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When to plant
cabbage in the UK
Different varieties for each season — spring, summer, autumn, and winter types. Red cabbage is less bothered by caterpillars.
Growing journey
16 weeks from planting out to harvest · Start indoors 6 weeks before planting out
Get cabbage seeds
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What cabbage need
Sun. Firm, well-manured soil. Net against pigeons and butterflies or they'll destroy it.
Spacing
45cm between plants
These are larger plants — give them plenty of space for air circulation.
Varieties to try
Good companions
Keep apart from
- Tomatoes
- Runner beans
When to sow cabbage
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
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Where to buy cabbage seeds
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What you'll need for cabbage
The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.
Without this, cabbage white caterpillars will strip your plants to skeletons. Cover from planting day — not after you spot damage.
Hold netting above the leaves. Draped directly on plants, butterflies lay eggs through the mesh where it touches.
Stop cabbage root fly at the base. Pop them on when you plant out — prevention is much easier than cure.
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Get your exact dates
Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for cabbage.
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