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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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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07 Dec 21, Ben (USA - Zone 8b climate)
I live in the Midlands of South Carolina. I think it's agricultural zone 8. Looking for cabbage I can plant right now
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11 Dec 21, (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Too late to plant now - check the planting guide here.
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28 Dec 21, Elisabeth (USA - Zone 7b climate)
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.
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24 Feb 21, Tami (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Can you plant cabbage with garlic?
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25 Feb 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Go to the cabbage page and read what cabbage is compatible with. The green tick symbol.
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01 Nov 20, Martin (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Growing cabbage for seed. What is the best way to hold plants so they don’t fall over
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02 Nov 20, (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Stake them.
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05 Jun 20, Helen Prince Bailey (USA - Zone 7a climate)
Cabbage question... Should we cut the bottom leaves? Especially if it is dying (yellow or just shriveling)? Thanks!
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13 Sep 10, delroy curling (USA - Zone 10a climate)
How do you plant 10.000 cabbage seeds. Regards Delroy
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Showing 11 - 20 of 21 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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