Hybrid · 60–70 days from transplant
cool-season · timing varies by zone
Grows well in
Raised Bed ✓
In-Ground ✓
Container/Pot ✓✗
Grow Bag ✓✗
Meet This Plant
Stonehead is the cabbage that earned its reputation by being nearly impossible to mess up. The heads are dense, round, and solid, averaging 4–6 pounds, and they are less likely to crack even if you don't harvest them the moment they're ready. That holding ability alone sets it apart from most cabbages, which gives you one less thing to stress about.
It's a hybrid variety, so seed saved from it won't grow true to type, but what you get in return is reliable, consistent performance every single time.
Cabbage can be a lot. If you want to grow it without it becoming a whole thing, grab this one.
What it tastes like: Mild and slightly sweet raw, with a tender crisp texture. Braised or cooked low and slow it turns silky and sweeter. Less bitter than most cabbages you've had from the store.
How to Grow It
Sun
Full sun, at least 6 hours daily. Less sun means slower maturation and looser heads.
Water
About 1–1.5 inches per week. Uneven watering causes heads to crack. Mulching helps retain moisture.
Sowing Details
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Depth¼–½ inch
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Spacing18–24 inches
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Row Spacing24–36 inches
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Thinning18–24 inches
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Germination6–10 days
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Days to Maturity60–70 days from transplant
When to Plant
For spring, start indoors 4–6 weeks before your last frost. Transplant out 2–3 weeks before your last frost when daytime temperatures are consistently in the 40s to 50s°F.
For fall, start indoors in midsummer and transplant out 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost, once daytime temperatures begin dropping below about 75°F.
Zones 7–8
For fall, start seeds indoors in late summer and transplant once daytime temperatures start dropping below 80°F, typically 8–10 weeks before your first fall frost. This is your most reliable season.
For spring, start seeds indoors in late winter and transplant while daytime temperatures are still in the 50s to 60s°F, typically 4–6 weeks before your last frost. Get them in early. Heads forming in warm weather won't size up properly.
Zones 9–11
Fall through early spring is your window. Start seeds indoors in late summer or early fall and transplant once temperatures begin cooling. In the warmest zones, you may be planting well before you ever see frost.
Grow Friend Tips
Don't rush the harvest but don't ignore it either
Stonehead holds in the field longer than most cabbages without splitting, which is one of its best qualities. Once the head feels solid and dense when you squeeze it, it's ready. Check it every few days once you're in the window. A head that's left too long in warm weather will eventually crack even on a variety that resists it.
Cabbage is a heavy feeder
Side dress with compost or a balanced fertilizer a few weeks after transplanting. Nitrogen matters most early on when the plant is building leaves. Nutrient-poor soil produces loose, disappointing heads. Rich soil makes a noticeable difference.
Rotate it every year
Don't plant cabbage where any brassica grew in the last three years. Stonehead has built-in resistance to Fusarium yellows and black rot, but rotation is still your best defense against clubroot and other soil-borne diseases that can build up over time.
Row cover early keeps the worst pests off
Flea beetles shred seedlings fast. Get row cover on at planting and leave it until plants are well established. Cabbageworm shows up later so check the undersides of leaves weekly and pick them off by hand. Bt is an option if populations get out of hand.
Keep the moisture consistent
Cabbage heads crack when the plant gets uneven water, especially after a dry spell followed by heavy rain or watering. Consistent moisture through the whole season is the best defense. Mulching around the base helps a lot.
Container growing needs room
Cabbage needs significant root space to form a full head. If you're growing in a container or grow bag, go with at least 10 gallons. Anything smaller and the head won't size up properly.
Companion plants
Dill
Nasturtium
Marigold
Garlic
Onion
Celery
Chamomile
Harvest & What to Do With It
When it's ready
Stonehead is ready at 60–70 days from transplant when the head feels solid and dense when you squeeze it. The heads should be 4–6 pounds and about 6 inches across. Don't wait for a specific size. Firmness is the real signal. If it feels like a bowling ball it's ready.
How to harvest
Cut the head at the base of the stem with a sharp knife. Leave a few outer leaves intact to protect the head during storage.
Yield
One head per plant. Plant a full packet at good spacing and you'll have a generous harvest of solid heads ready within a few days of each other.
Short-term storage
Refrigerate unwashed with outer leaves on in a loose bag or loosely wrapped. Keeps 2–3 weeks. Cut cabbage should be wrapped tightly and used within a few days.
Long-term storage
✅
Root cellaring: One of the best root cellar vegetables. Store whole heads at 32–40°F with high humidity. Keeps 3–4 months.
✅
Freezing: Blanch shredded or wedged cabbage 1–2 minutes, ice bath, dry well, freeze flat then bag. Keeps up to 12 months. Best for cooked dishes.
✅
Fermenting: Makes excellent sauerkraut. Shred finely, salt, pack tightly into a jar, ferment at room temperature for 1–4 weeks. Keeps months in the fridge once fermented.
✅
Refrigerator pickling: Quick pickled with vinegar, salt, and spices. Ready in a few hours and keeps several weeks in the fridge.
❌
Pressure canning: There's no USDA or NCHFP tested recommendation for canning plain cabbage. Don't attempt it. Ferment, refrigerator pickle, freeze, or root cellar instead.
❌
Water bath canning: Not safe for plain cabbage. Pickled cabbage in an acidified brine is fine.
What to cook
Raw and shredded into coleslaw where the dense crisp texture holds up without going soggy. Braised low and slow until silky and sweet. Added to soups and stews where it holds its shape better than most greens. Stuffed with meat and rice and baked. Fermented into sauerkraut and piled onto a bratwurst. Stonehead does all of it well.
Seed Storage & Saving
| Variety |
Stonehead Cabbage |
| Type |
Hybrid |
| Seeds per packet |
~150 seeds |
Storing unused seeds: Keep somewhere cool, dark, and dry. Viable 3–5 years.
Seed saving: Stonehead is a hybrid variety. Seeds saved from it won't grow true to type. Buy fresh seed each season.
