How to Grow Cabbage UK

On this page
  1. Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group)
  2. Watch: Growing Cabbage at Home
  3. Regional Planting Calendar
  4. Quick Facts
  5. At a Glance
  6. Soil & Growing Conditions
  7. Growth Stages
  8. Harvest & Storage
  9. Diseases
  10. Pests
  11. Nutrient Issues
  12. Companion Planting
  13. Recommended Varieties
  14. Cabbage Through the Season
  15. Plan your Cabbage planting
  16. Growing Cabbage in another region
  17. References
  18. Frequently Asked Questions

In the UK, cabbage is sown early February to late July, and planted out early May to late July.

Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: planting out early May, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.

The short answer

Sow
Early February to late July
Plant out
Early May to late July
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–7.5
Biggest risk
Club root

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group)

An aerial view of a large field of maturing green cabbages in neat rows. Photo: Mahinur11, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

12 sources cited · Verified

Watch: Growing Cabbage at Home

A quick SoilCommander video on growing cabbage at home in UK conditions — sowing, spacing, care and harvest in under a minute.

Regional Planting Calendar

Region Sow Plant out
Southern England early February to late July early May to late July
Midlands early February to late July early May to late July
Northern England early February to late July early May to late July
Scotland early February to late July early May to late July
Southern England - detail & sources

RHS: sowing time depends on type -- summer cabbage sown February-April (harvest mid/late summer), winter cabbage sown April-June (harvest autumn/winter), spring cabbage sown in July for overwintering (harvest mid-spring to mid-summer the following year). No regional timing differences are given by RHS for this crop; the range above spans the earliest (summer, Feb) to latest (spring, July) sowing across all three types.

Midlands - detail & sources

RHS: sowing time depends on type -- summer cabbage sown February-April (harvest mid/late summer), winter cabbage sown April-June (harvest autumn/winter), spring cabbage sown in July for overwintering (harvest mid-spring to mid-summer the following year). No regional timing differences are given by RHS for this crop; the range above spans the earliest (summer, Feb) to latest (spring, July) sowing across all three types.

Northern England - detail & sources

RHS: sowing time depends on type -- summer cabbage sown February-April (harvest mid/late summer), winter cabbage sown April-June (harvest autumn/winter), spring cabbage sown in July for overwintering (harvest mid-spring to mid-summer the following year). No regional timing differences are given by RHS for this crop; the range above spans the earliest (summer, Feb) to latest (spring, July) sowing across all three types.

Scotland - detail & sources

RHS: sowing time depends on type -- summer cabbage sown February-April (harvest mid/late summer), winter cabbage sown April-June (harvest autumn/winter), spring cabbage sown in July for overwintering (harvest mid-spring to mid-summer the following year). No regional timing differences are given by RHS for this crop; the range above spans the earliest (summer, Feb) to latest (spring, July) sowing across all three types.

A page from the UK Vegetable Garden Planner PDF: the crop rotation planner, with a planning grid and four-bed rotation tips

Plan your cabbage — and the rest of the plot

This page covers cabbage. For every crop's sowing months on one chart, use the free UK vegetable planting calendar, and browse the UK vegetable growing guides for what else to grow alongside it. When you want the whole season on paper, the UK Vegetable Garden Planner is a printable PDF:

  • Twelve month-by-month sowing and harvest spreads
  • Raised bed, allotment and container layout pages for your own plot
  • A four-year crop rotation planner
  • Seed inventory, sowing log and harvest tracker
See inside the UK Vegetable Garden Planner →

80 printable pages · instant PDF download · reprint every season

Quick Facts

Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7.5
Sunlight 6-10 hours direct sun
Germination temp 12.8°C
Optimal growing temp 15-24°C
Minimum survivable temp -10°C
Soil texture RHS: "fertile, free-draining soil". RHS advises raising the pH above 6 specifically to deter club root; no upper pH bound is stated by either source.
Drainage RHS: free-draining; avoid "waterlogged" ground.
Lifecycle biennial (requires two growing seasons, but treated as an annual)
Edible parts heads (leaves)

At a Glance

Brassica oleracea Capit… Cabbage Club root Downy mildew (general) Damping-off (seedling c… Alternaria leaf blight Black rot of brassicas Snails Slugs Aphids Cabbage root fly (US: c… Cabbage caterpillars Imported cabbageworm Harlequin bug Mealy cabbage aphid Cabbage looper Cabbage webworm Cross-striped cabbagewo… Diamondback moth caterp… DISEASES PESTS

Soil & Growing Conditions

A young cabbage plant in bare, moist soil, its blue-green leaves spreading in a low rosette — “Cabbage plant” by Nirajan_pant is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Cabbage plant” by Nirajan_pant is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Water: RHS: young plants need regular watering; established plants need water "during dry spells, when you should give the ground a thorough soaking every 10 days", and extra watering increases head size. Univ. of Maryland: "Water about every three days until seedlings are established. Plants need ample soil moisture throughout the season."

Humidity: Prefers steady soil moisture and does best in the cool, moist conditions of the UK growing season; there is no narrow humidity requirement. Give plants good spacing and airflow, since dense, humid canopies favour fungal leaf diseases; even watering matters more than air humidity, as fluctuating moisture makes maturing heads split.

Soil pH range

6 7.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

Stage BBCH Notes
Germination & seedling 0 Cabbage is grown from seed, usually sown in modules or a seedbed rather than sown direct. Univ. of Maryland: seed germinates well at warm temperatures and transplants are set out when they have about 4–6 true leaves. RHS: sow in spring (or late summer for spring cabbage), thinly, and grow on before transplanting. Harden off module-raised plants before planting out.
Vegetative growth (transplanting & leafing) 3 Transplant firmly into fertile, well-firmed soil — loose planting gives poor hearts. Spacing depends on type: RHS spaces plants roughly 30–45 cm apart (closer for small/spring types, wider for large winter heads); Univ. of Maryland gives about 12–24 in between plants in rows 24–36 in apart. Water in well, keep weed-free, feed with nitrogen for leafy growth, and net or cover against pigeons and cabbage white caterpillars.
Head formation (cupping & heading) 4 The inner leaves begin to cup and then wrap into a dense head. Steady, even moisture is critical at this stage: RHS and Univ. of Maryland both note that irregular watering — dry spells followed by heavy watering or rain — makes maturing heads split. Keep plants consistently moist and mulch to hold soil moisture.
Maturity & harvest 8 Harvest when heads are firm and full-sized for the variety, cutting through the stem at the base with a sharp knife. RHS: cut when the head is a good size and firm to the touch; harvest before heads split or, in winter types, stand in the ground until needed. Cutting a shallow cross in the remaining stump can encourage a flush of smaller secondary greens.

Harvest & Storage

A firm, pale-green cabbage head cupped by large blue-green outer leaves, ready to cut — “Witte kool” by Rasbak is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons
“Witte kool” by Rasbak is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

When to pick: Both sources use head firmness rather than a date. RHS: harvest when there is "a firm head that's the size you want". Univ. of Maryland: "When heads become firm; size will vary with variety, fertility, and spacing".

Storage

RHS: keeps "at least a week" in the fridge, and winter varieties "can be stored for several months in a cool, dry, frost-free place". Univ. of Maryland: refrigerator storage lasts about 2 weeks, but stored at 32°F with 95% humidity cabbage keeps up to 5 months.

Diseases

Plasmodiophora brassicae

RHS: affects "Vegetable brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, turnips, swedes and radishes".

Downy mildew (general)

RHS names brassicas among the plants affected by downy mildews; the RHS cabbage guide also lists downy mildew among cabbage diseases.

Damping-off (seedling collapse)
medium

Rhizoctonia solani

Damping-off (seedling collapse at soil line); Wilting with chlorotic, dropping leaves

Seed that rots before emergence, or seedlings collapsing at the soil line. A transplant-raising problem more than a bed problem: use fresh commercial mix, containers cleaned with a 10% bleach solution, and…

Alternaria leaf blight
medium

Alternaria dauci

Brown circular spots with concentric target rings, and small dark stem lesions on seedlings. Active between 60 and 90°F in moist conditions and overwinters on crop residue, so clearing the bed at season end plus a…

Black rot of brassicas
high

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Yellow V-shaped lesions cutting in from the leaf margin, with the point of the V aimed at a vein; the veins blacken and the rot can reach the stem. Seed- and transplant-borne, so it usually arrives on bought plants…

Pests

Snails

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists snails among cabbage pests.

Slugs

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists slugs among cabbage pests.

Aphididae (various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists mealy cabbage aphid among cabbage pests.

Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)

Delia radicum

RHS: affects "Cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels sprout, other brassicas, oriental greens, swede, turnip, radish".

Cabbage caterpillars

Pieris brassicae; Pieris rapae; Pieris napi; Mamestra brassicae; Plutella xylostella

RHS: affects "All edible brassicas, including cabbage, broccoli and sprouts".

Imported cabbageworm
medium

Pieris rapae

About an inch long and recognisable by its fuzzy appearance; Clemson rates it at about two-thirds the damage of a looper. It pupates in a chrysalis on the host plant, so it can be removed with the plant.

Harlequin bug
medium

Murgantia histrionica

A shield bug with a striking reddish-orange and black pattern; the eggs look like tiny black-and-white striped barrels laid in rows, which makes them easy to find and destroy. Piercing-sucking feeding leaves distinct…

Mealy cabbage aphid
medium

Brevicoryne brassicae

Piercing, sucking feeding causing yellowing, stunted growth and wrinkled or curled leaves, with sooty mould growing on the honeydew. Clemson notes they are commoner in autumn as the weather cools -- the opposite of…

Cabbage looper
high

Trichoplusia ni

Up to 1.5 inches, moving in the distinctive looping gait, and it makes far bigger holes than diamondback moth -- Clemson puts one looper at roughly the damage of five diamondback larvae, so finding one matters more.…

Cabbage webworm
medium

Hellula rogatalis

Small, tan and brown striped with a dark head. It webs itself into the new growth for protection and attacks the buds and growing point, which causes lateral budding and can ruin a plant that would otherwise have made…

Cross-striped cabbageworm
medium

Evergestis rimosalis

Alternating black and white stripes across the back with a yellow stripe along the side, reaching about three-quarters of an inch. It hatches in masses and can rapidly skeletonise a plant, then drops to pupate just…

Diamondback moth caterpillar
high

Plutella xylostella

Clemson calls it "the most serious insect pest of brassica crops in South Carolina" despite being small, up to half an inch. The tell is a window-pane effect: the caterpillar eats the underside and leaves the upper…

Nutrient Issues

Boron (B)

deficiency

Correction

RHS symptom in cabbage: "Hollow stems and browning heads in cabbage, cauliflower and calabrese". Boron is "less available in alkaline soils (above pH 7)". Correction: test soil pH and avoid liming already-alkaline soil; short term, fritted trace elements containing boron before sowing or planting.

Companion Planting

avoid shared disease

Brassica napus Napobrassica Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica rapa Rapifera Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Raphanus sativus

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group

Both crops are documented hosts of Club root. These pathogens persist in soil for many years -- RHS gives up to 20 years for club root resting spores, at least 15 years for allium white rot sclerotia, and advises a five-year gap before replanting onions or shallots after downy mildew -- so the two…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Acephala Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

avoid shared disease

Brassica oleracea Italica Group

Plasmodiophora brassicae produces resting spores that contaminate the soil and remain viable for many years, so any brassica following an infected crop is re-infected from the ground itself. Keep every brassica -- including radish, swede and turnip, which gardeners often forget are brassicas --…

  • Wheelers Imperial — a classic spring cabbage producing compact, pointed heads; reliable and widely available.
  • Hispi F1 — a pointed summer cabbage with sweet, tender leaves; fast-maturing and one of the most popular UK varieties.
  • January King — a frost-hardy drumhead with red-tinged outer leaves and flavour that improves after frost; harvest December-February.
  • Red Jewel F1 — deep red, round heads with good colour retention and disease resistance; harvest August-October.

A shallow X-cut in the stump after cutting a spring or summer head often encourages a second flush of small secondary heads.

Plan your Cabbage planting

When to sow and plant Cabbage depends on your own frost dates. Check the UK vegetable planting calendar, or the month-by-month guides that cover Cabbage: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.

Growing Cabbage in another region

Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.

References

  1. Black rot shows yellow V-shaped lesions with the point of the V directed toward a vein, favoured by high temperature and humidity, surviving on debris up to two years when buried plus on wild mustard and contaminated seed; avoid cole crops where it occurred within two to three years and do not handle wet plants. Downy mildew is grey mould on the lower leaf surface with yellowing above. Alternaria leaf spot makes brown circular target spots with concentric rings between 60 and 90°F, overwintering on residue, calling for three-year rotation. Pythium damping-off rots seedlings at the soil line.

  2. Diamondback moth is "the most serious insect pest of brassica crops in South Carolina", leaving a window-pane appearance where the upper leaf surface stays intact. Damage is quantified relative to each other: one cabbage looper does roughly the damage of 5 diamondback moth larvae, and imported cabbageworm about two-thirds of a looper. Cross-striped cabbageworm hatches in masses and can rapidly skeletonise a plant, dropping to pupate just under the soil surface. Cabbage webworm damages buds and growing points, causing lateral budding. Cabbage aphids are commoner in cool autumn weather. Flea beetles are most problematic on mustard and turnips, which lack the protective waxy coating.

  11. Transplants of 4-6 mature leaves take 6-7 weeks to raise and may be planted 2-3 weeks before the last frost-free date; 12-18 in between plants with rows 2-3 ft apart; cultivars 55-100 days; grows best where temperatures do not exceed 80°F and is not seriously damaged down to 25°F; moisture fluctuation during heading splits maturing heads, and high nitrogen at that point causes loose heads and splitting; harvest at full size before splitting, firm and compact; stores 2-6 months at 32°F and 95% relative humidity.

12 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant cabbage out in the UK?

In Southern England, from early May. In Scotland, wait until early May. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to plant out only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.

When do I sow cabbage?

Sow early February to late July, at around 12.8°C for germination.

What soil pH does cabbage need?

A pH of about 6–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect cabbage?

Our data links 5 diseases and 12 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.

Get the UK Garden Planner →

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SoilCommander Editorial Team — under the direction of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder

Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing.

How this guide is put together

The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against RHS and Met Office guidance. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

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Last verified 2026-07-30

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