storing.
- Late varieties keep longer than early Savoy cabbage.