Cabbage
Green Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Savoy Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Shetland Cabbage
Direct-seed or transplant 6–8 weeks before last frost. Firm heads by withholding water near maturity — but avoid stress after heading starts (causes splitting). Harvest before heads crack. Red cabbage is slower and more cold-hardy than green. Fall plantings store well through light frosts.
- Germination
- 5–10 days
- Soil temperature
- 7–29 °C
- Harvest after planting
- 60–120 days
- Spacing
- 30–60 cm
When to plant cabbage
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 3–4 weeks before it.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow cabbage
- 1
Sow indoors
Sow 6 mm deep 6–8 weeks before the last frost. For autumn cabbage, sow again in midsummer.
- 2
Plant out
Plant out about four weeks before the last frost, firming the soil well around each plant.
- 3
Water evenly
Steady watering grows dense heads. A sudden soaking after a dry spell splits mature heads, so water little and often near harvest.
- 4
Harvest
Cut when the head feels solid, 60–120 days after planting out depending on variety. Red cabbage is slower and hardier than green, and autumn heads stand well in light frost.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
High water
Temperature
4–24 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
70 days
Plant spacing
45 cm
Ideal soil pH
7–7.5
How Tomatograph watches your cabbage
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for black rot, which thrives in those conditions.
- Under 5 mm of rain forecast over 3 daysWatering reminder: water deeply at the base, early in the morning.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Cabbage questions
- When should I plant cabbage?
- Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 3–4 weeks before it.
- How long do cabbage seeds take to germinate?
- Usually 5–10 days at a soil temperature of 7–29 °C.
- How long until I can harvest cabbage?
- About 60–120 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant cabbage?
- Allow 30–60 cm between plants.
- What grows well with cabbage?
- Good neighbours include onion, garlic, dill, celery.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).