Napa Cabbage Planting Guide
Your April guide to napa cabbage
Everything below applies to napa cabbage broadly. For a plan that's dialled into your county's frost dates and soil, tap your location.
-
How to water napa cabbage
napa cabbage wants steady moisture. Check the top inch of soil every morning — if it's dry, water before the sun is high.
-
Where to put napa cabbage
napa cabbage wants at least 6 hours of direct sun. Less than that and you'll get leggy plants with weak yields.
-
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant napa cabbage. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.
Napa cabbage forms tall, barrel-shaped heads with tender, crinkled leaves and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. It is the primary cabbage used for kimchi.
Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis · Vegetable · Brassicaceae family · 55–75 days to maturity
Get Your Personalized Napa Cabbage Planting Dates
Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.
Where Can You Grow Napa Cabbage?
Napa Cabbage Growing Regions
Click any state to see the Napa Cabbage planting schedule for that location.
Planting Dates by Zone
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | Apr 18 | May 23 | May 30 | Jul 25 – Aug 29 |
| Zone 2b | Apr 10 | May 15 | May 22 | Jul 17 – Aug 21 |
| Zone 3a | Apr 3 | May 8 | May 15 | Jul 10 – Aug 14 |
| Zone 3b | Mar 29 | May 3 | May 10 | Jul 5 – Aug 9 |
| Zone 4a | Mar 25 | Apr 29 | May 6 | Jul 1 – Aug 5 |
| Zone 4b | Mar 20 | Apr 24 | May 1 | Jun 26 – Jul 31 |
| Zone 5a | Mar 21 | Apr 11 | Apr 25 | Jun 20 – Jul 25 |
| Zone 5b | Mar 14 | Apr 4 | Apr 18 | Jun 13 – Jul 18 |
| Zone 6a | Mar 6 | Mar 27 | Apr 10 | Jun 5 – Jul 10 |
| Zone 6b | Feb 27 | Mar 20 | Apr 3 | May 29 – Jul 3 |
| Zone 7a | Feb 18 | Mar 11 | Mar 25 | May 20 – Jun 24 |
| Zone 7b | Feb 11 | Mar 4 | Mar 18 | May 13 – Jun 17 |
| Zone 8a | Feb 1 | Feb 22 | Mar 8 | May 3 – Jun 7 |
| Zone 8b | Jan 21 | Feb 11 | Feb 25 | Apr 22 – May 27 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 13 | Jan 20 | Feb 10 | Apr 7 – May 12 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 28 | Jan 4 | Jan 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 26 |
| Zone 10a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 |
| Zone 10b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 |
| Zone 11a | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 |
| Zone 11b | Dec 4 | Dec 11 | Jan 1 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 |
Why are some columns showing "—"?
Transplant shows "—" because Napa Cabbage is best direct sown where it will grow. Transplanting can disturb the roots and slow growth.
How to Plant Napa Cabbage
🍂 Fall planting: Sow 10 weeks before your first frost date for a fall harvest.
Growing Conditions
☀️ Sun
Partial Shade (3-6 hours)
💧 Water
High — keep soil consistently moist
Keep soil consistently moist. Mulch heavily to retain moisture.
🧪 Soil pH
6 – 7.5
Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.
🗺️ Hardiness Zones
Zone 2a – 11b
📅 Days to Maturity
55–75 days
Quick-growing crop. Multiple plantings per season are possible.
👪 Plant Family
Brassicaceae
Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Brassicaceae family crops grew last year.
Succession Planting Napa Cabbage
Napa Cabbage matures in just 55–75 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 3 successive plantings by sowing every 6.3 weeks.
Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.
Companion Planting for Napa Cabbage
✅ Good Companions
❌ Keep Away From
Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →
Growing Tips for Napa Cabbage
Best grown as a fall crop. Direct sow in late summer, 60-70 days before first frost. Keep soil evenly moist. Bolt-resistant varieties are available for spring planting.
Saving Napa Cabbage Seeds
Recommended for Your Garden
Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.
Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.
Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.
Seed Saving & Storage Guide
Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.
- 200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
- Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
- Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant
Napa Cabbage by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow Napa Cabbage?
Napa Cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) takes 55 to 75 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.
What zones can Napa Cabbage grow in?
Napa Cabbage can be grown in USDA zones 2a through 11b. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.
How much sun does Napa Cabbage need?
Growing Napa Cabbage requires Partial Shade (3-6 hours), High — keep soil consistently moist, and soil pH of 6 to 7.5.