How to Grow Chinese Mallow (Donghan Cai)? A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques

Chinese mallow is a common vegetable, usually eaten for its tender leaves, and there are many ways to eat it, so how do you grow Chinese mallow? What nutritional value does it have?

1. How to Grow Chinese Mallow

1. Temperature: Chinese mallow likes moisture and cool conditions, the suitable growing temperature is 15-20°C, the seeds begin to germinate at 8°C, the optimum germination temperature is 25°C, above 30°C the plants suffer serious disease, and below 15°C the plants grow slowly.

2. Soil: It is not demanding about soil, but it grows better in fertile, loose soil that retains moisture and nutrients.

3. Sowing time: In spring, sow generally in February; in autumn, sow generally in late September.

The sowing method is generally hole sowing. Before sowing, apply 2000-3000 kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer and 50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu, sow 4-5 seeds per hole, with a plant spacing of 35×35 cm. After sowing, cover the seeds with fine mud, cover the bed surface with a shade net, water thoroughly to keep the soil moist.

4. Fertilizing: Mainly nitrogen fertilizer.

2. What Nutritional Value Does Chinese Mallow Have?

1. Medicinal value: The whole plant of Chinese mallow can be used as medicine; its roots, stems, leaves and seeds are sweet and cold in nature, and have effects such as clearing heat and detoxifying, lubricating the intestines and relieving constipation, and relieving cough and reducing phlegm.

Chinese mallow has the effects of promoting urination, lubricating the intestines and promoting lactation, and has a certain therapeutic effect on conditions such as difficulty in urination and defecation, gonorrhea, edema, blocked lactation in women, and breast swelling and pain.

2. Edible value: Chinese mallow is generally eaten as a vegetable in the form of seedlings or tender stems and leaves, and is rich in nutrients.

The tender stems and leaves can be stir-fried, served cold, or made into soup, and are tender, smooth and delicious. However, it should not be eaten with warm-natured foods, and those with spleen deficiency and loose bowels should avoid eating it.

If you want to eat Chinese mallow, you can stir-fry it plainly or stew it in soup, and eat it according to your own preference.