Can Cabbage Grow in Freezing Temps?

Best Temperature

• Cabbage grows best when the daytime temperatures stay between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Even when nighttime temperatures are significantly colder -- hovering around freezing -- cabbage can grow and thrive. Mature plants can often survive some in warmer temperatures, such as when the temps rise to about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Freezing Temps

• As a cold-hardy vegetable, cabbage is well adapted to survive freezing temperatures, especially when the heads become more mature. Many cabbage plants can live through temperatures that dip to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. If the freezing temperatures persist, the cabbage plants may bolt before the heads have completely formed. Cold weather, between freezing and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for at least 10 days can cause the plants to flower, which marks the end of that plant's growing season.

Spring Planting

• Because the cabbage needs at least 60 days to grow and must mature before the full heat of summer arrives, plant when the weather is still cool, such as four to six weeks before the expected last frost of spring. This gives the plants plenty of time to mature before being damaged by the heat. This time frame often exposes the cabbage to a few freezing temperatures, but usually not enough to harm the plant. If you live in an area with long, harsh winters, start the seeds inside and transplant the seedlings outside about four weeks later when at least four leaves have fully formed.

Fall Planting

• With fall planting, you must plant the seeds while it's still rather hot so the maturing heads can develop after the weather cools but before constant freezing temperatures arrive. Ideally, the harvest date should fall about two weeks after the first expected frost of the fall. If your area typically frosts around the first week of October, back up 60 to 70 days, which would put you planting your cabbage in late July or early August. The Old Farmer's Almanac website offers a list of estimated frost dates for various areas of the U.S.