When to Plant Chinese cabbage in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Also called wombok, napa cabbage.
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Chinese cabbage guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Apr to Aug
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 35 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.0–7.0
Wombok (also called Chinese cabbage, napa cabbage, or wong bok) forms tall, barrel-shaped heads of crinkled, pale green leaves.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr S
- May S/T
- Jun S/T (likely to bolt)
- Jul S/T (likely to bolt)
- Aug T (likely to bolt)
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Amber = likely to bolt if sown this month, it matures into heat or long days.
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How to Grow Chinese cabbage in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moisture-retentive soil with plenty of compost and aged manure. Needs good drainage but consistent moisture.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun in cool weather. Part shade (afternoon) in warm zones to prevent bolting.
- Spacing
- 35cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Consistent moisture critical. Water deeply 2-3 times per week. Mulch to retain moisture. Irregular watering or drought stress triggers bolting. Drip irrigation preferred.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill
- Keep away from
- Strawberry, Tomato
- Grow before it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
- Grow after it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
Give the bed 3 turns before brassicas go back in. The cabbage family is hungry for nitrogen and shares club root and other soil diseases.
Tropical Growing Tips for Chinese cabbage
Recommended Varieties
- Michihilli
- One Kilo SB (bolt-resistant)
- Wong Bok
Key Challenges
- Bolts rapidly in warm/long-day conditions
- Extreme pest pressure
- Humidity causes rot and fungal diseases
Pro Tips
- Only plant in the dry season when day-lengths are short
- Choose bolt-resistant varieties specifically bred for tropical conditions
- Insect netting is essential from day one
Pests and problems for Chinese cabbage in Tropical
Harvesting Chinese cabbage
When ready: Head is firm and solid when gently squeezed. Typically barrel-shaped, 25-35cm tall. Outer leaves may begin to flare. Head has a dense, compact feel.
How to harvest: Cut at base with sharp knife. Can harvest entire head or remove outer leaves progressively for loose-leaf use. Harvest in cool of morning.
Storing and preserving chinese cabbage
How to keep it
- Freezing. Shred or chop wombok. Blanch 1 minute in boiling water. Ice bath, drain thoroughly. Pack into freezer bags removing air. Best used in cooked dishes after freezing (texture changes). Keeps: 8-10 months.
- Dehydrating. Shred finely. Blanch 1 minute, cool, drain. Spread on dehydrator trays. Dry at 55C for 6-10 hours until crisp. Store in airtight containers. Rehydrate for soups and stir-fries. Keeps: 6-12 months.
- Kimchi. Quarter wombok, salt generously (50g per kg), let stand 2-12 hours. Rinse. Make paste of gochugaru, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar. Mix with wombok and other vegetables (radish, spring onion). Pack into jars, press down to eliminate air pockets. Ferment 2-5 days at 18-22C, then refrigerate. Keeps: 3-12 months refrigerated.
What chinese cabbage costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Chinese cabbage
When do you plant chinese cabbage in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Aug Likely to bolt if sown in June, July and August.
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Feb to Jun
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Feb to May, Jul to Sep Likely to bolt if sown in September.
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Apr
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan to Mar, Dec Likely to bolt if sown in December.
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Feb to May
- Mediterranean (Perth): Feb to May, Aug to Sep Likely to bolt if sown in September.
Can you grow chinese cabbage all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Aug. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather. Likely to bolt if sown in June, July and August.
What else is chinese cabbage called?
Chinese cabbage is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it wombok, napa cabbage. Same plant, same growing advice.
When should I plant Chinese cabbage in Cairns?
Dry season only. Start seed in trays from April to July and plant out from May to August. Wet season humidity and heat make it bolt.
What soil temperature do Chinese cabbage need?
Chinese cabbage germinate best when soil temperature is between 7°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Chinese cabbage are ready to harvest?
Head is firm and solid when gently squeezed. Typically barrel-shaped, 25-35cm tall. Outer leaves may begin to flare. Head has a dense, compact feel.
What are the best Chinese cabbage varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Michihilli, One Kilo SB (bolt-resistant), Wong Bok.
What grows well with Chinese cabbage?
Good companion plants for Chinese cabbage include: Nasturtium, Dwarf Beans, Onion, Cucumber, Dill.
Are chinese cabbage salt tolerant?
Only a little. Chinese cabbage are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.