Merlot Napa Cabbage
Brassica Rapa

days to maturity: 52 days
plant spacing: 2 plants per square foot
sunlight requirements: 8 -14 hours
look out for: slugs and cabbage root maggots
harvest notes: cut whole heads at soil level when you feel the top of the cabbage and its firm
annual

Napa cabbage is a cool season annual vegetable which grows best when the days are short and mild. The plant grows to an oblong shaped head consisting of tightly arranged crinkly, thick, light-green leaves with white prominent veins. Innermost layer leaves feature light yellow color. In Korean cuisine, napa cabbage is the main ingredient of baechu kimchi, the most common type of kimchi, but is also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters, dipped in gochujang. The outer, tougher leaves are used in soups. It can be used in stir-fry with other ingredients such as tofu, mushroom and zucchini.

French Farms grew a small crop of this new breed of napa cabbage last year and we were smitten! Lots of purple varieties don't do well in our climate because (fun fact:) purple plants don't like the heat. Heat makes them loose their purple color and they struggle to stay healthy. but not this superstar! Look at those vibrant hues!