Cabbage is a hardy, generous cool-season crop, and a raised bed at waist height makes netting it against cabbage whites a breeze — which is most of the battle.
Quick facts
- Position: full sun
- Spacing: 40–50 cm apart
- Tub depth: our 35 cm depth
- Time to harvest: 10–16 weeks
When to plant: Cabbage is a cool-season crop — plant from late summer through autumn and winter. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.
Growing them in a raised bed: Plant into rich, firm mix. The big job is keeping cabbage-white caterpillars off, so cover the bed with insect netting from the start — far easier than picking grubs out of a forming head.
Watering and feeding: Water deeply and evenly and feed well for solid heads; Dynamic Lifter is ideal. Keep water off the leaves.
Common pests: keep an eye out for caterpillars, aphids, whiteflies and stink bugs. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.
Common diseases: the main ones are downy mildew and leaf spot. Good airflow, morning watering and steady moisture prevent most.
Companion plants: Aromatic herbs and beetroot are good neighbours; keep cabbage away from strawberries. See our companion planting guide.
Harvest and storage: Cut the head once it's firm and solid. Leave the outer leaves and stump in and you may get a few small secondary heads.
Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.
Image: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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