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

Your comments and tips

15 Mar 12, Ana (Australia - temperate climate)
You and I are having the silimar way of stir-frying cabbage, just that I usually saute a few small dried shrimps (Chinese ingredients) before putting in the cabbage. To me, greens are almost a must when dinning at home. That is why I have got quite a couple of vegetable recipes on my blog though it is just started.
28 Aug 10, Bryn Parrott (Australia - temperate climate)
My 'Wombok' cabbages were grown from seedlings bought from the nursery. They are growing in clay based heavy loam but well drained soil found commonly in Adelaide. They are growing well, but seed heads are forming (look a bit like tiny broccoli) and there are stems... Are they the wrong variety, is it the wrong season - why are they not forming cabbage heads ?
28 May 10, Sarah (Australia - temperate climate)
My small chinese cabbage seedlings leaves are turning yellow. What do i need to add to the soil?
17 Apr 10, Brian Palfreyman (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sorry Annalisa 18/sept 09 Ii ve in Caboolture ,theres no way cabbages grow well in the summer months in Brizzie,way to hot,and any that do survive 30-35oc go to seed real quick
15 Feb 10, David R (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I was a small crops farmer for 20 years growing cabbages, the trick to keeping grubs out is to spray twice a week for 2 weeks from the time of transplanting & then once a week after till they are half grown then only spray if Grubs appear till Harvest
26 Jan 10, Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Brian, I find my cool-climate crops like cabbages and kale get a lot of pests at this time of year. I think they're weakened by the hot weather, which makes them more susceptible to pests.
19 Jan 10, Tam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
for caterpillars or well prevention. Get an old ice cream container and cut into 2-3 cm bits, punch a small hole with a nail, run string thru. string along the site of your cabbage or broccoli, spread out plastic bits along string..... the point is when the little white butterfly comes along to drop off her eggs she see's all these other white fluttery things and assumes that the area is over-populated, too much competion for her babies and will go deposit her eggs else where................I have never had to use powders or chemicals. (you will still get the odd chew hole in leaves, i dont think this is a big deal)
18 Jan 10, Brian Latta (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i tried growing cabbages in Brisbane and found they grew amazingly fast to Tasmania but i had major insect problems, tried white oil spray and it didnt do much. Would rather use natural products does anyone have advice on this.
11 Nov 09, Julie O'Brien (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My cabbages have grown well with very large open green leaves, but no heads. What do I do? Thanks
20 Sep 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
My wombok did the same last year. I planted some in Jan in partial shade (sun in the morning shade from about 1pm onward) did OK not as large or as green as winter grown but still pretty good. Cavelo Nero (Tuscan Cabbage) in partial shade (beside the wombook) did better.
Showing 191 - 200 of 226 comments

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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