When to plant chinese cabbage (napa) in Washington, District of Columbia

March 3 – March 10

Transplant outdoors · typical Washington year

Climate basis: NOAA station Washington Reagan AP, VA (USW00013743), 3 mi (5 km) from downtown Washington (ZCTA 20004 centroid), elevation 10 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant chinese cabbage (napa) outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (March 24). One year in ten still freezes after April 6.

Last spring freezeMarch 241-in-10 after Apr 6

First fall freezeNovember 181-in-10 before Nov 5

Frost-free season≈ 241 daysmedian at 32°F

Hard freeze, 28°Mar 12 – Dec 3kills even hardy greens

The Washington year

Start seeds indoorsJan 27 – Feb 10

Transplant outdoorsMar 3 – Mar 10

indoors under lights
in the garden
frost-free season
1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 6

Chinese Cabbage (Napa) in Washington · freeze context from Washington Reagan AP, VA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Start seeds indoors

Jan 27 – Feb 10

Arkansas Extension requires transplants no older than "four to five weeks" at setting out, so indoor sowing is counted back 28–35 days from the cited transplant window, giving last spring frost minus 56 to minus 42 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 24). University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center

Transplant outdoors

Mar 3 – Mar 10

Arkansas Extension states "Transplant two to three weeks before the last frost-free date", giving last spring frost minus 21 to minus 14 days; Clemson's warning that spring-frosted seedlings bolt is a caution on the same window, not a competing interval. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 24). Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center

Variety assumption: Offsets assume spring-set transplants of the 45–72 day Napa and Michihili types tabulated by Arkansas Extension; no fall window is encoded because every fall rule found for napa is fixed-calendar ("early to midsummer", "July") rather than frost-anchored.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:

Crop rule sources (3)

University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service: Chinese Cabbage (Home Gardening Series, FSA6066) (accessed 2026-07-25)
"Transplant two to three weeks before the last frost-free date and before the plants are too old (four to five weeks)."
Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center: Chinese Vegetables (accessed 2026-07-25)
"Chinese cabbage is best sown in late summer and autumn rather than spring. If seed is sown in spring, young plants may bolt if they are frosted or exposed to long, cold nights."
Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center: Cabbage & Chinese Cabbage (accessed 2026-07-25)

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