How far apart to plant cabbage
Virginia Cooperative Extension and Colorado State University Extension space cabbage 12 to 18 inches apart in the row, with rows 18 to 36 inches apart. For a raised bed the crop data gives 18 inches each way, and the UC Master Gardeners' square foot guide allows one cabbage per square foot. Seed is sown 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, though cabbage is usually grown from transplants.
How many cabbages fit a raised bed
| Bed | 18 in each way (square) | Square foot method (1 per sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 ft | 4 | 16 |
| 4 × 8 ft | 10 | 32 |
| 3 × 6 ft | 8 | 18 |
| 4 × 12 ft | 16 | 48 |
The calculator starts at 18 inches in the square pattern and keeps half a spacing clear along every edge. A 4 × 8 bed then holds two rows of five heads. The square foot column puts one plant in every square, right up to the frame, which is the densest option any of the sources allow.
In an in-ground garden, the Rows pattern uses the in-row midpoint of 15 inches with 27 inches between rows. A single row at 15 inches holds 8 cabbages in 10 feet and 20 in 25 feet. Virginia Tech expects 10 to 25 lb per 10 feet of row, so a 25 foot row can give about 25 to 63 lb of heads.
Keeping heads from splitting
Utah State University Extension gives two rules against split heads: stop feeding nitrogen once the heads start to form, and keep watering even. Colorado State counts about 85 days from transplanting to harvest.
Cabbage in a container
One cabbage fits a 5 gallon bucket at least 10 inches deep, according to Virginia Tech's and Colorado State's container guides.
Timing
Cabbage is set out 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost and is not seriously hurt by temperatures down to 25°F. Transplants take 6 to 7 weeks to grow from seed, so the indoor start comes early in the year; the cabbage seed starting page gives the dates for your ZIP code.
To combine cabbage with other cool season crops in one bed, lay it out in the raised bed planner, or compare spacings in the plant spacing calculator.