Which month is best to sow Chinese cabbage?

Chrysanthemum chrysanthemum originated in the Mediterranean and was introduced to China during the Northern Song Dynasty. It is not only nutritious and tender in taste, but was also a delicacy in the palace. Therefore, it has the reputation of "Emperor's Dish" and has high edible and medicinal value. Chrysanthemum chrysanthemum is widely planted in various places. It has a short growth cycle, can be harvested multiple times, and has high economic value. However, during the planting process, problems such as low yield, poor quality, and easy flowering may occur. Let’s learn together which month is the best for sowing Chinese cabbage?

1. Suitable sowing period

Although Chinese cabbage can be grown all year round, it is a semi-cold-resistant vegetable and is not heat-resistant. Under high temperature and long day conditions, Chinese cabbage will quickly switch to reproductive growth, flowering and sprouting, affecting yield and taste. The most suitable growth temperature is 15-22℃, and it can withstand low temperatures of -2℃, making it suitable for sowing in spring and autumn. Spring sowing is from early March to mid-April, and autumn sowing is from August to October. Spring sowing should be done when the average daily temperature is stable above 10℃, and autumn sowing should be done below 22℃.

2. Germination before sowing

In order to ensure that the seedlings are complete, uniform and emerge quickly, the Chinese cabbage seeds are germinated before sowing. Soak the seeds in warm water at 50-55℃ for 15 minutes, then soak them in clean water for 8 hours, wrap them with wet gauze, and sow them when 70% of the seeds turn white. New seeds have a dormant period, and refrigerating them for 7 days can break the dormancy and promote germination.

3. Precision sowing

Chrysanthemum is suitable for planting in well-drained, deep soil rich in organic matter. Mainly broadcast or row sowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer before sowing, 2000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 30 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu. After the soil is leveled, make beds 1.2 to 1.5 meters wide. Small-leaf varieties are sown densely, with a seed rate of about 2 kg per mu; large-leaf varieties use about 1 kg of seed per mu. After sowing, cover with 1 cm of soil, water thoroughly, and do not water again before seedlings emerge. When the temperature is low in early spring, you can cover the ground with mulch to conserve moisture.

4. Management after sowing

Thin out the seedlings when they grow to 5 cm, remove the overcrowded seedlings, keep the strong seedlings, and weed at the same time. After thinning, apply urea at 10 kg per mu and combine it with watering. Urea needs to be converted before it can be absorbed and should not be applied too late. The soil of chrysanthemum needs to be moistened during its growing period. Water it every 3 to 5 days to keep the soil moist.

5. Harvest

Chrysanthemum can be harvested when it grows to 20 cm. Harvesting it too late will cause the stems and leaves to age or bloom. Can be harvested from the base in one go. Chrysanthemum has a strong regeneration ability. When eating it at home, you can leave 2 cm at the base of the main stem and cut it off, retaining the side branches, so that you can harvest it multiple times. Apply fertilizer and water after each harvest to promote the sprouting of side branches.

In general, Chinese cabbage is usually harvested 40 to 50 days after sowing. It is not resistant to high temperatures, blooms easily under long days, and likes moisture but is not resistant to waterlogging. During the growing period, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied and water should be applied frequently to cultivate plump and tender chrysanthemum. Through the above techniques, the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage can be effectively improved.