How to Grow Cabbage in Containers

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Learning how to grow cabbage in containers starts with the pot. Cornell’s container chart allows one cabbage plant per 5-gallon pot, and the Alabama guide allows one plant per 5- to 7-gallon container. Cabbage is a cool-season crop, so timing matters as much as the container. Five university and extension publications form the basis for this guide. Two of them cover containers directly, and the other three give general cabbage figures. They agree on the core steps, and this guide notes where their figures differ.

Quick answer

Plant one cabbage per 5-gallon pot, or three per 15-gallon tub, as Cornell’s container chart lists.
Use potting mix, make sure the container has drainage holes, and keep the soil consistently moist but not saturated.
Give the plant 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, and apply 1 to 2 inches of water a week, according to Alabama.
Pick the head when it is solid and firm, usually 60 to 85 days after planting, or cut a cross into the stem for a second, smaller crop.

Choose a pot that fits one head

Cornell’s container guide is the most specific source on pot size. Its cabbage row lists one plant per 5-gallon pot and three plants per 15-gallon tub. Alabama’s guide gives one plant per 5- to 7-gallon container, which is a slightly wider range. Both sources treat a pot of about five gallons as the size for one plant, so start there and move up if you want a larger tub.

Drainage comes first. Alabama says to use potting mix and to make sure containers have drainage holes, and it offers self-watering containers as an alternative. Neither the Cornell nor the Alabama guide gives a minimum depth for cabbage. Cornell’s chart does list minimum depths for some other crops, such as beets and carrots, but its cabbage row lists only the pot and tub sizes.

Time the crop to your season

Timing depends on your climate, and the sources differ widely. Cornell’s crop chart lists a March to August planting window for cabbage. Maryland says cabbage can be grown in the garden from March to December, and that it withstands temperatures as low as 15°F to 20°F. Its spring crop starts four to six weeks before setting plants out in mid-April to early May. Its fall crop is sown about three weeks before setting out, in mid-July to early August.

Alabama lists planting windows from January through mid-February and from mid-July through mid-August, which reflects a warm southern calendar. Iowa State plans a central Iowa transplant in early to mid-April, and a fall transplant between mid-June and mid-July. Ohio State sets fall transplants out in early to mid-July. The sources do not turn these windows into frost dates, so check your own local frost dates against them before you plant.

Start from seed or buy transplants

The sources disagree about direct seeding. Alabama says to sow seed about one-half inch deep, and to start seedlings three to four weeks before planting. Ohio State calls direct seeding of cabbage difficult, and advises sowing indoors six to eight weeks before the frost-free date. Its germination guidance is around 75°F, and after emergence it keeps seedlings near 60°F and transplants them after four to six weeks.

Iowa State says, “Cabbage is best started by seed indoors, and transplants are planted in the garden in early spring.” If you buy transplants, Alabama advises choosing ones with healthy color and a stocky look, and avoiding any that already have flowers. Plant each one with the hole as deep as the root ball, firm the soil around it, and water deeply.

Harden seedlings before they go out. Alabama says to harden off for about one week, Iowa State recommends acclimating transplants outdoors for several days, and Maryland says to harden off seedlings before transplanting. Iowa State also suggests starting the young plants in shade and giving them longer periods of sun over time. Maryland adds that row covers protect plants and help them grow faster.

Space the plant in the pot

In a container, the pot sets the spacing: one plant per container. Alabama gives 12 inches apart within rows for in-ground planting, and a minimum of 12 to 15 inches apart, because plant spacing affects plant size. Maryland says close spacing, at 12 inches apart in the row, produces small heads, and it gives 15 to 18 inches in the row with 30 to 36 inches between rows for garden beds. Iowa State gives 18 to 24 inches in the row, and Ohio State gives 16 inches in the row with 30 inches between rows.

The bed figures are useful for judging how much room a head needs, but they are not container rules. The pot size from Cornell and Alabama is the rule that applies to a container.

Water and mulch for steady growth

Alabama is direct about water: “Keep soil consistently moist but not saturated,” and apply 1 to 2 inches of water each week. It also advises avoiding wet leaves, because wet foliage can encourage fungal disease. Mulch helps retain moisture, and Alabama adds that mulch inhibits weeds and diseases. Iowa State recommends a 2 to 3 inch layer of straw, dry grass clippings or shredded leaves, which controls weeds and conserves soil moisture.

Maryland gives a different starting rhythm: water about every three days until seedlings are established, then keep plants supplied with ample soil moisture through the season. Iowa State says cabbage has shallow roots and needs weekly irrigation if rain does not supply one inch of water per week. Its advice on the watering method is to use soaker hoses or drip irrigation, which keep the water off the foliage.

Heavy water near harvest can cause problems. Iowa State says heavy rainfall or irrigation in the days or weeks just before harvest can split the head. Ohio State says heads become prone to splitting after heavy rain, especially after dry weather, and recommends adequate water through the season, avoiding late-season fertilizing, and harvesting as soon as the heads are firm. None of these guides gives a watering schedule written for pots, so use the 1 to 2 inch weekly figure from Alabama as the common reference.

Feed the plant on a schedule

Alabama says that without a soil test, apply an all-purpose fertilizer such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 at planting, following the label. It then recommends a side-dress 4 to 6 inches from the stem at three to four weeks after planting. Maryland suggests a starter fertilizer at transplanting, with a side-dress three weeks later. Ohio State says fertilizer and lime are best applied using the results of a soil test as a guide, and that without one, 2 to 3 pounds of 8-16-16 over 100 square feet is suggested.

Iowa State gives a rate of 1 to 2 pounds of all-purpose garden fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, per 100 square feet, worked into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil before planting. It also suggests a band of fertilizer about three to four weeks after planting. Every rate in these guides is per 100 square feet or per row. None of the four publications gives a rate per container, so a pot grower has to scale down the bed figure using the label on the product.

Protect the plant from pests and disease

Scout the plant often, as Alabama advises, and look for insect and disease damage. Iowa State describes cabbageworms as greenish caterpillars that chew large, irregular holes in the leaves. It describes flea beetles as tiny, shiny black beetles that leave small, round holes, and it notes that minor flea beetle damage has little effect on yield. Maryland lists flea beetles, cabbage loopers, imported cabbageworms, harlequin bugs and clubroot among cabbage problems.

Maryland also says row covers protect plants from insect pests, and that rotating cabbage-family crops to different parts of the garden can reduce insect and disease pressure. A pot can be moved to a new spot, but the sources do not say how to rotate crops in a container, so treat that step as a judgment call. This guide does not give treatment steps for pests or diseases. For those, read the label on any product you choose, and ask your local extension office what to watch for in your area.

Pick the head at the right time

Alabama gives 60 to 85 days, harvesting when the head is solid and firm, and it notes that the variety changes the timing. Maryland gives 60 to 90 days from transplanting, and Iowa State gives 60 to 100 days depending on cultivar. Iowa State says the head may be cut when it is firm and about the size of a softball. Mature heads should feel solid and heavy, and each plant produces one head.

Splitting is the usual harvest problem. Maryland says that if you cannot harvest at maturity, bend the stem over to break part of the roots, which reduces splitting. Iowa State says pulling the plant upward and gently twisting it can prevent splitting in mature heads, because some roots break and water uptake drops. Ohio State recommends harvesting as soon as heads are firm.

Cornell’s chart describes a second crop from the same plant. Harvest the first head, then cut a cross into the remaining stem, which produces four smaller heads.

Store the harvest

Storage times in these guides run from a few weeks to several months. Alabama says cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months. Iowa State says a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator holds it two to four weeks, and cool, moist storage near 32°F at 95 to 100 percent relative humidity can extend that to three to four months. Maryland says cabbage for cooking keeps about two weeks in the refrigerator, and up to five months at 32°F and 95 percent relative humidity.

Ohio State gives a similar range, saying cabbage keeps several weeks in the refrigerator, or up to five months if the temperature stays near 32°F. It advises removing all loose leaves before storage to keep air moving around the head.

For more ideas on pot-grown crops and soil choices, see our guide to using raised bed soil in pots, and for crops that suit a raised bed alongside this one, see vegetables to plant in raised beds.

How we chose

We chose five university or extension publications on cabbage that we opened and read on 2026-10-23 with an HTTP 200 response. Alabama’s guide and Cornell’s container guide cover pots directly. Iowa State, Maryland and Ohio State give general cabbage figures for timing, spacing, watering and storage, and we applied them with care to containers. Alabama’s guide and its printed card are the same publication, so we counted them once. We left out retail and general article pages.

What we could not verify

The container advice in this guide rests on two publications, and the general figures come from guides written for garden beds. The sources do not turn their timing into frost dates for your area, and they do not give a yield per pot.

What the sources do not say

None of the sources gives a minimum pot depth for cabbage, and none gives a fertilizer rate per container. The bed spacing and watering figures come from guides written for in-ground planting, and the sources do not say how far those figures carry over to a pot. The sources also do not give a head size for a container-grown plant, and they do not say how often a pot needs water during hot weather.

Frequently asked questions

What size pot does one cabbage need?

Cornell’s chart lists one plant per 5-gallon pot, and the Alabama guide lists one plant per 5- to 7-gallon container. Cornell lists three plants for a 15-gallon tub.

Can cabbage be direct sown in a container?

Alabama says to direct sow seed about one-half inch deep. Ohio State calls direct seeding of cabbage difficult and advises sowing indoors six to eight weeks before the frost-free date, so its method is the more cautious one.

How often does a container cabbage need water?

Alabama says to apply 1 to 2 inches of water a week and keep the soil consistently moist but not saturated. Maryland waters about every three days until the seedlings are established.

When is a cabbage head ready to pick?

Alabama says harvest at 60 to 85 days, when the head is solid and firm. Iowa State says a head is ready when it is firm and about the size of a softball.

How long does cabbage keep after harvest?

Alabama says up to two months in the refrigerator. Iowa State says two to four weeks in a perforated bag, and Ohio State says up to five months if the temperature stays near 32°F.

Sources

https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/grow-more-cabbage/ (opened 2026-10-23)
https://dlc.cce.cornell.edu/pluginfile.php/376640/mod_resource/content/1/Vegetable%20and%20Herb%20Gardening%20in%20Containers.pdf (opened 2026-10-23)
https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/growing-cabbage-home-garden (opened 2026-10-23)
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-cabbage-home-garden (opened 2026-10-23)
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-1611 (opened 2026-10-23)