Planting Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse. Growing Chinese cabbage in greenhouse conditions

They say that when Chinese cabbage first appeared on the shelves of domestic supermarkets, buyers, confused by the strange appearance of its heads, rarely dared to purchase an overseas curiosity with the unusual name “petsai”. Then, in order to quickly sell out the unusual product, savvy sellers ordered an advertising video in which petsai cabbage was dubbed “Chinese salad,” and things went well. Many years have passed since then, and Chinese cabbage has turned from exotic into a popular vegetable crop, which many Russian gardeners are willing to grow. The unpretentious Asian guest, whose agricultural technology is not much different from the technology for cultivating ordinary white cabbage, is easy to care for, but cultivating it in a greenhouse still has a number of characteristic features.

Features of Chinese cabbage agricultural technology

Unlike white cabbage, which forms heads within 90–175 days, Chinese cabbage ripens on 45–60 days from the date of germination, which makes it possible to obtain 2, and if grown in greenhouses, even 3 harvests per year

Chinese cabbage ripens 45-60 days after germination

Cabbage of this type is one of the short-day plants, so the seeds of “Chinese cabbage” are sown in open ground in the last ten days of April or early August, but in heated greenhouses it can be grown throughout the winter.

Chinese cabbage is a cold-resistant plant - its seeds can germinate at minimal above-zero temperatures, and the seedlings are not afraid of short-term morning frosts. However, for full development, this crop still requires moderate heat, so in the greenhouse where Chinese cabbage grows, it is necessary to constantly maintain a temperature of 16-21 ° C.

When grown in a greenhouse, you can get 2-3 harvests of Chinese cabbage per year

As already mentioned, petsai is a short-day crop, so it does not need additional lighting; moreover, to prevent bolting, Chinese cabbage sometimes has to be shaded with special screens in the evenings.

Attention! It is in low light that the petsai especially actively increases the vegetative mass and forms full-fledged beautiful heads of cabbage.

Care and feeding

The root system of Chinese cabbage is superficial and not very developed, which is why this crop is very sensitive to moisture deficiency in the soil. Young plants especially suffer from lack of water, so they should be watered especially often to prevent the top layer of the substrate from drying out.

Beijing cabbage needs to be fed regularly

Chinese cabbage grows well in light, nutritious soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Since petsai is an early ripening crop, it does not have time to deplete the soil in 45 days of its growing season, and therefore does not need fertilizing.

Attention! Some vegetable growers, in order to accelerate the growth of green mass, often feed Chinese cabbage with mullein and other nitrogen fertilizers, but this should not be done due to the fact that Petsai has a genetic predisposition to the accumulation of nitrates!

Unlike its strong white cabbage relative, Chinese cabbage is juicy and tender, and therefore is more often affected by pests. A particular danger to Petsai is the cruciferous flea beetle, which is a “headache” for many gardeners. To protect your Chinese cabbage plantings from the invasion of harmful flea beetles, you need to:

• water the seedlings generously (moisture will protect the sprouts from little aggressors afraid of dampness);
• pollinate the ground between the beds with tobacco dust mixed with crushed wood ash;
• spray plants with infusion of wormwood, tomato tops or dandelion roots;
• plant dill, coriander and cumin next to the petsai, the smell of which flea beetles cannot tolerate;
• Cover the young cabbage with spunbond, lutrasil or any other light agrofibre.

Beijing cabbage can not be fed with nitrogen fertilizers

In the case when Chinese cabbage is grown in open ground, its seeds are often immediately sown in the beds; in greenhouses, petsai are always cultivated in seedlings

Growing seedlings of Chinese cabbage

1. If you want to use seeds collected yourself to obtain seedlings, then before planting, calibrate the seed and leave only full-bodied, undamaged specimens with a diameter of more than one and a half millimeters.

2. Immerse the selected seeds in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, then rinse them and soak them in a solution of a growth stimulator, for example, Epin, for 12 hours.

Store-bought petsai seeds, as a rule, go on sale in the form prepared for sowing (information about such processing should be indicated on the bag), and therefore do not need dressing and soaking!

Beijing cabbage seedlings are best grown in separate pots.

Advice. The weak root system of Beijing cabbage does not tolerate picking and transplanting, so it is better to plant seeds not in a common tray, but in individual peat pots or special planting cassettes.

3. Fill the pots with loose universal vegetable soil or coconut substrate, make holes in the soil surface with a centimeter depth with your finger, put 2-3 cabbage seeds in them and cover them with earth.

4. Moisten the substrate, put the planting containers on the tray, cover them with glass and put the tray with pots in a shaded warm (22-23 ° C) place.

5. On the third day, the first shoots will hatch on the surface of the substrate, and after a couple of days, cotyledon leaves will bloom on the seedlings. At this time, remove the glass from the seedlings, move the tray to the light and lower the temperature in the greenhouse to 18 ° C.

Beijing cabbage must be watered frequently and plentifully.

6. Water the petsai seedlings as the substrate dries in the planting containers. If all the seeds in the pots have sprouted, leave one of the most powerful sprouts in each of them.

7. In the phase of blooming of the third pair of true leaves (which corresponds to the age of 26-28 days), transplant the cabbage seedlings to greenhouse beds. The optimal scheme for planting young plants is 20x30 or 25x35 cm.

Beijing cabbage does not need good lighting when growing.

Further care for cabbage consists of loosening and mulching the soil, hilling and frequent watering using sprinkling.

Compliance with all of the above agrotechnical rules guarantees a bountiful harvest of high-quality heads of Chinese cabbage.

Chinese cabbage care - video

Growing Chinese cabbage - photo

In addition to the usual juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and potatoes, exotic vegetables began to appear on the tables - asparagus, artichoke, yams, chard. Chinese cabbage is no exception, it has become an integral part of the diet and has gained considerable popularity.

Beijing cabbage ripens in a greenhouse

About Chinese cabbage

Beijing cabbage, or Chinese cabbage as it is called, owes its origin to China, which is already obvious from its name. The Chinese were the first to grow this crop, and thanks to its taste and the presence of a large number of substances beneficial to the body, it began to be grown all over the world. Unpretentious to growing conditions and not much different from white cabbage, it can be grown by anyone, an experienced vegetable grower or a novice amateur.

But still, growing Chinese cabbage has some simple secrets and features.

Beijing cabbage variety Glass - heads of cabbage

Popular varieties

Chinese cabbage is a biennial vegetable crop of the cabbage family, and in practice it is used as an annual plant for growing in a greenhouse. Grown in a greenhouse. Previously, there was only one variety of Chinese cultivated cabbage, but over time the situation has changed significantly, and breeders have developed a large number of hybrid varieties for greenhouses. Among the most popular it is worth noting:

• mid-season variety "Glass" with a head weighing up to 2 kg. and airy tender wrinkled leaves, which are consumed raw, are ideal for growing in a greenhouse;
• variety “Nika” is suitable for fermentation, head weight up to 3 kg;
• variety “Monument” with a weight of more than 3 kg, also adapted for growing in a greenhouse;
• early variety "Vesnyanka" with a fruit weight of up to 300 grams and a period of full ripening of no more than 40 days.

Heads of Chinese cabbage of the Vesnyanka variety

Features of growing Chinese cabbage in a greenhouse

Despite the similarity with its relative, white cabbage, the planting and cultivation technology of the Beijing crop has its own minor differences, one of which is the ability to get two harvests, and if you grow seedlings at home in greenhouses, even three.

Modern varieties of Chinese cabbage are adapted to sudden changes in temperature; it is a cold-resistant plant and easily tolerates low temperatures, but still, to obtain a high-quality harvest, this crop must be grown in greenhouse conditions.

Peking cabbage shoots should be left one per cup.

The first shoots (if planting is done well) can appear already at an optimal temperature of +3-4°C, and they are not afraid of possible spring frosts down to 3°C below zero. Despite its unpretentiousness to weather conditions, Chinese cabbage requires heat, and to obtain a high yield, the optimal recommended temperature in the greenhouse should be within + 15-20 ° C.

To avoid the appearance of shoots, it is necessary to regulate the access of light to the plant; Chinese cabbage receives full development under the condition of shortened daylight hours. A shaded frame is the best adaptation for this type of cabbage.

Ready-made Chinese cabbage seedlings

An important feature of growing this crop is its susceptibility to various types of infections and diseases.

It is also necessary to ensure the proper level of protection from all kinds of pests, since Chinese cabbage is damaged by them more than its white relative.

Dangerous pests include the cruciferous flea, which causes a lot of problems and is not so easy to deal with.

Cabbage cruciferous flea beetle

• In order to protect the plant from the invasion of the cruciferous flea, it is necessary to take into account the timing of planting - in early spring it does not have time to appear yet, and in late summer it no longer exists.
• The best way is to cover the plant with a non-woven fabric, under which it is difficult for the flea to get through.
• This annoying ash pest is afraid, so the beds are recommended to be treated with ash even before the first sprouts appear.
• A good way to deal with a flea is mixed sowing, alternating planting with tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and garlic.

To achieve a harvest, it is necessary to take into account the correct crop rotation - the predecessors for full growth are legumes - beans, peas, soybeans; vegetable crops - tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots.

Growing Chinese cabbage through seedlings

As mentioned above, Beijing cabbage can be grown with and without seedlings. The advantage of growing a crop through seedlings is to obtain early fruits.

Planting Chinese cabbage seedlings in the ground

When using this method and proper care, the first harvest should be collected after a month.

Chinese cabbage does not tolerate transplanting and picking well, so it is recommended to plant the seeds in peat pots or special tablets, which can be purchased in specialized stores. Fill the pots with loose peat soil with the addition of mineral fertilizers and treat them with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection purposes.

The beginning of April is a favorable time for the first planting of seeds. In pre-prepared pots with soil, make holes 1 centimeter deep and plant three seeds, placing the pots in a warm and shaded place. The shoots will not keep you waiting; the first leaves will appear on the third day.

Young Chinese cabbage plants in a greenhouse

If all three seeds germinate, leave one strong sprout.

Water the seedlings as the soil dries, and stop watering three days before planting. After the formation of four leaves (25 days), the seedlings can be transferred to open ground.

Recently, the cultivation of Chinese cabbage has become widespread among amateur vegetable growers. The technology for growing this useful vegetable in greenhouses and in open ground has some peculiarities.

Peking cabbage, which came to us quite recently, immediately fell in love with both Russian gourmets and domestic vegetable growers.

Why is this vegetable so attractive to consumers? Farmers who grow it are attracted by its ease of care, its precocity and the way it quickly gains weight, giving a good harvest.

It attracts those in need of dietary nutrition due to its usefulness for various gastric and intestinal diseases, as well as cardiovascular diseases.

There is a common misconception that Chinese cabbage is exclusively a salad vegetable, unsuitable for culinary processing. This is not true. This cabbage can be boiled or stewed, as well as salted, fermented and even dried. It produces delicious cabbage soup, its nutritional value is no worse than that of white cabbage, and in terms of benefits and medicinal properties, it even surpasses it.

Varieties and biological features

Chinese cabbage comes in the following forms:

• leafless form;
• half-headed with the head open at the top;
• cabbage with a completely closed head.

The cabbage form ripens faster than others and has loose and large, usually elongated heads weighing up to 2.5 kg.

This cabbage is not afraid of shade and grows well even in poor light.

Its growing season is quite short. Already after 3-4 weeks after sowing the seeds in protected soil, when the shoots already have 5-6 leaves, they can be eaten in salads, and after one and a half to two months a full-fledged head of cabbage is formed.

Being quite resistant to cold, it germinates from seeds already at temperatures of 4-5 °C. She is not afraid of frosts down to -3 ° C. At the most favorable temperature for growth, 20-22 °C, the period for its germination from seeds is 3-4 days. For the formation of heads of cabbage, a temperature of 15-16 °C is more favorable. If the temperature is higher, the cabbage quickly throws out its flower stalk.

Watering is necessary for this cabbage, but overwatering is harmful to it.

Popular varieties

Growing Chinese cabbage in open ground and in greenhouses requires the selection of certain varieties. The most popular of them are:

• "Beijing Express" It belongs to the mid-early variety and ripens in about 70-75 days.
• "Pomegranate". It is classified as mid-season and ripens in 65-70 days.
• "Lyubasha." It is classified as mid-season and ripens in approximately 68-72 days.

Features of cultivation

The following growing methods are typical for this cabbage:

1. Growing in open ground
2. Using the seedling method with sowing seeds in cassettes for seedlings in early April and subsequent planting of seedlings in early May in a greenhouse

Sowing method

• Autumn varieties are sown directly in the open ground of the greenhouse at the end of July, and the heads of cabbage are harvested from the end of September until the first autumn frosts.

Growing in protected soil is most often done in the form of a soil compactor for cucumbers or tomatoes, less often - as an independent crop.

• In winter, seeds of spring varieties are sown in early March. Fully ripe heads of cabbage are cut off starting at the end of May.
• In film greenhouses, seeds of autumn varieties are sown in early August. Fully ripe heads of cabbage are cut off starting in early October.

Peking cabbage should be grown using the seedling method, taking into account its sensitivity to transplants and damage to the roots. The advantage of the seedling growing method is the short ripening period of 20-35 days from planting the seedlings in the garden.

The sowing method of growing in film greenhouses ensures ripening 6-8 days later than with the seedling method.

Soil and fertilizers

To increase soil fertility, it is fertilized with bird droppings, lime materials, humus, and potassium sulfate. A couple of weeks after planting, the plants are fertilized with urea.

Features of agricultural technology

If Chinese cabbage grows in a greenhouse as a companion crop to compact the soil, then after 4 leaves appear on the shoots, it is first thinned out, and after the main crops begin to grow, it is removed. If it is the main crop, then it is harvested when the plants reach a height of 10-15 cm and 10-15 leaves appear on them. You should not wait until the heads of cabbage are fully ripened and the flower shoots are released, but you need to cut them off starting from the beginning of June.

Be sure to use the ridge method when cultivating cabbage. Seeds need to be sown on the ridges of the beds, to a depth of 1-2 cm. Not only hilling, but also any raking of soil towards the shoots during weeding and inter-row cultivation is completely eliminated.

As you can see, the agricultural technology for growing Chinese cabbage is no more complex than any other crop. Therefore, by choosing the method that best suits your capabilities, you can get several harvests of this valuable vegetable in one season.

Beijing cabbage (video)

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Chinese or Chinese cabbage, despite its origin, can be cultivated in Russia, but for this you need to know the features and rules of cultivation. In this article we will understand all the intricacies of this process.

There are a huge number of varieties of Chinese cabbage in the world selection. The harvest of such vegetables can be obtained in any climate zone, but subject to certain rules.

For example, early varieties feel better in greenhouses. In the southern regions of our country, it is necessary to shade plants, which will create a shortened daylight hours.

Victoria

An early ripening variety, it has excellent taste and a pleasant aroma. The fruits are used for preparing salads and other dishes and are suitable for heat treatment. Vegetables are cylindrical in shape, elongated with dense, loose leaves of light green color. The growing season for the Victoria variety is within 2 months.

Orange Mandarin

An early ripening variety that can be grown throughout the warm period. Under favorable weather conditions, the fruits of the crop ripen 40 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in open ground. The heads of cabbage are small, their weight does not exceed 1 kilogram. The variety tolerates stressful situations and is suitable for cultivation in Siberia.

Marfa

A shade-tolerant, early-ripening variety with a growing season of 40-42 days. This cabbage has fairly large and wide leaves and tasty pulp. The maximum weight of a head of cabbage is 1.5 kilograms. Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the second ten days of April; grains are sown in open ground from mid-May.

Pomegranate

Mid-season variety, has large fruits weighing up to 2.5 kilograms. The heads of cabbage are elongated in shape and have tightly fitting dark green leaves. Pomegranate exhibits resistance to many diseases, especially necrosis. The first cabbage harvest is obtained 70-75 days after sowing the seeds.

Express

The variety is suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground. This is an unpretentious plant, resistant to sudden temperature changes. The heads of cabbage are bright green in color, weighing up to 2 kilograms. Beijing Express can be used for cultivation in Siberia.

Stonefly

An ultra-early variety, ripens 35 days from the moment the seeds are sowed in the greenhouse. The heads of cabbage are small, juicy, suitable for making salads.

Wineglass

The mid-late variety with a growing season of 70 days is quite difficult to care for, so it is better to grow this vegetable in the southern part of our country. The heads of cabbage are dense, weighing up to 2 kilograms.

How to properly grow Chinese cabbage seedlings

The cultivation of the crop in question can occur using seedling material or by directly sowing seeds in open ground. Chinese cabbage is considered a cold-resistant plant; its grains can form sprouts at an air temperature of +4-5 degrees, but intensive development is possible in the range of +15...+22 degrees. When warming occurs, the crop throws out inflorescences. This phenomenon often occurs in conditions of extended daylight hours.

Due to the need for shortened daylight hours, it is recommended to grow the crop from seedlings in early spring or late autumn. Sometimes it is advisable to create a special lighting regime. In this case, the first fruit harvest is obtained within a month from the moment the plants are planted in open ground.

When to plant Chinese cabbage for seedlings

Planting seed material of Chinese cabbage should be carried out about a month before the intended planting of seedlings in a permanent place. To obtain an early harvest, seedlings are sown in the last ten days of March or early April. When growing seedlings to obtain a harvest for winter consumption, sowing of grains is carried out at the end of June.

Preparing seeds for planting

Purchased Chinese cabbage seeds do not require special preparation; they can be immediately planted in the ground without prior soaking. If you use your own seed material, the grains need to be pre-germinated, which will allow you to determine their germination capacity.

To do this, they are placed on wet gauze folded in several layers. Next, place the container with the seeds in a warm place and wait for the sprouts to appear. Their germination begins 3-5 days from the moment of sowing.

If this does not happen or seedlings are rare, you need to take other seeds.

Preparing the soil for sowing

In practice, several options for soil mixtures are used for sowing Chinese cabbage seedlings:

Soddy soil and peat in equal proportions with the addition of 10 grams of wood ash and complex mineral fertilizer (for every 10 kilograms of the mixture).

2 parts humus and 1 part coconut substrate.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

The crop in question does not survive transplantation well, so the seeds should be sown not in a common box, but in peat pots (2-3 grains per container). The seed material is buried in the nutrient substrate to a depth of 1.5 centimeters. After this, the seedling containers are installed in a warm but dark place until seedlings emerge.

Seedling care

After the first shoots appear, the seedlings are moved to a well-lit windowsill. At this stage of development, the room temperature must be maintained at +7...+8 degrees. A loggia or glazed balcony is best suited for this.

Further care of the seedlings consists of periodic watering with warm, settled water. The soil should be moistened as the top layer of the nutrient substrate dries. After carrying out these procedures, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil, which will prevent moisture stagnation.

When the seedlings have two or three true leaves in the pot, leave one of the healthiest plants and pinch out the rest.

Dive

We have already said earlier that Chinese cabbage seedlings do not tolerate transplantation well, so the seeds are sown immediately in separate containers. This allows you to bypass the dive process.

How to transplant Chinese cabbage seedlings into open ground

Chinese cabbage seedlings are moved into open ground along with peat pots. In the future, these containers will dissolve and provide additional nutrients for plant development.

10 days before the expected planting date, the plants are hardened off in the open air, gradually increasing the time. Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place after they have spent a day outside.

Planting scheme

There are several schemes for planting Chinese cabbage in open ground:

1. If the plant is used as a salad crop, a distance of 25 centimeters is left between individual seedlings in both directions.
2. To form a head of cabbage, you must follow the pattern of 35*35 or 50*50 centimeters.

This requirement is valid for sowing vegetables directly into open ground.

When using seedlings, follow the 30*50 centimeter pattern.

To get a good harvest of fruits and prevent bolting, planting the vegetable should be done in early spring or autumn.

Sowing seeds in the ground

To grow Chinese cabbage without seedlings, you need to choose the right site. The ideal predecessors of the culture in question are:

• garlic;
• carrot;
• cucumbers

It is not advisable to sow grains in soil where close relatives of cabbage (mustard or radish, radish) had previously developed.

Seeds are sown in previously dug soil. Planting holes are made in the garden according to a pre-selected pattern of 35*35 or 50*50 centimeters. 10-15 grams of wood ash and 0.5 kilograms of organic matter (compost or humus) are added to each hole.

After a week from the moment of sowing, shoots should appear. At this moment, the most developed sprout should be left in the hole, the rest should be pinched.

Planting dates for Chinese cabbage

The time for sowing seeds in open ground depends on the air temperature. The ideal conditions for the development of this cabbage are considered to be a temperature of +16…+22 degrees. Exceeding or decreasing the recommended values ​​leads to the formation of peduncles.

For the seedless method of cultivation, two favorable periods for sowing seeds are used: April 25 to May 5, June 25 to July 15.

Caring for cabbage in the garden

Growing Chinese cabbage requires the gardener to follow certain rules. Newly planted seedlings must be covered with agrofibre or any other non-woven material. This allows:

1. protect crops from possible frosts or sudden temperature changes;
2. shades plants from the scorching rays of the sun;
3. protects the root system of cabbage from rotting during periods of prolonged rain;
4. allows you to hide seedlings from pests, cruciferous flea beetles.

Two weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden bed, the area is covered with mulch made from broken straw and peat. There is no need to hill up the crop; a thick layer of organic matter will retain soil moisture and prevent the growth of weeds.

Further measures for caring for cabbage include periodic watering and fertilizing, identifying and protecting vegetables from diseases and pests.

Watering and fertilizing

Chinese cabbage needs regular, abundant watering. It is recommended to moisten the soil once a week using warm water. The liquid should be poured under the root of the plant.

Water contact with leaves causes sunburn.

For better plant development, watering should be done in the morning or in the evening after sunset. In the latter case, it is recommended to use warm water infused throughout the day.

The first fertilizing is applied to the soil two weeks after planting the seedlings. The following solutions can be used for this purpose:

• 10% mullein infusion (1 kilogram per 10 liters of water);
• 5% infusion of bird droppings (500 grams of organic matter per 10 liters of liquid);
• infusion of herbs or nettles.

When fertilizing cabbage with fertilizers, 1 liter of solution is used for each bush. For spring crops, three such feedings are necessary. Plants planted in summer are fed twice during the growing season.

Foliar fertilizing also helps improve the yield of Chinese cabbage. To prepare such a substance, dilute 2 grams of boric acid in a liter of boiled hot water, then bring the volume to 10 liters with cold water. Treatment of crops is carried out in the evening on the leaves.

Harvesting and storing Chinese cabbage

To improve preservation and prevent the development of rot, it is recommended to cut the heads of cabbage in dry weather. The collected fruits are stored in a cool and dry room with a temperature range of 0…+2 degrees. Vegetables are laid out on racks or packed in boxes.

Carry out periodic inspection of the heads of cabbage for dried leaves and rotten areas.

Diseases and pests of lettuce

Chinese cabbage, like other cruciferous vegetables, can be affected by various diseases and pests during the growing season.

First, let's get acquainted with the main diseases of this vegetable:

1. Blackleg affects emerging sprouts of cabbage seedlings. The main symptom of the disease is blackening and narrowing of the crop stem, which makes it difficult for nutrients to reach the leaves and causes plant death. To prevent the development of blackleg, you need to disinfect the soil and seed material and follow the rules for caring for seedlings. The development of this disease is promoted by low temperatures and high air humidity, as well as dense plantings of young plants.
2. A bacterial disease of clubroot causes thickening to appear on the root system of cabbage. As a result of this effect, the cells become deformed and do not allow nutrients to pass through easily. The affected plant turns yellow and begins to dry out. The development of the disease is facilitated by high soil moisture and low-quality seeds, as well as acidic soil. To prevent the development of the disease, before planting seedlings, the soil is calcined in the oven and then spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. Wood ash or lime is additionally added to acidic soil.
3. The fungal disease gray mold affects the aboveground part of the crop during the period of fruit ripening or during storage. Symptoms of the disease are the appearance of brown spots on cabbage leaves. After some time, a grayish coating forms on the affected areas. Spraying the plantings with fungicides, for example, Amistar, will help defeat the disease.

Chinese cabbage is considered a fairly demanding plant to care for. To get such vegetables you need to have basic knowledge of growing them. Put our tips into practice and you will get a good harvest of Chinese cabbage.