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Cabbage

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When to plant cabbage

Firm heads need steady moisture. Early, mid and late varieties stretch the season.

Photo: jonsson from Göteborg, Sweden, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The rules we use

Frost
Hardy. Can go in 4 weeks before the average last frost and stands about 3 weeks of autumn frost.
Start indoors
5–7 weeks before planting out
Soil warm enough
Weekly mean around 7°C45°F or more
Heat limit
Average highs above 29°C84°F while it matures (it bolts)
Days to harvest
About 75 days from planting out in warm weather; longer when it is cool
Picking
About 4 weeks from one planting

General guidance, kept on the cautious side. Varieties differ: check the seed packet. How the dates are worked out.

At a glance

Grows outdoors in
89 of 89 cities
Earliest start (north)
San Diego, January 1
Latest start (north)
Phoenix, October 21
Can go in this week
22 cities

Cabbage: city by city

Sorted from the earliest start after midwinter to the latest. Southern-hemisphere cities follow, with their seasons six months on.

Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday

Northern hemisphere
San DiegoCalifornia
San FranciscoCalifornia
TucsonArizona
AustinTexas
San AntonioTexas
DallasTexas
El PasoTexas
MemphisTennessee
BirminghamAlabama
Little RockArkansas
AtlantaGeorgia
PortlandOregon
CharlotteNorth Carolina
RaleighNorth Carolina
NashvilleTennessee
TulsaOklahoma
RichmondVirginia
Oklahoma CityOklahoma
AlbuquerqueNew Mexico
LouisvilleKentucky
LondonEngland
SeattleWashington
WashingtonDistrict of Columbia
St. LouisMissouri
BristolEngland
CardiffWales
BaltimoreMaryland
Kansas CityMissouri
DublinIreland
VancouverBritish Columbia
ManchesterEngland
Salt Lake CityUtah
CincinnatiOhio
PhiladelphiaPennsylvania
BelfastNorthern Ireland
ColumbusOhio
IndianapolisIndiana
BoiseIdaho
BirminghamEngland
New YorkNew York
PittsburghPennsylvania
OmahaNebraska
Des MoinesIowa
GlasgowScotland
ClevelandOhio
EdinburghScotland
ChicagoIllinois
SpokaneWashington
BillingsMontana
BostonMassachusetts
DetroitMichigan
MinneapolisMinnesota
MilwaukeeWisconsin
MadisonWisconsin
PortlandMaine
TorontoOntario
BuffaloNew York
FargoNorth Dakota
MontrealQuebec
BurlingtonVermont
OttawaOntario
WinnipegManitoba
CalgaryAlberta
EdmontonAlberta
HalifaxNova Scotia
AnchorageAlaska
San JoseCalifornia
CharlestonSouth Carolina
DenverColorado
Los AngelesCalifornia
JacksonvilleFlorida
MiamiFlorida
SacramentoCalifornia
New OrleansLouisiana
OrlandoFlorida
TampaFlorida
HoustonTexas
FresnoCalifornia
HonoluluHawaii
Las VegasNevada
PhoenixArizona
Southern hemisphere
HobartTasmania
CanberraAustralian Capital Territory
AdelaideSouth Australia
SydneyNew South Wales
MelbourneVictoria
AucklandNew Zealand
PerthWestern Australia
BrisbaneQueensland

Swipe sideways to see the whole year →

Dates

CitySow indoorsPlant outHarvest
San Diego CaliforniaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
San Francisco CaliforniaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Tucson ArizonaAug 24 – Sep 11, Nov 20 – Dec 25Jan 8 – Feb 23, Oct 12 – Oct 16Mar 29 – May 22, Dec 21 – Dec 30
Austin TexasDec 5 – Jan 9, Aug 6 – Sep 6Jan 23 – Mar 16, Sep 24 – Oct 11Apr 8 – Jun 8, Nov 22 – Dec 24
San Antonio TexasDec 5 – Jan 9, Aug 7 – Sep 10Jan 23 – Mar 8, Sep 25 – Oct 15Apr 4 – May 31, Nov 22 – Dec 24
Dallas TexasDec 15 – Jan 19, Aug 1 – Aug 29Feb 2 – Mar 23, Sep 19 – Oct 3Apr 21 – Jun 15, Nov 19 – Dec 20
El Paso TexasDec 15 – Jan 19Feb 2 – Mar 2Apr 25 – Jun 3
Memphis TennesseeDec 31 – Feb 4, Jul 10 – Aug 14Feb 18 – Apr 6, Aug 28 – Sep 18May 11 – Jun 30, Oct 24 – Dec 7
Birmingham AlabamaJan 3 – Feb 7, Jul 18 – Aug 16Feb 21 – Mar 26, Sep 5 – Sep 20May 7 – Jun 21, Nov 3 – Dec 2
Little Rock ArkansasJan 3 – Feb 7, Jul 17 – Aug 14Feb 21 – Apr 2, Sep 4 – Sep 18May 8 – Jun 26, Nov 2 – Dec 1
Atlanta GeorgiaJan 6 – Feb 10, Jun 16 – Jul 21Feb 24 – Apr 10, Aug 4 – Sep 17May 9 – Jul 3, Sep 28 – Nov 29
Portland OregonJan 9 – Feb 13Feb 27 – Aug 27Jun 14 – Dec 10
Charlotte North CarolinaJan 12 – Feb 16, Jun 26 – Jul 31Mar 2 – Apr 5, Aug 14 – Sep 13May 14 – Jun 30, Oct 9 – Nov 24
Raleigh North CarolinaJan 13 – Feb 17, Jun 24 – Jul 29Mar 3 – Apr 9, Aug 12 – Sep 13May 18 – Jul 4, Oct 7 – Nov 25
Nashville TennesseeJan 13 – Feb 17, Jul 12 – Aug 7Mar 3 – Apr 3, Aug 30 – Sep 11May 18 – Jun 30, Oct 28 – Nov 24
Tulsa OklahomaJan 13 – Feb 17, Jul 19 – Aug 9Mar 3 – Apr 9, Sep 6 – Sep 13May 17 – Jul 3, Nov 8 – Nov 25
Richmond VirginiaJan 16 – Feb 20, Jun 25 – Jul 30Mar 6 – Apr 10, Aug 13 – Sep 10May 23 – Jul 6, Oct 8 – Nov 25
Oklahoma City OklahomaJan 17 – Feb 21, Jul 19 – Aug 8Mar 7 – Apr 5, Sep 6 – Sep 12May 17 – Jun 29, Nov 7 – Nov 23
Albuquerque New MexicoJan 19 – Feb 12, Jul 8 – Jul 31Mar 9 – Mar 19, Aug 26 – Sep 4May 28 – Jun 28, Oct 27 – Nov 24
Louisville KentuckyJan 20 – Feb 24, Jun 7 – Jul 12Mar 10 – Apr 17, Jul 26 – Sep 7May 28 – Jul 12, Sep 19 – Nov 24
London EnglandJan 20 – Feb 24Mar 10 – Aug 25Jun 22 – Dec 12
Seattle WashingtonJan 21 – Feb 25Mar 11 – Aug 22Jun 24 – Dec 8
Washington District of ColumbiaJan 23 – Feb 27, Jun 15 – Jul 20Mar 13 – Apr 21, Aug 3 – Sep 10May 31 – Jul 16, Sep 27 – Dec 9
St. Louis MissouriJan 24 – Feb 28, Jun 25 – Jul 30Mar 14 – Apr 12, Aug 13 – Sep 3May 29 – Jul 8, Oct 8 – Nov 16
Bristol EnglandJan 25 – Mar 1Mar 15 – Aug 23Jun 29 – Dec 13
Cardiff WalesJan 25 – Mar 1Mar 15 – Aug 24Jun 29 – Dec 16
Baltimore MarylandJan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 5 – Jul 10Mar 16 – Apr 22, Jul 24 – Sep 9Jun 1 – Jul 16, Sep 17 – Dec 12
Kansas City MissouriJan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 29 – Jul 29Mar 16 – Apr 16, Aug 17 – Sep 2Jun 1 – Jul 12, Oct 14 – Nov 23
Dublin IrelandJan 26 – Mar 2Mar 16 – Aug 13Jul 6 – Dec 1
Vancouver British ColumbiaJan 27 – Mar 3Mar 17 – Aug 18Jun 25 – Nov 26
Manchester EnglandJan 28 – Mar 4Mar 18 – Aug 17Jun 30 – Dec 7
Salt Lake City UtahJan 29 – Mar 5Mar 19 – Apr 11Jun 13 – Jul 18
Cincinnati OhioJan 30 – Mar 6, Jun 1 – Jul 6Mar 20 – Apr 22, Jul 20 – Aug 31Jun 5 – Jul 17, Sep 13 – Nov 15
Philadelphia PennsylvaniaFeb 1 – Mar 8, May 28 – Jul 2Mar 22 – Apr 25, Jul 16 – Sep 6Jun 7 – Jul 20, Sep 9 – Dec 1
Belfast Northern IrelandFeb 2 – Mar 9Mar 23 – Aug 9Jul 6 – Nov 28
Columbus OhioFeb 5 – Mar 12, May 24 – Jun 28Mar 26 – May 1, Jul 12 – Aug 28Jun 10 – Jul 25, Sep 5 – Nov 17
Indianapolis IndianaFeb 5 – Mar 12, May 26 – Jun 30Mar 26 – May 1, Jul 14 – Aug 29Jun 10 – Jul 25, Sep 7 – Nov 16
Boise IdahoFeb 6 – Mar 13Mar 27 – Apr 26Jun 20 – Jul 29
Birmingham EnglandFeb 6 – Mar 13Mar 27 – Aug 12Jul 7 – Dec 1
New York New YorkFeb 8 – Mar 15, May 10 – Jun 14Mar 29 – May 19, Jun 28 – Sep 4Jun 15 – Aug 10, Aug 22 – Dec 11
Pittsburgh PennsylvaniaFeb 8 – Mar 15, May 23 – Jun 27Mar 29 – Apr 30, Jul 11 – Aug 28Jun 13 – Jul 25, Sep 4 – Nov 18
Omaha NebraskaFeb 8 – Mar 15, May 23 – Jun 27Mar 29 – Apr 24, Jul 11 – Aug 23Jun 13 – Jul 21, Sep 4 – Nov 11
Des Moines IowaFeb 10 – Mar 17, May 20 – Jun 24Mar 31 – May 1, Jul 8 – Aug 22Jun 15 – Jul 26, Sep 1 – Nov 10
Glasgow ScotlandFeb 11 – Mar 18Apr 1 – Aug 3Jul 16 – Nov 24
Cleveland OhioFeb 15 – Mar 22, Apr 27 – Jun 1Apr 5 – Jun 1, Jun 15 – Aug 27Jun 20 – Dec 3
Edinburgh ScotlandFeb 15 – Mar 22Apr 5 – Aug 1Jul 21 – Nov 21
Chicago IllinoisFeb 16 – Mar 23Apr 6 – Aug 23Jun 22 – Nov 21
Spokane WashingtonFeb 17 – Mar 24, May 18 – Jun 22Apr 7 – May 18, Jul 6 – Aug 9Jul 2 – Aug 16, Aug 31 – Nov 5
Billings MontanaFeb 18 – Mar 25Apr 8 – Apr 29Jul 1 – Aug 4
Boston MassachusettsFeb 19 – Mar 26, May 11 – Jun 15Apr 9 – May 25, Jun 29 – Aug 26Jun 25 – Aug 16, Aug 23 – Nov 30
Detroit MichiganFeb 19 – Mar 26Apr 9 – Aug 23Jun 23 – Nov 21
Minneapolis MinnesotaFeb 22 – Mar 29, Apr 28 – Jun 2Apr 12 – May 16, Jun 16 – Aug 15Jun 24 – Aug 8, Aug 10 – Nov 8
Milwaukee WisconsinFeb 24 – Mar 31Apr 14 – Aug 18Jun 30 – Nov 19
Madison WisconsinFeb 26 – Apr 2Apr 16 – Aug 15Jun 30 – Oct 31
Portland MaineMar 1 – Apr 5Apr 19 – Aug 14Jul 5 – Nov 5
Toronto OntarioMar 1 – Apr 5Apr 19 – Aug 16Jul 3 – Oct 30
Buffalo New YorkMar 2 – Apr 6Apr 20 – Aug 21Jul 4 – Nov 16
Fargo North DakotaMar 3 – Apr 7, May 4 – Jun 8Apr 21 – May 23, Jun 22 – Aug 7Jul 2 – Oct 21
Montreal QuebecMar 4 – Apr 8Apr 22 – Aug 12Jul 4 – Oct 30
Burlington VermontMar 5 – Apr 9Apr 23 – Aug 15Jul 7 – Nov 5
Ottawa OntarioMar 6 – Apr 10Apr 24 – Aug 10Jul 6 – Oct 23
Winnipeg ManitobaMar 13 – Apr 17May 1 – Jul 30Jul 13 – Oct 13
Calgary AlbertaMar 14 – Apr 18May 2 – Jul 16Jul 27 – Oct 1
Edmonton AlbertaMar 14 – Apr 18May 2 – Jul 19Jul 21 – Oct 10
Halifax Nova ScotiaMar 14 – Apr 18May 2 – Aug 13Jul 23 – Nov 7
Anchorage AlaskaMar 18 – Apr 22May 6 – Jul 3Aug 1 – Oct 20
San Jose CaliforniaJun 14 – Jul 19Aug 2 – Jun 2Sep 26 – Aug 23
Charleston South CarolinaJun 20 – Jul 25Aug 8 – Apr 9Oct 2 – Jul 1
Denver ColoradoJun 20 – Jul 13Aug 8 – Aug 17Oct 7 – Oct 29
Los Angeles CaliforniaJul 4 – Aug 8Aug 22 – May 20Oct 16 – Aug 10
Jacksonville FloridaJul 11 – Aug 15Aug 29 – Mar 19Oct 23 – Jun 10
Miami FloridaJul 23 – Aug 27Sep 10 – Mar 21Nov 4 – Jun 11
Sacramento CaliforniaJul 27 – Aug 31Sep 14 – Apr 3Nov 15 – Jun 30
New Orleans LouisianaJul 28 – Sep 1Sep 15 – Mar 17Nov 10 – Jun 8
Orlando FloridaJul 31 – Sep 4Sep 18 – Mar 3Nov 12 – May 25
Tampa FloridaAug 1 – Sep 5Sep 19 – Mar 8Nov 13 – May 29
Houston TexasAug 6 – Sep 10Sep 24 – Mar 16Nov 20 – Jun 7
Fresno CaliforniaAug 11 – Sep 15Sep 29 – Mar 19Dec 20 – Jun 16
Honolulu HawaiiAug 13 – Sep 17Oct 1 – Mar 13Nov 25 – Jun 3
Las Vegas NevadaAug 16 – Sep 20Oct 4 – Mar 7Dec 30 – Jun 3
Phoenix ArizonaSep 2 – Oct 7Oct 21 – Feb 11Dec 30 – May 10
Hobart TasmaniaJun 9 – Jul 14Jul 28 – Mar 7Nov 25 – Jun 28
Canberra Australian Capital TerritoryJul 10 – Aug 14Aug 28 – Mar 3Nov 28 – May 24
Adelaide South AustraliaNov 2 – Dec 7Dec 21 – Dec 7Jan 1 – Dec 31
Sydney New South WalesNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Melbourne VictoriaNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Auckland New ZealandNov 13 – Dec 18Jan 1 – Dec 31Jan 1 – Dec 31
Perth Western AustraliaDec 11 – Jan 15Jan 29 – Oct 30Mar 25 – Jan 21
Brisbane QueenslandDec 18 – Jan 22Feb 5 – Oct 6Apr 1 – Dec 27

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