How to Grow Savoy Cabbage 'January King'

Savoy Cabbage 'January King'

Brassica oleracea var. sabauda

vegetable

January King is a cold-hardy Savoy cabbage variety prized for its ability to withstand freezing temperatures and improve in flavor after frost. It produces medium-sized heads with deeply crinkled, blue-green leaves and a dense, flavorful interior. This heirloom variety is ideal for fall and winter harvests in cooler climates.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, minimum 6 hours daily; 8+ hours preferred for dense head formation

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Water: Consistent moisture; 1-1.5 inches weekly. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water at soil level to reduce disease. Mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

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Spacing: 18 inches

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Days to maturity: 90-130 days from transplant

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Planting depth: 0.25 inches for seeds; transplants at same depth as nursery pot

Soil

Type: Rich, well-draining loamy soil with high organic matter

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost or aged manure Nitrogen-rich fertilizer (side-dress midseason) Calcium (crushed eggshells or lime to prevent tip-burn)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-8; exceptional cold hardiness makes it ideal for zones 4-7

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b

Growth Stages

Seedling

3-4 weeks

Tiny cotyledons emerge; true leaves follow within 1-2 weeks. Plants develop 2-4 true leaves.

Keep soil consistently moist. Provide bright light (grow lights if indoors). Maintain 60-70°F. Thin or transplant to individual cells at 2-3 true leaves.

Vegetative Growth

4-5 weeks

Rapid leaf expansion; plant develops sturdy stem and 6-10 leaves. Transplants establish roots and begin acclimatization.

Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days before transplanting. Plant in garden after last frost danger passes. Apply nitrogen fertilizer at transplant time. Keep consistently watered.

Head Formation

6-8 weeks

Outer leaves continue expanding; inner leaves begin to curl and wrap around forming head. Head gradually becomes compact and dense.

Side-dress with nitrogen fertilizer 4-6 weeks after transplant. Maintain consistent watering. Mulch around plants. Monitor for pests weekly. Remove any yellowed outer leaves.

Maturity

4-8 weeks (harvest window)

Head reaches full size (3-5 lbs), feels firm to pressure, and leaves are deeply crinkled and blue-green. After light frost, flavor sweetens as sugars concentrate.

For January King, delay harvest until after first frost for improved flavor. Leave in garden in cool climates; heads store well on plant in cold weather. Monitor for splitting during heavy rain after maturity.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest and storage phase

Mature heads are ready to cut; can remain in field through winter in many zones. Stored heads remain fresh for weeks in cool conditions.

Cut heads at soil level with sharp knife. Leave roots and stems to decompose. Store at 32-40°F with 90-95% humidity for 2-4 months. Leave outer leaves on for protection during storage.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Onions Beets Celery Chamomile Dill Thyme Mint Marigolds Potatoes

Avoid planting near:

Tomatoes Fennel Kohlrabi Strawberries Pole beans Cabbage family relatives (within 3 feet)

Common Pests

Row covers on young plants; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); hand-pick caterpillars; encourage parasitic wasps
Bacillus thuringiensis; neem oil; spinosad; hand removal; monitor for presence
Row covers on seedlings; kaolin clay spray; diatomaceous earth; remove weeds where they overwinter
Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; ladybug introduction; avoid excessive nitrogen
Crop rotation (3-4 years away from brassicas); soil pH above 7.0; remove infected plants; choose resistant varieties
Floating row covers; hand-pick eggs and larvae; Bt spray; companion planting with aromatic herbs

Uses

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Braising and slow-cooking

Culinary

January King's tender, crinkled leaves and sweet flavor (enhanced by frost) make it ideal for braising with bacon, caramelizing, or slow-cooking in soups and stews. The leaves hold their texture better than smooth cabbages during cooking. [source]

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Fresh salads and slaws

Culinary

The deeply textured leaves add visual interest and pleasant chew to raw salads and slaws. Post-frost harvests develop higher sugar content, making them sweeter and more palatable raw than green cabbages. [source]

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Cruciferous vegetable benefits

Medicinal

Like all brassicas, January King contains glucosinolates and sulforaphane, compounds with anti-inflammatory and potential cancer-preventive properties. High in vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber for digestive and bone health. [source]

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Cold storage staple

Household

January King's exceptional storage life (3-4 months in cool conditions) makes it a practical vegetable for winter food preservation without processing. A single planting provides fresh cabbage throughout cold months. [source]

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Pollinator habitat support

Wildlife

If allowed to bolt in spring, January King produces attractive yellow flowers that attract early-season pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

January King's signature trait is cold hardiness and flavor improvement after frost. Harvest heads when firm and dense, typically 90-130 days after transplanting. For optimal flavor, harvest after the first hard freeze (below 28°F). Cut heads at soil level with a sharp knife in the morning. Heads can remain unharvested in the field through winter in zones 4-8, extending the harvest window. Inner leaves remain tender longer than outer leaves. Store in root cellar or refrigerator at 32-40°F for up to 3-4 months.

Fun Facts

🌱 January King earned its name from its remarkable ability to survive harsh winters and be harvested fresh in January in cool climates—it thrives where most vegetables would fail.
🌱 This variety improves dramatically in flavor after exposure to frost, as the plant converts starches to sugars as a natural antifreeze mechanism, making post-freeze harvests noticeably sweeter than earlier pickings.
🌱 The deeply crinkled ('savoyed') leaves of Savoy cabbage create more surface area for storing nutrients and provide better texture retention during cooking compared to smooth-leafed green cabbages.

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