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Cultivation of Chinese and Beijing cabbage. Chinese cabbage cultivation and care

Any vegetable grower can grow Beijing cabbage (petsai), it is important that the gardener knows that Chinese cabbage has its own characteristics. This vegetable has received recognition in different countries for its nutritional qualities and ease of cultivation. The culture is diverse, different varieties can be grown from spring to late autumn.

Different varieties of Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage is a highly productive and early ripening vegetable, it is profitable to cultivate it even in winter period in greenhouse conditions. The growing period is short, so for summer season easy to get multiple crops useful product.

When cultivating Chinese cabbage, it is worth using different varieties of vegetables, a varied choice will help to avoid poor germination or poor-quality planting material. Most often, Russian gardeners plant Beijing cabbage varieties of Glass, Michel, Bilko, Lyubasha and others on their plots.

Chinese varieties Glass grows in 70 days, a head of vegetable reaches 2 kg. The peculiarity of this species is that the plant is resistant to stalking (the appearance of flowering stems). The Bilko variety belongs to early ripening species, is resistant to various diseases, it is rarely affected by pests.

It is worth highlighting the Chacha variety - a very early species, this Chinese cabbage, the cultivation and care of which does not require much effort, can be obtained 45 days after sowing. The plant has a universal purpose, grows up to 3 kg in weight. A Beijing vegetable called Michel is also an early ripening species. The first head of cabbage is formed 35-40 days after the appearance of sprouts above the ground. The shape of the mentioned vegetable is elongated, like a cylinder. From a mature product, excellent salads are obtained, you can pickle, pickle and stew.

Growing Chinese cabbage (video)

Planting and cultivation of Chinese cabbage

Given the different periods of plant ripening, vegetable growers sow seeds for seedlings or in the ground at different periods. In open ground planting material lowered from late April to early June. The interval between sowing is 15-20 days. The second sowing is best done from the end of July to August 10-15.

In the spring, experts suggest sowing mainly salad varieties of vegetables; in summer, those species that form heads grow better. The optimum temperature at which the culture effectively grows and develops is + 15 ... + 22ºС. The main problem that spoils the yield of the plant is the bolting and flowering of the vegetable. In order to avoid trouble, you should follow the rules of cultivation. Chinese cabbage should have a short daylight hours, crops must be thinned out in a timely manner, and when choosing a cabbage variety, it is important to pay attention to its resistance to flowering.

When breeding petsai, you should know that seedlings need to be prepared from March. If a full-fledged plant is planned to be obtained by autumn, then the seeds are sown at the end of June. Not everyone can know how to grow seedlings, what substrate is suitable for this plant.

It is most convenient to prepare seedlings in individual containers, for example, in peat pots. The plant does not like transplantation and takes root in a new place for a long time. Vegetable soil should be loose and fertile. The substrate is prepared from soddy land and well-rotted humus. Planting material is lowered into the ground to a depth of 0.5-1 cm, the soil is gently moistened with a spray gun. Blanks should be covered with a film and removed for 2-4 days in a warm place. Good planting material should germinate after a specified period.

The seedlings that have appeared above the ground must be placed in a well-lit place, the plants should be moistened at the moment when the top layer of the soil becomes dry. The readiness of plantings for transfer to a permanent place of growth is determined by their appearance, the bushes must have at least 4 true leaves.

The site where it is planned to grow Chinese cabbage should be fully lit, the holes on it are prepared at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. For each well, 300 g of compost and 100 g of wood ash are allocated. The additives are mixed with the ground, then the hole is well moistened with warm water, then the plant is lowered into it. You need to know that plantings do not like acidic soils; lime will help get rid of such an incident.

The best climate, in which cabbage is actively growing, full lighting, timely hydration and relative coolness are all that cabbage needs. At air temperatures below + 13 ... + 14ºС, the culture stops developing. Heat above 25ºС also has a bad effect on the condition of Beijing cabbage. Non-woven shelter periodically helps farmers save crops during unexpected frosts, and on hot days it shelters plants from the scorching sun.

14-15 days after transshipment of seedlings into holes, the soil under the plants is mulched, this technique helps to get rid of weeds, in addition, after mulching, the necessary moisture is retained in the substrate. Culture needs periodic feeding, the best fertilizers an infusion of various herbs, an aqueous solution of mullein or bird droppings are considered. For a better ovary, the petsai is irrigated with an aqueous solution of boric acid. For the entire growing season, plantings are fed twice. During the weeding period, it is necessary to ensure that the apical bud on the plant is not covered with soil.

Chinese cabbage (video)

Plant diseases and pests

Cruciferous flea and slugs are the main pests of Chinese cabbage. You can protect heads of cabbage from pests with the help of covering material; experts do not recommend using pesticides. Wood ash can become effective tool against cabbage pests. It is mixed in equal proportions with snuff and showered with plantings at any convenient time. Tomatoes, garlic, petunia and potatoes are well repelled by a flea, they are planted next to Chinese cabbage.

Diseases affect culture infrequently, but preventive actions against diseases should be carried out regularly. It is impossible to grow a crop in those areas where cruciferous plant species, such as radishes, turnips, and cross-lettuce, were cultivated in the previous season. Good predecessors for Chinese plantings are legumes, tomatoes or beets.

Cabbage is a vegetable from which you can 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 are a huge number of different varieties of vegetables, they are all simply saturated with vitamins and differ from each other. appearance. One of the most beneficial for the body is Beijing cabbage, which in recent years has become more and more popular among culinary specialists around the world.

Beijing cabbage refers to biennial plants that are grown as annuals. 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 are distinguished by a beautiful wavy or jagged shape.

The peculiarity of the variety is that it does not have a stalk. The cabbage head of the plant is tossed into soup or pickled, and the leaves are used mainly for making salads. Asia is famous for pickled Beijing cabbage. They call this dish kimchi and many believe that it prolongs life.

How Chinese cabbage grows

Feature and history of the origin of the vegetable

Beijing cabbage appeared in China several thousand years ago, then it came to Korea and Japan, and eventually 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 the source useful substances 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 useful 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, "Beijing" has medicinal properties. She helps:

with cardiovascular diseases;
stomach ulcer;
strengthens the immune system;
prolongs a person's life.

Very interesting is the fact 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 does not 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 immediately in open ground, or you can grow seedlings first. 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 seeds and the time when the vegetable begins to bloom. If you decide to use the first method, then you should punch holes in the garden 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. From above they are sprinkled with ash and covered with a film. In a week you will be able to see the first sprouts.

What to do and how to plant seeds in the country or in the garden to get a good harvest? It is necessary to choose the right time for sowing. The term for planting cabbage in the garden:

in the spring from and to April 20;
summer from July 19 to August 9.

Chinese cabbage seeds

If you want to get an early harvest, then "Beijing" for seedlings should be sown at the end of March. And if you want to enjoy the harvest in winter, then seedlings should be planted in the second half of June.

Loose soil is suitable for this plant, therefore it is best to use a mixture of humus (1 kg) with coconut substrate (2 kg) for sowing.

Seeds are immersed in the ground no more than 1 cm and placed in a dark and warm room. When the first sprouts appear after 3 days, they should be transferred to a lighted place.

You need to take care of Chinese cabbage no more than ordinary white or cauliflower.

Watering the seedlings is necessary when the top earthen clod dries out. However, 4 days before transplanting seedlings, watering is stopped.

In general, the sprouts will be ready for planting in a month, when they have 4 leaves.

cabbage seedling

Why not do a pick?

This plant does not like picking and takes root in a new place for a long time. Transplanting or planting seedlings with the preservation of the roots will not work. Settling into a new place will take a long time. Therefore, it is not recommended to dive - it is better to initially sow in separate containers or peat tablets.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, it must be hardened off. For this, young sprouts are taken out to Fresh air, first for a couple of hours, then the time spent on the street is gradually increased. When they are able to spend a day outside, then the seedlings will be ready for planting in a permanent place.

As for the soil for this vegetable, it should be well-drained and loose. Loamy soil would be an excellent option. 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 wonderful variety start preparing in the fall. To do this, they 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 it is necessary to strictly adhere to 2 rules:

Observe temperature regime from 15 to 20 degrees - so an unheated greenhouse will not work;
Humidity should be in the range of 70-80%.

If these norms are not observed, then a peduncle may form, and the plant will also be subject to various diseases.

The advantage of growing Beijing cabbage in a greenhouse is that you can independently regulate the length of daylight hours and maintain the optimum temperature. A greenhouse will also help protect your crops from frost. And if you have it heated, then you can grow this plant even in winter.

Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse

This plant is very fond of 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 a non-woven fabric.

In addition, the canvas will also protect the vegetable from direct sunlight on especially hot days. It also helps to remove excess moisture and hide the sprouts from the cruciferous flea that loves 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 an excellent harvest, the vegetable must be watered once a week with warm water.

Feeding also has a fruitful effect on it. The first top dressing is carried out 14 days after planting in open ground.

Particularly useful are infusions of chicken manure, grass or mullein. A liter of such fertilizer is poured under each plant. If cabbage was planted in the spring, then top dressing must be carried out 3 times, and if in the summer, then 2 times.

If you want to get a good ovary, then it costs per liter hot water and in 9 liters of cold, drop 2 g of boric acid 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, the more leaves left with the head, the longer the plant will be stored. In addition, it will lie longer if it is placed in a room with high humidity. In addition, each head is well wrapped in plastic wrap. You should also inspect each head every 14 days, remove dried or rotten leaves.

In no case do not store "Peking" next to apples. They secrete a substance that causes the leaves of the plant to wilt.

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 fall less than 0 degrees.

In general, when storing cabbage on a balcony or refrigerator, you must follow the same rules as when storing in a cellar.

You should also know that the vegetable will lie in such conditions from 1 to 4 months. If you want it to lie longer, then you can use the following storage methods:

sourdough;
drying;
freezing.

Sauerkraut Chinese cabbage

The first way is sourdough. Is one of the most simple ways storage. The sourdough recipe is very simple: you need to pour 10 kg of slaw cabbage into 600 ml of water and add 100 mg of vinegar, 2 tsp each. salt and sugar, as well as 2 cloves of garlic squeezed through a press. Further, under pressure, all this should stand in a room with room temperature for about a day, and then 14 days in the cold.

To dry the “Peking”, it is cut into strips and placed in an oven heated to 100 degrees and the door is slightly opened. It will be ready in 4 hours, after which the dried vegetable is placed in cotton bags.

To freeze, shredded cabbage is thrown into salted boiling water for 3 minutes. After that, the vegetable is dried and frozen.

As you can see, Beijing cabbage is a wonderful plant that will look like a decoration on any table. Do not be afraid to take on the cultivation of Beijing, because it is not picky in care and is very useful. Therefore, each gardener should allocate a place on his suburban area Chinese cabbage.

Growing Beijing cabbage has its own characteristics compared to the usual white relative. Today I will talk about how to grow Beijing cabbage in my garden, as well as growing Chinese cabbage.

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

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

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

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

Features of growing Beijing and Chinese cabbage

Beijing and Chinese cabbage are early crops. The maturation period (from germination to ripeness) of early varieties is 40-55 days, medium - 55-60, late - 60-80. This allows you to get 2 or even 3 crops in one season.
Under certain conditions, they are grown year-round.
Long daylight hours and moderate temperatures (below 13°C) cause the cabbage to shoot and bloom.
The most optimal temperature for growing Beijing cabbage, as well as Chinese cabbage, is 15-22 ° C.

To prevent bolting and flowering of cabbage, you must:

choose varieties that are resistant to flowering;
do not thicken crops;
grow with a short daylight hours (sow in April, cover late crops from light in the evening, and open in the morning).

The technology of growing Beijing and Chinese cabbage

Both Chinese and Beijing cabbage can be grown both in seedlings and through seedlings.

Seedless growing method
Beijing and Chinese cabbage seeds are sown in open ground:

from the first decade of May (or even the end of April) to June 15, intervals of 10-15 days are made between crops;
from 20 July to 10 August.

When growing Beijing cabbage, it is better to sow leaf varieties in spring, and in summer - varieties that form a head.

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

Tape-line method with subsequent thinning of plants For this, the sowing of seeds of Beijing or Chinese cabbage is carried out with tapes (two- or three-line). Distance - 50-60 cm (between tapes), 20-30 cm (between lines).
Planting seeds in the holes in groups of 3-4 pcs. at a distance of about 30-35 cm between the holes. Thinning will also be necessary, but in this case you will already choose the “weakest link” in a group of 3-4 plants.

For the sake of experiment, try both sowing methods and choose the one that seems more convenient and effective to you.

The sowing depth of seeds of Chinese and Beijing cabbage when grown immediately in open field- 1-2 cm. The bed with crops is covered with plastic wrap, especially if it is still cool outside. Seedlings do not like frost, unlike adult plants.

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

To protect plants from the cruciferous flea, the soil is sprinkled with ash before germination. This pest is one of the reasons why bok choy and chinese cabbage should not be grown after radishes, mustard and other cruciferous crops. By the way, consider this point when choosing green manure for the beds on which you plan to plant any cabbage.

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

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

seedling method
Growing Beijing cabbage by seedling method, as well as Chinese cabbage, should be done with an eye on their "capriciousness" to transplant and damage the roots. They cannot be grown using a pick. Chinese cabbage is more capricious, so its seedlings need to be grown in, followed by planting with them in open ground or a greenhouse. Beijing cabbage is less picky, and it can be grown in cassettes, but still it is better to “give out” peat pots or peat tablets to it.

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

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

protected ground - from the end of January to the beginning of February;
open ground - from the end of March to April.

The area reserved for Beijing or Chinese cabbage should be well lit.

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

Seedlings are planted according to the scheme:

in protected ground - 10 × 10 cm (leaf forms) and 20 × 20 cm (head forms);
in open ground 30 × 25 cm.

cabbage care
Both types of cabbage are cold-resistant, light- and moisture-loving crops.

Beijing cabbage is able to withstand frosts down to -4°C, Chinese cabbage up to -6°C. Temperature +15…+22°C is optimal for plants. Temperatures above + 25 ° C can cause burns on the leaves of plants (Chinese cabbage is especially affected by this).

Care consists in abundant watering, shallow loosening of the soil and the fight against weeds and pests (Chinese cabbage is more resistant to pests, as it has essential oils). It can save you from weeds, which will give you more time to relax.

If it rains a lot in your area, then you will have to protect the Beijing cabbage from it, otherwise it will start to rot. You can protect it by covering with a conventional transparent film or agrofibre.

During the growing season, it is good to carry out two top dressings with a solution of mullein (1: 8).

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

Chinese cabbage keeps better than Chinese cabbage. I already wrote about how to harvest their crops and her Chinese "girlfriend".

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

And finally interesting video about growing Chinese cabbage:

I advise, dear readers, not to miss the publication of new materials on this blog.

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

The plant forms a rosette of upright leaves, the usual hard head is completely absent, the height is within 30–50 cm. The leaves are soft, without an unpleasant specific taste, they are used in food both raw and cooked.

The plant is early. The earliest varieties give a harvest on the 40th day after germination. Late varieties ripen on day 60. This precocity allows in some areas to grow three crops a year on open ground. In greenhouses year-round cultivation is possible.
Lowering the temperature to + 13 ° C can be the start for the appearance of arrows and peduncles. The same effect is caused by a long daylight hours. Agronomists advise temperatures for maximum yield + 15–20 ° С. Breeders have created special hybrids that are resistant to low temperatures, which minimizes the likelihood of flower stalks. In areas with a risky climate for agriculture, it is recommended to use these varieties.

Among the advantages, Peking cabbage also has significant drawbacks - it cannot be stored under normal conditions, it requires refrigerating chambers, a strictly set temperature, the presence of inert gases in the air, etc. The second drawback is that Peking cabbage cannot be fermented, some traditional our compatriots dishes.

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

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

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

Growing technologies

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

direct seeding

It is recommended to apply in regions with a warm climate. Seeds in the ground can be sown from late April to mid-June. It is advisable to break the time into several periods, due to this it will be possible to have fresh cabbage for a longer period of time. The last date for sowing is August 10. Today the climate is warming a little, the dates can be shifted. But this is at your own peril and risk, no scientist can give a long-term forecast of temperature changes in each individual region. Practitioners advise not to risk and not go beyond the traditional time frame for sowing Beijing cabbage.

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

Sowing seeds in grooves - photo

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

Thinning should be done only after rain, if there has been no precipitation for a long time, then the beds should be watered abundantly, and field work should be done only the next day.
The distance between individual sprouts is at least twenty centimeters. Leave only the most developed and healthy, at the slightest suspicion of a disease, the plant must be removed, not thrown into the aisles.
Simultaneously with thinning, weeding is recommended. Weeds at this time are still small, pulled out without effort. As soon as the cultivated plant gets stronger and grows, weeding will no longer have to be done. Large leaves of Beijing cabbage inhibit the development of other plants.

There is another option for direct sowing of cabbage - not in the grooves, but in the holes. In each hole, you need to throw 2-4 seeds, while thinning, remove the weakest. The distance is 20–25 centimeters, as recommended by the cultivation technology. Experienced vegetable growers are advised to try both methods of sowing seeds in the first year, and then use the one that you like more and give better results.

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

The main pest of Chinese cabbage is an inconspicuous cruciferous flea. After mustard, radish and other cruciferous crops, it is impossible to sow. Wood ash perfectly protects against fleas. Not black coals, but gray, almost weightless ash. It is both protection and fertilizer. With band-line sowing, thinning is best done in two stages. For the first time, the sprouts are left at a distance of up to 10 cm from each other. When the leaves grow and connect with each other, then weeding can be done again. The distance between plants should already be at least 25 centimeters. As always, the weakest shoots are removed.

Growing seedlings

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

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

How seedlings are prepared

If in the future Beijing cabbage grows in greenhouses, then the seeds can be sown from the end of January, if the plants are planned under open ground, then the dates are shifted to the end of March.

Priming. We need loose in structure, in quality - very fertile. It is good to take coconut extract, but you can replace it with more familiar garden mixtures.
Sowing seeds. The seeds are very small, for uniform sowing it is recommended to mix them with coarse washed river sand without clay.
Watering. Medium, too much soil moisture can slow down the growth of seedlings, delicate thin roots rot, the plant is sick. But you can't overdo it either. Watering can only be done with a small watering can by sprinkling or a sprinkler.
Temperature regime. Favorable temperature is +20–22°С. Containers with sown seeds are immediately covered with foil. As soon as the first shoots appear, the film is removed. If possible, it is recommended to use mini-greenhouses, but it is not always possible to find boxes with such dimensions, because the height of peat cups is quite large.
Light. Chinese cabbage during the growing season is considered a photophilous plant. If the seedlings are sown in the winter months, then artificial light is indispensable. It is better to use modern economical lamps. In addition to saving energy costs, such lamps have another advantage - they do not heat seedlings. Incandescent lamps emit powerful infrared waves, which makes it very difficult to regulate the temperature of seedlings. To increase the illumination, you need to bring the lamps closer to the sprouts. But this cannot be done, because overheating may occur. It turns out a vicious circle and you have to sacrifice one indicator: either reduce the illumination, or increase the temperature.
top dressing. You can feed once before the start of hardening. If the soil is poor, then feed twice. Do not independently prepare mixtures of mineral fertilizers. It is much more effective, safer and easier to purchase ready-made formulations and use them according to the attached instructions.

Transplanting

Cabbage loves light, acidic, organic-rich, neutral soils. Soils should pass water well, not allow it to stagnate. Excess water is the cause of plant disease. As predecessors, choose legumes, root crops. It is not recommended to plant Beijing cabbage after cruciferous plants (radishes, radishes, turnips, etc.).

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

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

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

Protecting plants from pests and diseases

We will not write about modern preparations, they are very effective, but have one drawback - harm is done not only to pests, but also to consumers. Let us dwell on the traditional agrotechnical methods of protecting Beijing cabbage.

Compliance with crop rotation. A very simple but very important way. The vast majority of diseases tend to accumulate in the soil. The greater the concentration of pests and diseases, the more various chemicals need to be used, the more they enter plants and further along the food chain. In addition to this factor, crop rotation plays another very important role. Each plant for vegetation requires different quantity minerals by weight and chemical composition. For some, nitrogen is important, for others potassium, and so on. This means that different beds in the same area have different indicators for the presence of nutrients in the soil. Only due to the correct preparation of the crop rotation, it is possible to create the optimal combination of minerals for the plant without additional fertilizing.
Compliance with sowing dates. Seeds begin to grow only when the temperature at a given soil depth reaches optimal values.

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

Video - How to grow Chinese cabbage

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

Traditional varieties from China are actively assimilated in the regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and are popular in Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. How to grow Chinese cabbage, get the highest possible yield? The ancient vegetable crop has gone through more than one stage of breeding development, it takes root perfectly in new lands. Tolerates frost well.

It is necessary to familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of plant life. Any variety requires care, special treatment. If potatoes need nitrogen, what will bok choy or some other kind of Chinese guest need? How many varieties exist in nature and how to grow a crop in our conditions?

Description

The Asian plant came to us in the second half of the 19th century. During this time, a huge selection work has been carried out. Released a large number different varieties Chinese cabbage. Hybrid ones are especially popular, as they take root well in an environment unusual for them, give a good harvest.

There are two types, each of which has its own differences:

Beijing cabbage bok choy, it is often confused with another species. Both came to us from China. But despite common features You need to take care of them differently.
Chinese pak choi. This is the second variety that has a classic name. It was from him that the Pekingese was renamed, which from the point of view of biology is completely wrong. It turns out that pak choi and Chinese cabbage are two different varieties.

By precocity, crops can be divided into three groups:

Early. Ripening time - 40 - 55 days.
Medium. It will take 55-60 days before full fruits are obtained.
Late. Harvest will have to wait about 60 - 80 days.

Planning

I wonder how to grow Chinese cabbage if you plant three varieties of a variety at once in one area? When an early harvest is taken, it can be processed. After all the work is done, the next wave comes. This saves time during the hot season.

Correctly distribute the yield, prevent damage to the fruit, the following information will help.

Early

Varieties are best divided according to the area of sowing. Cultures differ slightly in terms of conditions of detention. For example, Chinese swallow cabbage - growing and caring for it will take only 15 days after germination. This is a real record holder for the speed of maturation. The first green is the most valuable. The body needs to replenish its reserves of vitamins and minerals after a long winter.

Views may conflict with each other. It is necessary to separate crops when planting together. For example, pak choi is grown with its relatives at a distance from each other. But harvesting with this method of farming is even more convenient.

The vacated areas can be used for re-sowing, after preparing the land. This method allows you to shoot several crops per year.

Varieties are mid-season

A bright representative is a cabbage glass. It got its name from its goblet shape. Heads are dense, without voids. Weight up to two kilograms.

Mid-season varieties contain more useful elements than early ones. More time is spent on growing Chinese cabbage, but this is justified by the weight and size of the fruit. In terms of shelf life, the vegetable surpasses the early ripe one. Longer time is in the garden, there is every chance to survive until late autumn.

Late varieties

Autumn frosts are not terrible. Cabbage of these varieties grows well after a short drop in temperature. Pest resistant. Well stored (up to 9 months). These varieties are usually used for pickling and canning. For better storage use hybrids.

Each gardener decides individually when to plant seeds. Late varieties are planted almost simultaneously with early ones. It goes through several stages before harvesting:

Soil preparation.
Seed preparation.
Germination.
Landing in the ground.
Culture care.

As you can see, before planting cabbage in the country, you must first prepare the seed material.

Seed preparation

The procedure is simple and does not take much time. Pre-treatment of seeds allows you to determine in advance the germination of the crop and affects the rate of appearance of the first sprouts:

Place the seeds in a gauze bag. For 15 minutes, put in water, preheated to a temperature of +50 degrees.
Then we cool them in cold water within one minute.
After that, we immerse the seeds in a special garden mortar with trace elements (sold in gardening stores) for 12 hours.
Can be stored overnight in the refrigerator at temperatures up to -10 degrees.

The prepared seed is ready for planting.

How to plant

Depending on the regions, the conditions of detention may vary significantly. Planting and caring for a plant have their own characteristics.

Culture loves light and is planted in open, unshaded places. Equally well perceives both the eastern and western sun. Comfort temperature depends on the variety, usually up to +25 degrees.

There are two landing methods:

Reckless way. We use pre-prepared seeds and plant cabbage in open ground. After planting, sprinkler irrigation is required. It is advisable to keep the ground slightly moistened until the first shoots appear. Landing is carried out in an open, sunny place. It is necessary that the earth warms up well.
With seedlings. Growing seedlings from seeds is a long and fruitful process. Pre-grown seedlings reduce the risk of loss of yield and time due to seed quality, fruits can be harvested earlier. Beijing cabbage is sensitive to transplantation - here special attention should be paid to soil preparation, which will facilitate the adaptation period.

Tip: Varieties of hybrid varieties have the highest survival rate. When planting, it is desirable to lay two or three seeds in one cup or open ground. In the future, you can always make a pick.

This simple method will increase the yield in the garden. Picking is useful for identifying weak seeds. If the sprouts develop poorly, then this is noticeable at the initial stages of plant development.

Soil preparation

A guest from the Celestial Empire does not require a special soil composition for normal development, but it is best to prepare a seat in accordance with all the rules of agricultural technology. Some early maturing domestic varieties, such as Alyonushka, allow you to harvest two crops per season. In this case, the soil preparation procedure must be repeated before each planting.

There are two stages here:

We prepare the land for seedlings and stock up on seed material. Culture loves loose soil. Ph is best to choose neutral, it is allowed to use slightly acidic compounds. In order for the culture to grow and develop well, the earth is dug up with 1/5 of the sand. The soil becomes loose and well passes air and moisture. It is best to use peat tablets.
At the summer cottage, we plan an area for sowing with pre-grown seedlings or in another way. acidic soils lime. Then combined fertilizers are applied according to the instructions. Add sand and dig.

Organic fertilizers are extremely important for the soil. They are usually applied in late autumn, after harvesting they prepare the land for the next season. Humus is distributed over the site and dug up along with the ground. It is important to remember that Asian cultures do not tolerate manure well. During the course of chemical processes, heat is released, which can damage the root system.

Care

Celery does not require special care. Growing and caring for Chinese cabbage comes down to following traditional farming methods:

Weeding.
Soil loosening.
Watering.
Soil drying.

The culture is very fond of watering, which should be plentiful: the earth can remain wet for more than a day. Usually watered under the root, but sometimes you can pamper the cabbage with sprinkling. The main thing is not to spoil the soil after watering, the earth should dry out. Otherwise, soil bacteria will develop, which can lead to infection.

Tolerates frost very well. Some varieties can be in open beds at temperatures down to -8 degrees. Warm weather usually comes after the first frost. During this period, you can safely leave the crop to ripen.

It should be remembered that the culture has large leaves. Despite the fact that the bok chok has an arrow shape, it does not save from direct sunlight. If you apply sprinkling in the morning, then at noon the leaves can be burned. This is explained by the fact that water droplets remain on the leaves, which, when exposed to intense solar radiation, act as a magnifying lens, which can lead to burning the leaves.

Sunlight is necessary for Asian cultures in all periods of their development, from growing seedlings in an apartment to the full ripening of fruits in the garden. Some gardeners use special lighting to enhance growth. Usually these are combined LED or sodium lamps.

The intensity of photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis depend on illumination. According to studies conducted at the Russian Academy of Sciences, plants actively consume the following spectra:

red;
blue;
green.

The monochrome emission of LEDs is the best suited for these purposes.

You can experiment with early crops. For example, the domestic variety Alyonushka is well suited for these purposes. LED lights are positioned so that the leaves are completely bathed in light. Use in the daytime as an addition to the main lighting.

Achieving full maturity occurs when 9-10 full-fledged leaves are formed. The fruit is cut off without stopping the further formation of foliage. In this case, the harvest can be obtained several times from one shoot. The plant very quickly forms new fruits and develops intensively. Proper planting planning proper care and attentive attitude will allow you to get an excellent harvest.