Spring Cabbage: Sow in Summer, Cut in March

Spring cabbage is the crop you sow in high summer and thank yourself for next March. Seed goes in from mid-July to mid-August. The plants sit quietly through winter, then give you fresh greens when the rest of the plot is bare.

It’s a slow crop on paper, about eight months from sowing to a finished heart. But nothing else fills the early spring kitchen so easily. This guide covers the overwintering crop from start to finish: the summer sowing, autumn planting, winter protection, the February feed and the double harvest of greens then hearts. For summer and winter cabbages, see the main guide on how to grow cabbage through the year.

Why grow spring cabbage?

Spring cabbage crops in the hungry gap, the lean weeks from March to May when stored veg has run out and new sowings aren’t ready. A short row gives cut-and-come greens from March and solid hearts from May.

It’s also one of the easiest overwintering crops. Once plants are firm in the ground and netted, cold weather rarely troubles them. The guide to what to grow for the hungry gap puts it alongside purple sprouting broccoli and chard as the main crops for those weeks.

When to sow spring cabbage in the UK

Sow between mid-July and mid-August. The further north you are, the earlier in that window you should sow.

• Scotland and northern England: second half of July
• Midlands: late July to early August
• Southern England and Wales: early to mid-August

Timing matters more for this crop than most. You want a sturdy young plant going into winter, not a big one. Plants that are too large by late autumn are more likely to bolt in spring instead of hearting. Plants that are too small struggle to get through winter.

Sow into a finely raked seedbed in drills 1cm deep, with rows 15cm apart. Thin seedlings to about 7cm. Modules work just as well: sow two seeds per cell and snip out the weaker one. Keep them watered through any August heat. Transplant when plants have five or six true leaves, usually six to eight weeks after sowing.

A shallow 1cm drill in fine soil is all spring cabbage seed needs. In summer warmth it’s up in about a week.

Butterflies are still busy in July and August. Check leaves twice a week for the yellow egg clusters of the cabbage white butterfly. A sheet of fine insect mesh over the seedbed keeps them off.

Which spring cabbage varieties to grow

Durham Early is the one to start with. It’s very hardy and works for both greens and hearts. Add Pixie if space is tight.

If July slips past you, garden centres often sell strips of spring cabbage plants in September. They plant out just like home-raised seedlings.

How to plant out spring cabbage in autumn

Plant out in September or the first half of October, into firm ground that grew a previous crop. A bed cleared of onions or early potatoes is ideal. Don’t dig it over and don’t add manure or fertiliser now. Loose, rich soil gives soft growth that winter punishes.

Spacing depends on what you want in spring:

• For hearts: 30cm apart each way
• For greens first: 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart, then cut two of every three plants young

Water the seedlings the evening before lifting them. Plant each one deep, up to its first true leaves. Then firm hard. Press the soil round each stem with your knuckles or a trowel handle, water in well, then firm again once it drains. Give a leaf a gentle tug: if the plant moves, firm it more.

Plant deep and firm hard. A plant that passes the tug test will sit tight through autumn gales.

Two soil problems are worth a thought at planting time. A collar of card or carpet underlay round each stem stops cabbage root fly laying eggs at the base. If brassicas on your plot have ever wilted with swollen, knobbly roots, read up on club root before planting.

How to protect spring cabbage over winter

Netting is what turns a row of stalks into a crop. Wood pigeons strip unprotected brassicas over winter, especially in hard weather. Stretch netting over hoops, peg it at every edge and leave a hand’s width above the leaves. Check it after every gale, because pigeons soon find a lifted corner.

Taut netting on hoops. The pigeon on the fence post is exactly why it goes on at planting time.

Wind rock is the second enemy. Gales rock the stems, opening a hole round the base that fills with water and freezes. In November, draw about 5cm of soil up round each stem and tread it firm. Re-firm plants whenever frost lifts the ground.

Some pests carry on through mild winters. Grey, floury clusters of mealy cabbage aphid can hide in the leaves, so turn a few over once a month and rub off what you find.

Yellowing outer leaves in winter are normal. Plants shed their oldest leaves in the cold while the growing point stays healthy.

Spring cabbage barely grows from November to February. A frosty coat like this does it no harm.

When to feed spring cabbage

Feed once, in late February or early March, with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser such as sulphate of ammonia or dried poultry manure pellets. Use the rate on the pack and water it in if the soil is dry. The plants have sat still all winter, and this feed gets them growing again as the days lengthen.

One nitrogen feed in late February is all spring cabbage needs to wake up after winter.

Don’t feed in autumn. Nitrogen then gives soft, sappy leaves just as the cold arrives, and soft growth is what frost and pigeons take first.

When to cut spring greens

Spring greens are ready from March, once plants carry a loose head of fresh leaves. Cut whole plants at ground level with a sharp knife, taking every other plant. The rest are left at about 30cm apart to heart up.

The stumps can give a second picking. Cut a shallow cross into the top of each stump and it often sprouts a cluster of small leafy shoots a few weeks later.

Cut every other plant as greens in March. The ones left behind get the extra room they need to heart up.

How to get spring cabbage to heart up

The plants left standing wrap into firm, pointed hearts through May and June. Proper spacing matters here: crowded plants make loose, leafy heads that never tighten.

Water steadily once hearts start to form. In a dry spell, give the row a good soak every week or so rather than a daily sprinkle. A sudden heavy watering after drought can split a maturing heart.

Give each head a gentle squeeze. When the point feels firm right through, cut it at the base. Hearts stand in the ground for a few weeks before splitting, so a row covers much of May and June. Cross-cut these stumps too. The bed is usually clear by July, ready for leeks or French beans.

A firm point right through the centre means the heart is ready. Cut it before it starts to split.

Spring cabbage month by month

Common spring cabbage mistakes

Most failures come down to timing, loose soil or no netting.

• Sowing too early: plants go into winter too big and bolt in April. Sow a week or two later next year.
• Planting into loose or freshly manured soil: plants grow soft and rock loose. Use firm ground that fed a previous crop.
• Leaving the net off: a stripped row is almost always pigeons, not frost.
• Ignoring wet ground: roots sitting in cold, waterlogged clay can rot by February. On heavy soil, grow on a slight ridge or in a raised bed.
• Forgetting slugs: they can take autumn transplants in a wet September. A torchlit check on damp evenings after planting helps, and the guide to getting rid of slugs covers other ways to protect young plants.

Frequently asked questions

When should I sow spring cabbage in the UK?

Sow between mid-July and mid-August. In Scotland and northern England, aim for the second half of July. Southern gardens can sow into early or mid-August. Sown too early, plants get too big and may bolt in spring. Sown too late, they go into winter small and weak.

What is the difference between spring cabbage and spring greens?

They are the same plant, cut at different stages. Spring greens are young plants cut loose and leafy from March, before a heart forms. Leave them until May or June and they wrap into firm pointed hearts. Most people cut every other plant as greens and let the rest heart up.

Do I need to net spring cabbage over winter?

Yes, or wood pigeons will strip it. They go for overwintering brassicas from late autumn to early spring, especially in cold weather. Fit netting over hoops on planting day, keep it taut and check it after every gale.

Why has my spring cabbage bolted?

Usually it was sown too early and went into winter too big. A long cold spell can then trigger flowering in spring instead of hearting. Note your sowing date and sow a week or two later next year.

How far apart should spring cabbage be planted?

Plant 30cm apart each way for hearted cabbage. For a row of spring greens, plant 15cm apart in rows 30cm apart. Cut two of every three plants young, and the rest have room to heart up.

Will spring cabbage survive frost?

Yes, established spring cabbage is very hardy. Frost may bleach or purple the outer leaves, but plants grow away in spring. Pigeons, wind rock and waterlogged soil cause far more losses than cold.

Can I still plant spring cabbage out in October?

Yes, the first half of October works in most of the UK. Roots still settle in while the soil is warm. Any later, pot seedlings into 9cm pots, keep them in a cold frame and plant out in late February.

Spring cabbage pairs well with another hungry-gap favourite, so read our guide on how to grow purple sprouting broccoli next, or browse more veg growing guides.