When to plant Chinese Cabbage in Temperate Australia
Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.
Sow Chinese Cabbage direct where it is to grow in a tight window of July to August, dropping seed at 6 mm into a rich, firm bed. It germinates fast in 6–12 days, and seedlings are thinned to stand 30 cm apart with 40 cm between rows. Heads are ready in a quick 60–80 days, making it one of the faster brassicas to harvest. That narrow late-winter sowing is deliberate: in temperate gardens from Melbourne to Adelaide, it lets plants head up in the cool of spring before the heat that would otherwise send them straight to seed.
Sowing calendar — temperate zone
Green months are your sowing window: July to August.
Growing notes
Chinese cabbage is hardy but notoriously quick to bolt, which is why the sowing window here is confined to July and August. Sown then, plants develop and firm their hearts as the weather warms gently through spring; sown later into lengthening days and heat, they run to flower before forming a head. It wants full sun, fertile moisture-retentive soil and, above all, steady watering.
The two failure modes are bolting and pests. Bolting is triggered by heat, dry soil, or a check to growth after transplanting, so sow direct, keep the water constant, and never let plants dry out or stall. If you have raised seedlings, plant them out while very young to reduce the shock that can prompt bolting.
On pests, Chinese cabbage is a magnet for cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, aphids and slugs. The cleanest control is exclusion netting or a fine mesh cover placed over the bed from sowing, which keeps butterflies from laying on the leaves in the first place. Check under leaves regularly, and use a light straw mulch to deter slugs and hold moisture. Feed with a nitrogen-rich liquid fertiliser every couple of weeks to drive the fast, leafy growth that produces a tight, sweet heart, and harvest promptly once heads are firm, as standing too long invites splitting and bolting.
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?
- Bolting is triggered by heat, dry soil or a growth check, which is why sowing is limited to July and August in temperate zones. Sow direct, keep the water constant, and harvest promptly so plants head up in the cool of spring before warm weather sets in.
- How do I protect Chinese cabbage from caterpillars?
- Cover the bed with fine exclusion netting from sowing to stop cabbage white butterflies laying on the leaves. Check under leaves regularly for eggs and caterpillars, and a straw mulch helps deter slugs as well.
- How long does Chinese cabbage take to grow?
- It is quick for a brassica, forming firm heads in about 60–80 days from sowing. Steady watering and regular feeding keep growth fast, which produces the tight, sweet hearts and helps avoid bolting.
- Can I grow Chinese cabbage in spring in Adelaide?
- It is best sown in July and August so it hearts up in the cool of early spring. Sowing later into Adelaide's warming spring risks the plants bolting to seed before they form a proper head.
Track chinese cabbage in your garden — sow dates, harvest countdowns, reminders. Free.
Add to my garden