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 41°F and 64°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 inches 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
  • Cabbage
  • Winter cabbage

There are many varieties of cabbage.

Those which stand winter weather usually have darker leaves and a stronger flavour, e.g. Savoy.

Red cabbage is grown in a similar way to green varieties.

In temperate climates ff you plant a selection of types you can have cabbage growing all year round.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Cabbage

Young spring cabbage can be chopped and added to salad greens.
Steaming preserves the goodness and flavour of cabbage.
Can also be used in stir-fry.
Red cabbage chopped and cooked with brown sugar, red wine, onions, vinegar and stock is served with boiled bacon or pork.

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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Hello, I live in Nerriga near Braidwood, New South Wales and have had a failure with my cabbage and cauliflower crops. I grew them in a large igloo covered with cloth (with holes) and our temperature here goes to -7 Centigrade. My cabbages and cauliflowers grew lovely for a while then no hearts in the cabbages and no cauli in the cauliflowers. Only leaves. I gave them sea sol often and watered regularly. Not sure how much water they wanted. They did freeze a few times but went back to normal as the day progressed. Can you help for next time? Thankyou. Kind Regards, Rhonda Richards

- rhonda

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