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Growing Chinese cabbage has its own characteristics compared to its ordinary white cabbage relative. Today I’ll talk about how to grow Chinese cabbage in your garden, as well as about growing Chinese cabbage.

These ancient cultures of China are actively conquering the vast expanses of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries. And this is not surprising, because the technology for growing Chinese cabbage and its Chinese “relative” is quite simple, and even with seedless cultivation in the northern regions you can get a good harvest. What can we say about warmer regions? So, get acquainted with how to grow Chinese cabbage, and Chinese cabbage to boot.

First, let me remind you how these two types differ. Quite often, these species are united by a common name - Chinese cabbage, which is completely incorrect from a botanical point of view. Chinese cabbage (salad cabbage, or petsai) and Chinese cabbage (mustard cabbage, or pak choi) are close relatives. The homeland of the two species is indeed China, but they differ in appearance and some features.

Chinese cabbage has very tender, whole, sessile leaves with a wrinkled, swollen leaf blade, 15-35 cm high. There are varieties in which the leaves form a rosette or head of various shapes and densities.

Chinese cabbage forms a rosette of erect leaves with succulent petioles up to 30 cm high, which do not form a head. Two varieties are grown, differing in the color of the leaves and petioles.

Features of growing Chinese and Chinese cabbage

Beijing and Chinese cabbage are early ripening crops. The ripening time (from germination to ripeness) of early varieties is 40-55 days, medium - 55-60, late - 60-80. This allows you to get 2 or even 3 harvests in one season.
When certain conditions are created, they are grown year-round.
Long daylight hours and moderate temperatures (below 13°C) cause bolting and flowering of cabbage.
The most optimal temperature for growing Chinese and Chinese cabbage is 15-22°C.
To prevent bolting and flowering of cabbage you need to:

Choose varieties that are resistant to flowering;
do not thicken the crops;
grow in short daylight hours (sow in April, cover late sowings from light in the evening and open in the morning).
Technology for growing Chinese and Chinese cabbage

Both Chinese and Chinese cabbage can be grown either without seedlings or through seedlings.

Seedless growing method
Seeds of Chinese and Chinese cabbage are sown in open ground:

From the first ten days of May (or even the end of April) to June 15, intervals of 10-15 days are made between sowings;
from July 20 to August 10.
When growing Chinese cabbage, it is better to sow leafy varieties in the spring, and head-forming varieties in the summer.

The distance between plants should be 15-25 cm. This can be achieved by sowing seeds in a narrow bed in the following ways:

Using the tape-line method with subsequent thinning of the plants. To do this, sowing the seeds of Chinese or Chinese cabbage is done using tapes (two- or three-line). Distance – 50-60 cm (between ribbons), 20-30 cm (between lines).
Planting seeds in holes in groups of 3-4 pieces. at a distance between holes of about 30-35 cm. Thinning will also be necessary, but in this case you will already choose the “weakest link” in a group of 3-4 plants.
As an experiment, try both sowing methods and choose the one that you find more convenient and effective.

The sowing depth of Chinese and Chinese cabbage seeds when grown directly in open ground is 1-2 cm. The bed with the crops is covered with plastic film, especially if it is still cool outside. Seedlings do not like frosts, unlike adult plants.

The first shoots appear in about 3-10 days, depending on the temperature.

To protect plants from cruciferous flea beetle, the soil is sprinkled with ash before germination. This pest is one of the reasons why Chinese and Chinese cabbage cannot be grown after radishes, mustard and other cruciferous crops. By the way, take this point into account when choosing green manure for the garden bed where you plan to plant any cabbage.

With the first (tape-line) sowing method, two thinnings are carried out during cultivation. With the appearance of one true leaf, the cabbage is thinned out for the first time, leaving the plants every 8-10 cm. When the leaves of neighboring plants begin to close together, a second thinning is carried out, leaving the plants every 20-25 cm.

With the second sowing method, also remove the weakest plants in the group after one or two true leaves appear.

Seedling method
Growing Chinese cabbage by seedlings, as well as Chinese cabbage, should be done with an eye on their “capriciousness” to transplantation and damage to the roots. They cannot be grown using picks. Chinese cabbage is more capricious, so its seedlings need to be grown in peat pots and then planted together with them in open ground or a greenhouse. Chinese cabbage is less picky and can be grown in cassettes, but it is still better to “give it” peat pots or peat tablets.

The advantage of growing cabbage through seedlings is the reduction in ripening time. Using seedlings, you can get the first harvest within 20-35 days after planting the seedlings in the garden.

The timing of sowing Chinese and Chinese cabbage seeds for seedlings depends on the type of soil. When grown in:

Protected ground - from late January to early February;
open ground - from late March to April.
The soil for growing Chinese or Chinese cabbage seedlings must be very loose. It is good to use coconut substrate; it meets all the requirements for seedling soil and allows you to obtain strong and healthy seedlings.

For uniform sowing, the seeds are mixed with sand and sown to a depth of approximately 0.5-1 cm. Seedlings at the age of 25-30 days are ready for planting. By this time, the seedlings should have 4-5 true leaves.

Planting seedlings in the garden
Chinese cabbage: cultivation and care For these types of cabbage, light, well-drained, organic-rich soils with a neutral environment are most preferable.

The predecessors can be the same crops as for all cabbage plants (I wrote about them in the article on growing cabbage seedlings).

The area allocated for Chinese or Chinese cabbage should be well lit.

Chinese cabbage should be grown separately from Chinese cabbage, since cross-pollination between these species is possible. This is especially true if you want to collect your own seeds of these crops.

Seedlings are planted according to the following scheme:

In protected ground – 10×10 cm (leaf forms) and 20×20 cm (head forms);
in open ground 30×25 cm.
Cabbage care
Both types of cabbage are cold-resistant, light- and moisture-loving crops.

Chinese cabbage can withstand frosts down to -4°C, Chinese cabbage up to -6°C. Temperature +15…+22°C is optimal for plants. Temperatures above +25°C can cause burns on plant leaves (Chinese cabbage especially suffers from this).

Care consists of abundant watering, shallow loosening of the soil and control of weeds and pests (Chinese cabbage is more resistant to pests, as it has essential oils that drive them away). Mulching the soil can help keep weeds at bay, giving you more time to relax.

If it rains often in your region, then you will have to protect the Chinese cabbage from it, otherwise it will begin to rot. You can protect it by covering it with ordinary transparent film or agrofibre.

During the growing season, it is good to fertilize twice with mullein solution (1:8).

ATTENTION! When weeding, make sure that the apical bud of the cabbage is not covered with soil.

Beijing cabbage stores better than Chinese cabbage. I have already written about how to harvest them and how to store Chinese cabbage and its Chinese “friend”.

Well, you now know how to grow Chinese or Chinese cabbage. Make friends with these Asian representatives and you will be pleased with the result, because growing Chinese cabbage, as well as Chinese cabbage, is quite a feasible task even for a beginner. By the way, in terms of their beneficial properties, Chinese and Chinese cabbage are superior to our original Russian culture - white cabbage.

Chinese or Chinese cabbage, despite its origin, can be cultivated in Russia, but for this you need to know the features and rules of cultivation. In this article we will understand all the intricacies of this process.

There are a huge number of varieties of Chinese cabbage in the world selection. The harvest of such vegetables can be obtained in any climate zone, but subject to certain rules.

For example, early varieties feel better in greenhouses. In the southern regions of our country, it is necessary to shade plants, which will create a shortened daylight hours.

Victoria

An early ripening variety, it has excellent taste and a pleasant aroma. The fruits are used for preparing salads and other dishes and are suitable for heat treatment. Vegetables are cylindrical in shape, elongated with dense, loose leaves of light green color. The growing season for the Victoria variety is within 2 months.

Orange Mandarin

An early ripening variety that can be grown throughout the warm period. Under favorable weather conditions, the fruits of the crop ripen 40 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in open ground. The heads of cabbage are small, their weight does not exceed 1 kilogram. The variety tolerates stressful situations and is suitable for cultivation in Siberia.

Marfa

A shade-tolerant, early-ripening variety with a growing season of 40-42 days. This cabbage has fairly large and wide leaves and tasty pulp. The maximum weight of a head of cabbage is 1.5 kilograms. Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the second ten days of April; grains are sown in open ground from mid-May.

Pomegranate

Mid-season variety, has large fruits weighing up to 2.5 kilograms. The heads of cabbage are elongated in shape and have tightly fitting dark green leaves. Pomegranate exhibits resistance to many diseases, especially necrosis. The first cabbage harvest is obtained 70-75 days after sowing the seeds.

Express

The variety is suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground. This is an unpretentious plant, resistant to sudden temperature changes. The heads of cabbage are bright green in color, weighing up to 2 kilograms. Beijing Express can be used for cultivation in Siberia.

Stonefly

An ultra-early variety, ripens 35 days from the moment the seeds are sowed in the greenhouse. The heads of cabbage are small, juicy, suitable for making salads.

Wineglass

The mid-late variety with a growing season of 70 days is quite difficult to care for, so it is better to grow this vegetable in the southern part of our country. The heads of cabbage are dense, weighing up to 2 kilograms.

How to properly grow Chinese cabbage seedlings

The cultivation of the crop in question can occur using seedling material or by directly sowing seeds in open ground. Chinese cabbage is considered a cold-resistant plant; its grains can form sprouts at an air temperature of +4-5 degrees, but intensive development is possible in the range of +15...+22 degrees. When warming occurs, the crop throws out inflorescences. This phenomenon often occurs in conditions of extended daylight hours.

Due to the need for shortened daylight hours, it is recommended to grow the crop from seedlings in early spring or late autumn. Sometimes it is advisable to create a special lighting regime. In this case, the first fruit harvest is obtained within a month from the moment the plants are planted in open ground.

When to plant Chinese cabbage for seedlings

Planting seed material of Chinese cabbage should be carried out about a month before the intended planting of seedlings in a permanent place. To obtain an early harvest, seedlings are sown in the last ten days of March or early April. When growing seedlings to obtain a harvest for winter consumption, sowing of grains is carried out at the end of June.

Preparing seeds for planting

Purchased Chinese cabbage seeds do not require special preparation; they can be immediately planted in the ground without prior soaking. If you use your own seed material, the grains need to be pre-germinated, which will allow you to determine their germination capacity.

To do this, they are placed on wet gauze folded in several layers. Next, place the container with the seeds in a warm place and wait for the sprouts to appear. Their germination begins 3-5 days from the moment of sowing.

If this does not happen or seedlings are rare, you need to take other seeds.

Preparing the soil for sowing

In practice, several options for soil mixtures are used for sowing Chinese cabbage seedlings:

Soddy soil and peat in equal proportions with the addition of 10 grams of wood ash and complex mineral fertilizer (for every 10 kilograms of the mixture).

2 parts humus and 1 part coconut substrate.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

The crop in question does not survive transplantation well, so the seeds should be sown not in a common box, but in peat pots (2-3 grains per container). The seed material is buried in the nutrient substrate to a depth of 1.5 centimeters. After this, the seedling containers are installed in a warm but dark place until seedlings emerge.

Seedling care

After the first shoots appear, the seedlings are moved to a well-lit windowsill. At this stage of development, the room temperature must be maintained at +7...+8 degrees. A loggia or glazed balcony is best suited for this.

Further care of the seedlings consists of periodic watering with warm, settled water. The soil should be moistened as the top layer of the nutrient substrate dries. After carrying out these procedures, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil, which will prevent moisture stagnation.

When the seedlings have two or three true leaves in the pot, leave one of the healthiest plants and pinch out the rest.

Dive

We have already said earlier that Chinese cabbage seedlings do not tolerate transplantation well, so the seeds are sown immediately in separate containers. This allows you to bypass the dive process.

How to transplant Chinese cabbage seedlings into open ground

Chinese cabbage seedlings are moved into open ground along with peat pots. In the future, these containers will dissolve and provide additional nutrients for plant development.

10 days before the expected planting date, the plants are hardened off in the open air, gradually increasing the time. Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place after they have spent a day outside.

Planting scheme

There are several schemes for planting Chinese cabbage in open ground:

1. If the plant is used as a salad crop, a distance of 25 centimeters is left between individual seedlings in both directions.
2. To form a head of cabbage, you must follow the pattern of 35*35 or 50*50 centimeters.

This requirement is valid for sowing vegetables directly into open ground.

When using seedlings, follow the 30*50 centimeter pattern.

To get a good harvest of fruits and prevent bolting, planting the vegetable should be done in early spring or autumn.

Sowing seeds in the ground

To grow Chinese cabbage without seedlings, you need to choose the right site. The ideal predecessors of the culture in question are:

• garlic;
• carrot;
• cucumbers

It is not advisable to sow grains in soil where close relatives of cabbage (mustard or radish, radish) had previously developed.

Seeds are sown in previously dug soil. Planting holes are made in the garden according to a pre-selected pattern of 35*35 or 50*50 centimeters. 10-15 grams of wood ash and 0.5 kilograms of organic matter (compost or humus) are added to each hole.

After a week from the moment of sowing, shoots should appear. At this moment, the most developed sprout should be left in the hole, the rest should be pinched.

Planting dates for Chinese cabbage

The time for sowing seeds in open ground depends on the air temperature. The ideal conditions for the development of this cabbage are considered to be a temperature of +16…+22 degrees. Exceeding or decreasing the recommended values ​​leads to the formation of peduncles.

For the seedless method of cultivation, two favorable periods for sowing seeds are used: April 25 to May 5, June 25 to July 15.

Caring for cabbage in the garden

Growing Chinese cabbage requires the gardener to follow certain rules. Newly planted seedlings must be covered with agrofibre or any other non-woven material. This allows:

1. protect crops from possible frosts or sudden temperature changes;
2. shades plants from the scorching rays of the sun;
3. protects the root system of cabbage from rotting during periods of prolonged rain;
4. allows you to hide seedlings from pests, cruciferous flea beetles.

Two weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, the area is covered with mulch made from broken straw and peat. There is no need to hill up the crop; a thick layer of organic matter will retain soil moisture and prevent the growth of weeds.

Further measures for caring for cabbage include periodic watering and fertilizing, identifying and protecting vegetables from diseases and pests.

Watering and fertilizing

Chinese cabbage needs regular, abundant watering. It is recommended to moisten the soil once a week using warm water. The liquid should be poured under the root of the plant.

Water contact with leaves causes sunburn.

For better plant development, watering should be done in the morning or in the evening after sunset. In the latter case, it is recommended to use warm water infused throughout the day.

The first fertilizing is applied to the soil two weeks after planting the seedlings. The following solutions can be used for this purpose:

• 10% mullein infusion (1 kilogram per 10 liters of water);
• 5% infusion of bird droppings (500 grams of organic matter per 10 liters of liquid);
• infusion of herbs or nettles.

When fertilizing cabbage with fertilizers, 1 liter of solution is used for each bush. For spring crops, three such feedings are necessary. Plants planted in summer are fed twice during the growing season.

Foliar fertilizing also helps improve the yield of Chinese cabbage. To prepare such a substance, dilute 2 grams of boric acid in a liter of boiled hot water, then bring the volume to 10 liters with cold water. Treatment of crops is carried out in the evening on the leaves.

Harvesting and storing Chinese cabbage

To improve preservation and prevent the development of rot, it is recommended to cut the heads of cabbage in dry weather. The collected fruits are stored in a cool and dry room with a temperature range of 0…+2 degrees. Vegetables are laid out on racks or packed in boxes.

Carry out periodic inspection of the heads of cabbage for dried leaves and rotten areas.

Diseases and pests of lettuce

Chinese cabbage, like other cruciferous vegetables, can be affected by various diseases and pests during the growing season.

First, let's get acquainted with the main diseases of this vegetable:

1. Blackleg affects emerging sprouts of cabbage seedlings. The main symptom of the disease is blackening and narrowing of the crop stem, which makes it difficult for nutrients to reach the leaves and causes plant death. To prevent the development of blackleg, you need to disinfect the soil and seed material and follow the rules for caring for seedlings. The development of this disease is promoted by low temperatures and high air humidity, as well as dense plantings of young plants.
2. A bacterial disease of clubroot causes thickening to appear on the root system of cabbage. As a result of this effect, the cells become deformed and do not allow nutrients to pass through easily. The affected plant turns yellow and begins to dry out. The development of the disease is facilitated by high soil moisture and low-quality seeds, as well as acidic soil. To prevent the development of the disease, before planting seedlings, the soil is calcined in the oven and then spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. Wood ash or lime is additionally added to acidic soil.
3. The fungal disease gray mold affects the aboveground part of the crop during the period of fruit ripening or during storage. Symptoms of the disease are the appearance of brown spots on cabbage leaves. After some time, a grayish coating forms on the affected areas. Spraying the plantings with fungicides, for example, Amistar, will help defeat the disease.

Chinese cabbage is considered a fairly demanding plant to care for. To get such vegetables you need to have basic knowledge of growing them. Put our tips into practice and you will get a good harvest of Chinese cabbage.

Chinese cabbage (pak choy, bok choy, mustard), cultivated in China for more than 5 thousand years, is gradually becoming part of the diets of residents of the middle zone. The plant is attracted by its delicate leaves, which give a unique taste to salads. This is an early ripening and high-yielding crop. It is not surprising that many summer residents are concerned about the technology of growing and caring for Chinese cabbage.

Advantages and disadvantages of Chinese cabbage

The East Asian plant is a valuable vegetable for a healthy diet, due to its high content of various microelements, vitamins that last a long time, acids - ascorbic, citric, folic. Insoluble fiber from the culture normalizes intestinal function. The low-calorie product is ideal for dietary nutrition; it contains 13 kcal per 100 g.
It has excellent advantages for growing, including the following:

• A unique, pronounced taste, for which the plant received the name mustard or celery.
• Precocity. From sowing seeds to harvesting, it takes about 2 months, one month with the seedling method of production.
• Unpretentiousness. Despite the fact that the culture is warm and light-loving, it adapts perfectly to any, even difficult conditions.
• Cold resistance, even tolerates temperatures down to -5.
• Resistance to pests and diseases. The plant contains essential oils that help repel pests.
• High yield. If you follow the technology, you can harvest 2-3 crops per season, since the growing season of pak choy lasts 40-75 days.
• Has a long shelf life.

One of the disadvantages of the vegetable crop is that its leaves at the stage of full maturity are coarse and it is necessary to use young plants, petioles (petiolate is another name for a vegetable) for food, which taste like spinach.

Characteristics of the main features of the vegetable

Like cauliflower and broccoli, Chinese cabbage is a relative of turnip, as well as Chinese cabbage, with which it is sometimes confused. The plant differs both in appearance and taste.
Main characteristics:

1. An annual, sometimes biennial plant, smaller compared to Chinese cabbage.
2. The leaves are elongated, light and dark green, rough, pubescent, up to 30-40 cm long, collected in a rosette.
3. Rosette with a diameter of 20-30 cm.
4. The petioles are fleshy, thick, crispy, surround a small bud and make up most of the head.
5. Chinese cabbage has no heads.
6. The root crop is formed in the second year of cultivation.
7. The flowers are yellow, small (1-2 cm in diameter), collected in a raceme.
8. Pods are 3-5 cm long.
9. Head diameter 5-10 cm.
10. Weight 200-250 g.

Used for making soups, salads, frying, stewing. But it is best to prepare salads from Chinese mustard. This way the entire complex of vitamins is preserved.

Technology of growing cabbage from seeds

You can grow Chinese cabbage in the country using both seedling and non-seedling methods. It is possible to produce a plant based on the stalk.
It is preferable to sow seeds directly into open ground. This is due to the fact that the root system of the plant is very delicate, and it does not tolerate transplantation. Observe the following planting rules:

• It is recommended to choose a sunny place, well protected from the wind, since the roots are very weak, the bush can be turned out of the ground.
• The vegetable should be planted in loose, fertile soil rich in calcium. First add organic matter to the soil and 200 g per square meter of each additive:
  • ammonium nitrate,
  • calcium,
  • triple superphosphate,
  • potash fertilizers.
• Follow the rule of plant succession. Do not plant pak choi after any type of cabbage or after radishes. As a cruciferous crop, it can only be planted in the same place after 4 years. After it you can grow beets, spinach, and salads. The Chinese woman will like the soil after onions or garlic.
• Optimal sowing time for harvesting two crops:
  • April - mid-May.
  • July-mid August.
    It is not recommended to sow earlier, as arrows with flowers may form.
  • During sowing, maintain a distance of 40x30 cm between holes, 30-35 cm between rows. Sow seeds to a depth of 1 cm.
    It is possible to plant using the ribbon method, when sowing in 2-3 rows, making a distance of 20-30 cm between rows, and 50-60 cm between ribbons. The ribbons are thinned out 2 times. When 1 leaf appears, sprouts are left every 8-10 cm; when the leaves close, they are thinned out to 20-25 cm between plants.
    When planting in a wide bed, place 3-4 seeds in a hole, make 25-30 cm between holes and in row spacing. After the sprouts appear, the weak ones will need to be removed, leaving one seedling.
  • Cover the bed with plastic wrap, which will protect the seeds from unpredictable spring weather.

Chinese cabbage shoots will appear in 3-10 days.

Specifics of growing cabbage in seedlings

The seedling method is very attractive for gardeners, since the harvest is obtained after planting the seedlings in open ground for 20-35 days. In addition, many summer residents have no other choice but to grow Chinese cabbage seedlings at home. Since pak choy does not tolerate transplantation, you need to sow the seeds in peat pots, so that you can then place the seedlings in the garden bed directly in the pot without diving without transferring them.
In protected ground it is necessary to sow seeds in early February.
Seedlings for planting in open ground should have 4-5 true leaves.

Growing a Chinese plant from a stalk

This is, of course, surprising, but it is indeed possible to grow Chinese cabbage from a stalk at home. To do this, you need to purchase a plant head with a thick stalk in the store.
The leaves can be used for salad, and the thick lower part, at least 5 cm high, can be trimmed. Then, when growing, follow the instructions:

Features of vegetable care

Caring for pak choi, like all types of cabbage, consists of observing temperature conditions (if possible), watering, weeding, loosening, and protection from pests. It has some features that should be taken into account during cultivation:

1. When caring for cabbage, you should adhere to the optimal, comfortable temperature regime for it (in a greenhouse it is easier to do this, in open ground it is more difficult). This temperature is no higher than +22 and no lower than +15.
   Pak choy can easily withstand temperatures of 13-16 degrees at the beginning of development. Does not tolerate frosts below -5 degrees.
   In warmer conditions, an arrow may appear with small yellow flowers that have a narcissus scent. You can get seeds from this cabbage yourself. But you won’t get full-fledged cabbage. Seeds can germinate at temperatures around +4 degrees.
2. Chinese flowering is also observed with late sowing and dry weather during the initial stage of cultivation.
3. The foreign plant needs to be watered abundantly, as it constantly needs water due to its small thin roots, but in moderation, after the soil dries out, so as not to cause the process of rotting.
   Optimal watering is once a day with up to 20 liters of water per square meter. The plant loves warm watering, so you should water it with warm water once a week.
4. The vegetable has a positive attitude towards fertilizing with organic fertilizer and humus. It should be fed three times a season with a 0.05% nitrogen solution: immediately after planting, during the formation of 5-7 leaves, and during the tying of the head.
5. Weeding should be done carefully, not to damage small, poorly attached roots. Make sure that the apical bud is not covered with soil.
6. To avoid overheating of the crop in hot weather, cover it with a cloth and build a canopy. Planting seedlings between the rows of cucumbers will save the beauty from the heat. Growing up, cucumbers will cover the Chinese woman from the direct rays of the sun.
7. You can treat cruciferous fleas with calcium arsenic acid in combination with lime 1:10 or sprinkle with ash until sprouts appear.
8. During the formation of the head of cabbage, the ends of the cabbage are tied with rope.
9. After the first frost (up to -5 degrees), pak choy bushes can be dug up, watered well and buried in the basement in damp sand.

It is worth adding that some summer residents grow both Chinese and Chinese cabbage on their plots. To avoid cross-pollination of two different species, plant them at some distance from each other.

Rules for storing Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage, removed for preparing salads, is stored somewhat worse than Chinese cabbage. In order to preserve its beneficial qualities longer, it is necessary to separate the leaves from the stalk, rinse them with running water, wrap them in a damp cloth and place them in the refrigerator in this form.
By growing Chinese cabbage in your garden, you will not only expand the list of crops you have mastered, but will delight yourself and your loved ones with an invaluable dietary and medicinal product.

The closest relative of Chinese cabbage and one of the oldest known vegetable crops in the world is Chinese cabbage pak choy (another name is bok choy). It has been very popular in Asian cooking for many years. This healthy vegetable can be grown in the countryside.

What is pak choi cabbage?

This is an annual cruciferous plant, although biennial varieties are also found. A distinctive feature of how Chinese cabbage grows is that it does not have a developed rhizome. It forms a kind of rosette from leaves from 30 to 70 cm in height. There are two main types of this vegetable - with green and white petioles. The crop is frost-resistant and early ripening, and the two-year-old is also prone to the formation of arrows in the second year. What Chinese cabbage looks like can be seen in the photo.

The roots of cabbage are immersed in the ground no more than 15 cm. It can be grown in a greenhouse at any time of the year, outdoors - only in the summer. Cross-pollination of a plant can occur exclusively with its Beijing “relative”. Chinese kale is a storehouse of vitamins and microelements, and, like all vegetables, contains a lot of fiber. This is an indispensable product for those losing weight or people with diabetes.

It is also necessary to grow Chinese cabbage in the garden because it perfectly removes waste and toxins from the body and has a general healing effect due to a whole complex of vitamins. Daily consumption of vegetables makes blood vessels stronger and more elastic. Vitamin A helps renew the skin, and folic acid promotes the proper development of the fetus in pregnant women.

Known varieties

In vegetable growing, they mainly practice the cultivation of several varieties that are best adapted to garden conditions:

1. Stonefly. The earliest ripening leaf variety - shoots appear within a few days, and in less than a month you can already eat fresh leaves.
2. Swan. Its full ripening period is 40 days or a little more. It is distinguished by a large (up to 40 cm in diameter) erect rosette. White 35-centimeter petioles make up most of the plant's volume. A very unpretentious variety that adapts well to difficult climatic conditions.
3. Alyonushka. It has a massive petiole and an impressive rosette of leaves. It is considered the most delicious variety.
4. Peahen. A hybrid that is the result of crossing Chinese and Chinese cabbage. Its main advantage is its unusually juicy and crispy stalk. It can be planted at any time, as it is resistant to stem formation. In addition, Pava looks beautiful and is stored for a long time after harvesting.
5. Chinese cabbage Swallow. Mid-season variety, the ripening period of which is about 2 months.

Growing Chinese Pak Choi Cabbage

In order for the vegetable to germinate better, the soil must be light and saturated with oxygen. As a rule, seeds are planted at the end of March, but for this there must be a high temperature outside, or planting must be done at home. It is most convenient to plant pak choi cabbage for cultivation every two weeks.

As soon as the seedlings have five leaves, they can be transplanted into permanent soil, but remember that they do not take root well. For this reason, many recommend sowing cabbage directly into the garden bed. You need to replant it very carefully, along with a lump of earth.

On ridges, the plant is planted in rows located at least 30 cm from each other. If these are seeds, then they are securely covered with film, and soon after this the first shoots will appear.

If possible, plantings can be treated with ordinary wood ash, which repels the cruciferous flea beetle, which is dangerous for any cabbage.

It is recommended to prepare the soil for planting in the fall - dig it up and fertilize it. It is best to apply organic fertilizers at a rate of 10 l/m2. You can also add a small amount of lime and superphosphate fertilizers. With the onset of spring, the ridges need to be wrapped in film so that they thaw faster and are ready for planting.

Plant care

Chinese cabbage, which is quite simple to grow and care for, requires certain watering rules. It is necessary to water regularly until the seedlings take root well in the garden bed. In the future, watering is necessary only in drought conditions, when precipitation does not fall for more than two weeks. In this case, the calculation is as follows: per 1 m² of land you need to pour 20 liters of water at room temperature or a little warmer.

To improve the yield, Chinese cabbage planted in open ground must be carefully hilled.

It is best to hill up 3 weeks before harvest.

The plant from time to time forms arrows and flowers, this is especially noticeable with increasing daylight hours. Therefore, some experienced agronomists recommend planting the vegetable no earlier than mid-July. You can also cover each plant with compost or hay to feed and retain moisture.

Getting rid of pests

Most carefully you need to monitor the appearance of cruciferous flea beetles on the vegetable. These insects are capable of destroying an entire crop in a short time. Timely loosening and proper watering can be a preventive measure. From time to time in the morning you can mulch Chinese cabbage with ash or tobacco infusion.

A solution made from laundry soap and wood ash is also quite effective.

Other solutions that are easy to prepare at home: tomato leaves + garlic, vinegar + dandelion roots, green wormwood + garlic arrows. They can be either watered or sprayed with pak choi. Gardening stores also sell specialized preparations for cruciferous flea beetles, which should be used according to the instructions.

Another dangerous pest is the cabbage whiteweed. Inspect the leaves of the plant daily so as not to miss the eggs it has laid. If found, immediately eliminate and destroy them.

The garden slug can also cause harm, often attacking all plants planted in open ground. They are destroyed using baits made from alcohol infusion or bran. But you can simply collect snails by hand or use special means. Manual collection has an advantage over chemical treatment - harmful substances will not accumulate in the leaves.

Harvest and storage

Pak choy can be harvested at any stage, from germination to full ripening.

Young cabbage must be cut 3 centimeters above the soil level, adult cabbage - a little higher.

After cutting, the cabbage does not die, but continues to grow and will soon produce a harvest again. At the end of September, the time comes to pull it out by the roots, because in rainy and cool weather the plant will no longer be able to fully grow.

It is not recommended to store Chinese cabbage for a long time because the leaves tend to lose their freshness. The exception is storage in the freezer, where the vegetable can lie all winter without losing vitamins. You can make many delicious dietary dishes from pak choy, for example, a salad with the addition of corn kernels, green peas or tangerine pieces.

Due to its ease of care, Chinese cabbage is gaining more and more popularity every year.

Chinese cabbage is a cold-resistant, annual vegetable crop. The growing season does not exceed 2 months, from sowing the seeds to the formation of a full head of cabbage. Growing Chinese cabbage in your own beds will make it possible to provide the whole family with vitamins.

Upon achieving commercial qualities, depending on the variety, it may have:

• cylindrical;
• short oval;
• long oval;
• dense or loose head of cabbage.

The average leaf length is 25 cm. The structure and color of the leaf plates can also vary significantly. The color range is from rich green to light green, the structure is slightly swollen and wrinkled.

Chinese cabbage is grown on all types of protected and open ground as a compactor for tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, white cabbage or as an independent crop.

How to grow Chinese cabbage correctly

Experienced gardeners and beginners are often tormented by questions related to growing new, unusual crops. Beijing cabbage, in this regard, is no exception. Here are just a few of them:

1. How to grow Chinese cabbage in open ground?
2. Is it possible to feed plants during the growing season?
3. What is better: seedlings or seeds?
4. How and when to water?

Despite its apparent unpretentiousness, growing Chinese cabbage has its own nuances and small tricks, failure to comply with which can significantly reduce the yield and negate all the efforts made by gardeners.

Seedlings or seeds

Exactly how to plant Chinese cabbage, seedlings or seeds, depends on individual conditions:

• where and how the plant will develop: in open ground;
• what is the average length of the day, planting time (spring, end of summer).

When planting and cultivating Chinese cabbage in hot and/or dry times, the plant suddenly begins to bloom and heads of cabbage do not form. In addition, the culture begins to actively produce arrows even in excessive light conditions, including during the long white nights, which are characteristic of some northern regions, as well as Siberia.

Growing Chinese cabbage in Siberia and the Urals is quite possible, but it is necessary to artificially adjust the illumination, i.e. choose shaded areas or forcefully cover the plantings from light in the greenhouse.

Greenhouse

Seeds are sown in March, early April, late July, and also in the first ten days of August. Sowing pattern 20x40 cm. For planting in other time periods, only universal varieties are suitable, mainly hybrids, such as “Chinese Selected”, “Lyubasha”, “Naina F1”;

Planting of seedlings is carried out in the same time frame as seeds, but since the plant has already passed the initial stage of growth (formation of roots, appearance of the first leaves), the harvest can be harvested much earlier. Planting pattern 30x50 cm.

You cannot sow seeds or plant cabbage seedlings after harvesting any cruciferous crops: radishes, turnips, mustard, radishes, as they are affected by common pests and diseases.

Open ground

Sowing of seeds is carried out after the soil has warmed up, as a rule, this happens in early May. To obtain an autumn harvest, sowing can begin in the second ten days of July. Pre-soaking the seeds is not required. The sowing pattern when grown as a salad crop is 20x20 cm, if it is necessary to form a head of cabbage - 35x35 cm, 50x50 cm. The seeding rate is 4 g for every 10 m². The best results are obtained when sowing seeds on ridges with their penetration into the soil by 10–15 mm.

Transplantation of seedlings into the ground is carried out in early May. The planting pattern is 30×50 cm. When performing planting work, it is necessary to carefully ensure that the root system is not damaged in any way; to facilitate this process, agricultural technicians recommend growing Chinese cabbage seedlings in separate peat pots or containers, from which the plant can be easily removed without deforming the root coma of earth.

To obtain high yields, it is necessary to ensure that the selected variety corresponds to the time period of planting, i.e., early ones must be planted in the spring, and late ones closer to autumn, and not vice versa.

Caring for Chinese cabbage

Caring for Chinese cabbage, like any vegetable crop, consists of watering, weeding and fertilizing the plants.

To obtain good harvests, an optimal balance between air temperature and humidity conditions is extremely important. This statement is especially true during the formation of a head of cabbage and a rosette.

Air temperature:

• during the day from 15 to 19 °C;
• at night not lower than 8 °C.

Air humidity:

• on a cloudy day 70%;
• sunny day 80%;
• at night about 80%.

Soil humidity 65%.

If these requirements are not met, the leaves are often affected by various diseases, such as gray, white and black rot. As a result, the plant does not develop normally and the formation of a head of cabbage does not occur.

Despite the fact that the crop needs well-moistened soil, it does not tolerate stagnant water.

Nutrition

Chinese cabbage prefers fertile soil that contains large amounts of nitrogen and calcium. But even if the garden soil is poor in organic matter and microelements, it’s not a problem.

The plant responds well to various feedings, both of natural origin (mullein), and to feeding with complex fertilizers:

1. Autumn - for each m² it is necessary to add 4.5 kg of manure, 1.5 dessert spoons of double superphosphate and 2.5 dessert spoons. spoons of potassium sulfate. If the last component is missing, it can be replaced with ordinary wood ash at the rate of 1-liter jar per 1 m² of soil;
2. Before planting, add a solution prepared from bird droppings (10 liters of water and ½ kg of droppings) or from eggshells (30 grams of crushed shells, leave for 2 days in 5 liters of water). If for some reason fertilizers were not added to the soil in the fall, then before planting, during spring digging, you need to add potassium sulfate, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate, each component is taken in a volume of 1 tbsp. l. for every m².

Chinese cabbage has a high ability to accumulate nitrates, so applying fertilizers during the growing season is not recommended. All fertilizers must be applied before the plant is planted on the site.

1. – in dry weather it is necessary to water daily, it is better to do this by sprinkling, in this case the plants receive the necessary amount of moisture and at the same time the soil does not become waterlogged.

Pests of Chinese cabbage and methods of controlling them

In fact, there are not so many pests that affect Chinese cabbage:

• cruciferous flea beetle;
• slugs;
• cabbage butterfly;
• cruciferous bug.

Considering that the crop has the ability to accumulate harmful substances, non-chemical preparations are most suitable for pest control. Traditional methods are preferred, which with regular use give excellent results:

1. Planting a crop between rows of tomato, onion or garlic significantly reduces the activity of the cruciferous flea beetle. As a stronger remedy, it is recommended to spray the plants and soil between the rows with a special solution. To prepare it you need to take green potato and tomato tops. 200 g of each component and 2 large heads of garlic. Grind all the ingredients and let it brew for about a day. The Chinese cabbage photo, which is below, was planted exactly according to this principle - between two onion beds.
2. Careful and systematic removal of weeds also prevents cruciferous flea beetle from damaging plants.
3. After cabbage butterflies appear in the garden, it is necessary to examine the lower surface of the leaves as often as possible. When clutches are detected, the pest eggs are destroyed. This method, although labor-intensive, gives good results and significantly reduces the likelihood of caterpillars appearing.