GrowSabzHow to grow cabbage in pots
Also called band gobhi, malfouf, chou, cole · Brassica oleracea var. capitata
بند گوبھی
- ☀️ Sunlight
- 6–8hours daily
- 💧 Water
- 0.8 Levery 2 days, 10 L pot
- 🌡️ Ideal temp
- 13–24°C
- 🪴 Min pot
- 10 L25 cm deep
- 🧺 Harvest
- 70–100days from sowing
- ⚖️ Yield
- 3 kgper 20 L pot
Cabbage grows well in containers given the right depth, consistent water and enough sun. From sowing to harvest takes about 90 days. The sections below cover the whole cycle — container size, exact watering amounts, feeding, what to watch for, and when to pick.
Short answer
Grow cabbage in a 10 litre container at least 25 cm deep, watering about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil every 2 days, and keep temperatures between 13 and 24 °C. First harvest comes 70–100 days after sowing.
Where to plant it
What size pot does cabbage need?
10 litres and 25 cm deep is the realistic minimum for a single plant. Pick a container below to see what changes.
| Container | Minimum size | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot | 10 L | 25 cm | Ensure good drainage to prevent root rot. |
| Grow bag | 10 L | 25 cm | Fabric bags promote air pruning and better aeration. |
| Open ground | — | 30 cm | Space plants adequately for air circulation and growth. |
| Raised bed | 20 L | 30 cm | Excellent for drainage and controlling soil conditions. |
Watering
How often should you water cabbage?
Every 2 days through the growing season, at about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — daily in hot weather, every 3 days when it turns cool. Water in the early morning. Drip irrigation or base watering works best.
Too little water
- wilting leaves
- stunted growth
- bitter taste
- cracked heads
Too much water
- yellowing lower leaves
- stunted growth
- root rot
- soft stem
Avoid: overhead watering (can promote disease); standing water; letting soil dry out completely.
Climate
Can you grow cabbage where you live?
No hardiness zone needed — compare your actual temperatures against the plant's own limits.
| Ideal range | 13 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| Survives | -5 – 30 °C |
| Germinates above | 7 °C — best at 21 °C, about 10 days |
| Flowers drop | above 27 °C, or below -2 °C |
| Sunlight | 6–10 hrs/day, best 8 |
| Frost | Medium sensitivity |
The flower-drop thresholds matter more than the survival ones. A plant can be perfectly alive at 30 °C and still give you nothing.
How cold is too cold for cabbage? Check your temperaturesEnter your night low and day high — see if it survives, and if it will cropTimeline
Cabbage growing stages, day by day
Click any stage to see what's happening. Durations shift with temperature — a warm season runs roughly a quarter faster than a cool one.
Feeding
Fertiliser schedule for cabbage
Feed on the interval below, changing what you give as the plant shifts from making leaves to making fruit.
| Stage | What to use | Per 10 L | Every |
|---|
How to prepare each feed
Common mistakes
Why cabbage fails, and how to avoid it
- A container that is too small
Below 10 litres the root run is too shallow. The plant grows, flowers late, and drops whatever it sets because it cannot support the crop.
- Watering too lightly
A daily splash wets the top few centimetres and nothing else. Cabbage wants about 700 ml per 10 litres of soil — one deep soak beats three shallow ones.
- Ignoring the flower-drop threshold
Above 27 °C, or below -2 °C, flowers fall before setting. The plant can look perfectly healthy and still give you nothing — shade it through the hottest hours.
- Planting it beside Strawberry
Can stunt the growth of cabbage and other brassicas.
Companions
What to plant with cabbage
Good neighbours
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps and hoverflies, which prey on cabbage worms and aphids.
Its strong scent deters cabbage moths, flea beetles, and slugs. (Plant in containers to prevent invasiveness).
Deters cabbage moths, slugs, and snails with its aromatic foliage.
Helps deter cabbage worms and other common brassica pests.
The strong scent of onions and garlic can confuse and deter pests like aphids and cabbage loopers.
Repels nematodes in the soil and deters other harmful insects above ground.
Keep apart from
Can stunt the growth of cabbage and other brassicas.
Tomatoes and other nightshades can stunt the growth of cabbage.
Beans, especially pole beans, can stunt the growth of cabbage.
Attracts similar pests and diseases as cabbage, increasing the risk of infestation.
Known to inhibit the growth of many plants, including cabbage.
Problems
Cabbage pests and diseases
Each lists the weather that brings it on, so you know when to start checking rather than reacting once it's established.
Cabbage Worms humidity any · temp 18-29
Includes larvae of imported cabbageworm, cabbage looper, and diamondback moth. They chew irregular holes in leaves and can bore into the head.
Aphids humidity any · temp 15-25
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and undersides of leaves, sucking sap and causing distorted growth. Can transmit viruses.
Flea Beetles humidity any · temp >20
Tiny, jumping beetles that chew small, round holes (shot-hole effect) in leaves, especially damaging to young seedlings.
Slugs Snails humidity >70% · temp 10-20
Leave large, irregular holes in leaves and often a silvery slime trail. Most active in cool, moist conditions.
Clubroot humidity soil saturation · temp 18-25
A soil-borne fungal disease causing swollen, distorted roots, leading to stunted growth, wilting, and yellowing of leaves. Can persist in soil for years.
Black Rot humidity >80% · temp 20-30
Bacterial disease causing V-shaped yellow lesions on leaf margins that turn brown, with black veins. Can spread rapidly in warm, wet conditions.
Downy Mildew humidity >85% · temp 10-20
Causes yellow spots on the upper leaf surface and a fuzzy gray mold on the underside. Thrives in cool, moist conditions.
Alternaria Leaf Spot humidity >70% · temp 18-25
Fungal disease causing dark, concentric spots with yellow halos on older leaves. Can lead to defoliation and reduced head quality.
Bolting humidity any · temp >27 or <10
Premature flowering (sending up a seed stalk) instead of forming a head. Often triggered by sudden temperature changes (cold snap followed by heat) or prolonged stress.
Harvest
When to harvest cabbage
First picking falls between day 70 and day 100.
How to tell it's ready
- Head is firm and dense when squeezed
- Appropriate size for the variety
How much to expect
Storing it: Store whole, unwashed heads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer for several weeks.
Questions
Cabbage: common questions
How long does cabbage take to grow?
About 90 days from sowing to the first harvest, with picking usually starting between day 70 and day 100. Warm weather pulls that forward; cool weather pushes it back.
What size pot does cabbage need?
At least 10 litres and 25 cm deep for one plant. A raised bed wants 20 litres of soil and 30 cm of depth.
How often should I water cabbage?
About 700 ml per 10 litres of soil, every 2 days in normal weather — daily when it is hot and every 3 days when cool. Water in the early morning.
What temperature does cabbage need?
It does best between 13 °C and 24 °C and survives from -5 °C to 30 °C. Seed needs soil above 7 °C to germinate, ideally around 21 °C.
Can I grow cabbage in winter?
It tolerates cold better than most, down to about -5 °C, so a sheltered spot or a cold frame will often carry it through.
How do I know when cabbage is ready to harvest?
Head is firm and dense when squeezed; Appropriate size for the variety. Once picked: store whole, unwashed heads in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer for several weeks.
How much does one cabbage plant produce?
Roughly 3 kg from a 20 litre container, or about 6 kg in open ground. Larger containers give proportionally more, up to a point.