When to Plant Cabbage
Start cabbage indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, then plant them out 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost. For a fall crop, sow again 13 to 17 weeks before your first fall frost.
Cabbage at a glance
- Start indoors
- 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost
- Plant out
- 2 to 4 weeks before your last frost
- Fall sowing
- 13 to 17 weeks before your first fall frost
- Time to harvest
- 60 to 90 days from planting out
- Harvest lasts
- about 6 weeks
- Spacing
- 1 plant per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
Growing cabbage
Cabbage needs rich soil, steady water and cool weather to form firm heads. Set transplants a little deeper than they grew in the pot. Early varieties make small heads quickly; late ones grow larger and keep longer.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Start indoors | Plant out | Sow for fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Apr 2–16 | Apr 30 – May 14 | May 18 – Jun 15 | Jun 29 – Oct 11 |
| Zone 3b | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – May 3 | May 29 – Jun 26 | Jun 18 – Aug 1 · Aug 25 – Oct 22 |
| Zone 4a | Mar 17–31 | Apr 14–28 | Jun 1–29 | Jun 13 – Jul 27 · Aug 28 – Oct 25 |
| Zone 4b | Mar 13–27 | Apr 10–24 | Jun 4 – Jul 2 | Jun 9 – Jul 23 · Aug 31 – Oct 28 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 8–22 | Apr 5–19 | Jun 8 – Jul 6 | Jun 4 – Jul 18 · Sep 4 – Nov 1 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 6–20 | Apr 3–17 | Jun 13 – Jul 11 | Jun 2 – Jul 16 · Sep 9 – Nov 6 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 4–18 | Apr 1–15 | Jun 19 – Jul 17 | May 31 – Jul 14 · Sep 15 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 6b | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Jun 25 – Jul 23 | May 25 – Jul 8 · Sep 21 – Nov 18 |
| Zone 7a | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Jun 28 – Jul 26 | May 18 – Jul 1 · Sep 24 – Nov 21 |
| Zone 7b | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 | Jul 5 – Aug 2 | May 7 – Jun 20 · Oct 1 – Nov 28 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 1–15 | Mar 1–15 | Jul 11 – Aug 8 | Apr 30 – Jun 13 · Oct 7 – Dec 4 |
| Zone 8b | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Jul 17 – Aug 14 | Apr 18 – Jun 1 · Oct 13 – Dec 10 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 5–19 | Feb 2–16 | Jul 30 – Aug 27 | Apr 3 – May 17 · Oct 26 – Dec 23 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 7–21 | Jan 4–18 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 | Mar 5 – Apr 18 · Nov 14 – Jan 11 |
| Zone 10a | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 | Feb 25 – Apr 10 · Nov 26 – Jan 23 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so grow cabbage in the cooler months, from fall to early spring. | |||
Questions about cabbage
How do I know a cabbage is ready?
Squeeze the head: when it feels firm and solid, cut it at the base. Leave the stump, and small new heads may grow from it.
What are the small green worms on my cabbage?
Usually cabbage worms, the caterpillars of small white butterflies. A light row cover keeps the butterflies from laying eggs; otherwise pick the caterpillars off by hand.
