When to Plant Fall Cabbage: Transplants Before Frost
Fall cabbage needs about 70 days. Use transplants in colder zones. Late September seed often will not head before frost. Harvest when the head is firm.
Published by ThriveThyme
cabbage fall planting harvest
When to Plant Fall Cabbage
Fall cabbage needs about 70 days to form a firm head. Catalog fall windows list late-summer into fall dates, but those windows favor transplants more than late seed. A 70-day cabbage sown from seed in September will not head before typical frost in zones 3 to 6. In cold zones, fall cabbage means transplants that went in earlier, or skip heading cabbage and grow fast greens instead.
Use My Garden frost settings or a zone fall calendar such as zone 5 fall, zone 6 fall, or zone 7 fall.
See the cabbage plant page.
Dates by Zone
These are typical catalog fall windows. Confirm with frost settings. Prefer transplants in zones 3 to 6.
- Zone 3: August 15 to September 30. Transplants only for a fall head; September seed is too late.
- Zone 4: August 20 to October 1. Transplants early; late seed will not head before frost.
- Zone 5: August 25 to October 10. Transplants early; September seed is a stretch.
- Zone 6: September 1 to October 20. Transplants early in the window; seed is late for heading.
- Zone 7: September 10 to November 1. Transplants fit; seed needs the early end of the window.
- Zone 8: September 20 to November 15. Transplants or early seed in cool soil.
When to Harvest
Cut when the head feels firm and solid when squeezed. Size depends on variety, often about 4 to 8 inches. Harvest before heavy rain splits the head.
Next Steps
In zones 3 to 6, set transplants only if you still have starts, or grow fall arugula, fall radishes, and fall kale instead. Pair with fall broccoli. Start from What to plant now.