How to Grow Red Cabbages UK
On this page
- Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra)
- When to Plant Red Cabbages in the UK
- Quick Facts
- At a Glance
- Soil & Growing Conditions
- Growth Stages
- Harvest & Storage
- Diseases
- Pests
- Red Cabbage, Seedling to Harvest
- Plan your Red Cabbages planting
- Growing Red Cabbage in another region
- References
- Frequently Asked Questions
In the UK, red cabbages go in the ground early February to late May.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing early February, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.
The short answer
- Plant
- Early February to late May
- Biggest risk
- Club root
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. rubra)
2 sources cited · Verified
When to Plant Red Cabbages in the UK
When to plant red cabbages in the UK: in Southern England, sow early February to late May. Find your area in the table below.
| Region | Sow |
|---|---|
| Southern England | early February to late May |
| Midlands | early February to late May |
| Northern England | early February to late May |
| Scotland | early February to late May |
Southern England - detail & sources
Neither source gives region-specific UK dates; RHS gives a UK-wide sowing window spanning late winter through early summer depending on variety type, with no frost-chasing urgency described, so one window covering that full range is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Midlands - detail & sources
Neither source gives region-specific UK dates; RHS gives a UK-wide sowing window spanning late winter through early summer depending on variety type, with no frost-chasing urgency described, so one window covering that full range is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Northern England - detail & sources
Neither source gives region-specific UK dates; RHS gives a UK-wide sowing window spanning late winter through early summer depending on variety type, with no frost-chasing urgency described, so one window covering that full range is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Scotland - detail & sources
Neither source gives region-specific UK dates; RHS gives a UK-wide sowing window spanning late winter through early summer depending on variety type, with no frost-chasing urgency described, so one window covering that full range is applied across all four sub-regions rather than inventing a north/south gradient the sources do not support.
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil texture | humus-rich, deep loamy soil (Plantura); fertile, free-draining (RHS) |
| Drainage | well-drained |
| Lifecycle | biennial grown as an annual |
| Edible parts | leaves, head |
At a Glance
Soil & Growing Conditions
Water: consistent moisture, heavy feeder (Plantura)
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sowing | 0 | Sow 1cm deep indoors in modular trays or 2cm deep outdoors in a drill; timing depends on variety (late winter-mid spring for summer types, mid-spring to early summer for autumn/winter, July for spring cabbages) (RHS). |
| Transplanting | 3 | Move outdoors once seedlings are 10-15cm tall with a good root system; space 40-50cm apart for summer varieties, up to 70cm for autumn/winter varieties (RHS, Plantura). |
| Head formation | 4 | Heavy feeder in humus-rich, deep loamy soil at slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH; heads develop over the following months (Plantura). |
| Harvest | 8 | Ready 4-6 months after sowing; cut through the stem base once firm (RHS). |
Harvest & Storage
When to pick: Ready 4-6 months after sowing; cut through the stem base once heads reach the desired firmness and size (RHS). Keep refrigerated at least a week; winter varieties store several months in cool, frost-free conditions.
Diseases
Pests
Red Cabbage, Seedling to Harvest
Plan your Red Cabbages planting
When to sow and plant Red Cabbages depends on your own frost dates. Check the UK vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.
Growing Red Cabbage in another region
Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.
References
-
A secondary gardening reference rather than a university or horticultural authority, used only for red-cabbage-specific detail (spacing by season, soil pH, the acid/alkaline colour-indicator property) not covered by the general RHS page, not contradicted by it. Sow depth 1cm. Timing by variety: summer types February-March (heated) or March-April, autumn/winter types spring, spring varieties July-August. Spacing: summer varieties 40-50cm apart with 50cm between rows; autumn/winter varieties need 70cm, needing extra space and a longer growing period. Thrives in humus-rich, deep loamy soil at a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline pH, full sun to partial shade; a heavy feeder needing nutrient-rich soil. Acts as a natural bioindicator: appears red in acidic soils, blue-hued in alkaline soils. Good companions: carrots, lettuce, onions, beans, tomatoes, thyme, sage; avoid other brassicas nearby. Allow 4+ years before replanting cruciferous vegetables to prevent club root. Can be container-grown, minimum 20cm diameter/depth pot, one plant per container.
2 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 red cabbages in the UK?
In Southern England, from early February. In Scotland, wait until early February. 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 red cabbages?
Sow early February to late May.
What problems affect red cabbages?
Our data links 1 disease and 3 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 →Instant PDF download · Written for UK growing conditions
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.
Related Problem Guides
Last verified 2026-08-29
Plan Red Cabbages by month
The months this guide gives for sowing or planting, each with the full list of jobs for that month in the UK:
More from the same group (brassicas & mustards):
Growing advice for your part of the UK
Timing and conditions change a lot inside one country. These guides cover frost dates and growing seasons region by region.
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Keep going
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.