How to Grow

How to Grow Cabbage in the UK

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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.

11 sources cited · Verified

The short answer

Sow
Early February to late July
Plant out
Early May to late July
Ready in
60–180 days
Site
6+ hours of sun, soil pH 6–7.5
Biggest risk
Club root

In the UK, cabbage are sown early February to late July, planted out early May to late July, and are ready to harvest 60–180 days after sowing.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group) — biennial (requires two growing seasons, but treated as an annual).

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

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.

At a Glance

Brassica oleracea Capit… Cabbage Club root Downy mildew (general) Snails Slugs Aphids Cabbage root fly (US: c… Cabbage caterpillars DISEASES PESTS

Quick Facts

Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7.5
Sunlight 6-10 hours direct sun
Germination temp 12.8C
Optimal growing temp 15-24C
Minimum survivable temp -10C
Time to harvest 60-180 days
Soil texture RHS: "fertile, free-draining soil". RHS advises raising the pH above 6 specifically to deter club root; neither source states an upper bound, so 7.5 is used as the general brassica-safe ceiling consistent with related crops in this dataset.
Drainage RHS: free-draining; avoid "waterlogged" ground.
Lifecycle biennial (requires two growing seasons, but treated as an annual)
Edible parts heads (leaves)

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.

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 32F with 95% humidity cabbage keeps up to 5 months.

Diseases

high

Plasmodiophora brassicae

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

Downy mildew (general)
moderate

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

Pests

Snails
moderate

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists snails among cabbage pests.

Slugs
moderate

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists slugs among cabbage pests.

moderate

Aphididae (various spp.)

RHS cabbage guide lists mealy cabbage aphid among cabbage pests.

Cabbage root fly (US: cabbage maggot)
high

Delia radicum

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

Cabbage caterpillars
moderate

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

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

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.

Recommended Varieties

  • 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.

References

  1. Tier 1. Primary source for growing conditions, sowing timing by type, spacing, harvest indicators, and named pests/diseases.

  2. Tier 1. Storage and watering corroboration.

  3. Tier 1. Club root symptoms, cycle, soil persistence and control.

  4. Tier 1. Downy mildew symptoms, cycle and cultural control.

  5. Tier 1. Cabbage root fly life cycle, hosts and control (collars, mesh).

  6. Tier 1. Cabbage caterpillar complex (whites, cabbage moth, diamond-back) and control.

  7. Tier 1. Aphid (incl. mealy cabbage aphid) identification and biological control.

  8. Tier 1. Slug and snail control, including the RHS barrier-efficacy trial.

  9. Tier 1. Independent corroboration on clubroot galling, pH and spore persistence.

  10. Tier 1. Independent corroboration on cabbage maggot (root fly) generations and biology.

  11. Tier 1. Independent corroboration on imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) and Bt control.

11 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 northern England and 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.

How long do cabbage take to grow?

Typically 60–180 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH do 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 2 diseases and 5 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.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team

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.

Vegetable Growing Guides UK

Last verified 2026-07-30

Sowing and harvest timings for cabbage sit alongside every other crop in the UK vegetable planting calendar. For the wider job list in its main April window, see what to plant in April in the UK. If you are planning the bed around it, how to grow kale and how to grow brussels sprouts suit similar conditions and rotate well with it.

Spring cabbage is sown in August to overwinter as young plants — the what to plant in August UK guide covers the timing alongside the other late-summer sowings.

Relevant next steps

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