How to grow Napa Cabbage
Updated October 2026
Napa cabbage, or Chinese cabbage, forms tall, crisp, pale heads with a mild, sweet flavor, the classic cabbage for kimchi and stir-fries. It is a fast cool-season crop, but it bolts easily: both hot weather and a long spell of cold in spring can send it to flower. Fall is the most reliable season almost everywhere, from late summer sowings in the North to fall and early winter plantings in the South.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Napa Cabbage
Not to be confused with: Napa cabbage is a Brassica rapa, a relative of bok choy and turnip, not of round head cabbage. Tatsoi and bok choy are its leafy cousins.
Where to plant
Grow napa cabbage in full sun in rich, moist, well-drained soil with plenty of compost and a near-neutral pH. It grows fast and needs steady water and nutrients to form firm heads.
Bolting is the main challenge. Hot weather and long days push plants to flower, and in spring, a long exposure to cold can also trigger bolting, so spring plantings should go out after the risk of frost. Fall crops, which mature into cooling weather and shortening days, are the most dependable. Rotate it with crops outside the cabbage family.
- Florida and the Gulf South: sow or transplant in September and October (to November in Central Florida) for heads in late fall and winter. In North Florida, a January planting can also work.
- Texas and the Desert Southwest: sow from August to November for fall and winter heads.
- California: sow from late summer through fall, and in late winter in mild coastal areas.
- Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow in July and August for fall; spring sowings need bolt-resistant varieties planted out after frost.
- Northeast, Midwest, Mountain West, Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest: sow in July to early August for fall heads; spring plantings are riskier.
- Hawaii: sow in the cooler months. Alaska: sow from May to July; the cool summer suits it.
Choosing a variety
Napa (barrel) types form short, wide, dense heads; Michihili types form tall, narrow heads. For spring or warmer conditions, choose slow-bolting hybrids such as Blues.
How to plant
- Work compost and a balanced fertilizer into the bed.
- Sow seed directly 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, or start transplants 3 to 4 weeks ahead in cell trays; napa dislikes root disturbance, so transplant young.
- Thin or plant 12 to 18 inches apart.
- Cover with floating row cover against flea beetles and cabbage worms.
- Mulch to keep the soil cool and moist.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist; drought stress causes tough leaves, tipburn and bolting.
Napa cabbage is a heavy feeder. Side-dress with nitrogen a few weeks after transplanting to keep growth fast.
Harvesting
Cut heads at the base once they feel firm and dense when squeezed, usually 60 to 80 days from sowing. Harvest before warm weather or any sign of a flower stalk. Light frost improves flavor, but harvest before a hard freeze.
Trim loose outer leaves, bag the heads and store them in the fridge for a few weeks.
Growing in pots
Napa cabbage grows in a large pot at least 12 inches deep with rich potting mix, one plant per pot. Keep it watered and fed.
Using it
Use napa cabbage for kimchi, stir-fries, soups, dumpling fillings and crunchy slaws. It is milder and more tender than round cabbage.
Companion planting
Napa cabbage fits a cool-season bed with other quick crops. Keep it in the cabbage-family rotation.
Good companions
- Onion A slim crop that shares the bed without shading.
- Dill Its flowers draw small wasps that attack cabbage caterpillars.
- Beet A low root crop that grows alongside.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to napa cabbage.
- Strawberry A perennial bed is best kept separate from the brassica rotation.
- Tomato A summer crop with different timing and needs; brassicas and tomatoes are best kept in separate beds.
Pests and diseases
Napa cabbage shares the pests and diseases of the cabbage family. Row covers and rotation prevent most problems.
Pests to watch for
- Cabbage worms Green caterpillars and ragged holes in the leaves and heads.
- Flea beetles Many tiny holes in seedling leaves.
- Aphids Gray, waxy clusters deep inside the heads.
- Slugs and snails Holes in leaves and slime inside the heads in damp weather.
Diseases to watch for
- Clubroot Wilting plants with swollen, distorted roots; avoid beds where brassicas had it.
- Black rot V-shaped yellow patches at the leaf edges with blackened veins.
- Downy mildew Yellow patches with gray fuzz underneath in cool, damp weather.
Common questions
Why does my napa cabbage keep bolting?
Heat and long days are the usual cause, and in spring a long spell of cold can also trigger bolting. Grow it in fall, plant spring crops out after frost risk, choose slow-bolting varieties and keep it watered.
When should I plant napa cabbage?
For most of the US, sow in mid to late summer for fall heads. In Florida, the Gulf Coast and the Southwest, plant in fall for winter heads. Choose your region at the top of the page for the months.
How do I know when napa cabbage is ready?
When the head feels firm and dense when squeezed, usually 60 to 80 days from sowing. Harvest before any flower stalk appears.
What is the difference between napa and Michihili cabbage?
Both are Chinese cabbages. Napa types form short, wide barrel-shaped heads; Michihili types form tall, narrow heads.
Is napa cabbage the same as bok choy?
They are the same species but different types. Napa forms a tight head, while bok choy forms loose, upright stalks.
Sources we checked: University of Delaware Cooperative Extension: Greens (Asian, mustard, turnip).
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