Across the U.S., cabbage ripen from Florida (early January) all the way to Louisiana (mid-December). Hatched chalk is the early and late shoulder; the solid stretch is peak.
Heads should look tight and glossy with crisp wrapper leaves and no yellowing or splitting at the base.
Feel
Squeeze it — a ready head feels rock-hard and heavy for its size, never spongy or loose.
Smell
The cut stem should smell clean and peppery; any sulfur whiff means the head is old.
Tip
Pick heads that still wear a few loose outer leaves — stripped-bare heads have often been tidied up to hide age.
Keeps
Fridge crisper in a loose bag — a hard head keeps a month or more.
U-pick cabbage?
U-pick cabbage is rare — buy heads at fall farm stands and farmers markets instead.
Frequently asked questions
When are cabbage in season?
It depends where you stand. Across the U.S., cabbage ripen from Florida (early January) all the way to Louisiana (mid-December). In most growing states the peak lands around July — your own state's row on the board above is the honest answer.
Which state has the longest cabbage season?
California, where the season runs early January to late December. Long seasons usually mean a big state with more than one growing region inside it.
When are cabbage in season near me?
Pick your state on the what's-in-season board (it remembers you), or jump to your state's row above — each one links to the full cabbage-and-state page.