When to Plant Napa Cabbage

Napa cabbage is a half-hardy cool-season vegetable. It takes light frosts but not a hard freeze.

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out from 2 weeks before the last frost to 1 week after it. For a fall crop, set out transplants 8 to 11 weeks before the first fall frost. The first harvest comes about 50 to 70 days after transplanting.

Example dates

The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.

Napa Cabbage: dates by last spring and first fall frost
TaskLast frost Mar 15first Nov 15Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25Last frost May 15first Sep 30
Start seeds indoorsJan 18 – Feb 1Feb 18 – Mar 4Mar 20 – Apr 3
Harden offFeb 22 – 28Mar 25 – 31Apr 24 – 30
Plant outMar 1 – 22Apr 1 – 22May 1 – 22
HarvestApr 20 – May 4May 21 – Jun 4Jun 20 – Jul 4
Fall: Start seeds indoorsJul 19 – Aug 2Jun 28 – Jul 12Jun 3 – 17
Fall: Plant outAug 30 – Sep 20Aug 9 – 30Jul 15 – Aug 5
Fall: HarvestOct 19 – Nov 2Sep 28 – Oct 12Sep 3 – 17

Growing napa cabbage

Napa bolts easily in spring, so it is most reliable planted in summer for a fall harvest.

  • Spacing: 12 in apart, in rows 24 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
  • Days to harvest: 50 to 70 from transplanting, then about 2 weeks of picking.
  • Rotation: napa cabbage is in the cabbage family. Plant it where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.

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Questions

When do I start napa cabbage indoors?

6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Feb 18 – Mar 4. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.

Can napa cabbage go in before the last frost?

Yes. Napa cabbage is half-hardy: plant it out from 2 weeks before the last spring frost to 1 week after it.

How long does napa cabbage take to grow?

About 50 to 70 days from transplanting to the first harvest, which then lasts about 2 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.

Can I grow napa cabbage in fall?

Yes. Set out transplants 8 to 11 weeks before the first fall frost. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.

More planting dates

Sources

  1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
  2. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech: Virginia's Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant (426-331 / SPES-673P, 2025)
  3. University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
  4. NC State Extension: Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 16: Vegetable Gardening
  5. WSU Extension: Pacific Northwest Gardener's Handbook, Chapter 7: Vegetable Gardening
  6. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Times (chart, central Iowa)
  7. Montana State University Extension: Can I Grow That Here? Vegetable Seed and Transplant Schedules (MontGuide MT199308AG, rev. 2018)