How to grow Cabbage in Australia

Grow cabbage in full sun in firm, rich, well-drained soil limed if acidic. Water deeply and evenly, as an uneven supply splits the heads.

At a glance

Difficulty: Intermediate
Sun: Full sun
Water: 6 litres a week, watered every 2 days
Spacing: 50 cm
Time to harvest: 90 days
Time to germinate: 8 days
Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.5
Frost tolerance: Frost hardy

When to sow by region

Region	When to sow	Regional note
South East Queensland	February to May
Northern Rivers NSW	February to June	Longer window than Brisbane.
Sydney & Coastal NSW	February to June	Winter harvest window extends; June plantings OK for deep-winter harvest.
Melbourne & Victoria	February to June	Sow Feb to Mar, transplant Apr to May for winter harvest. Winter storage improves flavor in Melbourne cool.
Adelaide & SA	March to September	Mediterranean: sow Mar to Sept. Cabbage requires cool weather; summer sowing fails.
Perth & WA	February to September	Trays from mid Feb in bright shade, transplant Mar to May. Direct sow Mar to Sep; needs cool weather to head.
Tasmania	September to January	Sow Sep for summer heads and Nov to Jan for autumn-winter. Long cool seasons grow dense sweet cabbages.
Canberra & ACT	September to January	Sow Sep to Jan, transplant up to Mar. Hardy; autumn and winter harvest. Choose cold hardy varieties.
North Queensland	May to August	Dry season. Sow May to Aug. Cool-season brassica; challenging but possible with shade cloth.
Darwin & Top End	May to August	Dry season. Sow May to Aug. Cool-season brassica; challenging but possible with shade cloth.

Companion planting

Good companions

Avoid planting near

Tomato
Strawberry
Climbing beans

Harvest and storage

Harvest tip

Cut the head at the base once it feels solid and firm when pressed. Leave the outer stalk and small secondary heads may form for a second smaller pick.

Storage

Whole heads fridge for 2 weeks. Cut cabbage, wrapped tightly, 3 to 4 days.