A Detailed Guide to the Cultivation Techniques and Management Methods of Flowering Chinese Cabbage

When growing flowering Chinese cabbage, sowing and seedling raising generally begin around August to October, keeping good spacing. After the plants grow true leaves, choose a sunny day for transplanting, mainly using base fertilizer and mixed fertilizer. Finally, arrange the harvest; under conditions of sufficient fertilizer and water, the harvest period can continue until March of the following year.

Cultivation Techniques for Flowering Chinese Cabbage

1. Cultivating Strong Seedlings

In the Yangtze River basin, sowing and seedling raising generally take place from mid-August to mid-October. Each mu of field requires a seedbed area of 15 sq m, with a seed quantity of about 150 g. Direct sowing is also possible, with a seed quantity of 500 g per mu. After emergence, thin the seedlings promptly, removing off-type, weak and diseased seedlings, and maintain a spacing of about 5 cm.

2. Reasonable Close Planting

About 20 days after sowing, when the seedlings have reached 3-4 true leaves, select strong seedlings and transplant them on a sunny day. The field for transplanting should be given sufficient base fertilizer, with 50 kg of NPK compound fertilizer and 2500 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer applied per mu, using a combination of broadcasting and banding. When transplanting, it is best to move the seedlings with soil, and the planting density varies by variety. Zaotai 30 and Huangtai 30 have a compact plant type and are suitable for close planting, with about 10000 plants per mu; Zaotai 40 and Zaotai 50 have a larger plant type and should be planted slightly thinner, with about 6000 plants per mu.

3. Management and Harvesting

7-10 days after transplanting, promptly apply a seedling-promoting fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen, at 5 kg per mu. After entering the shoot-harvesting period, apply a thin manure water or compound fertilizer every 10 days or so to promote the growth of side shoots. Under conditions of sufficient fertilizer and water, the harvest period can continue until March of the following year.

4. Pest and Disease Control

The main diseases include viral disease, downy mildew and soft rot, and the main pests include aphids and cabbage caterpillars. Use pesticides rationally according to the different pests and diseases, and pay attention to the mixing ratio.