Chinese cabbage: description, photo, cultivation and storage

Chinese cabbage has gained popularity among gardeners due to its unpretentiousness, cold resistance and high yield. Its leaves are more tender than those of white cabbage, and the content of proteins and minerals is almost twice as high. We will talk about the characteristics of the types and varieties of “Asian”, as well as how to grow the vegetable yourself, in this article.

Description of Chinese cabbage

The botanical name Chinese cabbage (Brassia rapa) unites annual and biennial species of herbaceous plants from the Cruciferous (Cabbage) family, whose homeland is China.

The crop, resistant to pests and cold, does not form a head of cabbage, but is a large erect leaf rosette with a diameter of 40-45 cm and a height of 20 to 50 cm, semi-spreading or compact.

The delicate leaves are round in shape and can be either bubbly or smooth. They are located on succulent petioles of green or white color, smoothly turning into a pronounced central vein of the leaf. The color of the leaves, depending on the variety, varies from various shades of green to purple.

The small yellow or white flowers are on long stalks, and the fruits are short pods that split easily when ripe. The seeds are used to produce oil.

The plant has a superficial root system located approximately 15 cm below the soil surface.

The crop is characterized by a short growing season, so early ripening varieties can be harvested within 3 weeks after emergence.

Attention! Due to its spicy taste, “Chinese” is also called mustard or celery. Chinese cabbage is often classified as another type of Asian cabbage, which has some differences from leafy cabbage - Beijing, forming a head of cabbage.

The photo shows Chinese cabbage.

How to grow Chinese cabbage

Cultivation does not require much effort - the plant is frost-resistant and has high yields, is well stored and is rarely damaged by insects due to the high content of essential oils.

Where to grow

Chinese cabbage reacts negatively to transplants and temperatures below +15°C when seedlings emerge, which is why it is better to plant it immediately in open ground under a film.

Reference. In heated greenhouses, the crop grows throughout the year.

For the successful development of the plant, fertile, loose, moist (but not swampy) soil with low acidity and a high organic content is needed. Loams are excellent.

The best predecessors in the garden:

• cucumbers;
• legumes;
• onion;
• garlic;
• cereals.

It is not recommended to plant the plant after other cruciferous vegetables (radishes, radishes or cabbage).

The place for planting this light-loving crop is chosen to be well-lit, but light shading is also acceptable. The eastern or western side of the site, protected from drafts, is best suited.

Optimal temperature conditions for normal development of cabbage are +15…+20°C.

Landing

Planting takes place at the end of April or beginning of May. Later sowing (late May - early June) will lead to the formation of a flower arrow. To get an autumn harvest, the plant is planted in open ground in mid-August.

Important! When planting Chinese cabbage, the air temperature should be at least +15°C.

Preparation for planting and the process itself:

1. A few days before planting, the seeds, wrapped in cloth or gauze, are soaked in warm (+40...+50°C) water for 15-25 minutes.
2. Then they are immersed in cold water for 1-2 minutes, and then kept for 12 hours in a solution of the Epin biostimulator containing minerals.
3. To prevent fungal diseases, seeds are treated in a biofungicide solution. This could be Fitosporin-M, Topaz or another drug.
4. For every 1 m² of soil add ½ bucket of humus, 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 1 tsp. urea.
5. If necessary, liming of the soil is carried out.
6. Before sowing, the soil is loosened and then leveled.
7. Small holes are made at a distance of 30 cm from each other, maintaining a distance between rows of 0.5 m.
8. The soil is well moistened.
9. The seeds are buried 1.5-2 cm, placing 2-3 pieces in each hole.
10. The beds are sprinkled with ash, protecting the crops from pests, and insulated with covering material against return frosts.

When grown through seedlings, the seeds are sown in peat tablets with a nutrient mixture (for example, with a coconut substrate, adding a little crushed ash or chalk) so that the seedlings are not subsequently removed from the pots, but planted in the ground with them without damaging the roots.

Containers with crops are covered with film or glass and placed in a dark place until shoots emerge, and then placed on a windowsill on the south or east side. The substrate is kept moist.
When 5 true leaves appear (after 15-17 days), the seedlings are planted in open ground.

To improve the adaptation of plants, it is recommended to harden off a week before planting, leaving the seedlings in the open air for a short time at first, gradually extending it to 12-14 hours.

To ensure that the seedlings are ready for planting by the end of April, the seeds are sown in March. When growing a plant in a greenhouse, this is done in February, then in March the seedlings can be transplanted into the ground.

Features of care

When 1-2 true leaves appear on the sprouts, leave no more than one copy in each hole, pinching off the weak ones.

Culture care includes the following activities:

1. Watering. Due to the shallow root system of the plant, the soil underneath should not dry out, but it must be kept moderately moist by watering generously once a week. Do this in the morning or evening, preferably in cloudy weather, making sure that water does not get on the leaves and cause dry yellow spots to appear.
2. Feeding. At the beginning of spring, natural or complex mineral fertilizers are added to the soil: 1 part mullein, 10 parts water, 1 tbsp. sifted wood ash into a bucket of ready-made fertilizer.
3. Loosening row spacing after watering and rains.
4. Weed removal, slowing down the growth of the crop.
5. Mulching soil around the bushes with sawdust, hay or straw to prevent moisture evaporation and weed growth.
6. Preventive measures against diseases and pests. In rare cases, a crop that is resistant to lesions can be damaged by cruciferous flea beetles or aphids. Once a week, dust the plant itself and the soil around it with black pepper or a mixture of wood ash and tobacco dust (1:1). When slugs or clutches of white butterfly eggs appear on the leaves, they are removed and destroyed.

There is no need to hill up the plant. It is necessary to ensure that the apical bud is not covered with soil.

When to clean

The harvest is harvested as the crop ripens, usually 3 weeks after germination.Vegetables planted in April ripen in August, and those planted in June are harvested in October. This is done in the early morning, when the plant is maximally saturated with moisture, in dry, warm weather.

Collection is carried out in two ways:

1. Young leaves are cut at a distance of 2-3 cm from the root, and more mature ones - a little higher.
2. Using a sharp, disinfected knife, completely cut off the rosette and then remove the roots.

How to Preserve Chinese Cabbage for the Winter

The vegetable is best eaten immediately raw, stewed or boiled. If long-term storage is required, proceed as follows:

1. Cabbage harvested in August is rinsed to remove dirt.
2. Dry and pack in cling film.
3. Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

The autumn harvest can be stored longer - up to 3-4 months. For this:

1. Select undamaged sockets.
2. Wrap in cling film.
3. Placed in wooden or plastic boxes.
4. Store in a cool, well-ventilated area at a temperature of +1...+3°C and air humidity of 80-90%.

For longer storage, the vegetable can be frozen or dried, as well as pickled or pickled.

Types and varieties of Chinese cabbage

Over the course of many years of work, breeders have developed many varieties of Chinese cabbage, including:

• early ripening - with a growing season of 35-55 days;
• mid-season, ripening in 55-60 days;
• late ones, the harvest of which is harvested after 60-80 days.

With insufficient watering, overheating or lack of lighting, a problem arises: the “Chinese plant” begins to bloom and form arrows. Selecting hybrid varieties that are resistant to bolting and flowering for planting will help avoid this. These include:

1. Peahen.
2. Swan.
3. Manoko.
4. Champion.
5. Optico.
6. Cewstar.
7. Gilton.
8. Bilko.
9. Mirako.

Leaf bok choy

The large, juicy dark green leaves of bok choy (Brassia rapa chinensis) taste like arugula. They are located on thick white petioles, collected in a rosette.

This biennial plant with poorly developed roots produces a flower arrow in the second season. The vegetable is characterized by early ripening, resistance to cold and pests, high yield and low calorie content.

Swallow, or pak choi

This early-ripening, ultra-high-yielding kale variety matures 35-45 days after germination. Two-thirds of the plant, whose weight can reach 3 kg, is made up of fleshy, juicy white petioles, tightly adjacent to each other.

The rosette of this variety is semi-raised, and the green leaf blades are smooth and solid.

Reference. The swallow is practically not subject to bolting and has a very delicate taste.

Beijing

This type of “Asian” is called Chinese salad. The plant consists of white stems collected in an elongated loose head with wide leaves, the color of which varies from yellowish to bright green.

The core of the head of cabbage is used to make soups and marinades, and salads are made from fresh leaves.

Red

The Chinese cabbage variety Red Choi ripens 45-55 days after germination and differs from others in its high aesthetics: the back side of the leaves is green, and the outside is reddish-purple.

The rosette of Red Choi is semi-spreading, with small, slightly concave green petioles. The oval-shaped leaf blades with slightly wavy edges are covered with a thin layer of waxy coating. The plant reaches a height of 20-30 cm, and its maximum weight is 450 g.

The yield is low, but the taste is especially delicate, with a piquant pungency.

Conclusion

The unpretentious Asian guest can be grown in your own garden or personal plot, choosing varieties to your taste and following simple rules of agricultural technology. The reward for your work will be a bountiful harvest of tasty, nutritious, juicy and very healthy vegetables, rich in vitamins and minerals.