Is chicken-feather greens the same as baby bok choy? The differences explained clearly in one go

Chicken-feather greens are simply seedling greens, edible as soon as a few true leaves have grown, rich in vitamins and effective at relieving nervous stress, and very popular in the market, so is chicken-feather greens the same as baby bok choy?

1. Is chicken-feather greens the same as baby bok choy?

Chicken-feather greens are the common name for baby bok choy seedlings, a term used in Shanghai. They are rich in vitamins, pantothenic acid and more, and regular consumption can treat constipation, lung-heat cough and other conditions. They can generally be harvested 40-50 days after sowing.

2. How to grow chicken-feather greens?

1. Variety selection

The varieties chosen for planting differ with the season. When planting in spring, choose varieties with strong cold resistance, such as 'February Slow' and 'Winter Evergreen'; in summer, when temperatures are extremely high, choose varieties with strong heat tolerance, such as 'Heat-Resistant 605' and 'Summer Winter Green'; for autumn and winter planting, when temperatures are suitable early on and lower later, generally choose varieties such as 'Dwarf Resistant Green', 'Winter Evergreen' and 'Shanghai Green'.

2. Land preparation and fertilising

Chicken-feather greens have an extremely short growing cycle, so one week before ploughing, apply 1000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu as base fertiliser, bury it into the soil through ploughing, then level and harrow it fine, and then make beds. In spring they are mostly grown in greenhouses, so shallow beds are generally made; summer is a hot, rainy time, so deep-furrow, high beds should be made to facilitate irrigation and drainage; autumn and winter beds should be higher than spring ones but lower than summer ones.

3. Sowing

When sowing, scatter the seeds evenly over the bed surface, then shallow-rake the bed surface to cover the seeds, then tread them firm, and water according to the soil's dryness and moisture; generally sow 2 kg per mu. In summer, sowing takes place during the hot season, so from sowing to emergence, shade measures must be taken to prevent strong light from scorching the seedlings to death; moreover, as the weather is dry, water thoroughly once before sowing, and sow after the water has seeped into the soil. Before emergence, keep the soil moist at all times. Summer's high temperatures mean a lower survival rate, so the sowing rate is also higher, generally 2-4 kg per mu. Autumn sowing also falls in a high-temperature period; if the soil is too dry when sowing, water first as well; the sowing method and sowing rate are the same as in spring.

4. Field management

Growing chicken-feather greens is relatively simple. When sufficient base fertiliser has been applied, generally only two top-dressings are needed before harvest. The first top-dressing comes after the cotyledons have unfolded, with 5 kg of urea per mu; it is recommended to dilute the top-dressing with water and wash it in. The second comes after two true leaves have appeared, with 10 kg of urea per mu. At the same time, keep the soil moist and water frequently, but avoid heavy flooding. Also watch out for pests and diseases: the main disease is viral disease, and the main pests are aphids, cabbage caterpillars, diamondback moths and so on, so their control should be done well. In spring, they can generally be harvested 40-50 days after sowing, in summer 20-25 days, and in autumn and winter 25-40 days.