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Comparing Savoy Cabbage vs. Artichoke vs. Asparagus

The comparison

Savoy Cabbage vs. Artichoke vs. Asparagus

Units
Growing facts for Savoy Cabbage, Artichoke and Asparagus, side by side
Fact
Savoy CabbageBrassica oleracea var. sabauda
ArtichokeCynara cardunculus var. scolymus
AsparagusAsparagus officinalis
DifficultyModerateChallengingModerate
Life cycleAnnualNot yet verifiedPerennial
Germination timeNot yet verified8–12 daysNot yet verified
Germination temperatureNot yet verified21–26 °C70–79 °F18–27 °C64–81 °F
Sowing depthNot yet verified6 mm¼ in1.5–2 cm½–¾ in
Spacing between plantsNot yet verified46 cm18 in30–46 cm12–18 in
SunFull sunFull sunFull sun
Frost toleranceHardyNot yet verifiedHardy
Soil pHpH 6.0–8.0pH 6.5–8.0pH 6.0–8.0
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Meet the seeds

What each one is, in a few lines, with the full growing guide one click away.

  • Savoy Cabbage heart with water droplets on crinkled, veined leaves growing in a gardenVegetables

    Savoy Cabbage

    Brassica oleracea var. sabauda

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Savoy cabbage has crinkled leaves and a tender, subtly sweet head. It grows best in full sun and is usually grown as an annual.

    How to grow savoy cabbage
  • Globe artichoke buds growing on tall plants in a sunlit garden bedVegetables

    Artichoke

    Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus

    Difficulty: Challenging

    Globe artichokes are large, thistle-like plants grown for their edible flower buds. They need full sun and rich, well-drained soil. Seed results are variable, so many growers start with plants or divisions.

    How to grow artichoke
  • Rows of asparagus ferns growing in a field beside a dirt pathVegetables

    Asparagus

    Asparagus officinalis

    Difficulty: Moderate

    Asparagus is a long-lived perennial vegetable that most gardeners start from crowns. Growing it from seed adds a year or more before the first harvest, and the plant needs full sun.

    How to grow asparagus

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The table, row by row

How to read a comparison

Every row is a fact from each seed's own profile, lined up so the differences stand out.

  1. Sprouting

    Germination time and temperature

    How many days the seeds take to sprout, and the temperature range they sprout in.

  2. Sowing

    Sowing depth and spacing

    How deep to sow each seed and how far apart the plants should grow. “On the surface” means the seed isn't covered.

  3. Timing

    Days to maturity and life cycle

    How long until the plant is ready, counted from sowing or from transplanting (each value says which). Annuals live one year, biennials two, perennials longer.

  4. Light and water

    Sun and water

    Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, partial shade a few hours. Water needs are rated low, moderate or high.

  5. Space and weather

    Containers, frost tolerance and soil pH

    Whether it grows in a pot, with the smallest pot when it's known. Frost tolerance runs from tender (no frost) to hardy. Soil pH 7 is neutral.

  6. Pets

    Toxicity to cats and dogs

    Whether the plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, buckwheat, caraway, carnation and 14 more.

Comparing

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Each seed's page explains how to grow it from seed, with facts researched and reviewed by our editors.