[Objective] The purpose of the study was conducted to clarify the effect of fertilization on cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) yield and N, P, and K nutrient absorption. We expected to provide scientific basis for fertilization reasonably in Lanzhou City.[Methods] A spring cabbage variety "Zhonggan 21" that is cultivated widely in Gansu Province was used as test material in this experiment. Field fertilization with CK (no fertilizer), PK, NK, NP and NPK treatments was carried out in Lanzhou City, Gansu Province in 2013. Dry matters of the cabbage and contents of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O in it were examined respectively at each growth stage. The influences of different fertilizer combination treatments on N, P₂O₅ and K₂O contents and cabbage yield were analyzed, and the absorption rates of N, P and K at different growing stages were explored.[Results] The accumulated amount of dry matter of cabbage exhibited a "S" shaped line. The biomass was relatively low at seeding stage, and increased rapidly after cabbaged phase, but increased slowly and steadily at maturity stage. Nitrogen fertilizer was found having a great influence on biomass at each stage. Phosphate and potash were found having less influences on it. It proved that different fertilizer treatments significantly affected the contents and absorption rates of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O. The results showed that the rates of absorption of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O gradually increased from seedling stage to maturity stage. It also promoted nutrient content. In particular, the N and P accumulations improved obviously at cabbage phase, but K accumulation appeared a great increase at rosette stage.[Conclusion] Ratios of N, P and K fertilizers could significantly affect cabbage biomass, nutrient content and accumulation, nutrition use efficiency and yield. The most important factor is nitrogen fertilizer, the second one is phosphate, the influence from potash is the lowest.