Cabbage is a cool-season crop that thrives when temperatures are moderate. In Georgia, successful planting requires precise timing to ensure the crop matures before the extremes of summer heat or deep winter freezes. The state’s diverse geography, including mountains, rolling hills, and a coastal plain, creates varied microclimates that strongly influence the ideal planting window. This climate variation necessitates a segmented approach for both spring and fall planting across the state.
Understanding Georgia’s Climate Zones
Georgia spans multiple USDA Hardiness Zones, ranging from 6b in the mountainous north to 9a along the coast. This indicates a wide difference in winter minimum temperatures. Gardeners typically simplify the state into three distinct planting regions: North Georgia, Central Georgia, and South Georgia. North Georgia, due to its higher elevations, experiences the latest average last spring frost and the earliest first fall frost. Central Georgia, encompassing the Piedmont region, has a moderate schedule, while South Georgia and the coastal areas enjoy the longest growing season. Frost dates are the primary reference points used to determine when to safely plant cabbage outdoors.
Spring Planting Schedule
The goal for the spring cabbage crop is to ensure heads mature before the intense heat of late May and June causes the plants to bolt (prematurely flower). For the earliest start, most gardeners rely on transplants rather than direct seeding. In South Georgia, transplants can be safely set out as early as late January or the first half of February. Central Georgia gardeners wait until late February or early March. North Georgia, due to its cooler climate, typically delays planting until late March or early April, ensuring the danger of a hard freeze has passed.
The regional delay in planting allows the crop to establish itself during the cool, moist spring weather. Setting out transplants too late will result in plants attempting to form heads during the high temperatures of early summer. Cabbage requires consistent temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal growth. If direct seeding is preferred, seeds should be sown about four weeks before the last expected frost.
Fall Planting Schedule
The fall season is often the more reliable time for growing cabbage in Georgia because the crop matures as temperatures decrease. This avoids the severe heat stress and common diseases that plague the spring crop. Planting for a fall harvest requires a reverse calculation, ensuring the plants reach full maturity (70 to 90 days) before the first significant freeze. Gardeners must start seeds indoors during the hot summer months to give the plants a head start. For Central Georgia, seeds are typically started in mid-July to early August.
The young plants are transplanted once the extreme summer heat has subsided, generally in late August or early September for the Central region. North Georgia must transplant about two weeks earlier, setting plants out in mid-August to account for a sooner first frost. South Georgia can transplant as late as mid-September due to its later first frost date. This timing allows the cabbage to develop its characteristic sweet flavor as it is exposed to the cooling temperatures of late autumn.
Starting Methods: Seeds or Transplants
Gardeners can start cabbage from direct-sown seeds or pre-grown transplants, with each method offering distinct advantages based on the season. Transplants are widely preferred for the spring crop because they save four to six weeks of growing time. This allows the plants to mature earlier and escape the summer heat. These young plants should be short, compact, and show a good green color upon planting. For the fall crop, starting seeds indoors is necessary because mid-summer soil temperatures are too high for good germination. Seeds are sown indoors in plug flats six to eight weeks before the planned outdoor transplant date.
Before moving seedlings outdoors, a process called hardening off is necessary to acclimate them to outdoor conditions. This involves gradually exposing the plants to sun, wind, and cooler temperatures over one to two weeks. When planting, transplants should be set at the same depth they were growing in their containers. Proper spacing, typically 12 to 18 inches between plants, ensures the cabbage has enough room to form a dense, healthy head.