Growing Cabbage

Brassica sp. : Brassicaceae / the mustard or cabbage family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  S S         S S      
      T T         T T  

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

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 41°F and 64°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 20 - 30 inches apart
  • Harvest in 11-15 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dwarf (bush) beans, beets, celery, cucumber, onions, marigold, nasturtium, rhubarb, aromatic herbs (sage, dill, chamomile, thyme)
  • Avoid growing close to: Climbing (pole) beans, tomato, peppers (chili, capsicum), eggplant (aubergine), strawberry, mustard, parsnip

Your comments and tips

04 Jul 09, Karina (Australia - temperate climate)
A little tip for the snails/slugs. They absolutely LOVE beer! Place some of the fine ale in a few shallow receptacles and position these in different areas on the ground throughout your vege patch. They crawl into the beer and die a happy death. Replace the beer every few days.
30 Jul 09, Meryl Travers (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
How do I know when to pick my cabbages please? I have little holes in the leaves, and I guess they are caterpillars of some kind. What is a good organic spray I can get rid of these little creatures with? Thank you. Meryl
31 Jul 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
Meryl, the trick is to not get caterpillars to begin with. Pick off those you have then netting or large pieces of egg shell (white side up works better) on and around the leaves. When to pick depends on the type. If it is a hearting variety then when you have a firm/solid centre. Some of the "spring" varieties these days look like big leafy lettuce.
08 Aug 09, stan (Australia - temperate climate)
have bugs in heart of cabbage,any tips to get rid of them
08 Aug 09, Neil (Australia - temperate climate)
Regards the eggshells. One of the sexes of the cabbage white butterfly (I presume males) lays on the ground with its wings outstreached to attract a mate. The females intendig to lay eggs have already mated and appear repulsed at the thought of more sex and often fly off. So, expect the best results if you arrange the egg shells to look like the butterflys laying on the ground with their wings outstreached.
18 Sep 09, Annalisa (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Okay, my wombok, Chinese Cabbage, bolted (went to flower)... but it says to plant all-year round? I'm in suburb Brisbane. It's only Sept. not even HOT yet? Everything else says it needs to be cooler or it WILL bolt. What should I do? Should I plant more (planning on it, trying to feed a family of 4 with monthly planting) or will they just go to flower during summer? Would planting another type of cabbage do the trick? *sigh* I love Wombok, buying 1/2 head a week, and was so excited for my first harvest, but now what?
20 Sep 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)
My wombok did the same last year. I planted some in Jan in partial shade (sun in the morning shade from about 1pm onward) did OK not as large or as green as winter grown but still pretty good. Cavelo Nero (Tuscan Cabbage) in partial shade (beside the wombook) did better.
11 Nov 09, Julie O'Brien (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
My cabbages have grown well with very large open green leaves, but no heads. What do I do? Thanks
18 Jan 10, Brian Latta (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
i tried growing cabbages in Brisbane and found they grew amazingly fast to Tasmania but i had major insect problems, tried white oil spray and it didnt do much. Would rather use natural products does anyone have advice on this.
19 Jan 10, Tam (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
for caterpillars or well prevention. Get an old ice cream container and cut into 2-3 cm bits, punch a small hole with a nail, run string thru. string along the site of your cabbage or broccoli, spread out plastic bits along string..... the point is when the little white butterfly comes along to drop off her eggs she see's all these other white fluttery things and assumes that the area is over-populated, too much competion for her babies and will go deposit her eggs else where................I have never had to use powders or chemicals. (you will still get the odd chew hole in leaves, i dont think this is a big deal)
Showing 21 - 30 of 223 comments

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