Tips for Top-Dressing Chinese Cabbage: Master the Technique and Boost Your Yield with Ease

Chinese cabbage is a very common vegetable. In rural areas, almost every household grows Chinese cabbage in their field. If you want to increase the yield, top-dressing is the key, so what are the top-dressing techniques for Chinese cabbage?

1. Broadcast application

Broadcast application is generally done right after the Chinese cabbage field has been watered or after rain, when the soil conditions are suitable. Chemical fertilizer can be spread over the field or between the plant rows. This fertilization method is simple, but part of the fertilizer will volatilize and lose its effect. Fertilizers with strong volatility are not suitable for this method. Urea, however, can be applied by broadcasting, but it needs to be used during the period when the Chinese cabbage leaves have not yet covered the whole ground.

2. Application with irrigation water

Application with irrigation water means mixing fertilizer into water and then pouring it over the Chinese cabbage, letting it seep into the soil with the water to nourish the roots of the Chinese cabbage. The advantage of this method is that it is simple and convenient, saving time and effort. The disadvantage is that this method wastes more fertilizer, and the fertilizer may not reach the deeper soil layers, so it cannot play its corresponding role. However, if the Chinese cabbage shows a large-area nutrient deficiency and the situation is urgent, this method can be the first choice.

3. Burial application

Burial application is generally done in the middle and late stages of Chinese cabbage growth. A pit needs to be dug between the plant rows, an appropriate amount of chemical fertilizer buried in it, and then covered with soil. When fertilizing, special attention must be paid not to get too close to the roots of the Chinese cabbage, so as not to damage the roots and cause negative effects. The safe distance is generally more than 10 cm. After completing the burial application, water promptly to reduce the fertilizer concentration and improve fertilizer efficiency.

4. Foliar spraying

Foliar spraying uses a small amount of fertilizer and has a quick effect, making it a simple and effective fertilization method. It can also be combined with pest control for foliar spraying. In addition to the common types of fertilizer, fertilizers containing large elements and various amino acid components can also be chosen for this method. However, this method can only serve as a supplement; the main source of nutrients for Chinese cabbage growth is still base fertilizer and other top-dressing.

5. Top-dressing in facility cultivation

Top-dressing in facility cultivation includes drip irrigation top-dressing, which is a new type of technology. Specific operation: install a Venturi fertilizer injector at the main pipe section where the water source enters the drip irrigation facility, dissolve the chemical fertilizer in a container, and insert it into the suction pipe filter of the Venturi fertilizer injector. The fertilizer will then automatically enter the soil around the crop roots along with the irrigation water. This method maximizes the effect of the fertilizer, and the concentration is low, making it relatively safe.

Many people grow Chinese cabbage, but the yields vary greatly, which may be caused by improper top-dressing methods. The above five top-dressing tips are hoped to be helpful to novice vegetable growers planting Chinese cabbage.