Early Flat Dutch

Family: Brassicaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Early Flat Dutch to a garden.

Crisp, sweet-scented leaves form a compact, flat-round head that feels satisfyingly dense in the hand—an inviting crunch with a clean, cabbage-forward sweetness.

Early Flat Dutch delivers dependable early harvests, producing attractive blue-green foliage that stays tender and flavorful for fresh use and quick skillet-style meals, as well as classic slaws and tangy ferments.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 55 DaysHabit: Rosette

Botanical illustration of Early Flat Dutch

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Early Flat Dutch Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	May 4th	Jun 1st	Jul 26th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 25th	Jul 19th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 9th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 9th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 19th	Jul 13th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 9th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 13th	Jul 7th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 8th	Jul 2nd – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	May 4th	Jun 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	May 1st	Jun 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 25th	Jun 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 20th	Jun 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 10th	Jun 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Apr 1st	May 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 23rd	May 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Mar 6th	Apr 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 9th	Apr 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 25th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	55
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	45
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	32
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Early Flat Dutch is built for the early, hungry window: its tight, flat head gives you aggressive crunch and a clean, lightly sweet cabbage note before the sulfur bite ramps up. Shred it fine or slice thick—this one keeps its structure under vinegar or dairy and doesn’t collapse into watery cabbage funk.

Best Uses

quick skillet sauté with butter and a splash of vinegar to keep it crisp-tender
shredded slaw where the leaves stay structured under creamy dressings
tangy quick-pickles/ferments (works fast without turning mushy)
core-to-leaf braises where the outer leaves soften while the center keeps bite

Flavor Profile

clean cabbage sweetness snappy, dense crunch blue-green leafiness with a mild brassica bite holds vinaigrette and brine well

Kitchen Pairings

caraway mustard (Dijon-style) butter or browned butter bacon or pork belly apples or apple cider vinegar Greek yogurt or crème fraîche

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects Brassica oleracea var. capitata (Early Flat Dutch cabbage), and how can I control it?

Cabbage often suffers from clubroot (soil-borne), which causes swollen, clubbed roots and wilting even when soil looks moist. To address it, avoid planting Brassicaceae in the same spot for several years, keep soil pH closer to neutral (lime if your test is low), and remove infected plants early. If you see holes and frass on leaves, treat promptly with row cover to exclude cabbage worms and hand-remove visible eggs/larvae when possible.

How often should I water Early Flat Dutch cabbage during the main growing phase?

During head formation (roughly mid-season), keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged—about 1 inch of water per week total, split into 2–3 deeper waterings if it’s hot or windy. Check the bed by feel: the top 1–2 inches should be consistently damp, and you shouldn’t have dry patches that lead to uneven head growth.

How do I tell when Early Flat Dutch cabbage is ready to harvest?

Harvest at about 55 days when the head feels firm to the squeeze and the outer leaves look fully developed without splitting. Cut the head at the base with a sharp knife, and aim to harvest before prolonged heat or heavy rain that can cause cracking. If you notice outer leaves loosening and the head feels less dense, harvest right away.