Eating Garden

How to Grow Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata

A cool-season leaf crop that wraps its inner leaves into a firm head.

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At a glance

  • Difficulty

    Takes some care

    3 of 5 · More shovels, more care

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

  • Water

    Thirsty

  • First harvest

    60 to 100 days

    from planting out

  • Plant spacing

    15 to 18 in apart

More about this plant

Give cabbage cool weather, steady water and plenty of space. Cut a firm head before it splits, then cool it or store it in a cold, humid place.

  • Grows over two seasons.
  • Can grow in raised beds, the open ground.
  • A good one to grow together with children.

Make it your plan

Add your location for local planting datesAdd place

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What are you starting with?
Where will it grow?

Your plan, starting Nov 10, 2026

A harvest date cannot be estimated from this starting point. Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

Add your location to compare this date with local planting windows. Your chosen date stays the same.

When to expect a harvest

There is no reliable day count for this starting point. Use the crop’s season and readiness signs below.

The head feels firm when gently pressed and has reached a useful size. Harvest before the outer leaves crack and the head splits.

Cool spring or fall weather. Mature fall cabbage tolerates freezing weather, while summer heat can reduce head quality.

First, gather a few things

  • Cabbage seeds
  • A growing spot with 15 to 18 in between plants
  • A prepared garden bed
  • A watering can or hose

Get ready

Do these before you put the plant or seeds in place.

  1. Start here

    1. Plan a cool season

    Grow spring cabbage before hard summer heat or plant a fall crop that matures in cool weather.

Start or plant it

Follow the steps for the way you chose to start.

  1. 1. Sow shallowly

    Cover seed a quarter to half an inch and keep young roots moist.

  2. 2. Leave head room

    Thin or transplant to 15 to 18 inches apart with wider paths between rows.

Water

Check the soil first. Heat, rain, and pots can change how often this plant needs water.

  1. 1. Check before you water

    Feel the top inch of soil. Water when it starts to dry, before the roots dry out.

  2. 2. Water the roots

    Water slowly at the base until the soil feels moist a few inches down. For a pot, water until a little runs out of the drainage holes.

    Keep soil steadily moist for firm heads. About one inch a week is a useful start, with more checks in sandy soil.

Need help judging moisture? Read how to check the soil and water the roots.

If the plant looks unhappy

  • Too dry

    Heads stay loose or fail to form, and outer leaves can brown or taste bitter.

    If the soil is dry, water deeply and check it again tomorrow.

  • Too wet

    Heavy water after a head is mature can make it split.

    If the soil is wet, wait before watering again and check that excess water can drain away.

While it grows

Check on your plant and do these jobs as they come up.

  1. 1. Protect the center

    Handle seedlings gently because damage to the growing point can stop a head from forming.

Looking after it

  • FeedingAn occasional feed helpsFollow a soil test and, if needed, feed lightly once plants are about four inches tall.
  • ThinningThin seedlings to 16 in apartCrowded seedlings stay small. Pull the weaker ones and keep the strongest.
  • MulchMulch keeps the soil cool and moist and reduces weeds around shallow roots.

Pick and store it

Use the plant's signs of readiness, then harvest gently.

  1. 1. Check if it is ready

    The head feels firm when gently pressed and has reached a useful size. Harvest before the outer leaves crack and the head splits.

  2. 2. Pick it

    Cut the head above the loose outer leaves with a clean knife. Handle it gently to avoid bruising.

  3. 3. Keep it fresh

    Keep sound heads cold and humid, such as in a suitable root cellar. Use split or damaged heads first, or preserve extra cabbage as sauerkraut or kimchi.

More picking tips

  1. 1. Cut before splitting

    Harvest when the head feels firm and before heavy rain cracks it.

Common problems

    Common mistakes

    • Crowding plants

      Cabbage needs room for a full head. Leave about 15 to 18 inches.

    • Damaging the growing point

      Cold, insects or rough handling at the center can stop the head from forming.

    • Leaving a mature head in heavy rain

      A full head can split after a sudden rush of water. Harvest firm heads promptly.

    Companion plants for cabbage

    Some of this is measured in trials and some is long-standing garden practice. Each note below says which it is.

    Good together

    Trials show a real benefit:

    • OnionA study found onions planted with cabbage helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm.Measured in trials
    • NasturtiumA study found nasturtium planted with cabbage helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm.Measured in trials
    • MarigoldA study found marigolds planted with cabbage helped reduce cabbage looper and imported cabbageworm.Measured in trials
    • Collards (trap crop border)In Florida, two rows of collards around cabbage fields kept diamondback moth below spray levels and cut insecticide sprays by 56%.Measured in trials
    • Mustard or arugula (flea beetle trap crop)Spicy greens such as mustard, arugula and napa cabbage draw flea beetles away; mixing three or more works best.Measured in trials

    Extension programs recommend this pairing:

    • Clover ground coverA low clover cover around cabbages makes them harder for cabbage root fly to find.Recommended by extension programs
    • PeasPeas fix nitrogen in the soil, which the RHS says helps leafy crops such as cabbage do well.Recommended by extension programs
    • Green BeansBeans fix nitrogen in the soil, which the RHS says helps leafy crops such as cabbage do well.Recommended by extension programs
    How to choose companion plants

    Questions about cabbage

    Tap a question to see the answer.

    Will cabbage grow where I live?

    Cool spring or fall weather. Mature fall cabbage tolerates freezing weather, while summer heat can reduce head quality.

    • LightFull sun
    • ShadeCopes with a little shade
    • SeasonA cool season cropUsually grown in spring or fall.
    • FrostSurvives a hard freeze
    • HeatStruggles in heat

    What soil is best for cabbage?

    • Soil pH6.0 to 7.0A cheap test kit from a garden centre will tell you yours.
    • Soil it likesLoam, Silt
    • DrainageLikes ground that holds moisture
    • RichnessWants rich ground

    Use fertile soil that holds moisture but drains well. Add finished compost or well-rotted manure.

    Use a soil test. Do not add fresh manure or weed-and-feed products.

    Before changing your soil, learn how to test soil acidity and understand the result.

    When and how deep do I plant cabbage?

    When to plant

    Match these relative steps to your local seasons. Where frost applies, use the last freezing night in spring and the first in fall. In frost-free climates, follow trusted local seasonal guidance.

    • Start indoors 0 to 2 weeks after the start of your growing seasonStart a spring crop four to six weeks before your local transplant time.
    • Sow outdoors 12 to 16 weeks before your first fall frostFor fall cabbage, count back from the first frost using the variety's maturity time and extra time for direct sowing.
    • Ready to pick about 60 to 100 days from planting out.

    What you need

    • How to start itFrom seed or a young plantYou can sow it straight into the ground, or start it indoors first.
    • How deep to plant0.25 to 0.5 in
      Planting depth: 0.25 to 0.5 in below the soil surface. Drawing is not to scale.
    • How far apart15 to 18 inLeave 24 to 30 in between rows.
      Leave 15 to 18 in between plants and 24 to 30 in between rows. View from above; drawing is not to scale.

    What happens to cabbage through the year?

    Measured from your first fall frost, because seasons differ from garden to garden. In frost-free climates, use trusted local seasonal guidance alongside these relative steps.

    1. Sow outdoors

      12 to 16 weeks before your first fall frost

    2. Start seeds indoors

      0 to 2 weeks after the start of your growing season

    How do I give cabbage a better start?

    Simple ways to help your cabbage grow, from the soil up.

    • Start with good soil

      Use fertile soil that holds moisture but drains well. Add finished compost or well-rotted manure.

    • Give the soil a cover

      Mulch keeps the soil cool and moist and reduces weeds around shallow roots.

    • Make room to grow

      Thin seedlings to 16 inches apart.

    • Feed with care

      Follow a soil test and, if needed, feed lightly once plants are about four inches tall.

    Use a soil test. Do not add fresh manure or weed-and-feed products.

    Why did my cabbage not form a head?

    Heat, dry soil, crowding or damage to the center of a young plant can stop head formation.

    Can cabbage handle frost?

    Mature fall cabbage tolerates freezing weather, but cover heads when nights may fall below about 25F.

    Why did the head split?

    A mature head can split after heavy rain or a large watering. Cut firm heads before that happens.

    When is cabbage ready?

    Harvest when the head is firm when gently pressed and is large enough for your kitchen.

    Helpful gardening guides

    Dig into the next thing you need, from starting a garden to getting watering right.

    Starting your first garden? Choose your space and get it ready, then plan local planting times.

    Browse all gardening guides

    Also filed under: Vegetables

    Where this came from

    Advice varies with your climate and variety. Check the sources behind each section.

    Sources & review dates
    Timing
    University of Minnesota Extension, Growing cabbage in home gardens · checked 2026-09-15 · Days to maturity: cabbage takes between 60 and 100 days to mature. The same page notes direct-seeded cabbage takes up to three weeks longer than transplants, so this range is the transplanted one.
    University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC Master Gardener Program, Time of planting · checked 2026-09-24 · Where frost is rare, cool-season crops are timed to months averaging 55°F to 75°F.
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