Delaware student cashes in on cabbage

Students across America are growing, and some are earning, a lot of green by participating in the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program. This year, more than 1.5 million third-graders in 48 states have gotten hands-on gardening experience growing colossal cabbages with high hopes to win Best in State and receive a $1,000 scholarship toward education from Bonnie Plants. Abigail Nawo from Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary in Bear was the Delaware state winner. 

Bonnie Plants is the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, with 80 growing facilities across the country. Each year they send free O.S. Cross oversized cabbage plants to third-grade classrooms whose teachers have signed up for the program. Students can cultivate, nurture and grow giant cabbages, some bigger than a basketball, often tipping the scales at over 40 pounds!

Launched nationally in 2002, the program awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each participating state. At the end of the season, teachers from each class select the student who has grown the best cabbage, based on size and appearance. A digital image of the cabbage and student is submitted online. That student's name is then entered in a statewide drawing. State winners are randomly selected by the Commission of Agriculture in each of 48 particpating states.

"The Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program is a wonderful way to engage children's interest in agriculture, while teaching them not only the basics of gardening, but the importance of our food systems and growing our own," said Stan Cope, Bonnie Plants president. “This unique, innovative program exposes children to agriculture and demonstrates, through hands-on experience, where food comes from. The program also affords our youth with some valuable life lessons in nurture, nature, responsibility, self-confidence and accomplishment."

"Over the course of the past 14 years, the Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program has proved to be an exciting, worthwhile experience that children, teachers, parents and grandparents across the country have embraced. We're pleased and proud of our Delaware state winner - Abigail Nawo! We are grateful to have the opportunity to provide our youth with this enjoyable and enriching opportunity and engage their interest in the art and joy of gardening," said Cope.

Growing a colossal cabbage may seem like a giant undertaking for young kids, but it's easier than one might think. All growers need to do is:

• Let the sunshine in: Cabbages need at least six hours of full sunlight, more if possible.

• Survey their space: Bonnie O.S. cabbages need at least three feet on each side to spread out. If you don't have that much space, use a large container.

• Supplement soil: Work some compost into the soil - cabbages love nutrient-rich soil.

• Feed the food plant: Start your cabbage off right with an all-purpose vegetable plant food. Follow label directions to keep it growing strong.

• Water wisely: Cabbage needs at least one inch of rainfall each week. If it doesn't rain, a watering can or garden hose can be used to gently water the plant at soil level.

• Tend to trouble: Keep weeds out of the cabbage patch - they compete for the food and water your cabbage needs. Be on the lookout for brown or white moths - these come from worms that love to munch on cabbage. If you see any, get rid of them right away. Cold weather can damage your cabbage. If the weather gets below 32° F, cover your cabbage with a bucket or cloth covering.

• Hefty harvest: In just 10 to 12 weeks,  a huge head of cabbage will have grown.

Green thumbs and perseverance can pay off, providing participating children with a great sense of pride and accomplishment, a humongous cabbage, and for the lucky state winner, the beginning of an educational fund for college.

The National Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program is a great way to get kids started in the garden, and it's free to any third-grade classroom in the country. For more information or for teachers to register, go to www.bonnieplants.com. Bonnie Plants will truck 2-inch cabbage plants to every registered third-grade classroom in the country; delivery will be scheduled based on geographic region.