Out of season right now. The next sowing window opens in January.
Growing Calendar
This month: Sep
Plan ahead for this crop
- •Check growing conditions
- •Prepare for next stage
Watch Out For
Cabbage white caterpillars devour plants rapidly: check leaf undersides weekly from May and remove egg clusters and caterpillars by hand, or use butterfly netting throughout
Clubroot distorts and rots the roots: lime soil to pH 7 or above before planting if growing on susceptible ground; avoid returning brassicas to the same spot for at least 4 years
Pigeons strip plants bare: netting is essential; even a single day unprotected in autumn or winter can leave plants defoliated
Flea beetle peppers young leaves with small shot-holes, worse in hot, dry spells when seedlings are slow to grow away from the vulnerable stage: cover with fine mesh from sowing and keep well watered so plants outgrow the damage quickly
Cabbage whitefly get in through any gap in a net or cage: bury the edges into the soil and make sure the mesh never touches the leaves, since adults can lay eggs straight through it wherever it does
Grown Organically
Every method in this guide works with natural systems: no synthetic chemicals, no shortcuts.
Read our approachCommon Questions
About growing Cabbage in the UK
When do I sow and plant out cabbage in the UK?
Spring cabbages: sow July–August, plant out September–October, harvest March–May. Summer cabbages: sow February–April under glass, plant out April–May, harvest July–September. Winter cabbages (Savoy): sow May, plant out July, harvest October–February.
How do I prevent cabbage white butterfly caterpillars?
Net plants with fine insect mesh from the day of planting out. This is the single most effective measure. Without netting, inspect the undersides of leaves weekly and remove yellow egg clusters and caterpillars by hand before populations establish.
Why are my cabbage plants wilting despite regular watering?
Wilting despite watering often indicates clubroot: a soil-borne disease causing swollen, distorted roots. There is no cure for infected soil. Raise pH with lime, practice a long rotation (4+ years before growing brassicas in the same spot), and improve drainage.
How do I get tighter, denser cabbage heads?
Firm soil is key: press the soil down firmly around each plant at planting. Loose soil leads to open, leafy cabbages. Consistent watering and protection from temperature extremes also help develop dense, well-structured heads.
Written from real growing experience, not just research. Read the story behind Pelham Gardens.
Member guides
There's more to growing Cabbage than this guide covers.
A Garden Journal to log what worked, a personalised sowing planner in My Garden, and monthly reminders timed to the calendar.
