edenhana

Cabbage

A reliable storage brassica; darker-leaved winter varieties are hardier and more strongly flavoured than summer types.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
45cm
Harvest
Ready in 70-105 days
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
1 head per plant
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$20 NZD
Companion plants
Beetroot, Celery, Oregano, Potatoes, Sage, Onions
Plants to avoid nearby
Strawberries, Tomatoes, Runner beans
Common diseases
Clubroot, Black rot
Common pests
Cabbage white butterfly caterpillar, Aphids, Slugs and snails

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: February-October. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: February-March and July-September. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: January-February and August-September. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: January-February and August.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Sow or transplant seedlings in a cool-season slot; darker-leaved winter varieties are hardier than summer types
    • Clubroot can affect roots from germination onward in acidic or poorly drained soil, so check pH before sowing

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Protect against cabbage white butterfly caterpillars and slugs and snails, both of which target soft young leaves
    • Aphids can also colonise soft new growth on transplants

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Aphids and clubroot are ongoing risks; feed and water consistently while the plant builds its leafy framework
    • Black rot can begin showing as yellowing wedges on leaf edges during this stage, ahead of heading

  4. Heading

    • Black rot can show as yellowing wedges on leaf edges as heads form; remove affected leaves
    • Continue checking for caterpillars and slugs and snails, which can still damage outer leaves as the head firms up

  5. Harvest70-105 days from sowing

    • Cut once heads feel firm and dense; winter varieties can often hold in the ground longer than summer types
    • Slugs and snails can still damage outer leaves right up to harvest in damp conditions

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