What Is Gongcai? Get to Know This Distinctive Vegetable

Gongcai is a purely natural, green, premium dehydrated vegetable. Because it was sent as tribute to the imperial court every year during the Qing Dynasty, it came to be called “Gongcai”. It is also another geographical indication protected product of Pizhou City, after Pizhou white garlic and Pizhou ginkgo.

Cultivation of Gongcai:

1. Seed soaking and germination

Before sowing, the seeds must undergo low-temperature germination treatment. Soak the seeds in cold water for 3-4h, put them in a cloth bag and store them in the refrigerator's fresh-keeping compartment for about 2d, and they will sprout.

2. Seedbed preparation

Choose a field with convenient drainage and irrigation that is fertile and dry for the seedling bed. In the rainy season, use raised beds with matching drainage ditches to facilitate drainage; in the dry season, use semi-sunken bed surfaces to help retain water. The seedbed soil should be fine and the bed surface level. After sowing, do a good job of managing the seedling period. No fertilization is needed during this period, but low-concentration organic liquid fertilizer can be applied appropriately to weak seedlings. At the same time, spray pesticides for pest and disease control.

3. Transplanting

Before transplanting, first prepare the soil, and keep 16,000-26,000 plants per mu at a spacing of 16-20cm. After planting, water thoroughly to help the plants establish.

4. Water and fertilizer management

After the plants survive, appropriately control watering and let the seedlings sit for 2 weeks to promote root development. Cultivate and weed in time, and water frequently to ensure seedling growth; at the 7-8 leaf stage, loosen the soil and apply a fertilizer to promote tillering. In addition, Gongcai has a high water demand during the growing period, so water frequently. Especially after fertilizing, be sure to water thoroughly to prevent root burn. At the same time, note that the soil must not alternate between dry and wet, and nitrogen fertilizer must not be excessive. Stop watering 5-7 days before harvest, otherwise the plants tend to split and quality is reduced.

After Gongcai matures, harvest it in time. Harvesting too early or too late will affect quality and yield. Harvesting is best when the outer leaves of the plant are level with the heart leaves, but this should be judged according to the specific situation.