Zone 6 · Brassicas Growing Guide

When to Plant Cabbage
in Zone 6

Solid, reliable and stores well — whole cabbages last months in a cool cellar. Two crops per year in most zones. More forgiving than cauliflower about temperature swings.

Plant outdoors
Mar 15 – Apr 30, Aug 1 – Sep 1
Start indoors
Feb 10 – Mar 1
Last Frost
~Apr 1
Days to harvest
70–90 days
Difficulty
Medium
Growing — Zone 6
Harvest window: May – Jun, Oct – Dec

Planting Calendar

In Zone 6, Cabbage should be planted outdoors Mar 15 – Apr 30, Aug 1 – Sep 1, after the average last frost date of approximately Apr 1. Start seeds indoors around Feb 10 – Mar 1 for a head start.

Extended season. Fall cabbage can be left in ground past first frosts — improves flavour.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun · 6–8 hrs/day
Watering
Regular
Spacing
18–24 inches
Soil
Rich, fertile, well-draining
Days to maturity
70–90 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
plant tip · Zone 6

Extended season. Fall cabbage can be left in ground past first frosts — improves flavour.

Feeding Schedule

How often
monthly
Feed type
high nitrogen
Key timing
throughout growing season

Leafy crop that needs steady nitrogen. Inconsistent feeding causes poor head formation.

Succession Planting

Sow every 4 weeks

Sow a spring crop and a late-summer crop. Cabbage takes too long for rapid succession but two crops a season — one for summer, one for autumn/winter — is very achievable.

Companion Planting for Cabbage

What you plant next to cabbage makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Celery
  • Onions
  • Dill
  • Sage
Keep away from
  • Tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Beans
  • Fennel

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Common questions

In Zone 6, cabbage has two planting windows: Mar 15 – Apr 30, Aug 1 – Sep 1. The spring window opens after your last frost around Apr 1. The fall window lets you grow a second crop before first frost around Oct 31. Extended season. Fall cabbage can be left in ground past first frosts — improves flavour.
Zone 6 has an average last spring frost of approximately Apr 1 and a first fall frost around Oct 31. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for cabbage include Celery, Onions, Dill, Sage. Avoid planting near Tomatoes, Strawberries, Beans, Fennel, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Cabbage typically takes 70–90 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 6. Expected harvest window: May – Jun, Oct – Dec.

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Cabbage in other zones
Crop Guides