Growing Cabbage

Brassica sp. : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S     S S S        
      T     T T T      
      P     P P P      

(Best months for growing Cabbage in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 5°C and 18°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 50 - 75 cm apart
  • Harvest in 11-15 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, thyme)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard, parsnip

Your comments and tips

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19 Jan 23, Theresa (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Planting cabbage this weekend hopefully does not get too warm too quick.
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02 Oct 22, Cammie (USA - Zone 4b climate)
What varieties of cabbage should I plant now?
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03 Oct 22, (USA - Zone 4b climate)
Any. What you want to eat.
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13 Aug 22, Peter Chapman (Australia - temperate climate)
My cabbage are wilting. I have not watered them for months as I am on the Central Coast of NSW and we have had plenty of rain. The plants are mulched and I am wondering if they are holding too much water. Finger test of plants shows they are fairly damp but certainly not flooded. They are in raised beds abouit 20 cm high. Cheers Pete
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16 Aug 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Could be a wilt disease, too much water. I definitely would not have mulched them with all the rain you have had. Depends what your soil is like - clayish or sandy.
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03 Jul 22, Kenneth Davis (Australia - temperate climate)
Cabbages and Broccoli not forming hearts. Good. soil added potash What is wrong?
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05 Jul 22, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If too much fertiliser especially nitrogen they will produce a lot of leaves, They don't need a big amount of potash. They need nitrogen to grow but too much and then all leaf.
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11 Feb 22, Anonymous of Bundaberg (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Check the calendar planting guide in your climate zone, it tells you when you can plant them.
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10 Feb 22, Theresa (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Live in zone 8A Midlands SC but right next to coastal , It's Feb 10, I'm confused about when to plant Cabbage, If Cabbage does well over winter why not now before it gets too hot? . I'm going to try. I put just 12 seeds in pots for transplants, AND going to try seeds in ground today or tomorrow. Any midlands of SC out there?
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25 Jun 22, Julie (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Also Midland's area (30 minutes north east of Columbia). Here it is late June and I just considered cabbage my garden. I guess I'm going to start some seeds inside late next month then more in late August before moving to the garden in late September. I'll call it an experiment. BTW, how did yours do?
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Showing 21 - 30 of 224 comments
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Hi Mike, A good tip with your compost is to mix 1 part of greens such as your plant residue & grass clippings (Nitrogen), with the same amount of brown material such as dried leaves, especially gum tree leaves & trigs (Carbon) mulched up in the mower, very important to have equal parts for a good balance, I rake up leaves & twigs around the parks & schools and around stormwater drains. Grass clippings & plant residue are great but full of nitrogen which will give you leafy caulis but no heads. Also, worm pee is very important, worm pee mixed with water @ 9:1 ratio & poured around the base of each plant every 3 weeks conditions the soil which releases the nutrients out of the soil for the roots to feed off, I start my worm pee after seedlings emerge in the seed trays, I keep my worm farm moist & I catch 1 litre a week, but next year I will be increasing that to 2 litres a week. I use my worm castings at planting time plus a side dressing every 2 months around my plants & use my worm pee as my tea. I have clay soil over here on the east coast and it took me years to get it friable but it paid off in the long run. Also, mulching around you plants is very important for moisture retention & worm activity, especially sandy soils. Dried gum leaves are so important in any soil as Carbon is a very important element for healthy growth. PS: Space your cabbages & Caulis & you will have great results. BR...….Steve

- Steve Donovan

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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