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Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. capitata

Vegetable

Cabbage is a hardy cool-season brassica producing dense heads of crisp leaves used fresh or fermented into sauerkraut. It benefits enormously from aromatic companion herbs that confuse and deter its many pest species.

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Water Needs

Moderate

Soil

Rich, firm, well-draining loam; pH 6.0–7.5

Spacing

18–24 inches

Days to Maturity

70–100 days from transplant

Growing Zones

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Thrives in USDA Zones 3–10

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Keep Away From

When to Plant

  • Start Indoors

    6–8 weeks before last frost

  • Transplant

    2–4 weeks before last frost

  • Harvest

    70–100 days; harvest when heads are firm and dense

Organic Growing Tips

  • Interplant with a diverse mix of aromatic herbs to disguise the scent signals that attract butterflies.

  • Use row covers from transplant to exclude egg-laying by cabbage white and cabbage moth.

  • Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the base of plants to control slugs and soil-dwelling larvae.

  • Rotate brassicas to new ground every 4 years; clubroot spores persist in soil for over a decade.

Common Pests

  • Cabbage White Caterpillar
  • Cabbage Looper
  • Aphids
  • Harlequin Bug
  • Clubroot

All pest management in Garden uses safe, organic, non-toxic methods only. No synthetic pesticides, ever.