Cabbages, broccoli and kale need 45 to 60 cm each
Short answer
Plant cabbage, broccoli and kale 45 cm apart in rows 60 cm apart. Cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli need 60 cm each way, and Brussels sprouts 60 cm apart in rows 75 cm apart. In a square foot garden each takes a whole square, and purple sprouting broccoli four.
Cabbage sowing calendar
From the VegLog crop library. Change the frost dates to match your garden.
Last frost around 20 April, first frost around 31 October.
- Sow indoors
- early February to mid-May
- Sow outdoors
- late March to mid-Junelate July to late August
- Plant out
- late March to late Juneearly September to mid-October
- Harvest
- early March to mid-Maymid-June to late February
Most brassicas need between 45 and 60 cm of space. Plant cabbage, broccoli and kale 45 cm apart in rows 60 cm apart. Cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli need 60 cm each way, and Brussels sprouts 60 cm apart in rows 75 cm apart. They look tiny when planted, but by autumn the leaves fill the gaps.
The plant spacing calculator works out how many fit in your bed.
Spacing chart
| Crop | Between plants | Between rows | Per 30 cm square |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | 45 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Broccoli (calabrese) | 45 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Kale | 45 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Cauliflower | 60 cm | 60 cm | 1 |
| Brussels sprouts | 60 cm | 75 cm | 1 |
| Purple sprouting broccoli | 60 cm | 60 cm | 1 per 4 squares |
Why brassicas need the space
Brassicas are big, leafy plants that stand in the ground for months, some from spring until the following spring. A cabbage at 45 cm looks lonely in May. By September its outer leaves have met its neighbours’.
Crowding causes three problems:
- Smaller heads. Cabbages and cauliflowers both make smaller heads, and cauliflowers may “button”, making a tiny curd early.
- Disease. Damp, still air between leaves encourages mildew and leaf spots.
- Access. You need to reach in to net, check for caterpillars and pick.
Adjusting the spacing
Spacing is partly a choice with cabbages. At 30 to 35 cm apart you get smaller heads that are a better size for a small household. Spring cabbages, planted in autumn, are often set 30 cm apart, and every other one is cut early as spring greens, leaving the rest to heart up.
Kale can go a little closer, 40 cm, if you pick the lower leaves regularly. Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli are tall plants that stand all winter, so give them their full space, and stake them before the autumn winds.
In raised beds
In a raised bed, set cabbage, broccoli and kale 45 cm apart each way. A 2.4 m by 1.2 m bed holds two rows of five, ten plants. Use the space between young plants for a quick crop of lettuce or radishes, which are picked before the brassicas need the room.
Planting brassicas firmly
Whatever the spacing, brassicas need firm soil. Tread the bed before planting, plant a little deeper than the pot, and firm each plant in with your heel. Net against pigeons and cabbage white butterflies straight after planting, with the net held clear of the leaves.
Brassicas are one rotation group, along with radishes, turnips and swedes. Our crop rotation planner shows where they should go next year.
Questions people also ask
Can I plant cabbages closer together?
Yes, for smaller heads. Cabbages 30 cm apart give small, kitchen-sized heads, which many growers prefer. Cauliflowers don't like it, though, and may make tiny curds if crowded.
How deep should brassicas be planted?
Plant them a little deeper than they were in the pot, with the lowest leaves just above the soil, and firm them in hard. A plant you can wobble by the leaves isn't firm enough.
Why are my Brussels sprouts loose and open?
Usually loose soil. Brussels sprouts need firm ground and staking against the wind. Planting into freshly dug soil, or not firming in, gives open, blown sprouts.
Dates set to your own frost dates
VegLog works out sowing and planting times for your town, then reminds you when each job is due.
