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Cabbage farming guide for India
Cabbages need heavy nitrogen and constant water.
Key numbers
- SeasonRabiabout 90 days
- Water over the seasonabout 400 mmrain and irrigation together
- Soil pH6.0 to 6.8NPK guide 120:60:60
- Main riskBlack Rotsee the watchlist below
Typical values for India. Your soil test and your local KVK's advice come first.
When and where cabbage is grown
Cabbage is grown as a Rabi crop in India: August-November transplanting in the plains.
Leading states: West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat. Soil moisture is best kept around 60 to 80% of capacity for most of the season.
What to watch on your field
What a weekly satellite and weather view of your own field shows at each stage, and when to walk the field.
Nursery and transplanting
Keep the root zone evenly moist for the first ten days after transplanting to reduce transplant shock.
Vegetative growth
Even greenness across the beds means even watering and feeding; a lagging bed is worth checking.
Flowering and fruit set
Short heat or humidity spikes cause flower and fruit drop and disease. Watch the forecast in this window.
Harvest
Keep watering regular between pickings; irregular watering causes cracking and lower grades.
The main risks for cabbage
Most of these follow the weather. A risky week is a reason to inspect the crop, not to spray by default.
For any spray or dose, ask your KVK or an agronomist. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan never names a product.
- Black RotThe main risk for this crop in India.
- Diamondback mothDegree-day accumulation predicts generation cycles for spray timing.
- Black rotSpreads with warm, rainy weather.
Watering cabbage well
Drip with regular, light irrigation suits most vegetables. Watering on a steady rhythm matters more than the amount on any one day.
Crop water use follows the FAO-56 method: the weather sets a reference demand, and the crop's stage sets how much of it the crop uses. That is why the same field needs different amounts in different weeks.
A weekly message about your own cabbage field.
Watch is free for any field in India: what changed on your field this week, the weather for your village, and a clear note when the satellite cannot see. Decide opens crop by crop after an agronomist reviews each crop model.
1.2 km × 0.9 km · each square 10 m
- Your own field, every week.The squares inside your boundary, compared with your field's own history.
- A clear note when it cannot see.Cloudy weeks and very small plots are named, not guessed.
- Free on Watch.In Marathi, Hindi or English, on WhatsApp.
How each message is made, from which satellites and with which limits: methods and evidence. A real field's year of Sentinel-2 readings, free to download: open data.
Cabbage: common questions
What soil pH does cabbage need?
Cabbage grows best at a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. A soil test before the season is the reliable way to know your own field.
How much water does cabbage need?
About 400 mm over a season of roughly 90 days, from rain and irrigation together. The real need changes with the weather, the soil and the crop's stage, which is why it helps to track your own field week by week.
What is the main disease or pest risk for cabbage?
Black Rot is the main risk. Most risks follow the weather, so a risky week is a reason to inspect the crop. Ask your KVK or an agronomist before any spray.
When is cabbage grown in India?
Cabbage is grown as a Rabi crop: August-November transplanting in the plains.
Which states grow the most cabbage?
Leading states include West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan covers any field in these states: you need WhatsApp and your field's location, nothing installed in the field.