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 6a 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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16 Jun 23, Lesley (Australia - tropical climate)
Something bigger than caterpillars eating my seedlings no evidence of caterpillars start with nipping tops off beans cabbage cauli etc only things they don’t eat is silverbeet and pumpkin last year it ate all flowers on paw paw tree sick of replacing veg
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24 Jun 23, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If you have a fencing company near you, go and see if they have mess off cuts (approx 6-8' x 4-5') . Make frames in a u shape and put insect mess over it.
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01 May 23, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Growing yellow ( butter ) string less beans. Grow to 60 cm tall . Ate they Ok to grow in same tub as brassikas?? Advice says bush beans ok , pole beans not....I'm confused.
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13 May 23, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Dwarf grow to 60cm - climbing grow to 1.2-2.4m.
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08 May 23, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
A climbing bean could shade cabbage and it would not produce much. Depends where you plant the climbing bean in relation to the sun's position in the sky. Plant tall plants on the southern side of the bed.
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04 Mar 23, Sue (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Which variety of cabbage grows best in qld?
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27 Apr 23, Lee (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Red Dutch, Sugarloaf, Wombok.
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23 Mar 23, Peter Myers (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Copenhagen do well in the subtropics; I have grown them for years. When harvesting, cut below the cabbage, then new smaller cabbages grow from the same root. This year I am trying Primo. I plant seed mid-Feb to mid-Mar, after rain. Transplant a month later. I will be transplanting Primo soon. Got Kale (Blue) out yesterday.
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28 Mar 23, EMMA-LOUISE PARRY (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
hello. when do you plant your cabbage seeds please? also what area are you from? im struggling to get cabbage to grow.
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07 Mar 23, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They will all grow good if looked after. Also depends what you want to do with it.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 226 comments
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Well, not entirely true. I got some cabbage seedlings from a nursery that was tossing them. We put them in to the ground on December 3. Then we have them covered with a small hoop house. We also have some incandescent lights to add just enough heat when the temps dip down into the twenties.(F.) You can grow them and they are a challenge, but brassicas like cabbage, kale and broccoli are pretty frost hardy if you give them cover.

- Elisabeth

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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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