When to plant cabbage in Philadelphia

Cabbage is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Philadelphia's frost dates of Mar 28.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Feb 14 – Mar 7
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Mar 7 – Mar 28
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 16 – Jun 15
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Step 4 · Second sowing
Autumn / second sowing
Jul 24 – Aug 7
A second window for a fall crop, timed to mature before the first frost.
Step 5 · Second harvest
Autumn crop harvest
Oct 9 – Nov 8
Maturity window for the second sowing.
Window
Days to maturity
70 – 100 d
Philadelphia's 234-day season leaves this much room.
Cabbage on Philadelphia's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
MAR 28
NOV 22

Common questions

When will cabbage be ready to harvest in Philadelphia?

Expect to harvest from around mid May (May 16–Jun 15) in Philadelphia, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 78%.

When should I start cabbage seeds indoors in Philadelphia?

Start seeds indoors around mid February (Feb 14–Mar 7) in Philadelphia, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 83%.

When can I transplant cabbage outdoors in Philadelphia?

Transplant outdoors around early March (Mar 7–Mar 28) in Philadelphia, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 87%.

Can I plant cabbage in autumn in Philadelphia?

Yes — Philadelphia supports a second, autumn sowing of cabbage around late July (Jul 24–Aug 7), timed to mature before the first fall frost.

How long is the growing season in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia has roughly 234 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow cabbage to maturity outdoors.

The rule of thumb

Sow cabbage as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Philadelphia's frost dates.

Confidence 87/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.