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            
        T T T T        

(Best months for growing Cabbage in Australia - tropical regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for Australia | for all countries
27 Sep 20, (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm from Bundy and it is too much water. I water 3 times a week.
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19 Aug 20, philip hope (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I am growing curly leaf cabbage, and which are growing well, and I think almost ready for harvest. Do we treat and cook these the same as the other types and harvest when the heart is pretty high and hard?
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20 Aug 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Google how to use it - similar to normal cabbage. More for salady stuff I feel. It is a looser leaf head, so if big enough and hard start eating. The weather is going to turn warm and hot over the next 4-6 weeks.
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08 Aug 20, Robyn (Australia - temperate climate)
My cabbages and cauliflowers are not forming hearts this year. They are very healthy looking, lots of leaves, and planted about 10 - 12 weeks ago. What have i done wrong?? Is it lack of sunshine, lack of nutients, or pollination..have bith green and red varieties of cabbage.
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10 Aug 20, Anonymous (Australia - temperate climate)
I am sub-tropical and I'm just finishing picking my broccoli and cabbage. I had a couple of weird red cabbage and ice berg lettuce that were all big leaf and no heart. Same plants right next to each other, one good, one just leaf. If massive leaves then I think too much N fertiliser or just a rogue seed or something. I bought these as seedlings. Talking to an agronomist last week and he said these winter crops need cool/cold weather to form a heart. He said if the weather was hot for week or so when they were to head up then this might have stopped them. I have only grown red cabbage the last 3 years and have a big variation in the size and quality of the heart.
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03 Jul 20, Ann McKenzie (Australia - temperate climate)
My radishes and cabbage have small holes in the leaves. No caterpillars, eggs or butterflies as it is quite cold now. I’ve also checked the leaves. What do you think is causing this? Thanks, Ann
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06 Jul 20, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Could be grasshoppers. If they are not causing too much damage I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not into what all the different things bus/insects do and how to treat the problems. Rain is a big factor in bug/insect populations - it's breeding time.
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01 Nov 20, Allen Lee (Australia - temperate climate)
Small snails are attacking plants even my passionfruit now into cabbages found some in my lemonade tree too!!
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20 Apr 20, Kaye moore (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What do u spray cabbages with to keep grubs out
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06 Dec 20, Glenn (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Nothing - simply place a small piece of mosquito netting over the cabbage with a couple of sticks to keep it off the cabbage to stop the white cabbage moths landing to lay eggs. Bingo: another step to organic cabbages.
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Showing 21 - 30 of 152 comments
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Hi Mike, Very interesting tips, I will try the worm castings in the shade cloth, sounds good. I also use brown gum leaves as a mulch around the plants, the garden worms love it, I also dig my browns into the soil after crops have finished as well, same as you. The reason I purchased a 2 compartment compost bin was to have varying compost NPK ratios. My compartment No.1 has 50% Browns to 50% Greens which is good for above ground growth and compartment No.2 will have approx. 80% Browns to 20% Greens for my below ground root vegies, I alter percentages all year round to suit the plants I am growing. In the winter I grow brassicas and I use 70% Greens to 30% Browns for more Nitrogen. I also pile my grass clippings on the gardens in the summer when I have excess clippings. BR...….Steve

- Steve from Kanahooka NSW

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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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