Select your climate zone New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate What is my climate zone?

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(Best months for planting Cabbage in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 60-110 days
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 5°C and 18°C.
• Space plants: 50-75cm

There are many varieties of cabbage. Those which stand winter weather usually have darker leaves and a stronger flavour, e.g. Savoy Red cabbage is grown in a similar way to green varieties.

If you choose a selection of types you can have cabbage growing all year round in temperate zones.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Cabbage

Young spring cabbage can be chopped and added to salad greens.
Steaming preserves the goodness and flavour of cabbage.
Can also be used in stir-fry.
Red cabbage chopped and cooked with brown sugar, red wine, onions, vinegar and stock is served with boiled bacon or pork.

Your comments and tips

31 May 10 B Butler (New Zealand - temperate climate)

For the last two winters, my caggages have not been heartening very well. My garden has had compost, bio boste, dolimite and blood and bone ( not all together, of coarse ), what more can I do. Thanks.

31 May 10 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Your cabbages might need more regular watering to encourage tight heads. Some extra nitrogen would help too

28 Jun 10 Arnold (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I've been using the sticky yellow plastic traps that you can buy from most hardware retailers and gardening centres. They work surprisingly well and I have not had to spray for whitefly since I've been using them. By the way, I've been using them outside even though I belive they are intended for use in glass houses.

29 Jun 10 Davinalianne (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I have been reading comments on white butterfly and treatment for their caterpillar on cabbages. The good news is, that one can source (Bacillus thuringensis) at the local garden center. NO CATERPILLARS is the product name. Enjoy.

01 Nov 10 Lisa (New Zealand - temperate climate)

When do cabbages rough get heads? Mine haven't really started heading yet. Planted in September. I would prefer to use natural and inexpensive methods. We fertilized with out own compost made of kitchen scraps. We use eggshells to discourage snails/slugs (as well as a very night raids with a bucket of hot water). Been very lucky with not caterpillars yet.

04 Mar 11 Lei (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Hi, please let me know which is the best cabbage to grow in Christchurch over winter , thankyou!!

05 Mar 11 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Lei, any of the 'round head' or 'savoy' type cabbages should do well through winter.

04 Aug 11 Z (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

hi, I planted some cabbages about three weeks ago, got the seedlings from my local nursery, but they have started flowering.....:( is there any reason they do this? cheers

09 Nov 11 Charlotte Berg (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Hi, will red cabbage grow well if planted now? Will it need some shade? The broccoli we just planted went straight to seed.

10 Jan 12 Melanie (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I'm looking for advice on growing cabbages from seed. Everything just says 'plant in trays of seed raising mix'. I don't want to grow straight in the ground as I am still building my vegetable plot.I've sown 2 batches of seeds and they have all failed to germinate but I have successfully germinated cauliflowers and brussel sprouts which are now happily growing in other beds. I have a greenhouse but don't know whether this is getting the seeds too hot? Please help. I'm new to all this.