Detroit Dark Red
Detroit Dark Red is a heirloom brassica. Germination takes 5-10 days and fruit ripens from about day 100-110. Skin runs to deep burgundy-red to purple. Water need is 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture. Suits zones 6-9. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost for spring crop, or direct sow in mid to late summer for fall harvest.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- 1-1.5 inches per week, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 12-18 inches
- Height
- 10-24 inches
- Season
- Cool season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep burgundy-red to purple
- Size
- 3-5 lbs
- Shape
- Round, dense heads
- Flavour
- Sweet and mild with slight peppery notes
In the kitchen
Fresh slaws, braising, sauerkraut, pickling, roasting. Excellent for fermentation.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Cabbage worms, aphids, flea beetles, cutworms
- Diseases
- Clubroot, black rot, downy mildew, alternaria leaf spot
- Resistance
- Good resistance to splitting, moderate clubroot tolerance
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April – May | June – July | June – July | September |
| 2 | April – May | June – July | May – July | September |
| 3 | March – April | May – June | May – June | August – October |
| 4 | March – April | May – June | April – June | August – October |
| 5 | February – March | April – May | April – May | July – November |
| 6 | February – March | April – May | April – May | July – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – May | March – May | July – November |
| 8 | January – February | March – April | March – April | June – December |
| 9 | January | February – March | February – March | May – December |
| 10 | January | February – March | January – March | May – December |
| 11 | January | January – February | January – February | April – December |
| 12 | January | January – February | January – February | April – December |
| 13 | January | January – February | January – February | April – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 31
- Protein (g)
- 2.57
- Fat (g)
- 0.34
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 6.27
- Fibre (g)
- 2.4
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 8
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 91.3
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.15
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 102
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.191
- Folate (µg)
- 65
- Calcium (mg)
- 46
- Iron (mg)
- 0.69
- Magnesium (mg)
- 21
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 67
- Potassium (mg)
- 303
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.42
- Selenium (µg)
- 1.6
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Detroit Dark Red?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other brassicas with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Detroit Dark Red suits these too.
- Early Flat Dutch Cabbage 100 days
- Brussels Sprouts 'Long Island Improved' 100 days
- Gladius 98 days
- Silvia 103 days
- Romanesco 95 days
- Divino 110 days