When can you plant ornamental cabbage?
Samuel Coleman
Published May 27, 2026
When can you plant ornamental cabbage?
Ornamental cabbages and kales do not tolerate summer heat, so you need to start plants from seed in mid-summer, or purchase transplants at your local garden center. Sow seeds about six to 10 weeks before the expected date of the first frost in your area.
Can I plant ornamental cabbage in the spring?
They’re considered hardy in USDA growing zones 2-11, but since hot weather inhibits leaf color and causes the stems to elongate, it’s best to grow them in the spring or fall.
How long does it take for ornamental cabbage to grow?
75 to 90 days
Sometimes called ornamental cabbage and kale, these bold rosettes nearly, but not quite, steal the autumn show from brightly colored chrysanthemums and pansies. If grown from seed, flowering cabbages and kales can take from 75 to 90 days to mature.
How do you grow ornamental cabbages?
Ornamental cabbage can be planted in the ground directly if purchased in a nursery pot, but it can also be sown in spring. Sow at the end of spring in a nursery and transplant directly to the plot about 1 month after sowing. Placing them usually happens in spring, after the last frost spells.
Does ornamental cabbage come back every year?
The plant with the large smooth leaves is considered the ornamental cabbage while the plant with the fringed ruffled leaves is considered the ornamental kale. They are considered an annual which means they will not grow back the following season.
Is ornamental cabbage toxic to dogs?
Because dogs, especially, will eat large amounts, it is important to keep pets and these plants apart….Table 1: Non-toxic plants by common name.
| Common name | Latin or scientific name |
|---|---|
| C | |
| Cabbage kale | Brassica oleracea |
| Cabbage tree | Cordyline australis |
Does ornamental cabbage grow back?
Do cabbage plants keep producing?
ANSWER: Cabbage plants do not produce multiple heads on their own. Keep on cultivating it as if it was a new plant, and before long, the little sub-heads will expand to the size of a fist.
Where is the best place to plant a cabbage plant?
Where to Plant Ornamental Cabbage Plants? Ornamental cabbage plants grow well in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. Choose a location in full sun or partial shade with rich, well-drained soil. Avoid locations where the soil becomes muddy or where water collects in puddles.
Is it safe to grow ornamental cabbage in the garden?
Ornamental cabbage plants are prone to the same pests and diseases as cabbage and kale grown in the garden, but much less so given the time of year. If noticed, treat with appropriate biological controls. Did you find this helpful? Share it with your friends!
What kind of soil does a cabbage plant need?
Ornamental cabbage plants grow well in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. Choose a location in full sun or partial shade with rich, well-drained soil.
When to sow cabbage seeds in the garden?
If you choose to start your ornamental cabbage from seeds yourself, you should sow your seed three to four month before you want the full size plants to transfer to you flowerbeds. At the latest, start your seeds six to 10 weeks before the first frost date for your area.
What season does cabbage grow best in?
In areas with mild winters like the low desert of Arizona, cabbage grows best during the winter season. In the low desert of Arizona, plant cabbage seeds from the end of August through December.
When to plant cabbage outdoors?
Start Cabbage seeds indoors several weeks prior to planting. Seedlings can be transplanted outdoors early in the spring a couple of weeks prior to the last frost. For fall crops, plant outdoors in mid to late July.
When to plant cabbage plants?
Planting Time. Cabbage seeds planted at the end of the summer, in August or late September, should easily germinate in the warm soil and warmer temperatures of the ending growing season. Cabbages may also be planted later in the year, during the fall, as long as the soil temperatures average around 50 degrees.
Does cabbage plant grow from leaf?
Ornamental cabbage and kale are cool-season biennials planted in the fall. This means they grow their vegetative leaves the first year and then send up flowers the second year that produce seeds before the plant dies. However, they’re primarily treated as an annual for their showy foliage and then removed from the garden.
