Growing Cabbage: Tips for Two Successful Crops Per Year

Cabbage is a hardy, vitamin-rich leafy vegetable that prefers cool temperatures. With planning and care, you can harvest both spring and fall crops.

Planting Cabbage

• Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before last spring frost.
• Harden off over a week. Till in aged manure or compost.
• Transplant outdoors 2–3 weeks before last frost; choose cloudy afternoon.
• Space 12–24 inches apart in rows (closer = smaller heads).
• Mulch thickly to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
• Rotate crops yearly to avoid soil-borne diseases.
• Don’t plant cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower together—they’re heavy feeders and share pests/diseases. Avoid strawberries and tomatoes nearby.
• Good companions: beans, cucumbers. See companion planting chart.

Care

• At 5 inches tall, thin to desired spacing (transplant thinnings elsewhere).
• Fertilize 3 weeks after transplanting.
• Keep soil moist with mulch, water 2 inches/week.

Pests and Diseases

Old folklore: scatter elder leaves over cabbage to repel bugs.

• Imported Cabbageworms: Dill attracts beneficial wasps that kill cabbageworms.
• Aphids
• Cabbage Root Maggots
• Flea Beetles
• Cutworms
• Splitting

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest when heads are firm, desired size (~70 days for most green varieties). Early varieties: 1–3 lb heads.
• Cut at base with sharp knife. Bring to shade immediately.
• For two crops from early plants: cut head, leave outer leaves and root. Plant sends up new heads—pinch off until 4 remain. When tennis-ball size, perfect for salad.
• After harvest, remove entire stem/root to prevent disease buildup. Compost only healthy plants; destroy maggot-infested ones.
• Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, wrapped lightly in plastic, dry. Root cellar: up to 3 months. See root cellar article.

Recommended Varieties

• Fall harvest: red or Chinese cabbage. ‘Ruby Perfection’, ‘Lei-Choy’.
• Quick harvest: ‘Golden Acre’, ‘Primo’, ‘Stonehead’.
• ‘Early Jersey Wakefield’ resists splitting.
• Disease-resistant: ‘Blue Vantage’, ‘Cheers’.

Wit & Wisdom

Mark Twain: “Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Cabbage is now recognized as antioxidant- and nutrient-rich—a great garden addition.

For other greens, see “Leafy Greens: Health Benefits.”