When can you plant Chinese cabbage? How to grow Chinese cabbage in the garden

Growing Chinese cabbage yourself is not difficult at all. Anyone can handle this, be it a beginner or a professional gardener. If you follow the recommendations and rules for growing cabbage at home, then you will definitely be able to do it without much difficulty.

Feature of the view

Chinese cabbage It is unpretentious in care, so there will not be much trouble with it. Since the vegetable is small in size, it will easily fit in a pot at your home. It is its compactness that distinguishes it from other varieties.

On a note. One of the features of this cabbage is that even a used head of cabbage can give a start to a new harvest. Early varieties of Chinese cabbage bear their first fruits a month later; not all types can boast of such an early harvest.

Selecting a location

An excellent place for growing Chinese cabbage would be a window sill or an enclosed balcony.

When placing it on a windowsill, choose windows facing south. If this is not possible, do not worry, the western and eastern sides will also work. But a window sill with windows facing north is not suitable at all, since the cabbage will not have enough sunlight.

In late spring and early autumn, Chinese cabbage should be placed on a balcony or glassed-in veranda.

What varieties are suitable?

Before growing Chinese cabbage at home, you should think about which varieties are best suited. Early ripening varieties with small rosettes are perfect.

  • Spring– This is an early ripening variety, the fruits appear within a month. The leaves are light green with a wrinkled surface and taste sour. Changing the environment does not affect the plant. The spring easily survives a limited amount of light and a decrease in temperature.
  • Vesnyak– after the sprouts appear, it reaches ripeness within 25-30 days. The vegetable weighs a little, about 250 grams. This variety is valued for its taste and high content of vitamin C. The greens are juicy and tender.
  • Khibiny- an early ripening variety, which is most often grown in apartments. The plant is cold-resistant. In winter, 25-35 days after the seeds are sown, a head of cabbage with a spreading rosette is formed. The leaves of this species are soft and juicy and are used in salads.

Features of landing on the balcony

Important! The location of the balcony is of great importance, because light is very important. The south, southwest and southeast sides are the most suitable places for growing Chinese cabbage. On cloudy days it is necessary to provide additional light using lamps.

The balcony should not be open; growing is only allowed in a glazed version. When cold weather sets in, cabbage is brought inside. By growing cabbage on the balcony, you can get vitamin-rich greens all year round.

Step-by-step instructions for growing

From the stalk

Chinese cabbage loves life so much that growing it at home is possible even from a stalk. It's quite simple. If you take things seriously, you will definitely succeed.

From seeds

The most commonly used method is . How to do it correctly:


On the windowsill

You can easily grow Chinese cabbage in your apartment on the windowsill.

  1. Seeds are sown in fairly deep boxes with soil. The distance between rows should be about 8 cm.
  2. Before emergence, the box is covered with film and placed in a warm place.
  3. When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the box is moved back to the window. The window sill is the best place, since there the cabbage will receive enough sunlight.

When to harvest?

Harvest time depends directly on the variety of Chinese cabbage. Early varieties can ripen in literally 25 days, but later varieties take more than a month and a half to ripen. Usually the harvest is harvested in late spring if planting was in spring. If you decide to plant cabbage at the end of summer, you will harvest the fruits in the fall.

How to store it?

Peking cabbage should be stored in a cool and dry room with a temperature of 0..+2 degrees.

Problems and difficulties

You need to carefully monitor watering; the soil should not be too moist. If you have chosen the growing method using a stalk, then do not forget that at the initial stage of growth, excessive exposure to direct sunlight is contraindicated.

You may also encounter a pest problem. The main ones are aphids and cruciferous flea beetles. When fighting pests, use herbal remedies: decoctions of wormwood or chamomile.

The peculiarity of Chinese cabbage is that it can be grown not only in open ground or a greenhouse, but also at home on the windowsill. Many people want to learn this vegetable themselves. And how - read on our website.

Conclusion

Chinese cabbage is a delicious vegetable that can easily be grown at home. If you follow all the instructions, you will get tender, juicy cabbage leaves that are perfect for a variety of dishes.

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In recent years, Chinese cabbage has almost become equal in popularity to the vegetables traditionally loved in Russia. Having appeared everywhere, in almost all retail outlets, this type of cabbage very quickly fell in love with customers for its taste and beneficial properties. And now amateur gardeners across the country are trying to grow it themselves. Despite the apparent simplicity of the process, getting a good harvest of this crop is not so easy; you need to know and follow some rules. This article will talk about methods of growing vegetables - how to sow Chinese cabbage directly in open ground, how to plant seedlings, as well as some of the features of this crop.

How does Chinese cabbage grow?

This cabbage is cultivated in two main ways - direct sowing in open ground or pre-growing seedlings. Each of these methods has both advantages and some difficulties. This species, like most other representatives of the cruciferous family, is quite resistant to cold, and when grown in long daylight conditions, it begins to shoot and bloom, which negates the efforts of gardeners, because the formation of heads of cabbage stops. The same can happen at too low temperatures, so Pekinka can be called a rather demanding crop in terms of light and temperature conditions.

Thus, the important factors when growing cabbage are:

  • sowing time;
  • composition of the soil mixture;
  • lighting;
  • temperature regime;
  • watering;
  • feeding

In addition to the above conditions, it should be remembered that when growing a crop by any method, it cannot be “overfed” with fertilizers, since it tends to accumulate nitrates. The watering regime also requires care and compliance with certain requirements inherent in each method of growing cabbage. Having studied in detail all the features of a particular method, every gardener can choose the option he likes.

Seedling growing method

If you plant Chinese cabbage as seedlings in the spring, in addition to the above, you need to pay attention to such a factor as the difficulty of survival after transplantation. Cabbage seedlings are difficult to tolerate even simple transshipment. This disadvantage of the seedling method of cultivation can be overcome if you immediately sow the seeds in peat pots, with which you subsequently plant the seedlings in a permanent place.

Sowing time

Chinese cabbage seeds are sown depending on the climatic characteristics of the region. IN middle lane In Russia this is the last ten days of March and the beginning of April. In the southern regions, this period shifts back by about a month: the last ten days of February - the beginning of March. In colder latitudes - mid or late April. If you want to harvest for a long time, then you need to sow seeds for seedlings in several stages with an interval of 7 or 10 days.

Soil composition

This crop loves fertile, light-textured soils that are well ventilated and do not allow moisture to stagnate.

When growing seedlings at home, humus or coconut fiber, as well as non-acidic peat, are added to the substrate.

Sowing seeds

In containers (pots) for sowing filled with substrate, you need to sow 2 - 3 pcs. seeds in each to a depth of no more than 1 cm. Lightly moisten the soil, cover with film or a bag, creating a mini-greenhouse and place in a warm place. Usually the first shoots appear on the 3-4th day. After they appear, the containers with seedlings are moved to a well-lit, warm windowsill. Further, everything depends on careful care (timely watering and carefully loosening the soil around the sprouts in order to prevent the formation of an earthen crust). After 2 weeks of cultivation, the strongest one is selected from several hatched shoots, the rest are removed.

Transplanting sprouts

After the Chinese cabbage seedlings form the first 5 true leaves on each sprout, it is time to transplant into open ground. This is approximately 4 - 5 weeks after germination. A few days before transplanting, you need to reduce watering to a minimum so that the soil dries out. When transplanting seedlings in peat pots, the root system will not be disturbed, and watering can not be stopped.

In the bed prepared in advance, you need to make holes in such a way that the root neck of the plant does not end up underground. When replanting in peat pots, the soil level is leveled to the level of the ground in the pot. The holes are prepared at a distance of at least 0.25 m from each other, in a checkerboard pattern. After planting, the seedlings need to be watered well, especially if the transplantation was carried out by transshipment.

Method of sowing in open ground

Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground from sown seeds has its own characteristics regarding sowing time, temperature conditions, etc. Although this crop is quite cold-resistant (seeds germinate already at a temperature of +3 +4 degrees), it must be sown in the ground after the threat of return frosts has passed.

It will survive a short-term drop in temperature to sub-zero values ​​(down to -3), but if frosts recur, the seedlings may die. Therefore, in regions of risky farming, it is recommended to sow cabbage under film, in a greenhouse or greenhouse.

Sowing time

In central Russia and more northern regions, it is recommended to sow pekinka in late April - early May (first sowing) in order to obtain several harvests. Then sowing is done in the summer (in the second half of July). In the southern regions, sowing in protected soil can be done as early as March, and in just one season cabbage can be sown in the south 3 times (the last time in early September). Since the growing season of different varieties ranges from 30-40 to 60 days, in warm regions you can harvest 3 crops per season.

Preparing the bed

You need to plant Chinese cabbage in open prepared soil with seeds, choosing a sunny place protected from the winds. Holes are made in previously loosened soil, humus is added there, and several seeds are sown in each of them to a depth of no more than 1 cm, similar to how seedlings are sown. After thorough watering, the crops should be covered either with film or each hole with a trimmed plastic bottle, which will allow you to create optimal conditions for seed germination without the cost of a greenhouse or greenhouse.


As already mentioned, when there is more than 12 hours of daylight (which is typical for spring and early summer), instead of heads of cabbage forming, cabbage may start bolting and flowering, which is undesirable. Therefore, experts recommend artificially reducing lighting by covering the plantings with a dark, opaque material (non-woven material or geofabric is best).

To prevent the accumulation of nitrates and other harmful compounds as a result of excessive fertilization, agronomists advise applying fertilizers only twice: when planting seedlings or when sowing seeds in the ground, and after a few weeks (preferably a month) adding a small amount of organic fertilizers (mullein, chicken droppings, etc.). d.).

In conclusion, it is worth noting that Chinese cabbage and growing it from seeds, as well as seedlings, is a fascinating process. The reward in the end will be a bountiful harvest of this healthy vegetable, rich in vitamins and microelements.

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How to grow Chinese cabbage in open ground - from seed to dense head

Not everyone knows how to grow Chinese cabbage in open ground, since many fail, it often blooms, and gardeners do not understand what to do. Correct technology and adherence to agricultural technology, planting, timing and competent selection of varieties will avoid many difficulties. We will tell you how to grow a delicious vegetable from seeds at home, and also provide photos for your reference.

Varieties of Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage or Chinese head lettuce is gaining unprecedented popularity. This unpretentious culture surpasses taste qualities many members of the cruciferous family. Providing your family with early vegetables is not at all a problem, since growing lettuce in open ground is much easier than any other crop. Cold-resistant and early ripening, the crop is a source of many vitamins and microelements that people need so much in the spring.

Before planting a vegetable on your plot, you should choose varieties suitable for the region. Over the past 10 years, breeders have created hundreds of types of Chinese lettuce of varying maturity. Dutch varieties are resistant to flowering and also immune to disease.

Universal hybrid varieties are ideal for cultivation in the conditions of Central Russia, Siberia and the Middle Urals:

  • Russian Size is an ideal late variety for Siberia and northern regions, producing large heads of medium density
  • Cha-Cha is a mid-season hybrid that produces heads weighing up to 3 kg
  • Orange Mandarin and Yuki - super-early varieties that form dense small heads of cabbage, suitable for growing throughout the summer
  • Hydra is a mid-season salad hybrid that forms loose heads of cabbage
  • TSHA 2 - a variety similar to the hybrid Hydra, producing loose heads of cabbage for salad purposes
  • Vesnyanka - an ultra-early variety that hardly forms heads of cabbage, ideal for salads

Manoko F1 and Bilko F1 cabbage performed well when grown in regions with a fairly cool climate.

For summer residents from the Volga region, there is a pressing concern that the crop blooms before it forms a head. The climate here is mild, the days are longer than in northern latitudes and plants often shoot. Therefore, under mild climatic conditions, it is advisable to grow varieties that are initially resistant to flowering - Nika, Bokal, Yuki, TSHA 2 and others.

How to plant Chinese cabbage with seeds - timing and technology

It is necessary to sow this crop during periods of short daylight hours. In the Moscow region, suitable dates start in mid-April; in Siberia and the Middle Urals, seeds are planted in open ground in the first ten days of May. If you want to get earlier harvests in these latitudes, you should plant lettuce in seedlings. This needs to be done at the end of April, and the seedlings are transferred to the beds in early May. In the southern regions of Russia, it is recommended to cultivate the vegetable from the end of March.

To get a second harvest, lettuce is sown again towards the end of summer. It is worth considering that there should be 2 months left before the onset of frost. In Siberia and the Middle Urals, this period begins in the last ten days of July; in the Moscow region, re-sowing should begin in the first half of August. In the Volga region, the dates should be moved closer to the third ten days of August.

The standard algorithm for sowing beds in spring is as follows:

  1. The soil must be prepared in the fall by adding 4 kg of humus, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and potassium sulfate per square meter. Then the bed is dug deeply and left until spring. If it was not possible to prepare the place in the fall, fill the bed only with well-rotted manure
  2. 2-3 days before sowing, the bed is watered with warm water. Holes are dug in the bed according to a pattern of 50 x 50 cm for large cabbage varieties, 35 x 35 centimeters when sowing medium-sized types. 20 x 20 cm when sowing leaf varieties. Then the bed is covered with film to make the soil warmer
  3. On the day of sowing, seeds are placed in the holes and covered with a 2-3 cm layer of sifted humus. The crops are watered with warm water and covered again with film.

Caring for lettuce in open ground

This culture does not tolerate high temperatures. This is the first thing that makes it bloom even in the ideal light conditions for it, which is why the crop is sown so early. To avoid the formation of a flower arrow, gardeners should pay attention to other points:

  • daytime temperature - not lower than +15 degrees and not higher than +22;
  • temperature at night - not lower than +8 degrees
  • soil moisture is stable without sudden changes at 60-70%

To adhere to these parameters, during especially hot periods, it is recommended to cover the cabbage beds with agrofibre. During the warmest hours, such beds are watered with sprinkling to locally reduce the temperature and prevent the sprouts from overheating. Such permeable shelter will also prevent sudden temperature fluctuations, which also lead to the early formation of flower arrows.

It is recommended to water daily in hot weather. The soil should be constantly moist, but not wet. Once a week, watering is combined with fertilizing. You need to be extremely careful with them, because Chinese lettuce is prone to the accumulation of nitrates, you should not use mineral nitrogen, Beijing lettuce will react much better if you add:

  • infusion of chicken manure (a glass per plant)
  • mullein infusion (a glass per plant)
  • infusion of weeds (0.5 l per plant)

Before applying such organic fertilizers to the soil, they are diluted with water 1 to 5. Additionally, you can use complex fertilizers for vegetables or green crops in accordance with the instructions for use on the package.

It is recommended to weed and loosen crops in open ground with extreme caution, since damage to the root system leads to the formation of inflorescences. A thick mulch of peat or sawdust will help to avoid accidental damage; it is scattered over the surface of the beds after 4-6 true leaves have formed on the cabbage.

Due to the climatic characteristics of the zoned areas, growing Chinese cabbage in our country has its own difficulties. Ignorance of them can cause not only an unsatisfactory harvest, but also a complete absence due to damage by diseases or pests.

The plant forms a rosette of vertically standing leaves, the usual hard head of cabbage is completely absent, the height is between 30–50 cm. The leaves are soft, without an unpleasant specific taste, and are used for food both raw and cooked.

  1. The plant is early ripening. The earliest varieties produce a harvest 40 days after germination. Late varieties ripen at 60 days. This early ripening allows in some areas to grow three crops per year in open ground. Year-round cultivation is possible in greenhouses.
  2. A drop in temperature to +13°C can trigger the appearance of arrows and flower stalks. The same effect is caused by long daylight hours. Agronomists recommend temperatures for maximum yield of +15–20°C. Breeders have created special hybrids that are resistant to low temperatures, which minimizes the likelihood of flower stalks appearing. In areas with a risky climate, it is recommended to use these varieties for farming.

Among the advantages, Chinese cabbage also has significant disadvantages - it cannot be stored under normal conditions, it requires refrigeration chambers, a strictly set temperature, the presence of inert gases in the air, etc. The second disadvantage is that Chinese cabbage cannot be fermented, and some traditional dishes cannot be prepared from it. our compatriots dishes.

Chinese cabbage is planted for gradual use on greens or heads of cabbage. In the first case, the leaves are cut off as needed, in the second case they wait until the head of cabbage is formed. This will take no more than 60 days. The head of cabbage is not stored for a long time; you need to keep this in mind when planning the number of beds for this vegetable.

There are a lot of varieties and hybrids; if you wish, you can leave a few inflorescences for the seeds to ripen. Just keep in mind that hybrids do not retain their qualities; for breeding, use only varietal Chinese cabbage.

Cabbage leaves contain 3.5% protein, 2.4% sugar, almost a complete complex of mineral salts and amino acids. During heat treatment, a large amount of nutrients is lost; it is better to cook dishes raw.

Growing technologies

The plant can be grown using two technologies: direct sowing in the ground or seedlings. Each method has its own characteristics and preconditions for use. A specific decision on the method of breeding must be made taking into account the climatic zone of residence, the characteristics of the site and your practical farming skills.


Direct seeding

Recommended for use in regions with warm climates. Seeds can be sown in the ground from late April to mid-June. It is advisable to divide the time into several periods, due to this you will be able to have fresh cabbage for a longer period of time. The last date for sowing is August 10. Today the climate is getting a little warmer, the dates can be shifted. But this is at your own peril and risk; no scientist can give a long-term forecast of temperature changes in each individual region. Practitioners advise not to take risks and not go beyond the traditional time frame for sowing Chinese cabbage.

The seeds need to be sown in shallow furrows, the distance between them is at least 25 cm. The fact is that this vegetable needs a lot of space; too thick seedlings not only suppress each other, but also cause the growth of inflorescences.

Sowing seeds in furrows - photo

After emergence of seedlings, mandatory thinning of plants is required. How is it done?

  1. Thinning should be done only after rain; if there has been no precipitation for a long time, then the beds should be watered abundantly, and field work should be done only the next day.
  2. The distance between individual sprouts is at least twenty centimeters. Leave only the most developed and healthy ones; at the slightest suspicion of disease, the plant should be removed and not thrown into the rows.
  3. Simultaneously with thinning, it is recommended to do weeding. At this time, the weeds are still small and can be pulled out without effort. As soon as cultivated plant it will get stronger and grow, you won’t have to do any more weeding. Big leaves Chinese cabbage inhibits the development of other plants.

There is another option for direct sowing of cabbage - not in furrows, but in holes. You need to throw 2-4 seeds into each hole, and remove the weakest ones during thinning. The distance is 20–25 centimeters, as recommended by growing technology. Experienced vegetable growers advise trying both methods of sowing seeds in the first year, and then using the one you like best and will give better results.

The depth of planting seeds in open ground is 1–2 cm; to speed up the emergence of seedlings, it is recommended to cover the bed with plastic film or modern agrofibre. The second option is much preferable - agrofibre allows sunlight, air and moisture to pass through and protects the surface of the beds from morning frosts. In addition, agrofibre has a very low specific gravity, which allows sprouts to develop under it, the stems are even and not deformed. The first shoots may appear 3–10 days after sowing; depending on temperature conditions, specific calendar dates are set.

The main pest of Chinese cabbage is the inconspicuous cruciferous flea beetle. You cannot sow after mustard, radishes and other cruciferous crops. Wood ash provides excellent protection against fleas. Not black coals, but gray, almost weightless ash. This is both protection and fertilizer. With strip-line sowing, thinning is best done in two stages. For the first time, the sprouts are left at a distance of up to 10 cm from each other. When the leaves grow and join together, you can re-weed them. The distance between plants should already be at least 25 centimeters. As always, the weakest shoots are removed.

Growing seedlings

A labor-intensive method, used in areas with insufficient positive temperatures. Seedlings can be sown much earlier and transferred to the ground after the onset of stable warm days. You need to know that this plant is very capricious for seedling technology; working with it is much more difficult than, for example, with tomatoes. The roots of Chinese cabbage are very thin and fragile, they break easily, and broken ones will necessarily lead to inhibition of plant growth.

In this regard, it is recommended to grow seedlings in peat tablets or pots and transplant the prepared plants into them without pulling them out of the ground. The survival rate after picking is no more than 70%, and this is subject to compliance with all agricultural technology requirements. For beginners, the survival rate will be even lower, and sometimes the results will be an unpleasant surprise. The absence of the operation of picking seedlings has a beneficial effect on the final results.

How to prepare seedlings

If in the future Chinese cabbage grows in greenhouses, then the seeds can be sown from the end of January; if the plants are planned for open ground, then the timing is shifted to the end of March.

  1. Priming. You need it to be loose in structure and very fertile in quality. It's good to take coconut extract, but you can replace it with more familiar garden mixtures.
  2. Sowing seeds. The seeds are very small; for uniform sowing, it is recommended to mix them with coarse washed river sand without clay.

  3. Watering. Average, too much moisture in the soil can slow down the growth of seedlings, the delicate thin roots rot, and the plant gets sick. But you can’t overdry it either. Watering can only be done using a shallow watering can using sprinkling method or a sprinkler.
  4. Temperature regime. Favorable temperature +20–22°С. Containers with sown seeds are immediately covered with film. As soon as the first shoots appear, the film is removed. If possible, it is recommended to use mini-greenhouses, but it is not always possible to find boxes of this size, because the height of the peat cups is quite large.

  5. Light. During the growing season, Chinese cabbage is considered a light-loving plant. If seedlings are sown in the winter months, then artificial light is indispensable. It is better to use modern, economical lamps. In addition to saving energy costs, such lamps have another advantage - they do not heat the seedlings. Incandescent lamps emit powerful infrared waves, which makes it very difficult to regulate the temperature of seedlings. To increase illumination, you need to bring the lamps closer to the sprouts. But this cannot be done, because overheating may occur. It turns out to be a vicious circle and you have to sacrifice one indicator: either reduce the illumination, or increase the temperature.

  6. Top dressing. You can feed once before hardening. If the soils are poor, then feed twice. You should not prepare mixtures of mineral fertilizers yourself. It is much more effective, safer and easier to purchase ready-made formulations and use them according to the attached instructions.

Transplanting

Cabbage loves light, organic-rich, neutral soils that are acidic. Soils must allow water to pass through well and not allow it to stagnate. Excess water is the cause of plant disease. Choose legumes and root vegetables as predecessors. It is not recommended to plant Chinese cabbage after cruciferous vegetables (radish, radish, turnips, etc.).

Before planting, seedlings need to be hardened off. To do this, two to three weeks before transfer, the plants are taken out into fresh air. At first, you only need to keep them for a few hours and completely protect them from direct sunlight. Gradually, the holding time increases, the plants begin to adapt to the sun's rays. The last few days before planting the seedlings, you can try leaving them outside all night.

In open ground, the distance between individual plants is 30x25 cm; in order to save space in greenhouses, the distance is reduced to 20x20 cm. Peking cabbage is not afraid of frost down to -4°C, the optimal growing season temperature is +15-22°C. A large number of sunlight and temperatures above +25°C will cause sunburn, and this negatively affects the final yield.

If the summer is rainy, then the plants need to be protected from waterlogging, otherwise the root system may rot. If you correctly adhere to the recommended agricultural technology, then even in the central zone of our country you can easily harvest two crops per season.

Protecting plants from pests and diseases

We will not write about modern drugs; they are very effective, but have one drawback - harm is caused not only to pests, but also to consumers. Let us dwell on traditional agrotechnical methods for protecting Chinese cabbage.

  1. Maintaining crop rotation. A very simple but very important way. The vast majority of diseases tend to accumulate in the soil. The greater the concentration of pests and diseases, the more different chemicals need to be used, the more of them get into the plants and further along the food chain. In addition to this factor, crop rotation plays another very important role. Each plant requires a different amount of minerals by weight and chemical composition. For some, nitrogen is important, for others potassium, and so on. This means that different beds in one area have different levels of nutrients in the soil. Only through proper crop rotation can an optimal combination of minerals be created for the plant without additional fertilizing.
  2. Compliance with sowing deadlines. Seeds begin to grow only when the temperature at a given soil depth reaches optimal values.

Strong plants are much less likely to be damaged by pests and various diseases, and the right technology increases the resistance of cabbage to unfavorable conditions.

Video - How to grow Chinese cabbage

Video - Growing Chinese cabbage: basics and secrets of the harvest

Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground does not present any difficulties even for novice gardeners. But there are certain secrets that will allow you to grow vegetables from seeds. Care also includes some features.

Peking cabbage cultivation and care is based on the fact that it is a crop that tolerates low air temperatures well. Seeds can begin to germinate even at a soil temperature of 4 degrees. But further development cannot occur in such conditions. The vegetable feels great at a temperature of about 18 degrees. On summer cottages you need to choose a place with sufficient lighting and humidity.

In order for the heads to set, you need to choose the right area in the garden. It is best to plant where carrots, garlic, onions, and cucumbers used to grow. You cannot plant where radishes, mustard and all types of cabbage have been harvested.

How to grow Chinese cabbage in the garden depends on the planting material, but first you need to prepare the soil. In the fall, the selected area is sprinkled with lime components. In extreme cases, a herbicide can be used. In the spring, the soil is dug up and humus or compost is added.

The secrets of growing Chinese cabbage are related to the timing of planting. The best period is considered to be a period with short daylight hours. When daylight is more than 13 hours, the vegetable begins to bloom and shoot arrows, and the harvest is significantly reduced.

Favorable times are considered to be mid-April, the last ten days of July and early August. During these periods, daylight hours are less than 12 hours. Most often, for spring, varieties suitable for salads are chosen, and in summer, the vegetable can be planted to form a head of cabbage.

There are varietal and hybrid types of cabbage. The easiest hybrids to care for are those that are developed by crossing several varieties to obtain the best characteristics. Hybrids tolerate temperature fluctuations, are more resistant to disease and are resistant to flowering.

It is also recommended to choose early and middle varieties for planting. How long does Chinese cabbage take to grow? Early ripening will allow you to harvest within a month. The ripening period for medium varieties is approximately two months.

Preparing seedlings

Planting Chinese cabbage in open beds can be done using seedlings or seeds. How to grow the crop is decided by the vegetable grower himself. It is believed that if seedlings are grown at home, then development will occur at an accelerated pace.

To grow and care for Chinese cabbage in the open ground as seedlings, the seeds can be planted on the 20th of March. If you intend to leave the vegetable for winter storage, it is better to plant the seeds later. It is better to choose separate peat cups as a container, since the vegetable does not tolerate transplanting and picking (pinching the main root) well.

The plant feels good in soil made from humus with coconut substrate or turf soil with peat. Make a hole in the soil equal to 1 cm. It is better to place two or even three seeds in the hole. This will increase the chances of germination. Then they are covered with a thin layer of soil, mulched with peat, covered with a bag and transferred to a dark place.

The first shoots should appear in three days. As soon as most of the planted seeds appear, the film is removed and the cups with sprouts are taken to a lighted place. Do not forget about watering; do not allow the formation of a dry crust.

When the first leaves appear, thinning is carried out. The strongest sprout is left, the rest are pinched, but not pulled out by the roots. As soon as 5 leaves appear, the seedlings are ready for transplanting.

Growing options

How to grow Chinese cabbage in open ground using ready-made seedlings? In the spring, before planting seedlings, it is recommended to apply a herbicide (Tornado, Default, Announcement, Typhoon) to the ground. The herbicide is used only when there is a strong attack of weeds.

Holes are made in open beds. The size depends on the purpose of the finished crop. If you need to collect leaves for salad, then make holes in the furrow at a distance of 13 cm and a depth equal to the size of the glass. The row spacing should be approximately 45 cm. If heads of cabbage are to be collected, then the distance between the depressions in the furrow increases to 35 cm.

The specificity of planting seedlings is to add fertilizer to each hole made. You can make a composition from superphosphate, wood ash and urea. All these components are mixed with soil and watered. You can place young seedlings together with a peat pot in a prepared hole.

After planting, water and protect from adverse weather conditions for approximately 12 days with non-woven materials until the plant takes root.

How to grow Chinese cabbage in the country if you plant the seeds in the ground right away? In the selected area, 2 cm indentations are made every 25 cm. It is useful to add humus and wood ash to them and water them generously. Two or three seeds are placed in each hole. After about five days, seedlings emerge and are thinned, leaving the strongest shoot.

From the experience of gardeners who have been growing vegetables for more than one year, it can be judged that any method proper care will give good result. Galina, 43 years old: “For many years I have been planting cabbage directly from seeds in open beds. I make sure to provide shade, mulch the soil and apply fertilizer.”

Rules of care

Agricultural technology for Chinese cabbage must be carried out according to all the rules. 12-14 days after planting cabbage seedlings, it is recommended to carry out the mulching procedure. Straw, sawdust, peat, and fresh herbs are suitable as mulch. Moisture will be retained in the soil, and there will be fewer weeds. For weeds, a herbicide can be used.

It is enough to water Chinese cabbage once every seven days, early in the morning or in the evening, with warm, settled water. Irrigation is carried out at the root; moisture should not be allowed to get on the leaves.

The peculiarities of growing Chinese cabbage also include the mandatory loosening procedure. To prevent a crust from forming on the soil during the entire growing season, you need to carry out 3-4 loosening to a depth of 3 cm. After rain, you can carry out deeper loosening.

Peking cabbage is cared for using mineral and organic fertilizers. Manure, bird droppings or herbal infusions are widely used as fertilizer for Chinese cabbage, which is applied 12 days after transplantation. They allow you to enrich the soil with nutrients and protect plants from diseases. If planting material was initially planted in well-fertilized beds, then additional feeding is not required.

Whether it is necessary to pick off the leaves of Chinese cabbage depends on appearance. If they change color and become deformed, it is better to cut them off carefully so that other leaves do not become infected.

Is it necessary to hill up Chinese cabbage? Some gardeners avoid this procedure, believing that it is useless and even harmful for this plant. Those who have planted the plant leave only positive reviews. The head of cabbage ripens faster and is protected from pests. Hilling should be carried out three weeks after planting the seedlings. Then the hilled bush needs to be loosened around. At this stage, the plant is fed with nitrogen components. Be sure to get rid of weeds.

Gentle conditions

How to care for vegetables in a polycarbonate greenhouse? Growing Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse can also be done in seedlings or you can immediately sow the seeds. If there are a large number of weeds in the greenhouse, then a herbicide can be used.

The greenhouse harvest can be harvested in just 26 days. Harvesting is recommended early in the morning or before consumption, as it withers quickly.

In a greenhouse, cultivation is carried out at a temperature of 17 degrees. If seeds are planted, until sprouts appear, the temperature rises to 20 degrees. As it strengthens and develops, it can be reduced to 10 degrees.

The growing rules include a clause that takes into account the regulation of light entering the beds. If you don't do this, the arrows will move quickly. Therefore, a shaded frame is installed.

Chinese cabbage is not resistant to diseases and pests. Therefore, Chinese cabbage should be grown in a greenhouse, observing preventive measures. For this purpose, it is better to use natural ingredients. For example, wood ash. Since cabbage has a short ripening period, when using chemicals there will be an accumulation of toxins in the head of cabbage.

In case of mass infestation of pests that spread diseases, pesticides may be used (Fury, Bankol). The crop being grown is watered or sprayed with a preparation diluted according to the instructions.

How to grow Chinese cabbage at home? One of the conditions is the selection of high-quality and suitable soil. It should be light, fertile, not sour or greasy. A mixture of peat, sand and turf soil is ideal. You can use coconut substrate.

How to properly grow Chinese cabbage at home? Growing should take place on a windowsill in large pots so that the roots feel free. The container is disinfected, for example, with a solution of potassium permanganate and holes are made so that the water does not stagnate.

The landing date is approximately mid-April, when daylight hours are still short. If it was not possible to plant at this time, then they are left until mid-August.

Growing at home involves placing 3 seeds in the shape of a triangle in one 3-liter pot. If the volume of the pot is 1-1.5 liters, then plant one seed. First, the soil is moistened and holes 1 cm deep are made. After this, the containers are covered with film and placed in a dark place. After 6 days, the first shoots should appear. The film is removed and moved to the windowsill. The culture does not require additional lighting.

FAQ

Knowing why Chinese cabbage does not set, you can decide what to do to correct the situation. There are several reasons:

  • warm climate or too bright sunny day (if the days are too long and hot, it is recommended to additionally shade the beds so that a head of cabbage starts);
  • cabbage loves to be watered, but not frequently, otherwise it can lead to rotting of the core;
  • Heads of cabbage may not set due to the oily composition of the soil;
  • In addition, the beds should not be thickened and thinning should be carried out in a timely manner.

Many people, especially beginners, are concerned about the question, why does Chinese cabbage bloom? Heads set only when there is a certain amount of daylight. Therefore, it is planted in early spring or late summer. The sprout first develops a rosette of leaves, and only then does the head begin to form. As soon as its weight exceeds 2 kg, the risk of flowering and the appearance of arrows increases. A lot of light and an air temperature of more than 22 degrees can provoke flowering.

Do I need to pick off the lower leaves of the plant? The heads of cabbage form quickly and are not too dense. Leaves need to be plucked only when they have become rotten or diseased, which is extremely rare. Therefore, answering the question whether it is possible to pick leaves, the answer is yes. But there is no need for this.

When to harvest ripe heads of cabbage? The first harvest can be harvested when the leaves are about 10 cm in size. You can pull out the plant along with the roots or cut off only the leaves. You can wait until the head of cabbage is formed (about two months), it should weigh approximately 1 kg.