How to Grow Cabbage in Open Fields in Early Spring? Detailed Explanation of Key Planting Techniques

SummarySelect varieties: Choose early-maturing varieties with a shorter growing cycle, tolerance to low temperatures, and good heat tolerance in the later stage. Sowing and seedling raising: Sow when spring temperatures remain above 10°C; do not sow too early or too late. Soil preparation and fertilization: Plow and make beds, and apply base fertilizer. Rational planting: Choose a cloudy morning for rational planting, and cover with plastic film after planting. Later management: Do well in thinning seedlings, weeding, watering, and fertilizing. Timely harvest: Harvest when the cabbage heads reach 70-80% formation.

I. Select Varieties

Before growing Chinese cabbage in open fields in early spring, you should first select early-maturing varieties with a relatively short growing cycle, tolerance to low temperatures in the early stage, and good heat tolerance in the later stage, such as Jinfeng, Qiangchun, and Chundajiang, etc.

II. Sow at the Right Time

1. In northern regions, spring is relatively short and the temperature difference is relatively large, so the sowing period needs to be chosen rationally.

2. If sown too early, because the temperature is relatively low, the seeds are prone to vernalization and may even be frostbitten.

3. If sown too late, because spring is relatively short and temperatures rise quickly, Chinese cabbage will have difficulty forming leaf heads, and pest problems will also increase. Therefore, spring Chinese cabbage sowing needs to maintain a temperature of about 10°C.

III. Sowing and Seedling Raising

1. Generally, spring Chinese cabbage can be cultivated directly or grown as seedlings.

2. Chinese cabbage generally needs to be raised as seedlings one month in advance. When the temperature is above 10°C, water the windbreak bed or sunny bed thoroughly, and sow once the water has completely penetrated, with a sowing rate of about 100-125 grams per mu, then cover with fine soil.

IV. Soil Preparation and Fertilization

1. For growing early spring cabbage, choose a site with fertile soil and loose texture.

2. After selecting the growing site, prepare the soil after the spring thaw, completely remove the roots and stems of the previous crop, broken plastic film, and other debris. Apply about 5,000 kg of base fertilizer per mu, then plow and make flat beds, with a bed height of about 1-1.5 m and a bed length of about 20 m.

V. Rational Planting

1. Early spring cabbage can be planted on a cloudy morning, avoiding noon as much as possible. Dig holes on the ridges and water them, with a row spacing of about 50 cm and a plant spacing of about 30-40 cm.

2. Once there is no water left in the holes, plant the cabbage seedlings, then cover with soil. After planting is complete, cover with a layer of plastic film.

VI. Later Management

1. When the seedlings grow to 2 leaves, 4 leaves, and 7-8 leaves, thinning is needed, and it can be combined with weeding, leaving only one strong seedling per hole.

2. When the seedlings are in the rosette stage, water them and apply a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer once, with about 15-25 kg of urea per mu, then water about once every 7 days.

VII. Timely Harvest

When the cabbage heads reach 70-80% formation, they can be harvested. Generally, all should be harvested when fully mature.