When should spring cabbage seedlings be grown?

Cabbage, also known as Chinese cabbage and lettuce, has many advantages such as being crisp, soft and juicy, rich in nutrition, easy to cultivate, free from diseases and pests, and good economic benefits. It has a very large planting area in China. So when should spring cabbage be planted? Let’s take a look below.

1. When should spring cabbage seedlings be grown?

In northern North China and Northeast my country, planting is generally carried out from late March to early May, while in dual-crop areas such as North China and Shandong, planting is carried out in March. When planting spring cabbage in the open field, it is necessary to determine the appropriate planting period. It should not be planted too early, otherwise the "premature bolting" phenomenon will easily occur, resulting in large-scale yield reduction or even harvest failure.

2. The Habits of Cabbage

1. Light: Cabbage needs plenty of light, but it can also grow in a partial shade environment. It needs to be analyzed specifically based on the specific variety of cabbage.

2. Temperature: Cabbage has high requirements for temperature and is suitable for growing in a warm environment. The maximum growth temperature cannot exceed 20 degrees and the minimum cannot be lower than 15 degrees.

3. Humidity: Cabbage has very high requirements for humidity. The humidity should not be too moist or too dry.

4. Soil: Cabbage prefers soil rich in organic matter, and the soil should have high drainage and looseness.

5. Growth cycle : Cabbage generally completes its growth within 3-4 months, but the growth cycle may vary depending on the variety and climatic conditions.

3. How to improve the yield and quality of cabbage?

1. Choose the right variety

Cabbage is a vegetable with many varieties, and different varieties have different growth cycles, growth habits, and disease resistance. Therefore, when planting cabbage, you should choose suitable varieties based on local climate conditions, soil conditions, planting season and other factors. Generally speaking, varieties suitable for spring cultivation include early spring white, early spring purple, early spring green, etc.; varieties suitable for autumn cultivation include autumn red, autumn purple, autumn green, etc.

2. Reasonable fertilization

Cabbage has a short growing period but grows fast, so it requires adequate nutrient supply. When applying fertilizer, you should choose the appropriate type and amount of fertilizer based on the soil fertility and the growth needs of cabbage. Generally speaking, cabbage has a relatively balanced demand for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, a variety of fertilizers such as compound fertilizers or organic fertilizers can be used for fertilization. In terms of the amount of fertilizer used, the amount of fertilizer used should be appropriately increased according to the soil fertility and the growth needs of cabbage.

3. Control pests and diseases

Cabbage has a short growing season, but pests and diseases are common problems. When planting cabbage, attention should be paid to preventing and controlling pests and diseases to reduce their impact on cabbage. For common diseases and pests, such as aphids, cabbage loopers, cabbage black rot, etc., biological control, chemical control and other measures can be used for prevention and control. At the same time, during the planting process, attention should be paid to regular watering, loosening the soil, weeding, etc. to keep the cabbage's growing environment clean and hygienic.

4. Timely pruning

Cabbage is prone to premature bolting during its growth process, which will not only affect the quality and yield of the cabbage, but also affect its growth cycle. Therefore, when planting cabbage, pruning should be carried out in time to prevent early bolting. Specifically, when the cabbage grows to a certain height, the top part can be trimmed off so that more nutrients can be distributed to the leaves and stems, promoting its growth and development.

5. Harvest at the right time

Generally speaking, the harvest time of cabbage is an important factor affecting yield and quality. Cabbage planted in spring needs to be harvested as soon as possible after it grows to a certain extent to avoid being affected by high temperatures; cabbage planted in autumn can be harvested in time after it grows to a certain height to ensure its quality and yield. When harvesting, care should be taken to adopt the correct method to avoid damaging the cabbage.

That’s it