Napa Cabbage Growing Guide
Napa Cabbage is a great next step in your growing journey. Follow this guide from planting to harvest and you'll do great.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Best direct-sown (it resents root disturbance) about 1 cm deep in mid-summer, thinned to 30 cm. If starting indoors, do it gently and transplant young to avoid triggering bolting.
The barrel-shaped Chinese cabbage of kimchi and stir-fries. It's prone to bolting if stressed by heat or transplant shock, which is why autumn is the easy season — sow in summer for a cool-weather harvest.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Napa Cabbage?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Napa Cabbage Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Napa Cabbage's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 5–10 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give napa cabbage rich soil, steady water and cool weather.
- 2The trick is timing — sow in summer for autumn so it never bolts in heat.
- 3Net it against cabbage moths and flea beetles.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~70
Days to Maturity
40 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Cut once heads feel firm, autumn; tolerates light frost
How to Harvest
- 1Cut the whole head at the base once it feels firm and dense, before any hard freeze.
- 2The outer leaves protect the heart, so peel those back as needed.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Biennial-ish — overwinter a plant, let it bolt and flower, and collect pod seed. Isolate from other brassicas.
Seed Production
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