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How to Grow Chinese Cabbages UK | Regional Planting Calendar
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In the UK, chinese cabbages go in the ground early July to early August.
Chinese cabbages (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) — annual or biennial grown as an annual.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: there are 4 separate regional sowing windows, ranging from early July in Southern England to early July in Scotland.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural and university-extension sources — see References.
Deep Green Permaculture: direct sow in July for a fall crop (best avoiding long summer days, which trigger bolting), or early spring for an earlier crop; the July window is used here as the more reliable of the two for heading quality. No UK-region-specific dates given by any source, so this window is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Midlands - detail & sources
Deep Green Permaculture: direct sow in July for a fall crop (best avoiding long summer days, which trigger bolting), or early spring for an earlier crop; the July window is used here as the more reliable of the two for heading quality. No UK-region-specific dates given by any source, so this window is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Northern England - detail & sources
Deep Green Permaculture: direct sow in July for a fall crop (best avoiding long summer days, which trigger bolting), or early spring for an earlier crop; the July window is used here as the more reliable of the two for heading quality. No UK-region-specific dates given by any source, so this window is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Scotland - detail & sources
Deep Green Permaculture: direct sow in July for a fall crop (best avoiding long summer days, which trigger bolting), or early spring for an earlier crop; the July window is used here as the more reliable of the two for heading quality. No UK-region-specific dates given by any source, so this window is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
When to pick: Harvest once heads reach a usable size and feel firm and dense, around 30cm tall; harvest promptly once mature as quality declines quickly (RHS, Deep Green Permaculture).
Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa Pekinensis Group), also called napa cabbage, is a different group within the same species as the already-published Pak Choi (Chinensis Group) -- forming a heading habit rather than a loose rosette.
Chinese cabbage bolts readily in long summer days -- best sown for a July-sown autumn crop, or an early-spring crop, rather than at the height of summer.
Cultivated for its edible leaves, bred as Chinese cabbage, sometimes also known as napa cabbage. Produces large, approximately 30cm tall heads of pale green, crinkled leaves with white midrib and veins. Originates from field mustard as a wild ancestor; not native to GB/Ireland. Hardiness H3 (-5C to 1C, coastal and mild UK regions). Full sun or partial shade. Soil: chalk, clay, loam or sand; alkaline or neutral pH; moist but well-drained. Height/spread 0.1-0.5m. Time to maturity 1 year. Propagate by seed sown outdoors in deep, fertile, firm soil; start in modules/seedtrays when space is limited, transplant at about 5-6 small leaves. Pests: flea beetle, cabbage root fly, caterpillars, pigeons, snails, mealy cabbage aphid -- damage typically minor once established. Diseases: brassica downy mildew, white blister, club root (in previously cultivated areas). Entire leaf head is edible; grown as an annual.
1 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 sow chinese cabbages in the UK?
In Southern England, from early July. In Scotland, wait until early July. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow chinese cabbages?
Sow early July to early August.
What soil pH do chinese cabbages need?
A pH of about 6.5–7.5. 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 chinese cabbages?
Our data links 3 diseases and 7 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.
UK vegetable growing guides · Checked against RHS & Met Office guidance
Every SoilCommander guide is written and maintained by our editorial team for real UK growing conditions, and reviewed against Royal Horticultural Society growing advice and Met Office climate data before publication.
Sketch your exact plot shape, pick your UK crops, and get a spacing-accurate bed layout with companion pairings, a rotation plan and month-by-month sowing dates — every fact sourced from RHS and Garden Organic.
