High-yield planting technology of cabbage

Cabbage is a very common vegetable. Many people grow it in rural areas, and the planting method is not complicated. However, it is not so easy to grow delicious and high-yield cabbage. Let’s learn some high-yield planting techniques for cabbage.

1. Selection of seeds and varieties

Choose seeds that are plump, have fresh skin and bright color. Such cabbage seeds will have better quality in germination and seedling emergence. When selecting seeds, consider varieties that are disease-resistant, cold-resistant, and have strong storage capabilities. At the same time, choose cabbage varieties that are early-maturing, short-stemmed, with small or medium-sized leaves, or medium-to-late-maturing, tall-stemmed, with large leaves, according to soil, water and fertilizer conditions. For early-sowing and early-maturing cabbages, choose varieties with better heat resistance. For late sowing and late-maturing cabbage, choose varieties with better cold resistance.

2. Selection of planting plots

Cabbage has a shallow root system, high yield per mu, and high nutrient demand. Therefore, choose a plot with fertile, loose soil and good fertilizer and water retention capabilities for planting. Avoid planting the same crops year after year and do not plant on land with cruciferous crops (such as cauliflower, rapeseed, and green vegetables). You can choose plots of land for planting grains, melons, beans, onions, ginger and garlic crops. If cabbage has been planted on the same land last year, it is recommended to plant it again after 2-3 years.

3. Land preparation and fertilization

Half a month before sowing, the planting site should be plowed deeply to a depth of 25-30 centimeters and dried (quicklime and rotted farm manure can be spread before plowing). This helps kill underground pathogens and pests and revitalizes the topsoil. 3-5 days before sowing, carry out intensive tillage, harrowing and ridge making (it is recommended to rotary till 2-3 times and cover the high ridges with film for planting). At this time, the soil is treated with drugs to sterilize and disinfect it to prevent and control underground pests and diseases (such as cutworms, wireworms, etc.). Insecticides such as chlorpyrifos granules and emulsifiable concentrates, or fungicides such as carbendazim, oxadiazon, and fludioxonil can be used. Wood ash and quicklime also have bactericidal and insect-repellent effects. Be sure to apply enough base fertilizer.

4. Planting density

Cabbage is usually sown in ridges and along furrows. When sowing, follow the density of 30 cm hole spacing, 4-5 seeds per hole, and 250 grams per mu of sowing. It is generally recommended to plant 2,000 large varieties per acre, with a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of 40-50 cm; 3,000-3,500 medium varieties per acre, with a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of 30-40 cm; and 4,000-4,500 small varieties per acre, with a row spacing of 30-35 cm and a plant spacing of 25-30 cm. The planting density of spherical varieties and medium- and late-maturing Chinese cabbage should be smaller, while the planting density of straight-tube varieties and early-maturing Chinese cabbage should be larger.

5. Thinning and finalization

Under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, cabbage will germinate 3-5 days after sowing. Before the Chinese cabbage sprouts, if the daytime temperature in the area is high and dry, it is recommended to water it appropriately every 1-2 days in the morning and evening to increase soil moisture and promote germination. After watering 2-3 times in a row, almost all the cabbages will germinate.

After the cabbage seedlings emerge, thinning and transplanting need to be carried out in batches, and the spacing between seedlings each time should be larger than the previous time. In the early stage, you can keep seedlings twice the number of plants needed for transplanting and planting. When transplanting, use the method of "removing every other plant" to select and retain a sufficient number of plants.

The first thinning is carried out when the seedlings grow 2 true leaves (leave 3 seedlings in each hole), the second thinning is carried out when the seedlings grow 4-5 leaves (leave 2 seedlings in each hole), and the third thinning (at this time, the seedlings can be determined after thinning) is carried out when the seedlings grow 6-8 leaves (only 1 strong seedling is left in each hole). After the third transplanting, a small amount of urea or other nitrogen fertilizers can be applied to promote the growth of stems and leaves of seedlings.

Thinning and transplanting of Chinese cabbage should be completed between seedling emergence and plant clumping (no later than the field ridge closing period, i.e. the early rosette stage). Each time you thin out the seedlings, focus on removing the dense, diseased, weak, and damaged seedlings, and select the good seedlings that grow strong and uniformly. The thinning time of Chinese cabbage seedlings should be as early as possible. Too late may cause the seedlings to grow tall and thin, affecting their later growth and development.

6. Intertillage and weeding

In order to break up the compaction of the soil surface, improve soil permeability, and promote the development of the root system and the healthy growth of cabbage seedlings, it is recommended to carry out 2-3 inter-row tillage and loosening of the soil (while removing field weeds) from the seedling stage to the clustering stage. When loosening the soil through inter-row cultivation, the principles of "the first hoe is shallow, the second hoe is deep, and the third hoe does not damage the roots after the soil is opened" and "appropriate shallow hoeing near the seedlings and appropriate deep hoeing far from the seedlings" should be followed.

The first hoeing and loosening of the soil can be done in conjunction with the first thinning, the second hoeing and loosening of the soil can be done during the second thinning, and the third hoeing and loosening of the soil can be done after the cabbage seedlings are established and until the cabbage plants are in the clumping stage. Before transplanting, the depth of loosening the soil with a hoe should be kept at 2-3 cm. After transplanting, the depth of loosening the soil with a hoe should be kept at about 5-6 cm.

7. Reasonable fertilization

The first application of "seedling growth-promoting fertilizer" is after the cabbage seedlings are established, mainly to increase the number of leaves. If the cabbage seedlings grow weakly, you can apply 6-8 kg of urea per mu according to the growth conditions and watering to enhance the growth of the seedlings and ensure rapid "growth" afterwards.

The second time the "rosette fertilizer" is applied, cabbage reaches its growth peak in the early rosette stage, and at this time it has a great demand for water and fertilizer. In combination with watering, 8-10 kg of urea and 6-8 kg of potassium sulfate can be applied per mu to meet the growth needs of cabbage and promote leaf curling and heart wrapping.

The third application of "heading fertilizer" is when cabbage needs topdressing in the early to middle stages of heading to promote weight gain and yield increase. Top dressing at this time can significantly increase the fullness and unit weight of the cabbage head. Combined with watering, apply about 40 kg of potassium sulfate type nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium triple compound fertilizer per mu (it is recommended to divide the fertilizer into two parts and apply it once in the early and middle stages of heading).

In addition, in order to enhance the growth of cabbage, improve yield and quality, and avoid leaf rot and heart rot, foliar fertilizer spraying management is also necessary. From the rosette stage to the heading stage of cabbage, potassium dihydrogen phosphate can be used in combination with chelated calcium and sodium octaborate tetrahydrate (boron fertilizer) for continuous spraying 3 times (boron and calcium supplements promote each other's absorption), once every 7-10 days.

8. Scientific irrigation

Generally speaking, when cabbage is in the cluster stage to the rosette stage, it is mainly necessary to water it frequently with small amounts of water to keep the soil moist. During the rosette stage, water and retain moisture flexibly according to the actual growth trend (water should not be lacking from the early to middle stages of the rosette period, and if the growth is too vigorous after the middle stage of the rosette period, water can be stopped to control growth). During the heading stage, watering is required frequently to ensure adequate water supply, keeping the plant moist but not waterlogged (water shortage is not allowed at this stage). Watering should be stopped 7-10 days before the cabbage matures and is harvested (to promote leaf weight gain and avoid rot).

It should be noted that insufficient water supply during the rosette stage to the heading stage of cabbage will result in the leaves not curling, the heart not forming, or the heart forming a loose head; excessive water supply will easily cause root rot, leaf rot, and heart rot, and the cabbage will not be resistant to storage after harvest.

The above is an introduction to some management points for high-yield cabbage cultivation. If you want to achieve high yield and high quality cabbage, many links of work cannot be ignored.