Home › Vegetables › Cabbage
When to plant cabbage
Plant cabbage 2–4 weeks before the last spring frost in spring, or 11–14 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 45°F. That works out to zone 5b (early April to late April), zone 7a (mid March to early April) and zone 9a (early February to mid February).
Cabbage planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | cabbage ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 20 – Jul 11 | Jun 23 |
| 4b | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Jun 23 – Jul 14 | Jun 21 |
| 5a | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Jun 25 – Jul 16 | Jun 19 |
| 5b | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jul 2 – Jul 23 | Jun 13 |
| 6a | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Jul 9 – Jul 30 | Jun 8 |
| 6b | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 13 – Aug 3 | Jun 2 |
| 7a | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Jul 19 – Aug 9 | May 24 |
| 7b | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Jul 26 – Aug 16 | May 15 |
| 8a | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Aug 1 – Aug 22 | May 5 |
| 8b | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Aug 9 – Aug 30 | Apr 24 |
| 9a | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Aug 20 – Sep 10 | Apr 10 |
| 9b | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Sep 3 – Sep 24 | Mar 15 |
How to plant cabbage
| Plant as | transplants |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 45°F or warmer |
| Depth | Same depth as the pot |
| Spacing | 12–24 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 60–100 days |
| Start indoors | 6–8 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Mar 5 – Mar 19; zone 8a: Jan 30 – Feb 13) |
Cabbage transplants handle light frost.
Early varieties form small heads quickly; storage types need the long fall season.
Rotate cabbage-family crops to a new bed each year.
When to harvest cabbage
Cut when heads feel solid; split heads mean they waited too long or got a heavy rain.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.
More vegetables to plant
Tomatoes · Bell peppers · Potatoes · Pumpkins · Cucumbers · Okra · Zucchini · Watermelon