How to grow napa cabbage
Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis · Brassicaceae · Vegetable
When to plant napa cabbage: the short answer
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; sow outdoors about 2 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F, fastest near 70°F.
Cold winters (zone 5): plant out Apr 9 – Apr 26, or sow Jul 17 – Aug 3 for a fall crop. Mild winters (zone 9): sow Sep 11 – Sep 28 for fall and winter harvests; the spring window (Jan 30 – Feb 16) closes before the summer heat. Skip the hottest months for napa cabbage. See every zone.
Napa Cabbage is a cool-season vegetable in the Brassicaceae family, grown either from a direct sowing or from transplants. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and consistent moisture — it resents drying out. From sowing to first pick is about 50–75 days. It shrugs off a light frost but a hard freeze will damage it.
Grower’s note: Bolts fast in spring heat and long days, so it is really a fall crop - sow in mid-to-late summer to head up in cool weather. Needs rich soil and steady water to form a tight barrel-shaped head.
Sowing
Sow about 0.5″ deep, into soil between 45–85°F — germination is quickest near 70°F. It comes up fast (4–10 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 12″ along the row with roughly 18″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 1 per square foot. Allow at least 12″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 12″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
As a cool-season crop, napa cabbage does its best growing in the mild weather of spring and fall and tends to bolt or turn bitter in summer heat. A second sowing in late summer, timed to mature as the weather cools, is usually the better crop of the year — though a hard freeze will end it.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long napa cabbage takes to grow
From sowing to first harvest takes roughly 50-75 days (7-11 weeks), with seedlings appearing after 4-10 days in soil around 70°F.
When to plant napa cabbage
When to plant napa cabbage by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Fall or second sowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 24 – May 11 | Jun 27 – Jul 14 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 19 – May 6 | Jul 7 – Jul 24 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Apr 9 – Apr 26 | Jul 17 – Aug 3 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 11 | Jul 27 – Aug 13 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 15 – Apr 1 | Aug 6 – Aug 23 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 27 – Mar 16 | Aug 17 – Sep 3 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Jan 30 – Feb 16 | Sep 11 – Sep 28 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 9 – Jan 26 | Sep 26 – Oct 13 |
Companions
Onion, Beet, Celery
Tomato, Pole Bean, strawberry
Common problems
Pests: flea beetle, cabbage worm, aphids, cabbage root maggot.
Diseases & disorders: clubroot, black rot, downy mildew.
Same family (Brassicaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant napa cabbage?
Start seeds indoors about 4 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out about 2 weeks before it; sow outdoors about 2 weeks before the last frost; for a fall crop, sow about 10 weeks before your first fall frost. Seeds germinate in soil from 45 to 85°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long does napa cabbage take to grow?
About 50-75 days from sowing to the first harvest. Seeds germinate in 4-10 days, fastest in soil around 70°F.
How much sun does napa cabbage need?
It needs six or more hours of sun for the best growth, though four to six hours in partial shade is enough.
What soil pH does napa cabbage need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant napa cabbage?
Space plants about 12 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart, or 1 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about ½ inch deep.
Can I grow napa cabbage in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 12 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.