Content
Peking cabbage is an incredibly tasty and healthy vegetable. Not many gardeners dare to grow it in their garden, because they believe that it is too picky. Those who grew this crop know very well that with proper planting and care, no problems will arise. Some people like to eat young leaves of Peking cabbage, others still wait until the whole head of cabbage ripens. When can cabbage be considered ripe, and how to grow it correctly in order to get a good harvest on time? Also in this article, we will learn how to grow as many as 2 Peking cabbage crops per season.
When to plant Chinese cabbage
In order to harvest Peking cabbage on time, it is also necessary to plant it on time. It depends on the timing of planting whether the plant will bloom, and as you know, in the case of cabbage, flowering can only do harm. It is customary to sow cabbage starting from April 15 and ending before the 20th. In warmer regions, you can start even at the end of March. In this case, it is important that the frost completely recedes.
Cabbage ripens quite quickly. With proper care, the crop can be harvested in just 1.5 months. This plant is not afraid of the cold. Seeds germinate even at + 4 ° C. But still, for active growth, it is necessary that the temperature regime be at least + 15 ° C. This is especially important to consider when growing cabbage in greenhouse conditions. It depends on the temperature how generous the harvest you get.
How to grow 2 crops per season
The quality and quantity of the crop directly depends on the timing of planting. Basically, Chinese cabbage ripens quickly. However, it should be borne in mind that everything depends on the specific variety. Early ripening varieties ripen in 40 days, mid-ripening varieties - in 2 months, and late cabbage will have to wait at least 80 days.
Overripe fruit is not the only reason for the beginning of flowering. Much depends on the timing of the landing. If you do not have time to sow the seeds before April 20, then, most likely, the cabbage will sprout flower stalks. If spring is late or you simply did not have time to plant cabbage in time, you can buy special hybrid varieties that are not prone to flowering.
Seeds can be sown again immediately after the first harvest. This must be done no later than mid-August. After this period, daylight hours are greatly reduced and the cabbage simply does not have time to form heads of cabbage. Also, do not experiment if the spring turned out to be cold and snowy. There is definitely no point in planting cabbage in such extreme conditions.
Collection time depending on the variety of cabbage
Previously, only one variety of Peking cabbage was known, bred at the VIR station. It was called - Khibinskaya and was found on all farms that were engaged in the cultivation of cabbage. The variety has good characteristics and quick ripening times. Young leaves are fully ready for consumption within 30 days after germination. The full formation of the head of cabbage takes place within 40-50 days, and for a looser fruit it will take about 2 months.
For a long time, Khibiny cabbage met all the requirements of gardeners.And now the variety is very popular. Then they began to breed a large number of other, equally productive varieties and hybrids of this vegetable. We list only the most popular ones, and also compare the ripening magpies of each of the varieties.
Shanghai
It has a medium-early ripening period. Full maturity occurs 55 days after the first shoots appear. The head of cabbage is light green, wide and elongated. The weight of each cabbage can reach up to 1.5 kilograms.
Russian size F1 XXL
This is probably the variety with the largest heads of cabbage. Each can weigh up to 4 kg. The variety is famous for its excellent taste. The leaves are incredibly juicy and crunchy. Russian size refers to late varieties, since the heads of cabbage ripen no earlier than 3 months later. Has resistance to the appearance of peduncles. Easily tolerates low temperatures.
Lyubasha
The variety belongs to the mid-season, as it ripens 70 days after the first shoots appear. It has yellow leaves on the inside and light green on the outside. Boasts exquisite taste. Contains a large amount of useful trace elements and vitamins.
Wineglass
The heads of cabbage fully ripen 60–70 days after the emergence of young shoots. It tastes great, crispy and juicy. Not suitable for long-term storage. It is advised to eat fresh.
What does cabbage need for fast growth?
Peking cabbage normally tolerates a cold climate, however, has a low frost resistance. It is contraindicated for her to grow in hot climates with long daylight hours. Under such conditions, the plant does not have time to form a head of cabbage, but begins to form arrows and bloom.
For the fruit to grow and develop well, the air temperature should be around + 20 ° C. It is also very important to water the plants in a timely manner and carry out regular feeding. In addition, Chinese cabbage is often attacked by some pests. Given this, it is necessary to carry out prevention from time to time.
To grow 2 or 3 cabbage crops per season, you need to create the appropriate conditions. Some gardeners manage to grow the vegetable all year round in heated greenhouses. In order for the plant to develop well, it is enough to maintain the temperature regime in the range from 15 to 21 ° C.
Shooting is the most common problem that gardeners face when growing Chinese cabbage. To prevent this from happening, you must:
- buy hybrids with resistance to flowering;
- do not sow seeds too thick;
- plant and grow cabbage while the daylight is short. If necessary, you can cover the sprouts in the evening.
Correct care
Peking cabbage care consists of the following 3 steps:
- Loosening the soil.
- Regular watering.
- Top dressing.
- Thinning of sprouts.
- Preventive measures against pests.
And now everything is in order. In order to harvest cabbage on time, it is necessary to loosen the soil around the plants from time to time. This will provide oxygen access to the plant root system. This, in turn, will improve metabolic processes and water flow during irrigation.
There is no need to water the cabbage in a special way. The main thing is that the soil is not too wet and dry. It must be kept moist at all times. Too wet soil is a breeding ground for pathogens. In such conditions, the heads of cabbage will simply begin to rot.
Usually heads of cabbage are watered once every 7 days. If watering is carried out more often, water stagnation can form. The first feeding is done immediately after germination. If cabbage is planted by seedling method, then 2 weeks are counted from the moment of planting, and only then feeding is carried out. For this, you can use both mineral and organic fertilizers.For example, many people use a solution of chicken manure or mullein. Mullein is bred in a ratio of 1/10, and chicken droppings are calculated in the amount of 1 kilogram per 20 liters of water. Some gardeners prepare the soil in advance for planting. Many people carry out soil treatment with superphosphate or urea solutions.
It is necessary to thin out the shoots with both cultivation options. Both seedlings and plants sown in open ground are broken through 2 times. The first time the extra shoots are pulled out at the 2-leaf stage. In this case, about 6-7 cm is left between the individual shoots. The next thinning is carried out 10 days after the first. Heads of cabbage planted in the open field should be at a distance of about 20–35 cm. Such an arrangement will provide unhindered access to sunlight, and will also allow the soil to dry out and not retain water.
It is necessary to ensure that fleas and cabbage flies do not eat heads of cabbage for you earlier. To treat plants from pests, you can use ordinary wood ash. It is simply sprinkled on the garden bed until the first shoots appear. Also, some gardeners, as a preventive measure, from time to time shovel off the old soil from the stems and sprinkle this place with new soil (for example, from the aisles). Thus, not only the soil is renewed, but also the eggs laid by the cabbage fly are removed.
If fleas or other pests do appear on the garden bed, then these measures will no longer help. We'll have to use special drugs such as Fitoverm or Bitoxybacillin. Just remember that you can use them no later than a month before harvesting.
When to harvest Chinese cabbage
It is customary to cut heads of cabbage in 2 cases:
- When young leaves grow up to 10 cm in height.
- When the head of cabbage is fully formed. This usually happens 2 months or more after germination.
The weight of the heads of cabbage at the time of harvest should reach about 1.2 kg. Maybe more, it all depends on the variety you choose. Store the heads of cabbage in a cool place. Typically, Chinese cabbage retains its properties for 3 months after it is cut. So it is unlikely that it will be possible to keep the heads of cabbage fresh until winter.
Conclusion
Of course, the most enjoyable part of growing any crop is harvesting. But in order to collect it on time, you need to work hard. As you can see, it is very important to sow seeds on time and create suitable growing conditions. By adhering to all the rules described above, you can get an excellent harvest of Peking cabbage.
