Crop type: Cabbages
Brassica oleracea (Capitata Group) ‘Tundra’
Common name: Cabbage (Savoy) ‘Tundra’
Crop slug: cabbages
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile. Check the source and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Tundra’ is a hardy winter Savoy cabbage with an RHS Award of Garden Merit. Compact plants form solid, round heads with crisp, sweet leaves and excellent flavour. The crop is described as reliable, uniform and high yielding, with good standing ability after maturity.
Heads can be harvested from October through February. This long winter window and ability to remain in good condition make ‘Tundra’ useful for cutting fresh when other vegetables are scarce.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Ultimate spread
- 0.1–0.5 metres
- Time to ultimate size
- 1 year
Although its height and spread fall within compact profile ranges, each dense Savoy head still needs adequate space for the surrounding leaves and airflow.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Chalk, loam and sand
- Moisture
- Well-drained
- Soil pH
- Neutral or alkaline
Grow in fertile ground that drains freely through autumn and winter. Neutral or alkaline soil suits the crop and helps reduce the risk of clubroot associated with acidic conditions.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H5 — hardy in most UK locations even in severe winters, supporting reliable harvesting into February
Choose a sunny, sheltered position and firm the plants thoroughly after transplanting. Their strong standing ability helps the heads remain usable, but protection from wind and birds is still worthwhile.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Flowers | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | — | Green | — |
| Summer | — | Green | — |
| Autumn | — | Green | — |
| Winter | — | Green | — |
Green foliage is recorded throughout the year, with the edible crop forming solid round Savoy heads. An em dash means that the profile provides no flower or fruit colour for that season.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Brassicaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump-forming
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Brassica comprises upright annuals, biennials and perennials with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped yellow or white flowers. It includes major food crops such as cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Grow ‘Tundra’ in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Sow indoors from March through June and transplant when seedlings have five or six true leaves. Alternatively, sow directly from late March, placing seed 1cm deep with 23cm between seed rows. Set plants into their final firm spacing before heads begin to enlarge.
Propagation
Propagate by seed, sown indoors or directly outdoors.
Pruning
No pruning is required. Remove only faded or damaged outer leaves to maintain airflow around the head.
Pests
Potential pests include birds, cabbage caterpillars, cabbage gall weevil, cabbage root fly, cabbage whitefly, cutworms, flea beetles, mealy cabbage aphid, slugs, snails and swede midge. Secure mesh and regular inspection reduce losses.
Diseases
The profile lists possible susceptibility to black rot, clubroot, downy mildew, foot and root rot, leaf spot and white blister. Rotate brassicas, maintain drainage and spacing, and remove diseased material promptly.