Recently I decided to look at what they write on gardening websites about cultivation. Chinese cabbage . I read it and realized that almost all the authors did not grow this vegetable themselves. My article contains only my own many years of experience.
In supermarkets there is imported cabbage for sale; its shape is somewhat reminiscent of a rugby ball.
Therefore, consumers have the erroneous opinion that it is grown only because it resembles a head of ordinary white cabbage. Only the taste is more pleasant, the leaves are more tender, the veins are not rough.
Beijing cabbage - variety of varieties
For myself, I roughly divided it into groups.First group: kale . I have never seen leafy varieties on the shelves of retail outlets, although such varieties also exist. They are beneficial for growing in early spring.
Why are such leaves needed? So, at this time, there was no longer any fresh cabbage stored in the cellars; they had eaten it all. There is still fermented food, but for some reason I no longer have the appetite for it. It’s still a long time to wait for early ripening, but I really, really want fresh vitamin goodies from my garden. For example, the variety "Vesnyanka" is leafy, there is no point in waiting for heads of cabbage, but, like radishes, it is ready for harvesting 35 days after germination. Where else can I find one like this? early vegetable? "Vesnyanka" is good in salads and spring cabbage soup. There is also a variety "Lenok". The good thing is that it tolerates a short absence of sunlight when the sky is covered with clouds.
It is often written that “Khibinskaya” is also leafy. They lie, this is a semi-headed variety.
Now I’ll share my culinary know-how: Chinese cabbage leaves, leaves and root vegetables, seasoned vegetable oil with apple cider vinegar, they will give you a salad that is unique in taste and healthiness!
In the second group I include head varieties of Chinese cabbage, which can be sown in the ground in the spring or grown as seedlings in a greenhouse. These varieties have a peculiarity: they are resistant to flowering and stemming (that is, their flower stalk is in no hurry to appear), they calmly tolerate weather changes. For example, hybrids “Spring Jade” and “Spring Beauty”. It is recommended to grow them in protected soil, but no one bothers us, gardeners, to set aside a corner in the greenhouse for Chinese cabbage. These same hybrids can be grown in home greenhouses in the fall; before frost arrives, they will have time to produce a harvest even under film covers.
The third group includes varieties and hybrids that are best sown in early August. At this time, the day becomes much shorter, and it loves short days. Grown at this time is good for storage. This:
- "Autumn Beauty";
- "September";
- "Wineglass".
Features of growing Chinese cabbage
Peking cabbage is not exactly a real cabbage, it has a completely different structure: it looks like head lettuce in childhood or leaf lettuce.All real cabbages can cross-pollinate and give birth to hybrids and crosses. Beijing is in no hurry to enter into marriage relations with white or Brussels sprouts. But it welcomes rutabaga, turnips and even wild rape.
Beijing cabbage does not like transplanting. If seedlings are grown in a box, plant them in damp, not too rainy weather, this way you will minimize the risk of seedling death. The best way growing - in cups made of peat or plastic, so as not to damage the main root during handling.
This means that fertile soil must be prepared in such a way as to deprive the pet of the opportunity to create reserves of nitrates that are harmful to human health. This is possible when cultivating vegetables according to natural technologies: Do not dig the soil, do not fertilize it.
Another feature: the more nitrates accumulate, the darker it is in the greenhouse (dark and cold). That is why it is better to grow this type of cabbage in garden beds.
To harvest cabbage, you need to wait until mid-day: at this time of day, there are almost a third less nitrates in it. If fed, then remove or cut for food only after 2 weeks.
If you grow kale, you can remove the top leaves; they will quickly be replaced by others. For cabbage, this will be unacceptable; if we take it off, it won’t be done often.
A frequent question: why are the heads of Chinese cabbage loose and do not gain the weight indicated on the bags? And everything depends on the weather: it will be sunny and warm - wide large leaves, dense heads of cabbage. In a cloudy, cold summer, heads of cabbage still form, but they are loose; in my area they are called sprouts.
Chinese cabbage does not like heat, hot days are not for it, take this fact into account when scheduling sowing dates.
Even more useful tips on growing Chinese cabbage (including how to get two harvests per season) you will find in the article Peking cabbage: features of agricultural technology.
Sowing Chinese cabbage
The generous hand of the gardener does not save seeds very much. We know that germination can be very low, so we sow more and more often than necessary. But everything is good in moderation: you shouldn’t place the seeds too thickly in the furrow - 2 seeds per 20 centimeters will be enough for a reserve. Thinning should be done later, when the leaves of neighboring plants begin to touch or close together; the excess ones are simply cut off for the kitchen: they are still small and especially tender.My experience in growing varieties
"Khibinskaya". I really love this variety, which is presented as very old. There is less antiquity in it than a cat's tears: it is included in the register and admitted Russian Federation in 1962.The variety is semi-headed, very early ripening, only 40 or up to 50 days before harvesting in garden beds, and even faster in a greenhouse - only 25 days. Try to find another one with the same characteristics! A head of cabbage is an elongated cylinder. But there is one peculiarity: increased temperature is required for growth. For other varieties and hybrids, +15 °C...+18 °C is enough, but for “Khibinskaya” this is not enough. And the day should be short, northern. This is no wonder, because the variety was bred at the Polar Experimental Station of the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing in the Murmansk Region, in the city of Apatity. This is the first light zone, with white nights. So cabbage under these conditions does not want to produce a good head of cabbage. And after the end of these beautiful nights, when the day is actually short, we are pleased with an excellent harvest.
I like this cabbage more than any other. It rarely happens in my garden, only in very cloudy, gloomy weather, when bad weather shortens the day, when there are rare rainfalls.
Peking cabbage "Cha-cha" " . It is believed that this hybrid sets a head of cabbage even with long days, so it can be grown from early spring to autumn. Since Chinese cabbage is early ripening, the “Cha-cha” harvest can be harvested every month and a half: that is, sown as seedlings, and after 2 weeks transferred to open ground. At the same time, the heads of cabbage are weighty - up to 2.8 kg. I do not know…
Maybe the bag I bought didn’t contain “Cha-cha”, but a different variety? Because in different time, but absolutely all the plants decided to give birth (they threw away their flower stalks) without waiting for the heads of cabbage to appear.
" Nika" . And I like this variety because in our light zone it produces stable yields. The same 2 months from full germination to the first head of cabbage. It's closed! The vegetable can be stored in cellars for quite a long time.
Which Chinese cabbage stores well in winter?
There are varieties (most of them) with a half-open head: these are productive, but not stored for long in the cellars:- "Brocken";
- "Nozaki";
- "Sprinkin" and others.
In Russia, its popularity has already equaled its distant relative - white cabbage, and in some respects it has become a leader. So, it is not necessary to plant it as seedlings; you can get by with seeds, which makes it much easier in open ground. The second important advantage is that it forms heads much faster, that is, you do not need to wait until autumn to harvest. The third wonderful quality of this vegetable is that it can be used for salads, hot dishes, and pickles, which has already been appreciated by thousands of chefs. Usually Chinese cabbage is not capricious, but for some gardeners, instead of forming heads of cabbage, it only throws out inflorescences that no one needs. What's the matter? What secrets do you need to know to get good harvest?
Beijing or Chinese?
Growing Chinese cabbage in compliance with several simple conditions even beginners in gardening can do it. Some difficulties may arise only in reality. initial stage- buying seeds, because sometimes you can see on the bags sold in all specialized stores different names and the same picture of a vegetable.
Everyone knows that Beijing is the capital of China. Therefore, it is logical that Chinese cabbage and Chinese cabbage are one and the same, but there are two varieties of this vegetable. One is salad cabbage, or bok choy, the other is head-forming cabbage, or pet sai. Bok choy does not produce heads, only leaves that form in a rosette around the main bud. It is cultivated for the sake of these leaves, which are extremely useful from a medical standpoint. In Russia, it is bok choy that is most often called Chinese cabbage, and pet sai - Peking cabbage. It is also good for health. So, it contains a lot of vitamins A, C, B, PP, carotene, lemon and ascorbic acid, proteins important for the human body.
Biological description
So that growing Chinese cabbage in open ground does not bring unexpected surprises, let’s get acquainted with appearance this vegetable. If all sowing and care standards are followed, the harvest consists of loose oblong heads up to 35 cm long. At the base, each leaf has a large fleshy central vein, whitish in color. Its shape is most often triangular, and its dimensions are such that it makes up approximately 20% of the leaf or more. The rest of it is quite tender, pale light green, less often green or deep green, slightly convex, with uneven edges. In cross-section, the head of cabbage has small seeds, similar to tiny balls. This vegetable loves moisture, light and warmth, but can withstand frosts in soil down to -4 degrees Celsius. This does not apply to young shoots of Chinese cabbage, which need to be provided with above-zero temperatures.
Features of cultivation
Beijing cabbage has many features. One of them is very fast germination. Therefore, growing Chinese cabbage in open ground from seeds is considered the most convenient way to cultivate it. The main condition that must be met is temperature regime. The fact is that Chinese cabbage produces full-sized heads only in the air temperature range from +13 to +22 degrees Celsius. In cooler weather, this foreign vegetable actively forms arrows, in higher weather it does not set good heads and also throws out flower stalks. Planting dates in each region should be based on climatic conditions, taking into account that seeds germinate no longer than a week at temperatures environment up to +5 degrees and about 4 days at a temperature of +13 degrees. On average, in spring cabbage is sown in open ground from mid-April to mid-June, but experienced gardeners It is recommended to sow at intervals of approximately 2 weeks in order to have a harvest for a long time.
How to sow seeds correctly
Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground in spring is the most convenient way get a high yield. For the beds, select a well-lit place with light neutral soil.
The seeds are placed in the soil to a depth of no more than 2 cm, and preferably from 1 to 1.5 cm. Peking cabbage grows very large before the heads begin to form. lower leaves, which subsequently die off, but in the process of growth greatly interfere with each other. Based on this, the distance between future cabbages should be at least 30 cm. It is almost impossible to maintain it by sowing small seeds, so in the future the seedlings must be thinned out. In order for the seedlings to appear faster, as well as to protect them from possible frosts, it is advisable to cover the crops with film.
Further care
Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground rarely causes difficulties. After the emergence of seedlings and their thinning, the first place in importance comes proper watering. Peking cabbage loves moisture and, if it is lacking, does not form good heads of cabbage. However, if there is an excess of water, it begins to rot. You need to water it abundantly, but so that the water does not stagnate, and on especially hot days, irrigate your plants using the rain method. Weeding, as well as shallow loosening of the soil, is also important for cabbage. This vegetable is fed 2 times per season with a solution of slurry or mullein.
Growing seedlings
Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground at home is practiced not only with seeds, but also with seedlings. This is done to ripen the crop earlier or to obtain several harvests per season. They begin to plant Chinese cabbage seedlings in the second half of April. This plant does not like transplanting and picking, so each seed is immediately placed in a separate cassette or in a peat pot (tablet). You can also sow 2-3 seeds, so that after germination you leave the strongest seedling and remove the rest. As soon as the seedlings hatch, the containers with the seedlings are transferred to a well-lit, but not hot place (ambient temperature - up to +18 degrees) so that the sprouts do not stretch too much. Otherwise, planting them will be problematic. The seedlings are planted in the garden bed with a clod of earth without damaging the root system.
The holes are made 25-30 cm apart from each other. Half a glass of ash and a pinch (up to a teaspoon) of complex fertilizers are added to each. The sprouts are ready to move into open ground when 5-6 leaves appear on each. In the first days after planting, young plants need to be covered with film at night to protect them from sudden temperature changes. The harvest can be harvested in just 3 weeks.
Growing in summer
Since Chinese cabbage ripens very quickly, it can be harvested twice per season, sowing the seeds again from late July to mid-August. It is not sown in June, which is due to the length of daylight hours, which for the formation of heads of cabbage should be no more than 12-13 hours. Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground in July is not much different from the process in spring.
The only thing that gardeners should do additionally is to artificially shorten the length of daylight hours for their cabbage by covering the plants with lutrasil. It is also necessary to provide sufficient watering and do not allow the soil to dry out. To obtain seeds, cabbage is planted in months when the sun shines for more than 13 hours. It doesn’t matter how high the air temperature is.
Shooting Chinese cabbage
Almost all gardeners plant Chinese cabbage to produce heads of cabbage. But sometimes, instead of forming heads, plants begin to throw out flower arrows, and there is no harvest. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to comply with all standards when growing Chinese cabbage in open ground. The photo below shows what the rows should look like before the final thinning. With this method of planting, excess plants are not thrown away, but used for cooking.
Arrows may appear:
When the daylight hours are too long;
Density of plantings;
Lack of nutrients in the soil;
Insufficient watering in hot weather.
Sometimes cabbage becomes capricious when transplanting it. This happens when gardeners, thinning out plantings, try to save excess plants by transplanting them to another place.
Pests and diseases
Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground in a country house or garden plot usually proceeds without any difficulties. Important: it is not advisable to plant this crop after other cruciferous crops (radish, radish, mustard), which reduces the risk of diseases characteristic of these crops. Among the pests, cabbage is most often attacked by flea beetles, which can completely destroy the seedlings. To combat insects, the bed should be sprinkled with ash. Slugs also love to feast on cabbage leaves. If they are spotted on the site, special traps are set for them. Another pest is cabbage weeds, which lay eggs on back side leaves. If such masonry is found, they are destroyed manually.
Today, entrepreneurs are offered a number of interesting and profitable ideas. Each recommended one, due to its prospects, is capable of bringing profit, that is, improving financial condition. It is no secret that the most profitable types of business are those based on the sale of products of agricultural origin.
In this article we will look at Chinese cabbage as a source of profit. Let us note that the cultivation of this crop in Russia is a new direction in vegetable growing. The prospects for growing Chinese cabbage are obvious, since the demand for it is only increasing every year. This trend is associated with the taste of the plant, as well as its chemical composition, which has a beneficial effect on human health.
Pros and cons of growing Chinese cabbage.
Below we consider a number of advantages of cultivating Chinese cabbage for farmers:
1. The productivity of the plant is high (determined primarily by the variety, growing conditions and processing technology) - it can reach 0.9 t/ha;
2. Chinese cabbage tolerates low temperatures well, which is of particular interest for farms middle zone of the country. The head of cabbage grows at a temperature of 12 degrees, but its most intensive growth is observed at a temperature of about 20 degrees. The plant can tolerate temperatures of -7 degrees. Thus, it is fair to say that this plant is unpretentious;
3. It makes sense to focus on high wholesale price Chinese cabbage - about 20 rubles. for 1 kg. From five hectares, as a rule, 300 tons of cabbage are obtained, that is, at least 6 million rubles;
4. The plant has a short growing season - on average 2 months, that is, you will get more than one harvest per year, which will contribute to business development;
5. Such cabbage is in high demand throughout the year, that is, risks associated with sales are obviously excluded;
6. Peking cabbage is suitable for greenhouse cultivation.
You must understand that each plant, in addition to its advantages, also has some disadvantages. Chinese cabbage is no exception in this regard. Note that each of the problems when growing a particular plant can be excluded. This requires a proper approach to business and complete dedication. Below are the main disadvantages:
1. Due to the novelty of the plant for our country, appropriate agricultural cultivation techniques have not been developed;
2. Productivity is affected by soil fertility;
3. Chinese cabbage is susceptible to various kinds of diseases. For this reason, the use of insecticidal preparations cannot be avoided;
4. Such cabbage stays “on the vine” for only two weeks. If you postpone the harvesting of cabbage heads beyond these two weeks, then there is a high probability of rotting and necrosis of cabbage leaves. This in turn negatively affects the shelf life.
If you set out to start growing this plant, then you will have to register as a peasant farm, and if you wish, you can also register as an individual entrepreneur. The preferred taxation system for this type of business is the Unified Agricultural Tax. If you have arable land with an area of more than five hectares, then your initial costs will be associated with the acquisition (the minimum investment is indicated):
Tractor with trailer (can be rented) – 1,000,000 rubles;
Transplanter - 200,000 rubles;
Seeds - 5000 rubles;
Fertilizers – 15,000 rubles;
Packaging material – 15,000 rubles;
Storage – 200,000 rub.
Total – 1,435,000 rubles.
Fixed costs will be associated with:
Rent of areas for crops (if you do not have your own land of sufficient area);
Remuneration;
Tax deductions;
Insurance contributions to the Pension Fund;
Fuels and lubricants;
Repair and maintenance of premises and equipment.
Now let’s look at ways to obtain funds that will allow you to bring your idea to life:
1. You can get by with a preferential bank loan, which is provided by the state for agricultural producers;
2. Become a participant in one of the programs that provides support to farmers from the state. In Russia, within the framework of such programs, a farmer can be allocated up to 1,500,000 rubles free of charge for the development of his business.
Agricultural cultivation technology.
Of fundamental importance in the process of cultivating Chinese cabbage is the composition of the soil and, accordingly, its fertility. Neutral soil, that is, one that has an average composition, is better suited. For comparison: light soils will cause the plant to dry out instantly, while heavy and acidic soils– will contribute to the manifestation of diseases. To plant Chinese cabbage, give preference to those lands on which zucchini, tomatoes, legumes, and cucumbers previously grew.
When applying fertilizers, it is enough to limit bird droppings, humus, lime, potassium sulfate. It is more rational to fertilize after two weeks after planting the seeds. Urea is usually used as a top dressing.
If you want to start selling early, we advise you to pay attention to such varieties and hybrids as Mirako F1, Khibinskaya 5. Otherwise, Bilko F1.
Growing methods:
Rassadny;
On open ground.
Seedlings give excellent results on special soil - “Rostorfinfest”. Plant seeds in greenhouse conditions begin to grow at a temperature of 4 degrees. With this method of cultivation, you don’t have to be afraid of the negative effects of a deficiency. natural light. You can even do without additional lighting. It will take about 25 days to get viable seedlings in a greenhouse.
The first seedlings can be planted in open ground in April-May. Taking into account the fact that Chinese cabbage has a short growing season, it is advisable to do phased planting (on separate areas) seedlings, as this will increase the yield by the end of the season. Example (middle band): 1st planting - the first days of May, 2nd planting - at the end of the first ten days of May, 3rd planting - at the end of the second ten days of May, etc., the last planting - the first days of August. There should be 40,000 seedlings per 1 hectare. Distance between seedlings: rows – 10-12 cm, row spacing – 45 cm.
Water consumption for irrigation per 10 tons of crop is up to 800 cubic meters. Tip: give preference to the drip irrigation method.
The frequency of treating cabbage against pests and diseases is once every 3 years. For this purpose, the soil is treated with lime, the consumption rate of which should be 0.3-0.4 kg per 1 square meter.
Packaging and storage.
Harvesting is carried out when there are 10-12 formed leaves on the heads of cabbage.
The best packaging option is PVC film (width 35-45 cm). If you want to extend the shelf life of cabbage, then harvest it by hand directly on the field.
Chinese cabbage is in greatest demand in the autumn.
As you can see, the business idea is quite simple to implement and profitable.
Among other agricultural crops, others are very popular among novice entrepreneurs.
Chinese cabbage can be successfully grown in all types of protected soil as an independent crop or in the form of compaction of cucumber or tomato, and under small shelters - zucchini. Distinctive feature Chinese cabbage - its fast growth. The growing season is 50 days. If it is harvested in the phase of 5...7 leaves, the harvest ripens in 30...35 days, and to obtain heads of cabbage with an open rosette it takes 60...80 days.
Botanical characteristics of Chinese cabbage. Chinese cabbage is an annual, early-ripening plant. The leaves are collected in a dense rosette, which can reach a diameter of 30...50 cm. The leaf blade is light green or yellow-green, wrinkled, slightly pubescent. The leaf petioles are flat, thick and very wide - up to 3...6 cm, white. A rosette of leaves or heads of cabbage tightly folded from leaves, open at the top, are used for food.
Biological features of Chinese cabbage. The culture is demanding on soil fertility and moisture. Most favorable conditions for growth and development, low temperature 15...18° and plenty of moisture. Plants shoot quickly when the day is long, but the leaves do not lose their tenderness even when flowering.
Chinese cabbage can be successfully grown in all types of protected soil as an independent crop or as a compaction of cucumber or tomato. IN winter time it grows much better than lettuce and produces a higher yield.
The timing of sowing seeds in open ground is determined by the ripeness of the soil and the possibility of its cultivation. For autumn consumption, Chinese cabbage is sown in late July - early August, often used as a compactor for mid-late varieties white cabbage.
Sowing seeds. In open ground, seeds are sown with row spacing of 20 centimeters. If you intend to harvest the crop in at a young age. When growing until the head forms, the distance is increased to 35...50 centimeters. The distances in the row in the first case are 3...4 centimeters, in the second - up to 20...25 centimeters. The rate of sowing seeds in the ground is 4...5 g per 10 m2, in a greenhouse - 5...6 g.
The seedlings are first thinned out to a distance of 8…10 cm, then, after a week, through one plant. Plants removed during thinning can be used for food. Chinese cabbage plants develop better in early spring in greenhouses and hothouses, where cruciferous flea beetles are less harmful. Care consists of weeding, watering and loosening the soil between the rows.
Chinese cabbage is also grown as seedlings. 25 day old seedlings are planted at the same time as early ripening varieties white cabbage. Planting pattern 20...25X10...12 centimeters.
Successful cultivation of Chinese cabbage is ensured by following optimal modes humidity and temperature. During the formation of a rosette of leaves and heads of cabbage, the daytime temperature is maintained at 14...18°, and at night - 8...12°. Air humidity on a sunny day should be 70...80%, on a cloudy day - 60...70%, at night - 80%. Soil moisture - 60...70%. If the regimes are violated, the leaves are affected by necrosis, black, gray and white rot, as a result of which a normal head of cabbage does not form.
Harvesting Chinese cabbage. Leaf forms of Chinese cabbage are harvested in two terms. When 4...5 leaves are formed, they are removed in order of thinning, leaving a distance between plants of 8...10 centimeters. When 9...10 leaves have formed on the remaining plants, they are harvested a second time, pulling them out of the soil with roots. When harvesting is delayed, plants form flowering shoots, causing the quality of the product to deteriorate slightly.
The yield of Chinese cabbage in protected soil is 16...18 kilograms per square meter, in open ground 4…5 kilograms.
Vegetable crops belonging to the Cruciferous family fit harmoniously into the traditional country landscape; gardeners have long liked their unpretentiousness and invariably high yield. It is not surprising that growing Chinese cabbage personal plots is becoming more and more popular. Its tender leaves, collected into a loose head or rosette, are juicy, tasty and healthy. They contain many amino acids and vitamins, they are rich in minerals and protein. Petsai, as this crop is also called, is perfect for preparing salads and sandwiches, as well as for decorating ready-made dishes, which made it possible to assign telling names to this vegetable - Chinese salad, cabbage. You can grow a crop different ways: seedlings and non-seedlings, in protected and unprotected soil, in a heated greenhouse.
Specifics of culture
In order for heads of cabbage to form on the plants, it is necessary to strictly follow the agricultural technology of Chinese cabbage, taking into account the characteristics of its life cycle. If the daylight hours are more than 12 hours, the Chinese lettuce shoots out an arrow and begins to bloom. The harvest from such bushes can no longer be harvested; they are removed from the beds or left for collecting seeds. Intensive growth of leaves and setting of heads of cabbage occurs with short daylight hours. It can be created artificially by shading the beds in the evenings and removing the cover in the morning. But there is a less troublesome way - to adhere to the recommended planting dates:
- in spring - strictly on the 15th–20th of April;
- in summer - from the third ten days of July to the first ten days of August.
Chinese cabbage is distinguished by its early maturity. If desired and minimum costs In time, it will be possible to harvest useful heads of cabbage in the open ground twice or even three times per season. Its varieties are varied. According to their ripening time, they are divided into 3 groups:
- early ripening (Manoko, Orange tangerine) - they begin harvesting after 40-55 days;
- mid-season (Cha-Cha, Vorozheya, Lyubasha) - their heads of cabbage are ready in 55-60 days;
- late-ripening (Russian size, Nika) - they can be cut after 60-80 days.
Each variety of lettuce has specific features. They differ in the color of the leaves, their taste, the shape and size of the heads, the duration of their storage, and the presence of immunity to diseases. Some of them boast resistance to shooting and low temperatures. Cabbage hybrids of Dutch origin are especially popular among summer residents.
Obtaining seedlings
Petsai seeds can be sown directly into the ground, but the seedling method of growing the crop is more often practiced. It allows you to get the harvest faster. The timing of sowing depends on how you plan to use it, as well as on the type of soil. If you want to enjoy heads of Chinese cabbage from the garden beds as early as possible, optimal time for planting it - the last week of March. To eat healthy vegetables in winter, the procedure is carried out at the end of June. In regions with short, warm winters and with further cultivation in a greenhouse, petsai are planted in last days January or early February.
For sowing seeds, it is better to take separate containers or peat tablets. This will help to avoid problems when picking seedlings, after which the cabbage will be sick for a long time.
The prepared containers are filled with loose soil from the following components:
- 1 part humus;
- 2 parts coconut substrate.
Turf soil mixed with peat is also suitable for Chinese cabbage. Their volumes must be the same. Place 2-3 seeds in each pot and lightly sprinkle them with soil (0.5-1 cm). After waiting for the seedlings to get a little stronger and 2-3 leaves form on them, leave the strongest of them, and carefully weed out the rest. Seeds need warmth to germinate, but they do not need light. Therefore, containers are put away dark place. Salad cabbage usually sprouts at home in 2-3 days.
If the first shoots appear, the pots are placed in a well-lit place. Watering too frequently and abundantly is harmful to them, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Moisturize the seedlings when upper layer the soil in the container dries out. You can plant young Chinese cabbage in beds when it is 25-30 days old. By this time she should release 4-5 full leaves. In the south, lettuce seedlings are grown in a film greenhouse. In this case, the seeds are sown in early March, and within a month the young plants are placed in the beds.
IN last time The seedlings are watered 3-4 days before they are placed in open ground.
Sowing in the beds
If Chinese cabbage is grown using the seedless method, you need to wait until it gets warm. The timing of sowing is influenced by the climate of the area. If in middle lane Petsai seeds can be planted in the beds already at the end of April, but in the Urals this is done much later - in mid-May. Experienced summer residents It is recommended to carry out several sowings, repeating the procedure after 10-15 days. For spring planting It is better to choose leafy varieties of the crop, and for summer ones – those that form a head of cabbage.
Salad cabbage reacts to thickening by bolting. To avoid this problem, leave at least 15-25 cm of free space between the bushes. The easiest way to achieve this is to plant the petsai in holes, placing 3-4 seeds in each hole. They are covered with a 1–2 cm layer of soil. When Chinese cabbage sprouts, it will need to be thinned out. From the emerging sprouts, the most powerful one is selected and left to develop, while the others are removed. The procedure is carried out at the stage of 1-2 full leaves. Adjacent holes are spaced at a distance of approximately 30-35 cm.
To prevent tender seedlings from being damaged by frost, beds with planted seeds are protected from them by pulling plastic film or special material. Adult Chinese cabbage is not afraid of the cold; its bushes can safely tolerate temperatures down to -4°C. But they are dangerous for young seedlings, so it is better to leave them in such a greenhouse at night. In unprotected soil, seeds germinate in 3-10 days.
A dangerous pest of lettuce is the cruciferous flea beetle. You can protect plants from it already at the sowing stage by simply sprinkling the beds with wood ash.
There is another way to grow crops - in a greenhouse. Its owners can solve two problems at once: quickly get a harvest and save space. Rows of Chinese cabbage can be placed between tomatoes and cucumbers. By the time these crops grow, its heads will have already reached maturity. Between the rows of petsai in the greenhouse, 20 cm of free space is left. Seeds are planted at intervals of 5-10 cm. If the procedure is carried out in early April, then by the end of May the harvest will be completely ready.
Site requirements
Chinese cabbage grows well in sunny areas with loose, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. If the ground is easy plot, the plantings will suffer from drying out. In clayey, heavy soil they can be affected fungal diseases(Kila). Increased acidity soil will not affect the development of salad cabbage bushes, but excess salts will not benefit the plants. Before planting the crop, such soil is dug up, adding sawdust or straw to it. The normal pH for Petsai is 5.5 to 7.0.
Chinese cabbage can be planted after the following crops:
- garlic;
- Luke;
- cucumbers;
- zucchini;
- carrots;
- tomatoes;
- potatoes;
- legumes.
But if you place the petsai in areas where last season there were beds with its relatives in the family (any cabbage, radish, radish, horseradish), it will not bring a good harvest.
Chinese cabbage is planted in holes. They are dug up in advance, leaving 25-30 cm between them. The row spacing is set to 35-45 cm. In order for the bushes to grow quickly, they will need a lot of nitrogen and other nutrients. Therefore, the holes are filled with fertilizers:
- humus or compost (0.5 l);
- wood ash (2 tbsp.).
Complete pre-planting preparation with abundant watering.
Planting seedlings and caring for them
Before placing in open ground, seedlings are inspected, rejecting diseased and weak plants. It is recommended to spray it with insecticides to protect young Chinese cabbage from insect pests. This treatment is carried out no later than 3 days before planting the seedlings in the beds. The root collar is not buried; it should rise above the ground. Otherwise, the bush will begin to rot. Petsai are planted using the transshipment method, carefully, trying not to damage the fragile and brittle cabbage roots. Having placed the plants on the site, they are watered strictly at the root; water should not get on the leaves.
To form heads and rosettes, Chinese cabbage needs heat. In cool weather, when the temperature drops below +13°C, leaf growth slows down, but the process of formation of arrows with peduncles begins. To prevent this from happening, the air must be heated to +15, maximum +22°C. In the heat, the tender petsai leaves can become scorched. In the Middle Urals, summers are often cloudy and rainy, and cabbage is usually grown there in a greenhouse. If this is not possible, the plantings should be covered with film or a special cloth. This will protect the crop from rot.
Lyubasha and other varieties of Chinese cabbage need care:
- watering;
- weeding;
- periodic loosening of the soil, which is carried out to a shallow depth.
Petsai need a lot of water; its lack will negatively affect the growth of bushes. But you shouldn’t overwater them, otherwise you won’t be able to get a good harvest from them. Moisten the plantings once a week using warm water. Irrigation by sprinkling is preferable. The crop grows well in weed-free soil, so you will have to keep the plantings clean. Weed them carefully so that the soil does not fall on the apical bud of the bush. If the beds are mulched, it will take less time to fight weeds. This procedure is performed when 2 weeks have passed since the seedlings were placed in the beds.
With its origins in distant China, Chinese cabbage, which is easy to grow and care for, has now spread throughout the world. It is successfully cultivated in the USA, Europe, Belarus, Ukraine, the southern and northern regions of Russia, Far East, in Indonesia. Summer residents fell in love with it for its simplicity of agricultural technology, rapid growth, which allows harvesting several tasty and delicious crops in one season. healthy vegetables, and the possibility of propagation without seedlings.
Its juicy leaves are good fresh, but Chinese cabbage is suitable not only for salads. It is put into borscht and vegetable soups, cabbage rolls are wrapped from it, savory snacks and casseroles are made with it, it is stewed with milk or mushrooms, dried, pickled, and fermented. There are plenty of options. Petsai cooks quickly without filling up the kitchen unpleasant smell boiled cabbage. Try planting it on your site, and it will certainly conquer you!