Cabbage in Zone 2a & 2b

Brassica oleracea

When to plant cabbage in zone 2b

Zones 2a and 2b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Cabbage needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.

Cabbage takes up a full square foot for months and won't forgive a rushed transplant date. Start it too late into warm weather and it's more likely to bolt or stall than to head up properly.

How cabbage fits zone 2's season

Zone 2b's frost-free window runs about 104 days, from May 20 to September 1. Cabbage needs about 70 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

• Onion: Onion scent is reputed to confuse cabbage moths. The research behind this is real but garlic-specific (field trials intercropping garlic with cabbage reduced diamondback moth damage) — onion hasn't been tested the same way, so treat the onion version as a reasonable extrapolation, not a directly measured result. (usually zones 3-10, so not a pairing for zone 2b)

Where to buy cabbage seeds

• Botanical Interests
• True Leaf Market
• Burpee
• High Mowing Organic Seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this page also go to other retailers we may earn a commission from as an affiliate, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products with a genuine consensus of positive, independent reviews. See the sources cited on each item.

See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing cabbage" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 2b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

Pin this for later

Growing Cabbage in USDA zone 2b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.

Save to Pinterest