Hybrid

Bishop

Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Wikimedia Commons

For summer and fall crops. Bishop has well-wrapped heads, excellent vigor, and wide adaptability.

Harvest

65d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun to partial shade

☀️

Zones

6–9

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

10-24 inches

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Direct Sow

Harvest

Showing dates for Bishop in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 brassica →

Zone Map

Click a state to update dates

Bishop · Zones 6–9

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing18-24 inches

SoilWell-drained loam, fertile, slightly acidic to neutral (pH 6.0-7.5)

WaterRegular, consistent moisture (1-1.5 inches per week)

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorMild, tender, and sweet with minimal bitterness, ideal for fresh eating and cooked applications.

ColorGreen

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	April – May	June – July	June – July	August – September
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	May – July	July – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	January – February	February – December
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	January – February	February – December
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	January – February	February – December
Zone 3	March – April	May – June	May – June	July – October
Zone 4	March – April	May – June	April – June	June – October
Zone 5	February – March	April – May	April – May	June – November
Zone 6	February – March	April – May	April – May	June – November
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	March – May	May – November
Zone 8	January – February	March – April	March – April	May – December
Zone 9	January – January	February – March	February – March	April – December
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	January – March	March – December

Succession Planting

Bishop produces one head per plant, but you can stagger your harvest across the season with two plantings. In zone 7, start seeds indoors in February or March and transplant out in April to May for a spring crop at 65 days. For fall heads, count back 65 days from your first expected frost and start a second round — usually late July to early August. Fall plants size up in cooling temps and often produce cleaner, tighter curds than spring.

Don't push past two rounds per season. Cauliflower heads fast when nights drop below 50°F, but it stalls and buttons — forms small, premature heads — when daytime highs stay above 80°F for more than a few days running. If your spring window closes before the head fills out, pull the plant. It won't recover once sustained heat sets in.

Complete Growing Guide

For summer and fall crops. Bishop has well-wrapped heads, excellent vigor, and wide adaptability. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Bishop is 65 days to maturity, annual, hybrid (f1). Notable features: Heat Tolerant.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Medium. Propagation: Seed, Stem Cutting. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Bishop reaches harvest at 65 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

The fruits dry and split when ripe.

Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Siliqua. Length: > 3 inches.

Garden value: Edible

Harvest time: Fall, Summer

Edibility: The foliage is edible raw or cooked but when cooked can emit an unpleasant odor.

Storage & Preservation

Store freshly harvested Bishop heads in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator at 32–40°F with 90–95% humidity; proper ventilation prevents rot while maintaining firmness. Expect a fresh shelf life of 10–14 days under these conditions. For longer preservation, blanch florets for three minutes, then freeze in airtight containers for up to eight months—this method retains color and texture better than fresh storage. Alternatively, pickle small florets in vinegar brine for a tangy condiment with a year-long shelf life, or dry thin slices in a dehydrator at 125°F until brittle for soup stocks and seasonings. Bishop's dense, compact head is particularly suited to freezing, as its tight florets resist mushiness better than looser cultivars when thawed and cooked.

History & Origin

Bishop is an F1 hybrid developed through controlled cross-pollination. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: W. Europe

Advantages

+Bishop matures quickly in 65 days, ideal for summer and fall harvests
+Well-wrapped heads reduce splitting and external damage during growth
+Excellent vigor means strong plants with reliable head formation
+Wide adaptability allows successful cultivation across diverse growing regions

Considerations

-Summer heat can cause premature bolting in extremely warm climates
-Requires consistent moisture and rich soil for optimal head quality

Companion Plants

Nasturtiums and marigolds are the most practical choices here, though not quite for the reasons usually given. NC State Extension's IPM guidance is direct about this: most repellent claims for marigolds and garlic are unproven. What does help is the interplanting effect itself — breaking up a solid block of brassica plants slows egg-laying cabbage moths and diamondback moths as they track host crops by scent. Garlic and onions add some odor interference; dill draws parasitic wasps that prey on cabbageworm larvae before they do real damage. Lettuce and spinach work well as fill plants along row edges — shallow-rooted, they don't compete with Bishop's heavier feeding, and they shade the soil enough to hold moisture between waterings. Keep everything spaced so air moves freely; NC State Extension is clear that crowding raises humidity and sets up conditions for black rot (Xanthomonas campestris) and fusarium yellows.

Tomatoes, pole beans, and strawberries are the three to separate out. Tomatoes and brassicas both pull hard on calcium and nitrogen at similar soil depths, so planting them close is a straight competition you don't need. Pole beans fix nitrogen, which sounds like a bonus, but they grow fast and tall — a mature bean plant can shade a developing cauliflower head right through the final sizing stage, which is exactly when Bishop needs unobstructed light to form a tight, white curd.

Plant Together

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, deters cabbage worms

Marigolds

Repels nematodes and cabbage worms with strong scent

Dill

Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage pests

Onions

Repels cabbage root fly, aphids, and cabbage worms with sulfur compounds

Garlic

Deters cabbage loopers and root maggots, improves soil health

Lettuce

Provides ground cover and efficient space use, similar water needs

Spinach

Compatible growth habits and nutrient requirements, maximizes garden space

Celery

Repels cabbage white butterflies and improves flavor of brassicas

Keep Apart

Tomatoes

Competes for nutrients and may stunt brassica growth through allelopathy

Strawberries

Inhibits brassica growth and competes for soil nutrients

Pole Beans

Can shade brassicas and compete for nitrogen in soil

Nutrition Facts

Calories

31kcal(2%)

Protein

2.57g(5%)

Fiber

2.4g(9%)

Carbs

6.27g(2%)

Fat

0.34g(0%)

Vitamin C

91.3mg(101%)

Vitamin A

8mcg(1%)

Vitamin K

102mcg(85%)

Iron

0.69mg(4%)

Calcium

46mg(4%)

Potassium

303mg(6%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #747447)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Common Pests

Cabbage worms, flea beetles, cabbage loopers, diamondback moths

Diseases

Clubroot, black rot, fusarium yellows

Troubleshooting Bishop

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Ragged holes in leaves, sometimes reduced to lace or skeleton, with small green caterpillars visible on undersides

Likely Causes

Imported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae larvae) — hatches from eggs laid by white butterflies
Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) — loopers arch their bodies as they move, easy to ID
Diamondback moth larvae (Plutella xylostella) — tiny, wriggle when disturbed

What to Do

1.Spray Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) every 5–7 days while larvae are small; it stops working once they're large
2.Cover transplants with floating row cover immediately after planting — physical exclusion beats any spray
3.Check the undersides of leaves twice a week and hand-pick egg clusters before they hatch

Tiny, round shot-holes scattered across young leaves, worst on seedlings during warm spells

Likely Causes

Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) — jump when disturbed, overwinter in soil and old plant debris
Seedling stress from heat or inconsistent watering, which slows growth and leaves plants sitting in the damage zone longer

What to Do

1.Row cover at transplant time is the most reliable fix — remove only when plants are well established at 18–24 inches
2.Keep soil consistently moist at 1–1.5 inches per week; plants that are drought-stressed take flea beetle damage harder and recover slower
3.Clear out old brassica debris after harvest — NC State Extension notes that removing plant material disrupts overwintering pest cycles

Plants wilting despite adequate water, with stunted yellow growth and swollen, distorted roots when pulled

Likely Causes

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) — a soil-borne pathogen that can persist for up to 20 years in infected ground
Soil pH below 6.5, which accelerates spore germination and spread

What to Do

1.Pull and bag infected plants — do not compost them; the pathogen moves easily on tools and muddy boots
2.Lime the affected bed to raise pH above 7.0; clubroot activity drops sharply once conditions turn alkaline
3.Rotate brassicas out of that bed for at least 3 years — NC State Extension recommends avoiding same-family plantings in the same spot more than once every three years

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Bishop cabbage from seed to harvest?▼

Bishop cabbage takes approximately 65 days from transplant to maturity. If starting from seed indoors, add 6-8 weeks before transplanting. Direct sowing takes slightly longer. The well-wrapped heads are ready to harvest when they feel firm and dense to the touch.

Is Bishop cabbage good for beginning gardeners?▼

Yes, Bishop is excellent for beginners. It's rated as an easy-to-grow variety with excellent vigor and wide adaptability across different growing conditions. The hybrid nature provides consistent, reliable heads, making it forgiving for new gardeners experimenting with summer and fall crops.

Can you grow Bishop cabbage in containers?▼

Bishop can be grown in large containers (18-24 inches deep minimum) with adequate drainage and rich soil. Container growing requires consistent watering since soil dries faster than in-ground beds. Ensure the container placement receives 4-6+ hours of sunlight daily for optimal head development.

What does Bishop cabbage taste like?▼

Bishop cabbage has a mild, tender flavor typical of summer varieties. The well-wrapped heads develop sweet, crisp leaves with minimal bitterness. The flavor is clean and fresh, making it versatile for both raw and cooked applications in various cuisines.

When should I plant Bishop cabbage for summer and fall harvests?▼

For summer crops, transplant 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost. For fall harvests, start seeds in mid-summer (typically June-July in northern zones) for transplanting in late summer. Bishop's adaptability allows flexible timing, but consistent temperatures between 45-75°F produce the best results.

What spacing do Bishop cabbage plants need?▼

Space Bishop plants 18-24 inches apart to allow adequate room for head development and air circulation. Closer spacing (18 inches) produces smaller heads but higher density yields, while wider spacing (24 inches) promotes larger, fuller heads. Ensure sufficient space to prevent disease issues.