Growing profiles
Choose how this crop will be grown. Dimensions, spacing and timing belong to the selected profile—not to the species as a single universal value.
Early cabbage
Compact, faster-maturing heading cabbage.
- Typical mature height
- 12–24 in (30–60 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Mature canopy
- 14–26 in (35–65 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Plant spacing
- 15–20 in (38–50 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Row spacing
- 24–30 in (60–75 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Planting arrangement
- single row · open ground Editorial synthesisbasis
- Support
- Usually unnecessary
- Optional container
- At least 5 US gal (19 L) · 1 plant Editorial synthesisbasis
- Best germination range
- 41–86 °F (5–30 °C) Editorial synthesisbasis
Climate-relative calendar
Frost and transplant rules become local dates when climate data is available. Cultivar maturity and crop condition are never replaced by a fabricated date.
Sow Cabbage indoors56 days before last spring frost to 42 days before last spring frost Direct sourceEditorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature between 41 °F (5 °C) and 86 °F (30 °C). Editorial synthesisbasis
Harden off Cabbage42 days before last spring frost to 35 days before last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasis
Transplant Cabbage outdoors28 days before last spring frost to last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature at least 32 °F (0 °C) for 3 consecutive days. Editorial synthesisbasisCheck before proceeding: Forecast frost risk no more than 25%. Editorial synthesisbasis
Begin harvesting Cabbage55 days after transplanting to 75 days after transplanting Planning estimatebasis
Finish harvesting Cabbage14 days after first harvest to 30 days after first harvest
Remove Cabbage cropthe expected end of harvest to 7 days after the expected end of harvest
Midseason cabbage
Intermediate heading cabbage between early compact and large storage types.
- Typical mature height
- 16–30 in (40–75 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Mature canopy
- 18–30 in (45–75 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Plant spacing
- 18–26 in (45–65 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Row spacing
- 24–35 in (60–90 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Planting arrangement
- single row · open ground Editorial synthesisbasis
- Support
- Usually unnecessary
- Optional container
- At least 6.6 US gal (25 L) · 1 plant Editorial synthesisbasis
- Best germination range
- 41–86 °F (5–30 °C) Editorial synthesisbasis
Climate-relative calendar
Frost and transplant rules become local dates when climate data is available. Cultivar maturity and crop condition are never replaced by a fabricated date.
Sow Cabbage indoors49 days before last spring frost to 35 days before last spring frost Direct sourceEditorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature between 41 °F (5 °C) and 86 °F (30 °C). Editorial synthesisbasis
Harden off Cabbage35 days before last spring frost to 28 days before last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasis
Transplant Cabbage outdoors21 days before last spring frost to 7 days after last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature at least 32 °F (0 °C) for 3 consecutive days. Editorial synthesisbasisCheck before proceeding: Forecast frost risk no more than 25%. Editorial synthesisbasis
Begin harvesting Cabbage70 days after transplanting to 90 days after transplanting Planning estimatebasis
Finish harvesting Cabbage14 days after first harvest to 30 days after first harvest
Remove Cabbage cropthe expected end of harvest to 7 days after the expected end of harvest
Storage cabbage
Large, longer-season cabbage intended for mature heads and storage.
- Typical mature height
- 20–35 in (50–90 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Mature canopy
- 24–35 in (60–90 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Plant spacing
- 20–30 in (50–75 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Row spacing
- 30–39 in (75–100 cm) Editorial synthesisbasis
- Planting arrangement
- single row · open ground Editorial synthesisbasis
- Support
- Usually unnecessary
- Optional container
- At least 7.9 US gal (30 L) · 1 plant Editorial synthesisbasis
- Best germination range
- 41–86 °F (5–30 °C) Editorial synthesisbasis
Climate-relative calendar
Frost and transplant rules become local dates when climate data is available. Cultivar maturity and crop condition are never replaced by a fabricated date.
Sow Cabbage indoors42 days before last spring frost to 28 days before last spring frost Direct sourceEditorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature between 41 °F (5 °C) and 86 °F (30 °C). Editorial synthesisbasis
Harden off Cabbage28 days before last spring frost to 21 days before last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasis
Transplant Cabbage outdoors14 days before last spring frost to 14 days after last spring frost Editorial synthesisbasisRequired: Soil temperature at least 32 °F (0 °C) for 3 consecutive days. Editorial synthesisbasisCheck before proceeding: Forecast frost risk no more than 25%. Editorial synthesisbasis
Begin harvesting Cabbage90 days after transplanting to 120 days after transplanting Planning estimatebasis
Finish harvesting Cabbage14 days after first harvest to 30 days after first harvest
Remove Cabbage cropthe expected end of harvest to 7 days after the expected end of harvest
Agronomy release agronomy-2026-07-11-r1 · reviewed 2026-07-11 by Gardeningist agronomic research synthesis. Direct-source links indicate close source support; synthesis and planning estimates are labeled separately.