What Can I Do to Bring a Droopy Cabbage Plant Back to Life in the House?

Common Cabbage Diseases

• Before taking action to improve the plant's health, inspect it for signs of disease. The most common cabbage diseases are black leg, marked by blue-black spots and lesions on the stem, and black rot, marked by black veins growing through the leaves. If the cabbage has either of these diseases, it must be disposed to prevent infesting other plants.

Control Insect Pests

• Inspect the cabbage for signs of pests. Though insect pests are less common indoors, they may appear on cabbage plants brought in from outdoors. The most common cabbage pest is the green, 1 1/2-inch-long cabbage worm, which can be controlled through handpicking or, in serious cases, an application of Bacillus thuringiensis. Cabbage maggots measuring 1/4 to 1/3 inch long may infest cabbage roots. In this case, mix diazinon 25 percent EC with water and apply it to the plant's soil.

Regulate Sunlight and Temperature

• Place the cabbage in a sunny spot, ideally near a south- or east-facing window. Cabbage plants prefer temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If the natural temperature is warmer or cooler, adjust your thermostat to a more desirable temperature.

Water, But Don't Overwater

• Feel the surface of the plant's soil. It should be moist, but not damp. If the soil feels damp, do not water the plant again until the soil feels dry. When the soil is dry, water the plant until the soil is moist.

Add Fertilizer

• Fertilize a newly transplanted cabbage plant with 8 oz. of 20-20-20 fertilizer mixed with 1 gallon of water. Fertilize the plant with 8 oz. of 10-20-10 fertilizer mixed with 1 gallon of water every three weeks after that. Cabbage needs rich soil to thrive.