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

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01 May 20, Michael (Australia - temperate climate)
You can make organic spray from garlic or mix olive oil with water and add a squirt of liquid soap. Lots of ways to do it , just search online for some others using chilli or neem oil. Goodluck!
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21 Apr 20, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Look on the internet for 1. chemical sprays at Bunnings or nurseries or 2. if you want organic, look for one of them. You can buy some organic ones or make then up yourself.
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23 Apr 20, Gozer DeLino (Australia - temperate climate)
You can use "Take Down" from Monterey. It is a Pyrethrin based organic spray.
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22 Dec 19, Lea (Australia - temperate climate)
Sorry correction what bug or virus can affect a cabbage
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27 Dec 19, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I think the white cabbage moth is the main problem. Bugs and moths etc. are more prevalent when there is rain. So you would be checking the plants more often after rain. Research on the internet for more info on bugs etc. and for natural sprays. In warm/hot climates best time to grow cabbage is late summer to early spring.
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22 Dec 19, Lea (Australia - temperate climate)
Can affect a cabbage and how can they be treated naturally
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29 Aug 19, Glenn (Australia - temperate climate)
What PH level is best suited for cabbages do they like a bit of wood ash. Thank you.
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30 Aug 19, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Google it.
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29 Aug 19, Stephan (Australia - tropical climate)
I would like to find if there are variety of red/purple cabbage suited for tropical climates. I currently plant green cabbage and they firm nice heads. If there red/purple cabbage suited or can be planted in tropics
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29 Aug 19, anon (Australia - tropical climate)
Most plants can be sown in the tropics, you just have a narrow time to plant - so the crop grows in the cooler time of the year. Try Boondie Seeds they have some red varieties.
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Showing 31 - 40 of 152 comments
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Just a friendly tip, I found Cabbage & Cauliflower are not compatible as companion plants, they hate each other. Last year I grew them in the same raised bed, what a disaster. I have now put them in separate raise beds with the beds 600mm apart and I now have a prolific crop of both. When I am raising the seedlings in the seed trays I also separate them by 300mm with very good results. Before I installed the raised beds I had small separate gardens all over my backyard and the plants were separated in different beds and I had prolific results back then. Hope this tip can help others

- Steve from Kanahooka NSW.

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