A row of firm winter cabbages in October is a lot of food, and with a little care it lasts well past Christmas. Late white and red cabbages can keep for months in a cold shed or garage, hanging in nets or on slatted shelves. Savoys are better left standing in the ground and cut as you need them. The things that ruin a stored crop are easy to avoid: picking the wrong types, cutting in the wet, warmth, dry air and fruit stored close by. This guide explains how to store cabbage over winter: which varieties keep, when to cut them, the conditions they need, three ways to store them and what to do with the heads that will not last.
- Best keepers Late white and red ballheads · savoys stay in the ground
- Cut for storing Late October–November · on a dry day, before hard frost
- Conditions 0–4 °C · humid but airy · dark and frost-free
- Keeps 2–4 months in a shed · into March in a cold store
Which cabbages store, and which do not
Not every cabbage is a keeper. Summer and pointed cabbages such as 'Greyhound', 'Spring Salute' or the red pointed 'Kalibos' are bred to grow fast and eat fresh. They have loose, juicy leaves and last a week or two in the fridge at most. The cabbages that store are the late, dense ballheads sown in April and May and harvested in autumn. Dutch growers in North Holland bred their storage strains for exactly this purpose: white 'Langedijker Bewaar' and red 'Langedijker Bewaar 2' (bewaar means "keep"). Their tight, heavy heads, sometimes over 3 kg, were kept in barns through the winter and sold in spring. 'Roem van Enkhuizen' and red 'Roodkop' keep well for a shorter time.
Savoys are the exception. Varieties such as 'Vertus', 'Winterking' and 'Westlandse Putjes' are among the hardiest of all vegetables. They come through hard frost unharmed and taste sweeter afterwards. Their crinkled leaves wilt quickly once cut, though, so the ground is the best place to keep them. Our cabbage growing guide explains the main groups and when to sow each one.
When to cut cabbages for storing
Leave storage cabbages in the ground for as long as the weather allows. They keep growing slowly and cool nights firm up the heads. Cut them in late October or November on a dry day, once the heads are hard when you squeeze them. Do this before the first hard frost, below about −5 °C. Frost damage on the outer leaves of a white or red cabbage opens the way for rot later. A head that is wet when you cut it, or still has frost on it, is far more likely to go mouldy in store. If you have to cut in damp weather, leave the heads upside down in an airy place for a day to dry off.
Cut each head with a knife, leaving a stalk of about 5 cm and two or three tight wrapper leaves. Remove any loose, yellowing or damaged leaves, but do not wash the heads. The wrapper leaves protect the head from drying out. If you prefer, you can pull the whole plant, root and all, and hang it upside down. This old method keeps heads fresh for a long time.
The conditions cabbages need in store
Cabbages like it cold and humid, close to freezing but never below it, at about 0–4 °C. That is different from onions or squash, which want it dry. An unheated shed, garage, cellar or outbuilding with some ventilation works well. A warm utility room or kitchen does not. Above about 10 °C the heads lose moisture, yellow and start to sprout within weeks. If the air is very dry, the outer leaves turn papery. That does no harm, because you peel them off before cooking, and they protect the head while they are there. In a hard frost, cover the heads with an old blanket or a sheet of cardboard.
Keep cabbages away from apples and pears. Ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, which makes cabbage leaves yellow and fall. The cabbages also give the fruit an off flavour. If they must share a shed, store them at opposite ends. Our guide to storing apples and pears has more about fruit storage.
How to store cabbage over winter, step by step
- Choose the soundest heads Only store firm, undamaged heads. Split, soft or slug-eaten heads go in the kitchen first.
- Cut on a dry day Leave a 5 cm stalk and two or three wrapper leaves. Do not wash them.
- Pick a method Hang in nets, set on slatted shelves or straw, or pull and hang the whole plant upside down.
- Give each head space The heads must not touch. Air between them stops rot spreading from one head to the next.
- Check every fortnight Peel off any leaf with grey mould or slime. Use any head that has gone soft right away.
- Eat the earliest varieties first Use the 'Roem van Enkhuizen' types before Christmas and keep the Langedijker storage types for late winter.
Three ways to store cabbages
Nets. Put one head in each net bag, or an old pair of tights, and hang them from the shed roof. Air reaches the whole head and mice cannot get at it. This is the simplest method for a dozen heads or fewer.
Slatted shelves or straw. Set heads stalk-down on wooden slats or a layer of dry straw, with a hand's width between them. This suits larger harvests and makes the fortnightly check easy.
Whole plants, upside down. Pull the plant with its roots, knock off the soil and hang it head-down from a beam. The stalk and roots keep feeding the head with moisture, so it stays crisp for longer.
Cut and store indoors
Dense late ballheads that keep for months.
- White: 'Langedijker Bewaar', 'Roem van Enkhuizen'
- Red: 'Langedijker Bewaar 2', 'Roodkop'
- Cold shed or cellar at 0–4 °C, safe from frost
Leave standing outdoors
Hardy savoys you cut fresh all winter.
- 'Vertus', 'Winterking', 'Westlandse Putjes'
- Frost makes the leaves sweeter
- Net them against pigeons and pick as needed
Leaving cabbages in the ground
Savoys, kale and Brussels sprouts all keep best on the plant. Grow them under netting, because hungry pigeons strip brassicas in winter, and cut savoys whenever you need one. Mature white and red cabbages left out too long can split after heavy rain. If you cannot cut them yet, give each head a quarter turn to snap a few roots. This slows the rush of water into the head. Fleece or a cloche gets them through a cold snap, as described in extending the growing season. See also our guides to kale and Brussels sprouts.
Common mistakes
- Trying to store summer cabbages: pointed and early types are for eating fresh, not keeping.
- Cutting wet or frozen heads: water on the leaves leads to grey mould in store.
- Stripping every outer leaf: the wrapper leaves protect the head. Peel them off in the kitchen.
- A store that is too warm: anything above about 10 °C makes heads yellow and sprout.
- Storing cabbages next to apples: ethylene from the fruit makes cabbages yellow and drop their leaves.
Frequently asked questions
How long does cabbage keep in the fridge?
A whole firm head keeps for about one to two months in the salad drawer, loosely wrapped to stop it drying out. Once cut, use it within a few days.
Can you freeze cabbage?
Yes. Shred it, blanch it for one to two minutes, cool it in cold water, drain it well and freeze it. It is good for cooking but not for coleslaw. Red cabbage can also be cooked with apple and frozen in portions.
What is the best way to preserve a glut?
Make sauerkraut. Shred white cabbage, mix in 20 g of salt per kilo, pack it tightly into a jar so the liquid covers it and leave it to ferment at room temperature for two to four weeks. Red cabbage can be pickled in spiced vinegar.
Where should cabbages go in next year's rotation?
Brassicas do well after peas and beans, such as runner beans, in firm, limed soil. See our crop rotation plan.
A shed with a few nets of cabbages, a box of roots in sand and a row of savoys under netting will keep you in fresh vegetables until spring. Browse the red cabbage, savoy cabbage and cabbage family collections, or all our seeds, and keep our growing guides to hand.
