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 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 healthy eating, thanks to the high content of various microelements and vitamins that are preserved for a long time, acids - ascorbic, citric, folic. Insoluble fiber from the culture normalizes intestinal function. Low calorie product ideal for dietary nutrition, 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. It takes about 2 months from sowing seeds to harvesting, one month at seedling method 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, broccoli, Chinese is a relative of the turnip, and also Chinese cabbage, with which it is sometimes confused. The plant differs both in appearance and taste.
Key Features:
- An annual, sometimes biennial plant, smaller compared to Chinese cabbage.
- The leaves are elongated, light and dark green, rough, pubescent, up to 30-40 cm long, collected in a rosette.
- Rosette with a diameter of 20-30 cm.
- The petioles are fleshy, thick, crispy, surround a small bud and make up most of the head.
- Chinese cabbage has no heads.
- The root crop is formed in the second year of cultivation.
- The flowers are yellow, small (1-2 cm in diameter), collected in a raceme.
- Pods are 3-5 cm long.
- Head diameter 5-10 cm.
- 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 for 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 and 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 plastic film, 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 on 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:
- When caring for cabbage, you should adhere to the optimal, comfortable temperature regime for it (in a greenhouse it is easier to do this; open ground 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, arrowheads with small flowers may appear yellow, having the smell of narcissus. You can get seeds from this cabbage yourself. But you won’t get full-fledged cabbage. Seeds can germinate at temperatures around +4 degrees. - Chinese flowering is also observed with late sowings and dry weather during initial stage growing.
- 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. - 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.
- Weeding should be done carefully, not to damage small, poorly attached roots. Make sure that the apical bud is not covered with soil.
- 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.
- You can treat cruciferous fleas with calcium arsenic acid in combination with lime 1:10 or sprinkle with ash until sprouts appear.
- During the formation of the head of cabbage, the ends of the cabbage are tied with rope.
- 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 it longer useful qualities, it is necessary to separate the leaves from the stalk and wash them running water, wrap in a damp cloth and place in the refrigerator as is.
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.
Cabbage is a vegetable that can be used to make a lot of excellent salads. However, it is not only famous for its amazing taste, but also gives the body useful substances and vitamins. Today there is a huge number different varieties vegetables, they are all simply rich in vitamins and differ from each other appearance. One of the most beneficial for the body is Chinese cabbage, which recent years is becoming more and more popular among chefs all over the world.
Chinese cabbage is a biennial plant that is grown as an annual. Depending on the variety, it has leaves of light yellow or bright green color. This plant is a loose head of cabbage with juicy, tender leaves that have a white vein. The edges of the leaves have a beautiful wavy or jagged shape.
The peculiarity of the variety is that it does not have a stalk. The cabbage plant is thrown into soup or pickled, and the leaves are used mainly for making salads. Asia is famous for pickled Chinese cabbage. They call this dish kimchi and many believe that it prolongs life.
How does Chinese cabbage grow?
Features and history of origin of the vegetable
Chinese cabbage appeared in China several thousand years ago, then it came to Korea and Japan, and over time it spread to Asian countries. After some time, this vegetable became popular in Europe, as well as in our country.
Why is Beijing becoming more and more popular? This plant is a source of nutrients and vitamins. The main advantage of the variety is that even in winter it does not lose its vitamins and benefits the body.
The most important beneficial substances that are included in its composition include:
- protein;
- mineral salts;
- vitamins C, A, K, PP, as well as a group of vitamins B;
- amino acids;
- organic acids.
In addition, the “Beijing” also has medicinal properties. She helps:
- for cardiovascular diseases;
- stomach ulcer;
- strengthens the immune system;
- prolongs a person's life.
A very interesting fact is that this vegetable contains lysine, which helps cleanse the blood and destroy foreign proteins.
Chinese cabbage kimchi
The right way to plant Chinese cabbage at home
What gardener doesn’t dream of pleasing himself and others with new achievements and growing Chinese cabbage at home. To grow this plant from seeds, you can plant them directly in open ground, or you can first grow seedlings. Planting Chinese cabbage at home, both in Belarus and the Moscow region, as well as in the Urals and Siberia, follows the same pattern.
The only difference is when to start sowing the seeds and the time when the vegetable begins to bloom. If you decide to use the first method, you should make holes in the garden bed at a distance of 30 cm from each other and pour humus into them. Seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 cm. They are sprinkled with ash on top and covered with film. In a week you will be able to see the first shoots.
What to do and how to plant seeds at the dacha or in the garden to get good harvest? It is necessary to choose the right sowing time. Time to plant cabbage in the garden:
- in spring from and to April 20;
- in summer from July 19 to August 9.
Chinese cabbage seeds
If you want to receive early harvest, then “Beijing” for seedlings should be sown at the end of March. And if you dream of enjoying the harvest in winter, then seedlings should be planted in the second half of June.
Loose soil is suitable for this plant, so for sowing it is best to use a mixture of humus (1 kg) with coconut substrate (2 kg).
The seeds are immersed in the soil no more than 1 cm and placed in a dark and warm room. When the first shoots appear after 3 days, they should be moved to a lighted place.
You don't need to care for Chinese cabbage any more than you do for regular white cabbage or cauliflower.
It is necessary to water the seedlings when the top earthen ball dries out. However, 4 days before transplanting the seedlings, watering is stopped.
In general, the sprouts will be ready for planting in a month, when they have 4 leaves.
Cabbage seedlings Why shouldn't you pick?
This plant does not like picking and takes a long time to take root in a new place. It will not be possible to transplant or transplant seedlings while preserving the roots. Getting accustomed to a new place will take a long time. Therefore, it is not recommended to dive it - it is better to initially sow it in separate containers or peat tablets.
Before planting seedlings in open ground, they must be hardened off. To do this, young shoots are taken out into the fresh air, first for a couple of hours, then the time spent outside is gradually increased. When they are able to spend a day outside, then the seedlings will be ready for planting permanent place.
As for the soil for this vegetable, it should be well-drained and loose. Great option there will be loamy soil. In addition, a plant of this variety should not be planted in the place where tomatoes and beets used to grow.
The soil for planting such a wonderful variety begins to be prepared in the fall. To do this, dig up the soil and add lime to it. When the soil is dug up in the spring, then humus is added to it.
Growing Chinese cabbage
"Beijing" feels great in a greenhouse. However, for this you must strictly adhere to 2 rules:
- Observe temperature regime from 15 to 20 degrees - therefore an unheated greenhouse will not work;
- Air humidity should be between 70-80%.
If these standards are not followed, a peduncle may form, and the plant will be susceptible to various diseases.
The advantage of growing Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse is that you can independently regulate the length of daylight hours and maintain the optimal temperature. A greenhouse will also help protect your crops from frost. And if it is heated, then you can grow this plant even in winter.
Beijing cabbage in a greenhouse
This plant loves moisture, coolness and light. Young shoots are especially sensitive to temperature changes and frosts. Therefore, in order to protect them and give them the opportunity to bloom, it is necessary to cover them with non-woven fabric.
In addition, the canvas will also protect the vegetable from direct sun rays on particularly hot days. It also helps remove excess moisture and hide the sprouts from the cruciferous flea beetle, which likes to profit from it. It will also be useful to mulch the soil, which will retain moisture and prevent the appearance of weeds.
To get excellent harvest The vegetable must be watered once a week with warm water.
Fertilizing also has a beneficial effect on it. The first feeding is carried out 14 days after planting in open ground.
Infusions made from chicken droppings, grass or mullein are especially useful. A liter of this fertilizer is poured under each plant. If cabbage was planted in the spring, then fertilizing should be done 3 times, and if in the summer, then 2 times.
If you want to get a good ovary, then it costs a liter hot water and drop 2 g of boric acid into 9 liters of cold water and treat the “Beijing” with this solution.
Covering planted seedlings
In order for the vegetable to lie in the cellar for as long as possible, it is better to give preference to varieties that are harvested in September. And also what more leaves remains with the head of cabbage, the longer the plant will be stored. In addition, it will last longer if it is placed in a room with high air humidity. In this case, each head of cabbage is well wrapped in plastic film. You should also inspect each head of cabbage every 14 days and remove dried or rotten leaves.
Under no circumstances should you store Pekinka next to apples. They secrete a substance that causes the leaves of the plant to wither.
Cabbage can also be stored in the refrigerator or on the balcony. The main thing is that condensation does not form on it, and the temperature does not drop less than 0 degrees.
In general, when storing cabbage on the balcony or refrigerator, you need to follow the same rules as when storing it in the cellar.
You should also know that the vegetable will last in such conditions from 1 to 4 months. If you want it to last longer, you can use the following storage methods:
- sourdough;
- drying;
- freezing.
Pickled Chinese cabbage The first method is sourdough. Is one of the most simple ways storage The recipe for sourdough is very simple: you need to pour 10 kg of shredded cabbage with 600 ml of water and add 100 mg of vinegar, 2 tsp. salt and sugar, as well as 2 cloves of garlic squeezed through a press. Then, under pressure, all this should stand in a room at room temperature for about a day, and then 14 days in the cold.
To dry the “Beijing”, cut it into strips and place it in an oven preheated to 100 degrees and open the door slightly. It will be ready in 4 hours, after which the dried vegetable is placed in cotton bags.
To freeze, throw shredded cabbage into salted boiling water for 3 minutes. After this, the vegetable is dried and frozen.
As you can see, Chinese cabbage is a wonderful plant that will look like a decoration on any table. Don’t be afraid to take on growing Pekinka, because it is not picky about care and is very useful. Therefore, every gardener should allocate a place in his summer cottage Chinese cabbage.
Vegetables are abundant on the tables of Asian countries. For example, Chinese cabbage. Salads are prepared from it and used as a side dish. Previously, this vegetable was exclusively imported to Europe. Today, growing and caring for Chinese cabbage is available in many regions of Russia.
Today, gardeners are interested in growing not only well-known and widespread vegetable crops. Through the efforts of breeders, varieties have been developed that are adapted to conditions different from the “parental” ones. What is required to grow and care for Chinese cabbage, why this vegetable is so popular not only in its homeland.
What is Chinese cabbage
Chinese cabbage refers to bok choy and Chinese cabbage plants. Both of them are widely used in Chinese cuisine. The vegetable is a variety of turnip and belongs to the same genus as cauliflower and broccoli.
Fact. For quite a long time, bok choy was considered isolated, an independent species Chinese cabbage. Today, both varieties are widely represented on supermarket shelves not only in Asia, but also in Europe and North America.
Outside of Asia, Chinese cabbage has become widespread. That is why, when searching for information about Chinese cabbage, a large percentage of sources describe Chinese cabbage.
Chinese cabbage leaves are pale green in color, the stems are white, and are rolled into an elongated, loose head. Traditionally used for fermentation.
Bok choy cabbage, or pak choy as it is also called, does not form a head. The leaves are dark green, the stems are fleshy, gathered around a small bud.
Features of agricultural technology
It was experimentally found that Chinese cabbage is difficult to tolerate such a procedure as transplantation, which is often used for other vegetable crops. That is why it is preferable to grow this plant from seedlings or sow it in the ground, always thinning out weaker specimens.
Important. Despite the fact that Chinese cabbage and pak choi are species relatives, it is not recommended to plant them close to each other.
Features of the process of growing Chinese cabbage
Growing pak choi cabbage has a whole series features. They can be formulated as follows:
- Chinese cabbage is a fast-ripening crop. Early varieties reach maturity on average in 40-55 days, late varieties - 60-80, medium - 55-60. Such indicators allow you to get up to 3 harvests in one season.
- If the appropriate conditions are created, the plant can be grown throughout the year.
- Temperatures below 13°C and extended daylight hours (artificially or naturally) can cause bolting and flowering.
- The optimal temperature for germination is from 15 to 22°C.
It is possible to avoid flowering and bolting if you follow the following rules:
- crops should not be too thick;
- give preference to varieties that are resistant to flowering;
- artificially shorten daylight hours.
The listed features of growing Chinese cabbage should be taken into account before the actual cultivation of the crop begins.
One of the methods of growing Chinese cabbage is seedlings. It is preferable given the instability of the root system to transplantation. That is why the seeds are sown in individual peat pots, in which the seedlings germinate later and are transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.
Growing Chinese pak choi cabbage using the seedling method has one important advantage - reducing the ripening time. After planting the seedlings in the beds, the first harvest can be harvested after 20-35 days.
Optimal timing for sowing Chinese cabbage for seedlings
Chinese cabbage seeds germinate at a temperature of 4°C. However, for normal growth and full development, the culture requires other temperature indicators - from 15 to 22°C.
Advice. Exceeding the optimal temperature conditions leads to the fact that the plant begins to bloom. This is especially often observed with another factor - long daylight hours.
You should start planting seeds for seedlings about a month before you start planting in the ground. The exact timing depends on what crop is planned to be harvested. For example, if we talk about early, then planting is carried out in the last days of March, the deadline is the beginning of April. To obtain a late harvest suitable for winter consumption, the procedure is carried out in the last days of June.
How to grow Chinese cabbage seedlings
For growing Chinese cabbage from seeds, loose soil is preferable. For example, it could be a mixture of two parts coconut substrate and one part humus. The seeds are not pre-soaked. The depth to which the seed is planted should not exceed 1.5 cm. Peat pots, in the best possible way Suitable for germinating Chinese cabbage seeds, until the first shoots appear, they should be kept in a warm, unlit room.
The containers are brought to the light a few days after the first shoots appear. The optimal temperature range is from 7 to 8°C. As the substrate dries, it is watered with settled water. room temperature and loosen with caution.
After 2 to 3 true leaves appear on the seedlings, a false pick is carried out. This means that weak seedlings are not pulled out, but pinched off.
Is picking Chinese cabbage carried out?
Such a procedure as picking with regard to Chinese cabbage seedlings is not applicable. The root system is sensitive to damage, which is inevitable when transplanting seedlings from a common container into individual pots.
Planting a plant in open ground
The seedlings obtained as a result of seed germination can be planted both in a greenhouse and in open ground. Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground begins immediately after the seedlings reach maturity in three days.
Advice. 10 days before planting, seedlings undergo hardening. To do this, the seedlings are taken out of their usual conditions for a while. Every day, the time spent on the street increases and as soon as the period reaches a day, disembarkation is carried out.
Soil needed for Chinese cabbage
Chinese cabbage is a light-loving crop. Therefore, areas that are sufficiently illuminated are suitable for growing it. The soil should be neutral, light, and fairly loose. The soil should be moderately moist, have good drainage so that the water does not stagnate.
Precursors for Chinese cabbage can be carrots, potatoes, any grains, cucumbers, and garlic.
Planting seedlings in areas that were previously planted with any cruciferous plants risks becoming infected with common pests and diseases.
How to plant Chinese cabbage correctly
The success of growing Chinese cabbage depends on many factors. One of them is proper preparation soil.
In some cases, liming of the soil may be required. This should be done in the fall before the final digging. With the onset of spring, the selected area is dug up and a bucket of humus (compost) is added to each square meter. Then holes are made at a distance of 10-15 cm. The distance between rows should not exceed 50 cm.
The bottom of each hole is fertilized with superphosphate, wood ash and urea, thoroughly mixed with soil and a small amount of water. peat pot placed in the center of the hole and carefully added dropwise.
How to plant a plant in the garden
Planting and caring for Chinese cabbage is not very difficult, provided that certain rules are followed. One of them concerns the fact that for some time after planting, seedlings must be covered with non-woven material.
This is done to solve the following problems:
- protection of young plants from temperature changes;
- sheltering seedlings from direct sunlight at the time of rooting;
- protection of the root system from possible rotting due to abundant moisture during heavy rainfall;
- protection against cruciferous flea beetle;
- accelerating the process of head formation.
After two weeks from the moment of planting in open ground, the area must be mulched with peat or straw. Loosening the soil around the emerging heads of cabbage is done with great care.
Watering
Chinese cabbage requires abundant and regular watering. This is done at least once a week. Water should be poured directly under the root, avoiding getting on the leaves. The procedure is carried out either early in the morning or immediately after the sun sets. Mulching allows you to avoid accelerated evaporation of moisture.
Top dressing
Chinese cabbage is fed for the first time two weeks after planting in the ground. The basis of feeding should be organic fertilizers. One plant will require no more than a liter ready solution.
Plants that were planted in the spring should be fertilized at least three times throughout the growing season. Summer plantings fertilized twice.
Variety of types of Chinese cabbage
The science of selection does not stand still. Today, thanks to the efforts of specialists, many vegetable crops can be grown not only in Asia, for example, but also in the climate of most regions of Russia. Today there are many types of Chinese cabbage. The following are the most common varieties in our country.
Sheet
This variety is nothing more than Chinese cabbage itself or pak choi. The plant is distinguished by succulent petioles, which are eaten. The foliage has an oval shape, it is pressed tightly to the middle. Bok choy stores well, maintaining its presentation for a long period of time.
Today the market offers varieties adapted to Russian conditions. However, those species that grow in China easily tolerate the climatic conditions of most latitudes of Russia.
The domestic variety of Chinese cabbage, which has become widespread, is “Alyonushka”. It is valued for its early ripening - only 45 days pass from the moment the first shoots appear to the harvest. And also for the high content of lysine - this amino acid, which is extremely important for the body and is very rarely found in vegetables.
Plants of this variety form a rosette of leaves, the diameter of which reaches 20-30 cm. All parts of the plant are eaten in any form - fried, raw, stewed, pickled. The leaves are small and have a round-oval shape.
The petioles are quite fleshy. One plant can reach a weight of 1.8 kg. From one square meter It is possible to collect about 9 kg of plantings. The taste of the Alyonushka cabbage, although it has a spicy pungency, is quite pleasant.
Another type of Chinese cabbage that is popular is Swallow. Its value lies in the fact that the first harvest is harvested two weeks after the appearance of the first shoots.
Plants of this variety weigh up to 3 kg. The petioles are quite fleshy and juicy. All parts contain large amounts of ascorbic acid.
Half-headed and cabbage variety
Introduced by the well-known Chinese cabbage. Due to the fact that the crop does not tolerate temperature changes quite well, it is grown mainly in greenhouse conditions.
Today breeders offer early ripening varieties, which are suitable for growing in open ground. For example, Khibinskaya and Optiko.
Today in Russia the most common variety of Chinese cabbage is “Bokal”. This is a representative of the cabbage species. Dense, completely closed heads of cabbage guarantee that fungal spores and larvae cannot penetrate inside. The taste qualities allow the plant to be used as a salad additive.
Possible diseases and pests of Chinese cabbage
Chinese cabbage is a frost-resistant crop. However, this quality applies exclusively to adult plants. The seedlings are extremely poorly tolerated low temperatures, their differences.
Regarding pests that can cause damage to Chinese cabbage seedlings. Experts name among them - all lovers of cruciferous vegetables, for example, cruciferous flea beetles. To reduce the damage they cause, it is recommended to water the plant abundantly and often. Chemicals should be connected when the number of pests increases sharply.
Naked slugs and cabbage whites are the main enemies of Chinese cabbage. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, pests can completely destroy the plant seedlings.
Advantages and disadvantages
Chinese cabbage has many benefits. Namely:
- pronounced, unparalleled taste;
- opportunity to get a harvest for short term;
- unpretentiousness - the culture easily adapts to any climatic conditions;
- resistance to known diseases and pests;
- high volume of harvest obtained;
- long term storage
The advantages of Chinese cabbage include its rich composition. The leaves contain a large amount of substances necessary for the human body.
Despite such an extensive list of benefits, Chinese cabbage has a small drawback - if you miss the harvest time, the leaves become rough.
Harvest
Chinese pak choi cabbage is ready for harvesting when the plant has formed at least 9-10 full leaves. A plant that has formed fleshy petioles on a dense rosette is also considered mature.
Fact. One plant produces several harvests. This is possible due to the rapid formation of new leaf shoots.
Chinese cabbage tolerates frost well when the temperature drops to -10°C, which allows the plant to be preserved for a long time.
Provided there are no so-called “windows” when the temperature varies between minus and plus, the Chinese one can be left in the garden until December.
Fact. If you strictly follow the rules for growing Chinese cabbage, the yield can reach 15 kg per 1 square of sowing.
Once the plant reaches maturity, experienced gardeners It is recommended to dig it up by the roots. Then, to preserve the taste, it should be buried in damp sand and placed in basement With high-quality ventilation. The moisture in the sand will not allow the cabbage to wither.
Growing Chinese cabbage has its own characteristics compared to ordinary white cabbage. Let's look at how to grow Chinese cabbage in your garden.
Chinese cabbage has delicate and thin petals, so it requires special care.
These ancient cultures of China are actively conquering the vast expanses of Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other CIS countries. And this is not surprising, since the technology for growing Chinese and Chinese cabbage is quite simple. Even when grown without seedlings in the northern regions, you can get a good harvest. And what can we say about more warm regions? So how to grow Chinese cabbage?
First, let us recall how these two types differ. Quite often they are united by a common name - Chinese cabbage, but from a botanical point of view this is completely incorrect. Chinese cabbage (salad, or petsai) and Chinese cabbage (mustard, or pak choi) are close relatives. The homeland of both species is China, but they differ in appearance and certain features.
Chinese cabbage has very tender, sessile, whole leaves with a swollen, wrinkled leaf blade, height - 15-35 cm. There are varieties in which the leaves form a head or rosette of different densities and shapes. Chinese cabbage forms a rosette of erect leaves with succulent petioles, the height of which reaches 30 cm.
There are 2 subspecies grown, which differ in the color of the petioles and leaves.
Features of growing Chinese cabbage:
Most optimal temperature The temperature for sprouting cabbage is 15-22°C
- Chinese cabbage is an early ripening crop. Ripening time early varieties(from germination to ripeness) - 40-55 days, late - 60-80, medium - 55-60. This makes it possible to get 2 or even 3 harvests in one season.
- They are grown year-round when certain conditions are created.
- Moderate temperatures (below 13°C) and long daylight hours cause flowering and bolting.
- The best temperature for germination is 15-22°C.
To prevent flowering and bolting, you must:
- do not thicken the crops;
- choose varieties that are resistant to flowering;
- 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 cabbage
Chinese cabbage can be grown either without seedlings or using seedlings.
Seedless growing method
Chinese cabbage seeds are sown in open ground:
- from the first ten days of May (or the end of April) to June 15, make intervals between sowings of 10-15 days;
- from July 20 to August 10.
The distance between plants should be 15-25 cm. This can be achieved by sowing seeds in a narrow bed in the following ways:
- Linear tape method with thinning of plants. To do this, sowing seeds is carried out with ribbons (three- or two-line). The distance between ribbons is 50-60 cm, between lines – 20-30 cm.
- Plant seeds in the holes in groups of 3-4 pieces, the distance between the holes is about 30-35 cm. Thinning will be necessary.
Try both sowing methods and choose the one that seems more effective and convenient.
The depth of sowing seeds when grown 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 frost, unlike adult plants.
The first shoots appear at approximately 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 cabbage cannot be grown after mustard, radishes and other cruciferous crops. By the way, keep this in mind when choosing green manure for the garden bed where you intend to plant any species.
With the strip-line sowing method, 2 thinnings are carried out during cultivation. When one true leaf appears, thin out for the first time, leaving plants every 8-10 cm. When the leaves of neighboring plants close together, a second thinning is done, leaving plants every 20-25 cm.
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Seedling method
Growing by seedling method should be carried out, taking into account their “capriciousness” to damage the roots and replanting. They cannot be grown using picking. Chinese cabbage is more capricious, so its seedlings must be grown in peat pots with planting together with pots in a greenhouse or open ground.
The advantage of growing through seedlings is the reduction in ripening time. By using seedlings, you can get the first harvest 20-35 days after planting the seedlings in the garden bed.
The time for sowing seeds for seedlings depends on the type of soil. When grown in:
- open ground - late March-April;
- protected ground - late January-early February.
Containers and cassettes for seedlings.
The soil for growing Chinese cabbage seedlings should be loose. It is good to use coconut substrate; it meets all the requirements for seedling soil and makes it possible to obtain healthy and strong seedlings.
For uniform sowing, seeds are mixed with sand and sown to a depth of approximately 0.5-1 cm. Seedlings are ready for planting at the age of 25-30 days. By this time, the seedlings should have 4-5 true leaves.
Planting seedlings in a garden bed.
For these types of cabbage, the most preferable soils are light, organic-rich, well-drained soils with a neutral environment.
Predecessors can be crops that are also acceptable for other brassicas.
The area allocated for Chinese cabbage must be illuminated.
Chinese cabbage must be grown separately from Chinese cabbage, since cross-pollination can occur between these species.
Seedlings are planted according to the following scheme:
- in open ground 30×25 cm;
- in protected ground - 10x10 cm (leaf forms) and 20x20 cm (head forms).
A person's diet should always contain large quantities of vegetables, and Chinese cabbage is considered one of the most nutritious vegetable crops. Its beneficial substances and delicate taste are loved all over the world.
This vegetable comes from China and has quite simple technology cultivation, which allows you to get a good harvest even in the northern regions. It’s worth noting right away that the two are often confused different types this vegetable sold on our shelves.
There is Petsai or Beijing cabbage. It is quite juicy and delicate in taste, ideal for making salads. A head of cabbage consists of light and rather thin wrinkled leaves, which are framed by fleshy and juicy petioles. The length of such a head of cabbage can reach from 15-30cm
Grade 2 is Chinese cabbage (Pak Choi). This species has denser and fleshier erect leaves. The length of the rosette can reach up to 35 cm. This type vegetables have a more saturated green, there are 3 types - cabbage, leaf and half-head.
Most gardeners call the latter variety head lettuce. In terms of the content of nutrients, it is in many ways superior to other varieties of cabbage. It contains vitamins and ascorbic acid, but its special substance is lysine - an amino acid that allows you to break down foreign proteins in the blood. In other words, this is not just a tasty vegetable, it is very healthy for human body. In cooking, it is used mainly fresh, for preparing salads; it is the fresh product that retains all its beneficial substances, but also for preparing other dishes where it is necessary heat treatment, it is also used.
It is easy to grow this miracle vegetable yourself, since this crop is not fussy and easy to grow.
GROWING PAI CHOY CABBAGE
Any vegetable crop requires special care and growing requirements. Chinese cabbage is considered a cold-resistant crop that requires sufficient moisture. The soil for this vegetable is well fertilized and loose. Acidic soil is absolutely not suitable for growing it, and you should not plant this variety in a place where another variety of cabbage, radishes and turnips previously grew.
The planting site must be prepared in advance; in the fall, the ground is dug up and fertilized with manure. Peat is absolutely not suitable as a soil fertilizer for this vegetable. In the spring, before planting, it is enough to loosen the soil well and moisten it.
CHINESE CABBAGE (VIDEO)
PLANTING A CULTURE
Since the Pai Choy variety is early ripening, planting should take place in already established and suitable weather conditions. This vegetable ripens within one month, more than late varieties They will ripen in 2-3 months - this fact allows you to harvest 2-3 times in one season. For active and good development and fruit growth requires warm weather: the air temperature should be +15...+25°C. Planting is carried out in the spring - in April or May.
Chinese kale is grown in 2 ways - seedlings and sowing seeds. Both options are widely used by vegetable growers in practice.
To grow seedlings, you need to prepare containers and substrate. Some experts create mini-greenhouses in which young seedlings can be perfectly kept. It is worth sowing seeds for seedlings in January-February, and by April, high-quality planting material will have already been grown. The soil for planting is taken from the same place where the vegetable will grow in the future. The containers are filled with soil and moisturize it well, after which they proceed to planting seeds, deepening them into the ground by 2-3 cm. The containers can be covered with polyethylene; the film should be lifted every day for ventilation. After a month, the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place in open ground. It is worth remembering that this crop is difficult to tolerate transplantation.
Distance between planting material kept at a distance of 40 cm, and between beds - up to 50 cm. It is not recommended to plant Chinese cabbage deeply, as it has a thin and weak root system. After planting, it is recommended to cover the bed with lutrasil; in this case, the seedlings will adapt more easily and will be protected from temperature changes and pests.
Planting of seeds is carried out in April-May, if the weather is warm. The distance between the beds remains up to 50 cm, but you can sow quite densely. At the first shoots, thin out and weed at the same time, but it is worth remembering that the distance between the sprouts remains 10 cm. In the future, as the plant grows, thinning must be done until the distance between the sprouts is 40 cm, and so that the seedlings are not eaten pests, it is worth using ash or insecticides.
BENEFITS OF BEIJING CABBAGE (VIDEO)
WATERING AND FERTILIZER
Chinese cabbage requires careful and competent cultivation and care, the basis good growth- regular watering. But at the same time, dampness and swelling of the soil should not be allowed, since these factors have a detrimental effect on root system, causing disease and stunting.
Watering should be done as the soil dries, but you should not allow it to dry out completely and form a crust on the soil. It is better to choose the morning time for watering; this will allow the soil to warm up during the day, avoiding dampness. In case of prolonged rains, it is worth taking care of the cabbage beds. You can protect them by covering them with polyethylene or agrofibre. Most vegetable growers combine watering with fertilizing. For fertilizer, organic matter is most often used in the form of a weak liquid solution, as well as mullein infusion, which is prepared in a ratio of 1:8 with water.
Hilling is not necessary for this crop; it is enough to loosen it periodically top layer soil after watering. When weeding the beds, you need to be careful not to cover the apical bud.
In these simple rules and there lies the secret of how to grow Chinese cabbage. This activity is not difficult and even beginner vegetable growers can do it. This vegetable deserves special attention, and its presence in the human diet will have a beneficial effect on health. A cut head of cabbage can be stored for quite a long time; the main thing is to properly pack each vegetable separately and store it in a dry and cool place.
