Now Chinese cabbage has become very popular among gardeners. But in the old days this vegetable did not want to recognize in any way. Therefore, at first they began to call it salad. Soon she fell in love with everyone. After all, it turned out to be very tasty, capable of replacing lettuce, it has a large amount of useful minerals in its composition.
All about Chinese cabbage
Peking cabbage is known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. China is considered the birthplace of this plant, since it is there that this vegetable has been grown for several thousand years. No one knows: cabbage was first planted in Beijing or beyond, but it was named after this city. In other countries, Chinese cabbage is called Chinese salad. She really is very similar to this plant.
In cooking, Peking cabbage is used to prepare salads, stews. It turns out to be very tasty if the salad is seasoned with mayonnaise. All the nutrients contained in cabbage are very beneficial for the human body. It includes:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- iron;
- proteins;
- vitamin C.
To grow it in your garden, you need to create optimal conditions under which it grows and develops well. This plant is capable of developing at an air temperature of sixteen to twenty degrees. Daylight hours should be short. Only in this case you can get a quality product.
Outdoor cabbage
Peking cabbage looks like it has long leaves that are collected in a head of cabbage. However, they do not fit snugly together. The color of the leaves is light green with delicate juicy veins.
Peking cabbage is conventionally divided into three groups:
- sheet;
- headed;
- hybrid.
It is customary to grow leafy varieties of Peking cabbage in early spring. It grows very quickly. After a month, you can already start harvesting.
Cabbage can be grown directly in the garden or sown in a greenhouse for seedlings. In this case, you need to choose varieties that do not release arrows for a long time and do not bloom. Peking cabbage is best grown in early fall when nights get longer. Before the first frost, she will have time to grow and please the gardener with a good harvest.
Hybrid varieties are also recommended to be sown in the fall. The best time for sowing is the first decade of August. In addition, this vegetable keeps well during the winter.
Of the wide variety of varieties of Peking cabbage, Cha cha cabbage should be noted.
Chinese cabbage Cha cha
Peking cabbage Cha cha belongs to varieties that ripen quickly. After sowing seeds in open ground, ripe heads of cabbage can be harvested after fifty days. Cha cha grows up to three kilograms. In addition, this variety of cabbage is adapted for growing in the middle regions of Russia.
To get a good harvest, you need to prepare the soil in advance. Seedlings are best sown in peat pots. Since Chach a does not like to be moved from one place to another, such a pot would be an excellent option for solving this problem.
The soil where the Chinese cabbage will grow should be well loosened and fertilized.Such a soil is prepared from sod land and humus. The seed is buried one centimeter deep into the soil. Then lightly spray the soil with a spray bottle. The containers are covered with foil and left in a warm place for several days. In this case, seedlings should appear exactly after the specified time.
The first shoots of seedlings
When the seeds sprout, the container is transferred to a sunny place. Watering the soil should be done only when the need arises. As soon as the first four leaves appear on the plant, it is opened and transferred to the garden bed.
The area for planting Chinese cabbage is prepared in advance. The area should be well lit so that it is watered on time and kept cool. That's all the conditions for growing this type of cabbage. If the air temperature drops to +13 - +14 degrees, the plant stops growing. If the air warms up to +25 degrees, then this is also not favorable for the vegetable. In order to regulate the temperature, you can use a non-woven cover.
It should be borne in mind that in each region the land for crops is heated differently. For this reason, a cover is used to adjust the temperature regime. In addition, the temperature will have to monitor the entire cabbage growing season. If this condition is not observed, then the cabbage will begin to bloom and will not yield a harvest.
The main reasons for flowering can be:
- When transplanting, the roots of the plant are damaged. To prevent this from happening, the best option would be to sow seeds directly into the ground or in a peat pot;
- Sudden changes in temperature are also one of the reasons for shooters and blooms;
- Long exposure to sunlight can affect the cabbage and promote flowering. For her to form a head of cabbage, a day should last no more than twelve hours;
- High planting density. It is necessary to maintain a distance of twenty-five, or even thirty centimeters between plants. In this case, the distance between the rows is made at least sixty centimeters. If the rows are dense, then the cabbage will tend to multiply;
- Since the roots of Chinese cabbage are in the upper layers of the soil, it needs to be watered, as this layer dries out very quickly. In order for it to form a head of cabbage, the soil must be constantly loosened and watered.
If you adhere to all these recommendations, then it will not be so difficult to grow a vegetable.
Diseases and pests
Chinese cabbage can be damaged by insects such as cruciferous fleas and slugs. To combat these pests, experts recommend using a cover, but not using chemicals. The only remedy that can be used is wood ash. A mixture is made from it and tobacco and the beds are sprinkled. Having planted such plants as petunia, garlic and potatoes near the cabbage, you can not worry about the flea.
In order for cabbage to give a good harvest, you first need to familiarize yourself with its description, characteristics and features. Only in this case will the plant begin to bear fruit.
