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 S S S S    
        T T   T T T T  

(Best months for growing Cabbage in Australia - sub-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

06 Apr 21, Vincent (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
I´m from a farm that grows a lot of cabbage and we observed this aswell in some parts of the arable. We explained it, that the cabbage defines its biggest state at an early point in its life. It seems to depend on how much water is avaiable in that state. So to prevent it from breaking you need to water it in the early stages more than in the later stages. If it has not enough water when it begins to grow it and to much later on it will break.
27 Sep 20, (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm from Bundy and it is too much water. I water 3 times a week.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!!
20 Apr 20, Kaye moore (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
What do u spray cabbages with to keep grubs out
Showing 21 - 30 of 153 comments

Are you direct sowing (into the garden), or are you sowing indoors in trays? I'll give you the germination temperatures. Germination temperatures vary from plant to plant (even among say tomatoes - the various varieties have different germination temperatures). These are OPTIMAL germination temperatures-- so higher or lower can work, but germination will not be as consistent or Good in non-optimal temps. The germination temperature must be sustained (over several days or more) -- this is the plant's indicator (sustained warm temperature), that spring/summer is here -- and it is time to wake up and get growing. If the germination temperatures are not met, the seeds will remain dormant (most of them), waiting for their ideal growing conditions to occur. Remember - varieties make a difference so I'm giving you GENERAL temperatures. PEPPERS: Soil temperature needs to be at least 75-85 degrees F (24-27 c) for good germination. Peppers won’t germinate in cold soil– with the higher end temps germination may be in 5 days, or may take up to 20 days in the lower temps. Don’t overwater seeds or they may rot. peppers don't like to be overly wet. Your max germination temp is 95F (35c) for peppers. TOMATO : optimum germination temps are : 65-85F (24-30c) days to germinate varies a lot by variety ... so maybe 1- 2 weeks ? Max temp is 95f (35c). Tomato seeds have been know to germinate at temp as low as 40f (4c) -- but expect germination to take a month or more and your germination rate (% of seeds that germinate) will probably be very low. GREENS: way to varied to give an answer -- example: KALE has an optimum germination temp of 65F (18c) and range of 45°F - 85°F (7-30c), while SWISS CHARD's optimum germination is 80°F (27c) with a range of 40°F - 95°F (4-32c). Days to germination vary based on variety and temp. I generally recommend starting peppers and tomatoes indoors -- and with greens it depends on the green -- kale and chard are both tough, and both have a very wide temp range for germination so outdoors is fine. You also have to consider insects... larger plants have a better chance (in general) of survival if you experience pest problems. OF course a lot depends on how long your growing season is-- in a really long and hot growing season, starting tomato seeds outdoors is no problem, in a shorter cooler growing season the optimum germination temps may never be met (sustained) so starting indoors is pretty much a given.

- Celeste Archer

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