Harvest guide

Cabbage harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

With spring, summer and winter varieties, cabbage can be cut almost all year round. Here is how to tell when a head is ready and how long cabbages keep.

Days to harvest: 60–70 days from transplanting(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: all year(RHS)
Typical yield: 3.6 kg per 3 m row (8 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Per plant: about 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) per plant(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 30–45 cm (12–18 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Brassicaceae (cabbage family)
Botanical name: Brassica oleracea (Capitata group)

Cabbage planting and harvest calendar

Sow February–July. Harvest all year.(RHS)

Cabbage season timeline

Sow
Harvest

Year-round harvest needs a mix of spring, summer, autumn and winter varieties. Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Harvest

When to harvest cabbages

A cabbage is ready when it has formed a firm, compact head of the size you want.(University of Minnesota Extension)
Cut every other cabbage first so the rest can grow bigger. Mature heads can stand for a few weeks but eventually spoil.(RHS)

How often to pick

Cut through the stem just above the soil. On spring and summer cabbages, a shallow cross cut into the stump can give a second, smaller head.(RHS)

How many cabbages to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 3.6 kg (8 lb).(Montana State University Extension)

That works out to about 0.73 kg (1.6 lb) per plant. Row yield divided by the 5 plants per 10 ft row that the same table assumes (50 plants per 100 ft).(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating cabbages fresh, plan on about 12–20 plants(University of Missouri Extension). That should give roughly 9–15 kg (19–32 lb) over the season(Montana State University Extension).

To preserve or store some as well, allow 3–5 plants per person.(University of Missouri Extension)

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your cabbages

Kept cold and humid, firm cabbages can last about five months.(University of Minnesota Extension)
In a normal fridge expect at least a week. Some winter varieties store for months somewhere cool, dry and frost-free.(RHS)

Track it

Log every cabbage harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of cabbages by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.

Prefer paper? Make a free harvest report PDF in your browser, with no account needed.

Cabbage harvest FAQ

How do I know when cabbage is ready to pick?

Squeeze the head. If it's firm and the size you want, it's ready. University of Minnesota Extension says to harvest when the heads are compact and firm.