When to plant Chinese Cabbage in Cool Australia
Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Sow Chinese cabbage direct from January to March or August to December, placing seed 6 mm deep in rich, moisture-retentive soil. It germinates fast, in 6–12 days, and races to a full head in just 60–80 days. Thin to 30 cm apart, with 40 cm between rows. This hardy, quick brassica does best in the steady cool of autumn and early spring around Ballarat, Orange and Hobart, where cool weather keeps it from bolting. Sow into settled, cool conditions and keep it growing fast and unchecked for tender, well-filled hearts.
Sowing calendar — cool zone
Green months are your sowing window: August to March.
Growing notes
Chinese cabbage is hardy and quick, but it is also notoriously bolt-prone, and that is the failure mode to plan around in a cool zone. Cold snaps after sowing and lengthening spring days both trigger it to run straight to a flower stalk instead of forming a head. Autumn sowings from January to March are the safest bet, maturing in the cooling weather; for spring, wait until the worst cold has passed rather than sowing at the first mild day.
Speed is everything with this crop. Grow it in soil enriched with compost, keep it evenly moist, and never let it dry out or stall, as any check invites bolting and toughens the leaves. A quick-grown head in 60–80 days is sweet and crisp; a stressed one is bitter and loose.
As a brassica it is a magnet for pests. Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, aphids and slugs all target it, and the neatest defence is a fine insect-exclusion net laid over hoops from sowing, which keeps the moths off before they can lay. Check under leaves regularly and hose off aphid colonies early.
Harvest the whole head once it feels firm, cutting at the base. Left too long in warming weather it splits and bolts, so pick promptly once ready.
Chinese Cabbage at a glance
| Sowing depth | 6 mm |
|---|---|
| Plant spacing | 30 cm |
| Row spacing | 40 cm |
| Germination | 6-12 days |
| Days to maturity | 60-80 days |
| Frost tolerance | Hardy |
| Method | Sow Direct |
Common questions
- Why does my Chinese cabbage bolt instead of forming a head?
- Chinese cabbage bolts in response to cold snaps after sowing and to lengthening spring days. Sow into settled cool weather rather than at the first mild day, keep it growing fast without any check, and favour autumn sowings that mature as the weather cools.
- How do I protect Chinese cabbage from caterpillars?
- Lay a fine insect-exclusion net over hoops from the moment you sow. This keeps cabbage white butterflies from landing and laying eggs on the plants. Also check under the leaves for aphids and hose off any colonies early.
- When is the best time to sow Chinese cabbage in a cool climate?
- Autumn sowings from January to March are the most reliable in cool districts like Orange and Hobart, as the plants head up in cooling weather. Spring sowings from August work too, but wait until the hardest cold has passed to avoid bolting.
- How long does Chinese cabbage take to grow?
- It is a fast crop, germinating in 6–12 days and forming a full head in 60–80 days. The key is to keep it growing quickly and unchecked with rich soil and steady moisture, so the head is sweet and crisp rather than tough.
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