Crop fact sheet · Cool season
Cabbage
Not in season right now in Houston. Dates below.
Your dates in Houston
| Window | Order seed by | Start indoors | Plant | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Jun 17 | Jul 8 | Aug 19 – Sep 30 | from Oct 18 |
| Spring 2027 | Nov 2 | Nov 23 | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | from Mar 5 |
| Fall 2027 | Jun 17 | Jul 8 | Aug 19 – Sep 30 | from Oct 18 |
Worked out from AgriLife planting windows (days before/after average frost) and Houston's average frost dates. "Order seed by" is our own 3-week heads-up, not an AgriLife date.
The numbers
- How to plant
- Set out transplants 0.5" deep, 24" apart, rows 36" apart.
- Days to harvest
- 60–90 days
- Yield per 10 ft of row
- 15 lb
- Keeps producing
- about 5.7 weeks
- Start indoors
- 6 weeks before planting out
- Sun
- Full sun
- Family
- Brassicaceae (for rotation)
Water
Keep soil moist but not soaked, with uniform moisture all season; mulch to reduce watering needs and regulate soil temperature.
Feeding
- At planting: 1-2 lb of complete fertilizer (e.g., 10-20-10) per 100 sq ft or about 30 ft of row, mixed 2-3 inches into the soil.
- About 4 weeks after transplanting: 1 lb complete fertilizer (or 1 cup ammonium sulfate/nitrate) per 30 ft of row, watered in; repeat about 4 weeks later.
Not sure what your soil needs? Get a soil test first.
Texas heat
Warm temperatures and longer days can trigger early flowering. Best growth is at 60-70°F days; plants can survive about 25°F when conditioned. Avoid late spring planting.
Pests to watch
- cabbage loopers
- imported cabbageworms
- aphids
- harlequin bugs
Diseases
- black rot
- Alternaria leaf spot
- downy mildew
- bacterial soft rot
What to do about them: pest sheet · what's wrong with my plant?
When it's ready
Harvest when the head is solid and firm when pressed with a thumb, and outer leaves are uniform green or purple.
Storing it
Keep in the refrigerator crisper and use within 1-2 weeks.
Texas tips
- Fall planting is often more successful in Texas than spring, which risks heat before maturity.
- Start transplants 6 weeks before spring transplanting or 3-4 weeks before fall transplanting; set at the same depth as in the pot.
- Don't plant cabbage-family crops in the same spot more than once every 3-4 years.
- Soil pH above 7.8 may cause black hollow stems.
Varieties that do well in Texas
Early Jersey Wakefield, Golden Acre, Green Boy, Market Prize, Rio Verde, Ruby Ball, Savoy King, Bravo, Cheers