When to Plant Cabbage in Canada — Spring & Fall Dates
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost, transplant out early since cabbage tolerates cold — plus the fall crop that actually gets sweeter after a light frost, and the one disease every Canadian brassica grower needs to know: clubroot.
Cabbage plays by different rules than the tender crops most Canadian gardeners plan their season around. Where tomatoes and peppers wait for the soil to warm and the frost risk to fully pass, cabbage transplants can go into the ground while there's still a real chance of a light frost — and a fall crop actually improves for having been touched by one.
That cold tolerance is what makes cabbage worth growing twice in most of Canada: once in spring for early summer heads, and again from a mid-summer sowing for a fall crop that stores through winter.
Cabbage in Canada at a glance: Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost. Transplant out 2–4 weeks before last frost — cabbage tolerates light frost. Toronto/Windsor: mid-to-late April. Vancouver: early-to-mid March. Ottawa/Montreal: late April. Calgary/Edmonton/Winnipeg: early-to-mid May. Halifax: mid-April. Start a fall crop indoors in early-to-mid summer — frost sweetens it.
When should you plant cabbage where you garden?
Get your city's frost dates, indoor seed-starting dates, and this week's planting jobs — three free tools.
🌱 Need seeds? West Coast Seeds (a BC company) sells untreated, Canadian-grown vegetable & herb seed — steadier than a random Amazon listing that sells out or varies by region.
🥦 Shop vegetable seeds at West Coast Seeds →Cabbage Transplant Dates Across Canada
Indoor start is 6–8 weeks before last frost everywhere; transplant-out is 2–4 weeks before last frost since young cabbage tolerates a light frost far better than a tender crop. The fall-sow window (for a crop maturing after the first light frosts) is early-to-mid summer in every region.
| Region (City) | Zone | Last Frost | Start Indoors | Transplant Out | Fall-Crop Sow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal BC (Vancouver) | 8a | Mar 15 | Jan 20–Feb 1 | Mar 1–10 | Jun 15–Jul 1 |
| Vancouver Island (Victoria) | 8b | Mar 10 | Jan 15–25 | Feb 20–Mar 5 | Jun 15–Jul 1 |
| BC Interior (Kelowna) | 6b | May 5 | Mar 10–20 | Apr 10–20 | Jun 1–15 |
| Southern Ontario (Toronto) | 6b | Apr 20 | Feb 25–Mar 10 | Mar 25–Apr 5 | Jun 15–Jul 1 |
| SW Ontario (Windsor) | 7a | Apr 20 | Feb 25–Mar 10 | Mar 25–Apr 5 | Jul 1–15 |
| Eastern Ontario (Ottawa) | 5a | May 9 | Mar 15–25 | Apr 15–25 | Jun 1–15 |
| Quebec (Montreal) | 5b | May 9 | Mar 15–25 | Apr 15–25 | Jun 1–15 |
| Prairies (Calgary) | 3b | May 23 | Mar 25–Apr 5 | Apr 25–May 5 | May 25–Jun 5 |
| Prairies (Edmonton) | 4a | May 14 | Mar 15–25 | Apr 15–25 | May 25–Jun 5 |
| Prairies (Winnipeg) | 3a | May 19 | Mar 25–Apr 5 | Apr 25–May 5 | May 25–Jun 5 |
| Maritimes (Halifax) | 6a | May 10 | Mar 15–25 | Apr 10–20 | Jun 15–Jul 1 |
Get Your Exact Cabbage Sow Date
100+ Canadian cities — enter yours for sow dates for cabbage and 20+ vegetables
🌿 Free Seed Starting CalculatorThe Universal Rules for Cabbage (Apply Everywhere)
Cabbage tolerates cold — use that to get an early start
Young cabbage transplants shrug off a light frost that would kill a tomato seedling outright. That means you don't have to wait for last frost to pass — transplant out 2–4 weeks before it, once plants have 4–5 true leaves and have been hardened off. This head start is what lets a spring crop mature before summer heat causes bolting.
Grow it twice — spring and fall
Most of Canada has season length for two cabbage crops. A spring-started crop matures in early-to-mid summer; a second sowing indoors in early-to-mid summer produces a fall crop that finishes as temperatures cool — and that fall crop is sweeter for the light frosts it experiences on the way to harvest. The Prairies have the tightest fall window, so choose a fast (60-day) variety for the second sowing there.
Rotate beds — clubroot doesn't forgive
Never grow cabbage or any brassica (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts) in the same soil more than once every 3–4 years. Clubroot spores can persist in soil for years once established, and there's no cure once a bed is infected — only prevention through rotation and, where clubroot is a known regional problem, liming soil to keep pH above 7.0.
Row cover from day one, not after damage appears
Cabbage white butterflies find transplants within days of setting out. Covering the bed with lightweight row cover at transplant time — before any eggs are laid — is far more effective than treating caterpillar damage after the fact. Remove cover only to weed or harvest, and reseal it immediately after.
Best Cabbage Varieties for Canadian Gardens
| Variety | Type | Days | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Jersey Wakefield | Spring | 60 | Compact pointed heads, fast enough to beat summer heat almost anywhere in Canada. The classic early-crop choice. |
| Golden Acre | Spring | 64 | Round, dense heads, reliable across zones. A widely available, foolproof early variety. |
| Red Acre | Spring/fall | 76 | Deep red-purple heads, good storage, cold-hardy. Adds colour and works for either season. |
| Savoy Ace | Fall | 85 | Crinkled leaves, milder flavour, exceptionally cold-hardy — thrives on a light-frost finish. |
| Storage No. 4 / Danish Ballhead | Fall/storage | 95–100 | Dense, heavy heads that keep for months in a cold room or unheated garage — genuinely useful in a Canadian winter. |
Common Cabbage Problems Across Canada
Clubroot
Swollen, distorted roots and wilting plants that don't respond to watering. No cure once soil is infected — prevent with a 3–4 year brassica rotation, source clean transplants, and keep soil pH above 7.0. A known problem in parts of the Prairies, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
Cabbage worms and loopers
Ragged holes chewed through leaves and heads, from caterpillars of the white cabbage butterfly. Row cover from transplant day is the best prevention; handpicking or Bt spray handles an active infestation.
Splitting heads
Heavy rain after a dry spell makes a mature head take up water faster than it can expand. Harvest promptly once heads feel firm, and keep watering consistent rather than letting the bed dry out between waterings.
Bolting without forming a head
Young transplants exposed to a prolonged cold snap (below about 10°C for several days) can bolt straight to flower instead of heading up. Avoid transplanting out too early in a cold spring, and harden off gradually rather than shocking seedlings with an early move outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant cabbage in Canada?
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost; transplant out 2–4 weeks before last frost since cabbage tolerates light frost. Toronto/Windsor: mid-to-late April. Vancouver: early-to-mid March. Ottawa/Montreal: late April. Calgary/Edmonton/Winnipeg: early-to-mid May.
Can I grow cabbage twice in one season?
Yes, in most of Canada. Spring crop from an early-winter indoor start; fall crop from a second sowing indoors in early-to-mid summer. The fall crop is sweeter for the light frost it experiences before harvest.
What is clubroot?
A soil-borne disease that swells and rots brassica roots. No cure once soil is infected — prevented only by a strict 3–4 year rotation away from brassicas and keeping soil pH above 7.0.
Should I direct sow or transplant cabbage?
Transplant in most of Canada — it saves 3–4 weeks the short season can't spare. Direct sowing is only practical in coastal BC's long, mild season.