Japanese mizuna cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. nipposinica var. laciniata) is salad plant, which is still considered a curiosity, but its delicate spicy taste is very pleasant and arouses the interest of gardeners. We are pleased to publish our reviews on the cultivation of this salad greens, since even a novice summer resident can grow Japanese cabbage.
Description
This crop tastes similar to arugula and is sold under the name mitsuna or mizuna, and is a bright green or reddish-brown peppery salad. It is part of the Brassica or Cruciferous family. Japan is considered its homeland.
Even though mitsuna is called cabbage, it does not form a head. Its delicate, showy leaves with a carved edge create a rather lush rosette. The flowers are small and colored in a light yellowish tint. The crop is early ripening and ready for consumption within 30-45 days after sowing.
Now they sell mainly red (Mitsuna Red) and green (Mitsuna Green) mizuna, there are also varieties Dude, Mermaid and Emerald Pattern. You may also see packages labeled “Mizuna mustard greens.”
Small seeds are slightly smaller in size than poppy seeds. They maintain good germination for about three years. This salad plant also forms a small root vegetable (about 15 cm long), the taste of which is somewhat reminiscent of rutabaga.
Mitsuna tolerates light frosts well, and germinates calmly even at 2-3 degrees below zero. On country beds V Middle lane In Russia it is grown from May to the end of September. IN winter period This plant is grown either in a greenhouse or on a windowsill.
Japanese mizuna cabbage: cultivation and care
Nutritious soil with a small amount of clay is best suited for Mitsuna. The growing location should be in full sun, but in extreme cases partial shade will do. This crop can be sown in beds after onions, peppers, beets, legumes and tomatoes. But after such crops as mustard, turnips, radishes, cabbage and radishes, it is not worth growing.
IN open ground in central Russia, mitsuna can be sown several times per season: at the very beginning of May, in mid-summer and in August. In well-prepared, leveled organic beds with loose, nutritious soil, shallow furrows (up to 1 cm) are made across the entire width. The distance between the grooves is maintained from 25 to 30 cm.
Seeds are sown in furrows and sprinkled with a small layer of light soil (or compost) and watered well. It is also advisable to cover the beds non-woven material. After the first seedlings appear, it is removed. Since the distance between plants in a row should be from 10 to 15 cm, the seedlings need to be thinned out. The first time this is done after all the seeds have sprouted. Between the seedlings leave from 5 to 7 cm. The second time thinning is carried out after 2 weeks and then the distance between the bushes should remain 10 -15 cm.
Care
At the very beginning, small plants must be weeded. When they grow a little, they are mulched, and there will be no need for weeding, since the mitsuna itself displaces weeds.
This salad crop should be watered with plenty of water, but care must be taken not to let any drops fall on the leaves. The water starts to rot the greens.
For better growth and development, the plant needs to be fed once every 15 days. For this, small doses of wood ash are used. Before feeding, it is dissolved in water. It is worth remembering that you should not apply nitrogen fertilizers to mitsuna, since this crop quickly accumulates nitrates in its composition. It's better to just make do with organic mulch and sow legumes.
To combat various pests bushes can be treated with herbal decoctions, as well as tobacco dust or ash.
For salads, the greens are cut off entirely, leaving a root stump in the garden. Soon greenery will grow again from the renewal buds.
Mizuna salad: beneficial properties
IN chemical composition various mitsunas were found minerals(potassium, iron, phosphorus, copper, selenium), microelements, vitamins B, PP, K, ascorbic acid, choline, beta-carotene.
Regular consumption of this salad crop improves the functioning of the stomach, intestines, as well as the heart and blood vessels. It also helps in removing salts and cholesterol from the body, with anemia, strengthens the immune system and improves skin condition. Mitsuna is especially suitable for those who want to reduce their weight.
We first learned about this culture back in 2008, when we were in Israel. Beautiful carved leaves beautifully decorated salads. But we managed to grow Japanese cabbage only this year, and believe me, it’s worth it!
Japanese cabbage, which is more like a salad, is occasionally sold in supermarkets. Our family likes its taste. There were no problems purchasing seeds. Tell us more about this plant. We have a greenhouse, in which we grow tomatoes. Is it possible to grow Japanese cabbage as a compactor for tomatoes or should it be given a separate bed in open ground?
Japanese cabbage has been cultivated and actively used as food in Eastern countries since the 16th century. It is not yet popular in Russia; it is more often found on store shelves than on personal plots. But in vain, this plant is early ripening, unpretentious, productive, healthy and tasty.
Japanese mizuna cabbage in packaging found on store shelves has positive reviews from buyers
Benefit and taste
We'll tell you which ones beneficial features has mizuna. Japanese cabbage leaves contain significant amount vitamin C, dry matter, carotene, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, etc. are present. The leaves taste tender, slightly sweet, with a characteristic cabbage aroma. They can be used fresh for various salads, heat-treated for soups, stews, canned, dried, pickled, and prepared for kimchi.
This variety of cabbage is considered a dietary product; it is recommended to be used for the treatment and prevention of anemia, cardiovascular and oncological diseases, as well as to strengthen the immune system.
Description
Japanese cabbage (Brassica japonica) belongs to the cruciferous family. Numerous leaves (up to 40 pieces) form a spreading rosette up to 50 cm high and about 80 cm in diameter. The weight of one rosette can reach up to 1.5 kg. This plant is biennial. In the first year a powerful rosette of leaves is formed, and in the second (subject to overwintering) a peduncle with small yellow flowers and the seeds ripen.
Two forms are cultivated: mizuna and mibuna. In mizuna, the leaves are cut into lobes, the edges are jagged, and a white root vegetable up to 12 cm long and about 6 cm in diameter can be formed, similar in taste to rutabaga. Mibuna is distinguished by single, lanceolate-shaped leaves without jagged edges.
Growing and care
Japanese cabbage mizuna and mibuna can be grown in open ground and in greenhouses, from early spring to late autumn. We accept both direct sowing of seeds in the ground and seedling method. Both forms can be used to compact tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc. until the main planting plants close in rows.
Japanese cabbage shoots
The period from germination to harvesting of rosettes is 80-85 days. Optimal temperature for the growing season it is about 20 °C, and seeds begin to germinate at 3-4 °C. The soil should be neutral, fertile, and breathable. Good predecessors are legumes, pumpkin, onions, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and beets.
Seeds can be sown in open ground from late April to mid-August in order to consume fresh leaves throughout the season. The sowing depth is 1.5 cm. If there are too many seedlings, then it is necessary to thin out, using the excess plants for food. Optimal distance There are 30 cm between neighbors in a row, and seedlings are transplanted at the same interval.
Mizuna seedlings
Japanese cabbage is demanding when it comes to watering, but it should not be overwatered, otherwise lower leaves are starting to rot. It is necessary to feed with fertilizers with a low nitrogen content, because the crop is predisposed to the accumulation of nitrates. The rest of the care is standard: removing weeds, loosening the rows.
The advantages of Japanese cabbage are resistance to bolting and a lower susceptibility to clubroot disease compared to white cabbage. Leaves can be cut throughout the season; after this procedure, the crop quickly increases its leaf mass. Mizuna can be used as a border plant and in flower beds, because... its carved leaves can favorably highlight any neighbors.
We hope that Japanese cabbage will remain in your garden for a long time.
Kira Stoletova
Mustard green, Japanese green salad or Japanese mizuna cabbage is one of two varieties of Japanese cruciferous crop. It's incredibly tasty and useful plant It is also called a crop for the lazy, because mizuna does not require painstaking care and can even be grown on a windowsill.
Description of the plant
Japanese cabbage is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and frost resistance (can withstand down to -2-3°C).
Mizuna has unusual characteristics:
- early ripening crop, it takes only about one and a half to two months to be fully edible;
- the seeds are very small, grayish-black in color;
- does not form a head and belongs to the subspecies kale;
- depending on the variety, the color of the leaves varies from bright green to red-brown;
- the plant blooms with small light yellow flowers;
- has an unusual spicy taste, mildly spicy, sometimes tart (contains less mustard oils than its analogues);
- forms an edible root vegetable (about 10-15 cm), with a taste reminiscent of rutabaga;
- Thanks to its unusual lacy leaves, the plant is often used as decoration in parks and gardens.
To date, two varieties of Japanese cabbage have been introduced into the State Register of the Russian Federation - Gavrish (Mermaid) and SeDek (Dude).
Variety Gavrish
Gavrish (The Little Mermaid) – mid-season variety, named because unusual shape sheets. Culture has the following distinctive features:
- height of an adult plant – 35-40cm;
- the leaves are green, pinnate, lyre-shaped, with jagged edges;
- petiole white;
- rosette slightly elevated or horizontal;
- on average contains 50-60 sheets;
- leaf bunch diameter – up to 70cm;
- from the moment of the first shoots of this variety of Japanese cabbage until the time of harvest, 50-60 days pass;
- the weight of one plant is 1.2-1.7 kg;
- tolerates increases and decreases in temperature well;
- the variety is resistant to flowering;
- suitable for growing in greenhouses and on open areas from early spring to late autumn;
- It has universal purpose, used fresh, salted and pickled.
Variety SeDek
SeDek (Dude) is an early ripening variety. It only takes a month to harvest. Features of culture:
- horizontal socket;
- the sheets have a strong dissection;
- the weight of one plant is 300-500 g;
- adapted for cultivation in open and protected ground conditions;
- after cutting leaves, it grows new ones very quickly;
- has a salad purpose.
In addition to these varieties, there are also the following options on sale: Mizuna Green (with characteristic openwork foliage, ideal for decoration) and Mizuna Red (green foliage color with anthocyanin).
Sowing
Light soils with good drainage and high organic content. But even on depleted soil with an average level of air and moisture capacity, the plant will show good results.
When planting a crop, you must remember about crop rotation: to obtain a good level of yield, you cannot plant seeds or seedlings of mustard greens after other cabbage varieties. It is better to use beds after growing legumes, peppers, beets or tomatoes.
To properly plant Japanese cabbage seeds, you must adhere to the following rules:
- planting can be carried out either by seedling method or by sowing seeds in the ground;
- the optimal landing time is April-May;
- in order to get a continuous series of seedlings, it is necessary to sow Japanese cabbage seeds from April (when the soil temperature is at least 10°) to the end of August with an interval of 2 weeks;
- seeds are planted in rows, the gap between them should not exceed 20-30 cm;
- the optimal temperature for sowing seeds is 15–20°C;
- at favorable conditions the first shoots germinate a week after planting;
- in open ground conditions, the first shoots need to be covered with film or thin non-woven material (until the emergence of shoots);
- after germination of seedlings it is necessary to thin out;
- selective cutting of greenery is carried out when the leaves reach 10cm (if you leave the root, the greenery will grow back);
- mature rosettes are cut off completely, keeping the root in the soil.
Care
The care that Japanese cabbage requires is similar to that of Chinese cabbage.
Watering
All varieties of such cabbage are distinguished by their love of moisture, but it is strictly forbidden to over-water them. Excess moisture reduces yield and can lead to rotting of the root system. It is necessary to water both the roots and the soil between the seedlings.
Weeding
Regular weeding is required, because weeds may be a source of pest infestation. Mulching the soil will help reduce the amount of weeding. The distance between plants for full growth should be at least 20 cm.
Fertilizer
To increase green mass and quickly recover after cutting greenery, it is necessary to apply fertilizer every 2 weeks. Japanese cabbage is fed mainly with phosphorus and potassium. Like Petsai, the crop is prone to nitrate accumulation. Therefore, the application of nitrogen fertilizers should be minimal.
The ideal fertilizer for mustard greens is wood ash(used in dry pollination and as a component of an infusion for the root system). Japanese cabbage leaf is a crop short day and needs shading after lunch (otherwise arrows may form).
Pests
Collard greens are susceptible to pests such as:
- cabbage aphids,
- cruciferous flea beetles,
- slugs,
- mole crickets.
Chemicals are not used in growing Japanese cabbage, so they use folk recipes. The most popular remedies are herbal decoctions, tobacco dust, and wood ash. Special traps are installed against mole crickets.
An important preventive method is periodic inspection of seedlings for timely initiation of control in case of crop damage.
Diseases
This vegetable is resistant to most diseases, but it is still susceptible to fungal diseases:
- clubroot;
- false dew
Kila
The fungal form of the disease mainly affects ornamental and vegetable crops. The disease is expressed in the appearance of growths on the roots of the plant. The affected crop stops growing, the leaves lose color, the stem begins to dry out and become deformed. You can determine the presence of the disease by pulling it out of the ground and examining the roots.
Prevention
To prevent the development of this disease, you need to inspect the plants before planting; it is better to discard weakened or deformed sprouts immediately. Liming the soil will also help prevent the disease. Before planting, you need to mix the soil with lime, at a rate of 1 kg per 4 sq.m.
Japanese mizuna kale, or mitsuna salad as it is also called, is still considered something extraordinary in our country. Although such a plant is gaining more and more supporters in its ranks every day. It is often called cabbage for the lazy, because it does not require great care and you can even grow it at home in a pot. This plant has a pleasant spicy taste, in addition, it is incredibly beautiful and healthy, for which it is valued in its homeland in Japan.
Description and varieties of Japanese cabbage
Japanese cabbage, as the name suggests, came to us from Japan, but some sources call China its homeland. Be that as it may, it has been grown in the East since the beginning of the sixteenth century, and reached Europe only in the twentieth century. IN North America it was called "Japanese Green Salad" and "Mustard Greens".
In our latitudes, mizuna is no longer perceived as cabbage, but as a salad. In appearance, it most closely resembles and looks like lettuce leaves of emerald green or dirty red color.
This is one of the subspecies of kale, that is, it does not form a head of cabbage. The carved lace leaves of such a plant represent a luxurious flower, so it is often used in decorative purposes for decorating gardens and vegetable gardens.
The yellowish flowers are quite small, and its taste is not like others vegetable crops. For all its spiciness and pungency, it is quite mild, since mizuna contains less mustard oils than other similar subspecies.
This type of cabbage is distinguished by its early maturity and, thirty-five to forty days after planting, is completely edible.
There are several varieties of mizuna. Most often you can find red mizuna and green mizuna. Also in demand are the Emerald pattern, the Little Mermaid and the Dude.
Rusalochka is a variety of medium ripeness. It got its name due to the bizarre shape of its leaves, somewhat reminiscent of a mermaid's tail.
Dude is one of the early ripening varieties, and it is famous for the fact that after cutting, new leaves grow much faster than in other types.
Growing and care
Growing mizuna does not require a significant investment of time and labor. This plant is unpretentious to soil and temperature conditions, survives even in frosty conditions. Japanese cabbage can be grown both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.
For correct landing such a plant and obtaining a quality product, there are several simple recommendations:
- It is best to plant lettuce in the spring, preferably in April;
- can be planted using seeds or seedlings;
- cabbage has small seeds, somewhat similar to poppy seeds, which must be planted in rows, keeping a distance of thirty centimeters between them;
- after the first shoots appear, the seedlings must be thinned out;
- for better growth after sowing, cover the seedlings with film;
- the best temperature for planting is considered to be 14-20 degrees Celsius;
- after germination of the seedlings, the film should be removed;
- It is better not to use for feeding mineral fertilizers, and you shouldn’t add a lot of organic ones, since cabbage is capable of accumulating all this in its leaves.
Mizuna is unpretentious in care. Timely and regular watering is important. At the same time, cabbage leaves cannot be poured, as it will begin to rot. You can cut fresh leaves several times a year, and new ones immediately grow in their place.
To control pests, herbal infusions, tobacco dust, etc. are used. It is also necessary to periodically inspect the plant for pests. Infected mizuna begins to wither and rot.
Weeding the plant is also important, but timely mulching eliminates the need for this process.
Useful properties and contraindications
Speaking about the beneficial properties of cabbage, one cannot help but recall its valuable chemical composition, which is in many ways similar to. Some even consider mizuna healthier than.
The plant is rich in beta-carotene, which is very good for people with vision problems. It is also good for the skin, promotes its elasticity and softness, and prevents the appearance of acne.
Mitsuna salad contains substances and minerals that prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors and slow down the growth of old ones. This cabbage is considered an effective antitumor agent.
The leaves of the plant contain, and. Potassium deficiency is very harmful to the body, as it helps prevent heart disease. Hypokalemia often manifests itself in convulsive syndrome, arrhythmia, and increased fatigue. Regular consumption of Japanese cabbage reduces the risk of the occurrence and development of such a disease.
With all this, mizuna is a low-calorie product, which also has high nutritional properties. Because of this, it is valued in dietetics and is included in the diet of various dietary programs. You can also use it in the menu.
Eating this salad allows you to normalize the level of content in the body and removes harmful toxins, wastes and salts from it. heavy metals. The vegetable content in mizuna significantly improves digestion processes.
Has long been valued in Japan medicinal properties such cabbage. It helps normalize water and electrolyte balance and accelerates metabolic processes. The vitamins included in its composition significantly strengthen the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques in them. That is, such a plant must be eaten to prevent thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
But this plant also has its own contraindications for use:
- increased individual sensitivity to the components included in its composition;
- excessive and uncontrolled consumption of the product.
Use of mizuna in cooking
Japanese cabbage has a mild spicy flavor, slightly reminiscent of freshly ground pepper or. Some say they are very similar to arugula. This salad is mainly used in Japanese dishes, but if desired, you can cook absolutely any dish with it.
Most often, Japanese cabbage is consumed fresh, since heat treatment removes a significant part of its beneficial properties. But there are also exceptions. For example, boiled mizuna cabbage leaves are often used as sushi.
Under New Year In Japan, a dish often prepared is nabemono, the main ingredient of which is mitsuna salad. Serve it with
A garden plant called Japanese cabbage does not belong to the category familiar to gardeners in Russia and other countries of Eastern Europe. Dutch and Belgian farmers are a little more familiar with it.
The plant called cabbage is more similar in appearance to a type of lettuce. It is an annual or biennial, depending on the variety, from the cruciferous family. In America they call it that: Japanese salad, lettuce, mustard cabbage.
This crop is very popular in Japan, where it has been grown for a long time and consumed fresh, salted, stewed, and boiled. China is considered the birthplace of Japanese salad.
Japanese cabbage resembles a lettuce bush in appearance. The leaf shape is similar to arugula salad. A head of cabbage is not formed. A rosette of graceful openwork leaves, 30-60 cm long, looks very beautiful and can decorate any flower bed. Average height rosettes - up to 50 cm, circumference - 60-80 cm. You can cut the leaves for consumption several times a season, they grow quickly and luxuriantly. The taste is reminiscent of radishes, but without the bitterness. Some varieties even have a slightly sweet taste.
The cone-shaped root vegetable grows from 7 to 12 cm in length, is also eaten, its taste resembles rutabaga or turnip.
Features of agricultural technology
- It is grown without seedlings and does not tolerate transplantation.
- Best soils: light loams, with good drainage, medium acidic and richly fertilized.
- Sowing time is from spring, when the soil warms up to at least +10°C, until August. Harvest time is every other month, several times per season.
- Sowing pattern: 20-30 cm between rows and 10-15 cm between bushes.
- It develops well in beds where tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, herbs, and legumes previously grew.
Important! You must avoid places where vegetables of the same kind were previously planted: all varieties of cabbage, radishes, turnips, radishes and others
- It is possible to grow from independently collected seeds.
Growing and caring for Japanese cabbage
For planting, areas with suitable soil, in a well-lit and draft-free place. It is better to prepare the bed in the fall, adding phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, humus and organic matter when digging. Japanese cabbage seeds are sown in rows, sparsely, deepening into the ground no more than 2 cm. After germination, excess sprouts are pulled out to avoid thickening.
The optimal temperature for growth is +15 - 22 degrees. In extreme heat, it is recommended to cover it, as the plant can get burned from direct sun rays. Japanese cabbage cannot be called too heat-loving. It withstands autumn frosts down to minus 4 degrees.
Important! Like all types of cabbage, Japanese cabbage loves moisture and abundant watering, but it does not tolerate stagnant water, so the soil must be sufficiently drained, and it is good to loosen the soil after watering.
In general, growing Japanese cabbage (photo) is not particularly difficult and does not require any other special features than the usual measures when caring for all varieties of cabbage.
Feeding is carried out every 15 days, organic fertilizers, which are administered carefully, in diluted form. Since the vegetable is consumed fresh in most cases, it is better not to use mineral fertilizers for feeding during growth, so as not to reduce its usefulness.
Varieties of Japanese cabbage
Mizuna
Japanese leaf cabbage Mizuna (photo) is suitable for growing both in open ground and in pots on the windowsill, which makes it possible to consume a vegetable rich in vitamins all year round. An edible root vegetable up to 12 cm long. Popular recommended varieties are Mizuna Red and Mizuna Green. Leaves are dissected.
Mizuna Green - carved openwork foliage, with thin carved leaves. Juicy, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.
Mizuna Red is a variety with burgundy leaves, often used by designers in landscape design.
It has a high iodine content.
Mibuna
It has a more pronounced mustard taste; this variety is called mustard salad. Distinctive feature appearance- solid long and smooth leaves resembling a lancet.
Mermaid
A mid-season variety of Japanese cabbage, with pinnate lyre-shaped leaves, smooth with slits on the sides, which form a horizontal rosette reaching a height of 40 cm and up to 70 cm in diameter. The leaves are green in color and have white roots at the base. The variety is resistant to both cold and hot temperatures. Productivity during the season is 5-6 kg per square meter. meters. The weight of one bush is 1-1.5 kg. One of the varieties that are more familiar to gardeners in Russia and Ukraine. Use – universal. The taste is delicate with a slight mustard tint.
Dude
Another popular variety that differs early dates ripening: 30 days pass from germination to nutritional readiness. Used for salads. The leaves are green, strongly dissected, the rosette is horizontal. One bush can, on average, weigh 300 g, the yield is 4-6 kg per square meter. meters. The taste of the salad has a slight bitterness, reminiscent of horseradish.
Is Cyclops Japanese or not?
Often in articles about cabbage seeds the name “Japanese cabbage Cyclops f1” appears. Reviews of this variety are positive, but it is not a variety of Japanese cabbage (or mustard lettuce), such as mitsuna or mibuna.
Attention! Cyclops f1 – variety white cabbage, bred by Japanese breeders. The definition of “Japanese” does not indicate a variety, but a selection by the Japanese company SAKATA!
Possible diseases and pests of Japanese cabbage
Although similar in appearance to lettuce, Japanese cabbage is still related to cruciferous vegetables, which is why it has pests in common with all varieties of cabbage. The leaves should be inspected periodically so as not to miss the first signs of the appearance of aphids, cruciferous flea beetles or spider mites. Withered bushes and damaged roots indicate the damage caused by the mole cricket.
To control pests of Japanese cabbage, you need to use homemade folk remedies or purchased bioaerosols, without admixture of strong chemical substances. The short ripening period does not allow time for the chemicals to disintegrate, and the treated plant simply becomes unsuitable for consumption.
- To combat mole crickets, traps are set.
- Aphid, spider mite and fleas are afraid of tobacco, pepper, dry mustard, and wormwood infusion.
Advantages and disadvantages of Japanese cabbage
Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun have been using cabbage salad for a very long time. The only disadvantages include individual taste intolerance or allergic tendencies.
Another disadvantage is the short fresh storage time: prepared salads with the addition of Japanese cabbage must be eaten immediately after preparation, otherwise the leaves quickly wither and lose their taste. This quality is compensated by the ability to retain beneficial properties during pickling, freezing, and drying.
The description of its advantages takes up more than one line; in Japan, the vegetable is considered a medicinal plant.
- Japanese cabbage contains: vitamins C, B1, B2, PP, carotene, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, fiber.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Contains anti-cancer substances.
- Due to its low calorie content, it is included in weight loss diets.
- It has the ability to remove toxins and salt deposits from the body.
- Cleanses the intestines and organs and helps improve the functioning of the digestive system.
Dishes are shown to everyone for strengthening protective functions, during the off-season, when there is a lack of vitamins. It is especially recommended for those who suffer from cancer, heart disease, digestive system disorders, anemia and weight loss.