When and how to plant cabbage

Cabbage, as a nutritious vegetable with a crisp taste, is deeply loved by people. If you want to successfully grow high-quality cabbage, it is crucial to grasp the planting time and master the correct planting method . Let’s talk about the planting time and method of cabbage.

1. Planting time

Cabbage can adapt to a wide range of environments, and the planting time varies in different regions and climatic conditions.

Generally speaking, spring cabbage is grown in greenhouses or sunbeds from late December to mid-January, planted out from late February to mid-March, and harvested from April to June. When planting spring cabbage , special attention should be paid to keeping warm to avoid damage to the seedlings caused by late spring cold.

Summer cabbage is usually sown from late March to late April, planted from late May to late June, and harvested from July to September. Since the temperature is high in summer, you should pay attention to choosing heat-resistant varieties, and do a good job of shading, cooling, moisturizing and preventing insects.

Autumn cabbage can be sown from mid-to-late June to early July, transplanted from late July to mid-August, and harvested from late September to early November. The climate is suitable during the growth period of autumn cabbage, and there are relatively few diseases and insect pests, but we should also pay attention to timely fertilization and watering to ensure the growth needs of the plant.

Winter cabbage is usually sown from mid-August to early September, transplanted from late September to mid-October, and harvested from December to February of the following year. The temperature is low in winter, so be sure to take warming measures, such as covering with film, to ensure that the cabbage can grow normally.

It should be noted that the specific planting time should be adjusted appropriately according to local climate and soil conditions.

2. Planting Method

1. Variety selection

Choose the appropriate cabbage variety according to the planting season and market demand. For example, in spring, you can choose early-maturing varieties, such as Zhonggan No. 11 and 8398; in autumn, you can choose medium- and late-maturing varieties, such as Jingfeng No. 1 and Qiufeng. Different varieties differ in their growth cycle, resistance to pests and diseases, and taste.

2. Seedbed preparation

Choose a plot of land with higher terrain, good drainage and fertile soil as the seedbed. Deeply plow the soil and apply an appropriate amount of decomposed organic fertilizer , such as chicken manure, cow manure, etc., to increase soil fertility. At the same time, add an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer to increase the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in the soil. The fields are raked and leveled to make ridges, which are generally 1-1.2 meters wide for easy management and operation.

3. Planting seeds

Spread the seeds evenly on the seedbed, cover with a thin layer of soil about 0.5-1 cm thick, and then water lightly to keep the soil moist. In order to increase the germination rate of seeds, you can soak the seeds in warm water for 2-4 hours before sowing.

4. Seedling management

Thin out the seedlings promptly after emergence, keeping a distance of 3-5 cm between them to prevent crowding and affect growth. At the same time, pay attention to controlling watering and fertilization to prevent the seedlings from growing too tall. During the seedling stage, you can spray some foliar fertilizers , such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, to enhance the resistance of the seedlings.

5. Planting

When the seedlings have 5-6 true leaves, they can be transplanted. Choose a plot with deep, fertile and loose soil and apply sufficient base fertilizer. The base fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer, with an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer. Pay attention to the spacing between rows and plants when transplanting. Generally, the row spacing is 40-50 cm and the plant spacing is 30-40 cm. After planting, water the seeds in time to help them take root and survive.

6. Field management

(1) Watering: Water the plants promptly after planting to promote seedling growth. Keep the soil moist during growing season, but avoid standing water. Especially during the heading period, the water demand is relatively high and sufficient water supply must be ensured.

(2) Fertilization: During the rosette stage and heading stage, apply nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers respectively to promote cabbage growth and heading. You can use urea, potassium sulfate and other fertilizers. When applying fertilizer, pay attention to spreading it evenly to avoid burning the roots.

(3) Intertillage and weeding: timely intertillage and weeding can loosen the soil, improve soil permeability, and reduce weed competition for nutrients.

(4) Pest and disease control: Common pests and diseases include downy mildew, black rot, and cabbage looper. Regular inspections should be carried out to detect signs of pests and diseases in a timely manner. For downy mildew, you can spray pesticides such as chlorothalonil and mancozeb; black rot can be controlled with agricultural streptomycin; and cabbage loopers can be controlled with pesticides such as avermectin and cypermethrin. At the same time, biological control methods can also be adopted, such as releasing natural enemies and using sex attractants, to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and ensure the safety and quality of vegetables.

That’s it