Repotting guide

When & how to repot Savoy Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. sabauda 'Savoy King')

Also called Savoy cabbage, curly cabbage.

More about savoy cabbage

About Savoy Cabbage

Brassica oleracea var. sabauda 'Savoy King' · also called Savoy cabbage, curly cabbage · edible

Savoy is a hardy heading cabbage with crinkled, blistered leaves forming a loose, tender head. The most cold-tolerant cabbage type, it stands through autumn and winter and sweetens with frost. Grow in full sun in firm, fertile, alkaline-leaning soil, keep it consistently moist, net against cabbage pests, and harvest heads as they firm up.

Mature size: 30-45 cm tall and wide; heads 15-25 cm across

Watch for — Cabbage root fly: Larvae attack roots and stem bases, wilting and killing young plants. Fit brassica collars at the stem, net the bed, and rotate crops to break the pest cycle.

How to tell savoy cabbage needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For savoy cabbage, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot savoy cabbage on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot savoy cabbage

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Savoy Cabbageis grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Biennial grown as an annual; a compact rosette of crinkled outer leaves wrapping into a rounded, slightly loose head atop a short stem..

What size pot to step savoy cabbage up to

Pot savoy cabbage on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot savoy cabbage

Pot savoy cabbage on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting savoy cabbage

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check savoy cabbage regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water savoy cabbage in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for savoy cabbage

Savoy Cabbage wants firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5. Wants rich, deeply dug, firm ground on the alkaline side; lime acidic soils to deter clubroot. Plenty of organic matter feeds the heavy crop, and firm planting keeps heading cabbages stable and well-anchored. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting savoy cabbage — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot savoy cabbage?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for savoy cabbage. Savoy Cabbage is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into firm, fertile, well-drained soil, ph 6.5-7.5 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does savoy cabbage need?

When is the best time of year to repot savoy cabbage?

Can you put savoy cabbage straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing savoy cabbage should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise savoy cabbage after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting savoy cabbage. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.