Vegetable · Brassica
Cabbage (Winter)
Brassica oleracea var. capitataA dense, storage-ready cabbage bred to stand through the cold and keep well into the months after harvest. Wide spacing gives each head the room it needs to bulk up fully. The one rule: give it plenty of room — crowded plants never size up properly.
Sow depth
N/A — transplant seedlings
Spacing
18 in apart · rows 24 in
Sun
Full sun
Germination
N/A
Time to harvest
80–100 days
Difficulty
Moderate
When to sow cabbage (winter)
- Sow from about 15 weeks before the first expected autumn frost until about 12 weeks before the first expected autumn frost.
Transplant sturdy seedlings, spaced wide, well before the season’s cold sets in.Firm the soil around each stem to anchor against wind.Water in well at transplanting to settle roots quickly.
Water evenly through head formation — irregular moisture can split heads.Feed mid-season with a nitrogen-rich boost to bulk up growth.Watch for cracking as heads mature; a sudden soak after drought splits them.
Cut when heads feel solid and dense when squeezed.Harvest before hard freezes damage outer leaves, if storing.Store whole heads in a cool, humid spot for weeks of keeping.
Companion plants
Onions and dill nearby help disguise cabbage from egg-laying moths seeking brassica leaves.
Watch out for
Cabbage root fly — Larvae attack roots of young transplants in spring. Fit collars at the stem base to block egg-laying.Head splitting — Follows heavy rain after a dry spell. Water consistently and harvest promptly once heads firm up.