Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
A cool-season cole crop raised in a nursery and transplanted, not sown direct. The head only stays tight and unsplit on steady moisture — a dry spell followed by heavy irrigation bursts mature heads open and drops their grade overnight.
- Crop type
- Vegetable (cole crop)
- Season
- Rabi (cool season)
- Suitable states
- 10+ major states
- Growing duration
- 90–120 days (after transplant)
- Water requirement
- Moderate & steady
- Temperature
- 15–25°C
- Soil type
- Well-drained loam, high organic matter
- Difficulty level
- Moderate
- Expected yield
- 250–400 q/ha
- Key pest
- Diamondback moth
Overview
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) is a leading cool-season vegetable in India, grown mainly as a winter crop in the plains and almost year-round in the hills. It is transplanted from a nursery, never sown directly in the field.
The crop is fast and heavy-yielding — a good field runs 250–400 quintals per hectare — but the produce is perishable and the price swings sharply, so timing the crop to a good market window matters as much as growing it well.
The two things that decide a cabbage crop are pest control and steady moisture. Diamondback moth is the make-or-break pest, and irregular irrigation — a dry spell then a flood — bursts otherwise good heads open. This guide keeps returning to both.
Crop timeline, sowing to harvest
A quick visual map of the season — jump to any section below for the detail behind each stage.
- Day 0
Transplanting
4–5 week seedlings set at 45×45 cm into a well-manured bed and watered in at once.
- Day 5–7
Establishment
Roots take hold; gap-fill any casualties within a week so the field matures evenly.
- Day 20–30
Rosette growth
The plant builds its frame of outer leaves — nitrogen and weed-free conditions here decide head size.
- Day 35–45
Cupping
The inner leaves begin to cup and fold inward, the first sign of head formation.
- Day 50–70
Head formation
The head fills and tightens; steady moisture is critical, and diamondback moth pressure peaks.
- Day 70–90
Head firming
The head becomes solid and firm to the squeeze — the point to plan harvest around.
- Day 90–120
Harvest
Cut solid heads promptly; mature heads left standing, especially after uneven watering, split open.
Suitable states
States where this crop is grown at scale, highlighted below. Your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra is still the final word for your specific block.
- Jammu and Kashmir
- Himachal Pradesh
- Punjab
- Uttarakhand
- Haryana
- Delhi
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Bihar
- Jharkhand
- West Bengal
- Sikkim
- Assam
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Meghalaya
- Nagaland
- Manipur
- Mizoram
- Tripura
- Gujarat
- Madhya Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
- Maharashtra
- Odisha
- Goa
- Telangana
- Andhra Pradesh
- Karnataka
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Puducherry
- Ladakh
- Chandigarh
Grown here
Climate requirements
Cabbage is a cool-season crop that heads properly only in mild weather. Sown too early into heat it makes loose, poor heads; grown through a cold, even winter it makes tight, heavy ones. Match the variety’s maturity to your local cool window.
Ideal temperature
15–25°C ideal; heads best in cool weather, and quality suffers above 30°C
Rainfall
Grown mostly on irrigation in the plains; heavy rain at head maturity causes rot and splitting
Humidity
Moderate; prolonged wet leaves encourage black rot and downy mildew
Sunlight
Full sun; a long, cool growing spell gives the best heads
Soil requirements
Avoid acidic soils below pH 5.5, which favour club root, and avoid growing cabbage after other cole crops (cauliflower, mustard) in the same field, which builds up shared diseases and club root.
Suitable soil
Well-drained loam and clay-loam rich in organic matter; tolerates a range if drainage is good
pH range
6.0–7.5
Drainage
Good drainage with steady moisture — neither waterlogged nor allowed to dry out fully
Organic matter
High; responds strongly to 20–25 t/ha of well-rotted FYM
Land preparation
Same four steps whichever region you are in — only the timing shifts with the sowing window.
- 1
Fine, manured bed
Two or three ploughings with 20–25 t/ha of well-rotted FYM worked in, then harrowing to a fine tilth for transplanting.
- 2
Raise a healthy nursery
Sow the nursery on raised beds 4–5 weeks ahead; treat seed and drench beds against damping-off, the disease that kills seedlings before they ever reach the field.
- 3
Basal fertiliser and beds
Apply basal phosphorus, potash and part of the nitrogen and form flat beds or ridges suited to your irrigation.
Seed information
How the main varieties compare, so you can pick by duration, yield, disease pressure or what you are growing for.
| Variety | Duration | Yield | Disease resistance | Best state | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Golden Acre Early, small, round, solid heads — a reliable open-pollinated variety for the early crop. | 60–70 days (after transplant) | Medium | Moderate | Punjab | Early crop, home & near market |
Pride of India Popular open-pollinated variety with medium, compact heads. | 70–80 days | Medium–high | Moderate | Uttar Pradesh | Main-season crop |
Pusa Mukta IARI variety with some tolerance to black rot, useful where the disease is a problem. | 80–90 days | Medium–high | Tolerant to black rot | Delhi NCR | Black-rot-prone areas |
F1 hybrids (e.g. Green Express, BC-76) Uniform, high-yielding hybrids with tight heads and good holding ability in the field. | 70–90 days | High | Variable by hybrid | Maharashtra | Commercial, uniform harvest |
Pusa Drum Head Late variety with large, flat, heavy heads for the main winter market. | 90–100 days | High | Moderate | West Bengal | Late crop, large heads |
- Seed rate
- 300–500 g/ha to raise the nursery for one hectare
- Certified seed
- Use fresh certified or reputable hybrid seed. Hybrid seed cannot be saved, and cheap unbranded seed is a common cause of uneven maturity and loose heads that fetch a poor price.
- Spacing
- 45 cm between rows × 45 cm within the row (closer for early small-headed varieties)
- Seed treatment
- Treat seed with Thiram or Carbendazim against damping-off, and dip seedling roots in a fungicide-plus-insecticide solution at transplanting to protect against early root pests and disease.
Sowing guide
Harden the seedlings by reducing water for a few days before transplanting, and set them in the cool of the evening. Transplanting old, spindly seedlings, or into the heat of the day, sets the crop back and gives uneven heads.
- Best time
- Nursery July–October and transplanting August–November in the plains, staggered by maturity group; year-round in the hills
- Row spacing
- 45 cm
- Plant spacing
- 45 cm within the row
- Sowing depth
- Transplant seedlings to the same depth they grew in the nursery
- Method
- Transplant sturdy 4–5 week seedlings in the evening and water in immediately
Fertilizer schedule
A split dose beats one large dose applied at sowing — nitrogen especially is lost to the air and to leaching if it all goes in on day one.
- 1
Basal (at transplanting)
Day 0
Full phosphorus and potash with one-third of the nitrogen — around 40 N : 60 P₂O₅ : 60 K₂O kg/ha basally, on a base of 20–25 t/ha FYM.
- 2
First top-dressing
Rosette (25–30 days)
One-third of the nitrogen at active leaf growth, followed by an irrigation and earthing-up.
- 3
Second top-dressing
Head initiation (45–50 days)
The remaining nitrogen as the heads begin to form, to fill them out.
- 4
Micronutrients
As needed
Boron and molybdenum sprays where soils are deficient prevent hollow stem and poor head fill.
Irrigation schedule
1. After transplanting
Day 0–7
Light, frequent irrigation to establish the seedlings.
2. Rosette growth
20–40 days
Regular irrigation every 8–10 days in winter to build leaf frame.
3. Head formation
50–80 days
The critical stage — keep moisture even and never let the crop stress then flood.
Critical stages
- Rosette growth (25–40 days)
- Head formation and firming (50–80 days)
Water-saving tips
- Mulching between rows keeps soil moisture even, which is exactly what prevents head splitting.
- Drip irrigation delivers the steady moisture cabbage needs while using far less water than flooding.
- Avoid a heavy irrigation onto a dried-out crop near maturity — it is the direct cause of burst heads.
Weed management
Organic control
- Mulching with straw or crop residue suppresses weeds and, importantly, holds even soil moisture.
- Hand weeding at 20 and 40 days with earthing-up keeps the crop clean and steadies the plants.
Chemical control
- Pre-emergence Pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i./ha after transplanting, on moist soil, controls early weeds.
- One or two manual weedings with earthing-up handle the rest through the crop.
Nutrient deficiency identification
What a shortage of each nutrient actually looks like on the plant, so you can tell a deficiency apart from a disease before you spray the wrong thing.
Nitrogen
Visible symptom
Pale, small older leaves and a slow-growing plant that makes an undersized head.
Boron
Visible symptom
Hollow, browned stem inside the head and corky, cracked petioles — a classic cole-crop deficiency.
Molybdenum
Visible symptom
Narrow, distorted leaves (less severe than the whiptail seen in cauliflower) and poor head fill on acidic soils.
Potassium
Visible symptom
Scorching and browning of older leaf margins and loose, poorly filled heads.
Calcium
Visible symptom
Browning of the inner leaf margins (internal tip burn) hidden inside the head, worst with erratic moisture.
Diseases to watch for
Symptoms, likely cause and what actually treats it — not just a spray name.
Black rot
- Symptoms
- V-shaped yellow lesions spreading in from the leaf margins, with blackened veins; the whole plant can wilt and rot.
- Cause
- Xanthomonas campestris, a bacterium spread by seed, water splash and tools — worst in warm, wet weather.
- Treatment
- No cure once systemic; remove affected plants and avoid working the field when wet. Copper sprays slow spread.
- Prevention
- Use disease-free or treated seed and black-rot-tolerant varieties, rotate away from cole crops for 2–3 years and avoid overhead irrigation.
Downy mildew
- Symptoms
- Pale-yellow patches on the upper leaf surface with a greyish downy growth beneath, worst on seedlings and in cool, wet weather.
- Cause
- Hyaloperonospora parasitica, favoured by cool, humid, wet conditions.
- Treatment
- Spray Mancozeb or Metalaxyl-Mancozeb at first appearance and repeat as needed.
- Prevention
- Avoid dense nurseries, ensure air movement and treat seed.
Club root
- Symptoms
- Swollen, distorted, club-like roots; plants wilt in the day, are stunted and never form proper heads.
- Cause
- Plasmodiophora brassicae, a soil-borne organism that persists for years, worst on acidic, waterlogged soils.
- Treatment
- No effective in-crop cure; remove and destroy affected plants.
- Prevention
- Lime acidic soils to raise pH, ensure drainage, and rotate cole crops out of infested fields for several years.
Alternaria leaf spot
- Symptoms
- Dark brown spots with concentric rings on the outer leaves, which merge and cause the leaves to yellow and die.
- Cause
- Alternaria brassicae, favoured by warm, humid weather.
- Treatment
- Spray Mancozeb or a recommended fungicide at first appearance.
- Prevention
- Treat seed, rotate crops and remove debris after harvest.
Pests to watch for
What to look for before the damage is visible, and organic options before you reach for a chemical.
Diamondback moth
- Identification
- Small green caterpillars on the leaf underside that wriggle backwards when touched and skeletonise the leaves, leaving a windowpane appearance.
- Damage
- The single most important cabbage pest — heavy feeding on leaves and into the head ruins the crop and its market grade.
- Organic control
- Bt sprays, pheromone traps, neem and, importantly, conserving natural enemies by not spraying broad-spectrum insecticides early.
- Chemical control
- Rotate recommended insecticides (the pest resists many quickly); apply based on scouting, not calendar, and never spray only one chemical repeatedly.
Cabbage aphid
- Identification
- Dense grey-green colonies of soft insects on the leaf undersides and in the developing head.
- Damage
- Sap loss stunts plants, and colonies inside the head make it unsaleable.
- Organic control
- Neem oil sprays, yellow sticky traps and conserving ladybird beetles.
- Chemical control
- A recommended insecticide when colonies build, directed at the leaf underside.
Cabbage butterfly / leaf webber
- Identification
- Larger green or hairy caterpillars, sometimes webbing leaves, that chew large holes in the foliage.
- Damage
- Defoliation and contamination of heads with frass.
- Organic control
- Hand-pick the conspicuous caterpillars and spray Bt.
- Chemical control
- A recommended insecticide when damage crosses threshold.
Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera)
- Identification
- Gregarious young caterpillars skeletonising leaves in patches, later large and dispersing to feed at night.
- Damage
- Rapid defoliation of young plants in a severe attack.
- Organic control
- Destroy egg masses and gregarious larvae, use pheromone traps and NPV.
- Chemical control
- Spot-spray a recommended insecticide on infested patches before larvae disperse.
Common mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost growers the most, ranked by how often they show up in the field — not in the order you might expect.
- 1
Letting the crop dry out and then giving a heavy irrigation near maturity.
Why it hurts
Mature heads take up water suddenly and burst open — the single biggest cause of lost market grade in cabbage.
- 2
Relying on one insecticide against diamondback moth.
Why it hurts
The pest develops resistance fast; the spray stops working and the crop is lost to caterpillars boring into the heads.
- 3
Sowing the wrong maturity group for the season.
Why it hurts
An early type in a long winter, or a late type sown late, makes loose, poor heads that never tighten.
- 4
Transplanting old, spindly, overgrown seedlings.
Why it hurts
The crop is set back, matures unevenly and makes small heads.
- 5
Growing cabbage after cauliflower or mustard in the same field.
Why it hurts
Shared diseases and club root build up in the soil, and each successive cole crop suffers more.
- 6
Skipping seed treatment and nursery drench.
Why it hurts
Damping-off wipes out patches of the nursery, and black rot enters the crop on infected seed.
- 7
Under-manuring the field.
Why it hurts
Cabbage is a heavy feeder; a poorly manured field makes small, light heads whatever the fertiliser dose.
- 8
Ignoring boron on a deficient soil.
Why it hurts
The stem inside the head turns hollow and brown, downgrading heads that otherwise looked fine.
- 9
Leaving mature heads standing in the field for a better price.
Why it hurts
Heads split, over-mature and rot, and the gamble usually loses more than it gains.
- 10
Harvesting and stacking heads in the sun without cooling.
Why it hurts
A perishable crop wilts and yellows fast; heads must be cut in the cool, kept shaded and moved to market quickly.
Harvesting
When the heads are solid and firm to a squeeze but before they over-mature and split — usually 90–120 days after transplanting depending on variety. Harvest in the cool of the morning and move heads to market or cool storage quickly.
Signs it is ready
- Head solid and firm under gentle pressure
- Head reached the size typical of the variety
- Outer wrapper leaves still fresh and green
Tools
- Sharp knife to cut the head with a few wrapper leaves
- Crates for careful handling
- Shade for holding heads before transport
Expected yield
250–400 q/ha for a well-managed hybrid crop; 200–300 q/ha for open-pollinated varieties
Post-harvest & storage
Storage
Cabbage is perishable — it keeps only a few days at room temperature but 4–6 weeks near 0–4°C with high humidity in cold storage. Trim to a few wrapper leaves and keep out of the sun.
Packaging
Stack heads carefully in crates or nets with the wrapper leaves on to cushion them; avoid bruising, which invites rot.
Transportation
Move quickly to market in the cool, ideally overnight; a perishable crop loses grade with every hot hour in transit.
Shelf life
A few days at room temperature; several weeks in proper cold storage — best sold fresh rather than stored.
Market prices
Today's mandi price near you, pulled live from the government's own Agmarknet data.
Live daily mandi prices from the government Agmarknet dataset.
Synced from data.gov.in (Agmarknet). Rates are ₹ per quintal.
Weather
Current conditions and a 5-day outlook for your selected location, with one line of stage-aware advice.
Pick your state for current conditions and a 5-day outlook.
Live data from Open-Meteo
Profit calculator
Your own cost sheet, expected yield and selling price — not ours.
Where the money goes
Share of the total cost per acre, using the calculator’s own default cost sheet below — adjust the numbers there to match your field and this picture will no longer apply to you exactly, but the ranking rarely changes.
- Labour31% (₹14,000)
- Land rent20% (₹9,000)
- Fertiliser13% (₹6,000)
- Pesticide & weedicide11% (₹5,000)
- Irrigation9% (₹4,000)
- Seed6% (₹2,500)
- Machinery6% (₹2,500)
- Interest4% (₹2,000)
Official downloads
Government and ICAR documents only — everything below is hosted on an official server.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my cabbage heads split open?
Almost always irregular moisture — the crop dries out and then takes up a lot of water suddenly, usually after a heavy irrigation or rain onto a stressed crop, and the mature head bursts. Keep soil moisture even (mulching and drip help) and harvest solid heads promptly rather than leaving them standing.
How do I control diamondback moth on cabbage?
It is the crop’s hardest pest and resists insecticides quickly, so never rely on one chemical. Scout the leaf undersides twice a week, use Bt sprays, pheromone traps and neem, conserve natural enemies by avoiding broad-spectrum sprays early, and rotate between different recommended insecticides only when scouting shows you need to.
Can I sow cabbage seed directly in the field?
No — cabbage is always transplanted. Raise seedlings in a nursery for 4–5 weeks, harden them off, and transplant sturdy plants at 45×45 cm. Direct sowing gives a weak, uneven stand and wastes the small, relatively costly seed.
What spacing and how much seed does cabbage need?
Space plants about 45×45 cm (closer for small early varieties), which needs roughly 300–500 g of seed to raise the nursery for one hectare. Correct spacing gives each plant room to make a full head.
Why is the stem inside my cabbage head hollow and brown?
That is boron deficiency, common on light or high-pH soils. It hollows and browns the internal stem and cracks the petioles even when the head looks fine outside. Apply borax to the soil or as a foliar spray where your soil test shows a shortage.
When is cabbage ready to harvest?
When the heads are solid and firm to a squeeze, usually 90–120 days after transplanting depending on the variety. Harvest promptly once firm — leaving heads standing for a better price risks them splitting and over-maturing.
Still have questions?
The FAQs above cover the common ones. For anything specific to your field and soil, your nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra is the authoritative answer.