Napa Cabbage (Chinese Cabbage) in Zone 3a & 3b
Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis
Yes, napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) grows in zones 3a and 3b. Start seeds indoors May 2–May 9 and plant out May 30–Jun 6.
When to plant napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) in zone 3b
Zones 3a and 3b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Either works.
| Start indoors | May 2–May 9 |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | May 30–Jun 6 |
| Estimated harvest | Jul 26–Aug 2 (~57 days after planting) |
Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1 ft.
Plant alongside it in zone 3b
These go outside within two weeks of napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) in zone 3b, so one planting day can cover them.
- CabbageMay 16–May 23
- TomatoJun 13–Jun 20
- Bush BeansJun 6–Jun 13
- Sweet CornJun 6–Jun 13
- LettuceMay 16–May 23
- CucumberJun 6–Jun 13
Napa cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage) forms a dense, barrel-shaped head of crinkled, mild-flavored leaves, the classic base for kimchi, and a sweeter, more tender alternative to standard green cabbage.
How napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) fits zone 3's season
Zone 3b's frost-free window runs about 98 days, from May 30 to September 5. Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) needs about 57 days from sowing to first harvest.
Napa Cabbage (Chinese Cabbage) planting windows in every zone
Zone 3b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Apr 22–Apr 29 | May 20–May 27 | Jul 16–Jul 23 |
| 3a & 3b (your zone) | May 2–May 9 | May 30–Jun 6 | Jul 26–Aug 2 |
| 4a & 4b | Apr 17–Apr 24 | May 15–May 22 | Jul 11–Jul 18 |
| 5a & 5bSpring window | Apr 12–Apr 19 | May 10–May 17 | Jul 6–Jul 13 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Jul 26–Aug 9 | Sep 21–Oct 5 |
| 6a & 6bSpring window | Mar 28–Apr 4 | Apr 25–May 2 | Jun 21–Jun 28 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 5–Aug 19 | Oct 1–Oct 15 |
| 7a & 7bSpring window | Mar 13–Mar 20 | Apr 10–Apr 17 | Jun 6–Jun 13 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 15–Aug 29 | Oct 11–Oct 25 |
| 8a & 8bSpring window | Feb 25–Mar 4 | Mar 25–Apr 1 | May 21–May 28 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Aug 31–Sep 14 | Oct 27–Nov 10 |
| 9a & 9bSpring window | Jan 18–Jan 25 | Feb 15–Feb 22 | Apr 13–Apr 20 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Sep 25–Oct 9 | Nov 21–Dec 5 |
| 10a & 10bSpring window | Jan 2–Jan 9 | Jan 30–Feb 6 | Mar 28–Apr 4 |
| Fall window | Not usually | Oct 10–Oct 24 | Dec 6–Dec 20 |
| 11a & 11bFall window | Not usually | Sep–Apr | ~57 days after planting |
Harvest dates are about 57 days after the sow or plant-out date, not after starting seeds indoors.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
- Radish: Radish (including the daikon form) is a documented trap crop for flea beetles, which prefer its mustard oils over other brassicas and can be sacrificed or pulled once infested: the same research cited on the radish page.
Where to buy napa cabbage seeds
True Leaf Market · High Mowing Organic Seeds (each supplier's napa cabbage seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- Bilko F1 (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis): Johnny's Bilko is bred with slow-bolting heads plus high resistance to club root and fusarium yellows, the two traits that matter most for napa cabbage: bolting is the crop's biggest failure mode, and both diseases can persist in soil for years once established. Buy: High Mowing Organic Seeds Full notes
- 'Blues' F1: Harris Seeds lists 10-inch heads at the same fast 57 days as Bilko, with intermediate resistance to virus, downy mildew, and bacterial soft rot. Buy: True Leaf Market Full notes
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage)" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 3b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Napa Cabbage (Chinese Cabbage) in USDA zone 3b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.
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