What Is Chicken Feather Greens? A Detailed Guide to Growing Them

Each time you stir-fry, pick a little chicken feather greens; the texture is tender and fresh, very tasty, and it is a rather light little dish in today's everyday diet. So, what are chicken feather greens? How do you grow chicken feather greens?

1. What are chicken feather greens?

Chicken feather greens are the tender seedlings that grow after bok choy sprouts. Because they are newly sprouted bok choy, they have fewer fibrous veins, so the texture is even softer and more tender, and the vitamin content is also very high. In some places, the seedlings of baby bok choy are also called chicken feather greens; this way of calling them is relatively common in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang region.

2. How do you grow chicken feather greens?

1. Planting time

Chicken feather greens can be planted all year round. In spring, they can be planted in a greenhouse from November to February; in summer, plant from April to August; August to November is the autumn and winter planting time. As long as you want to eat them, they can be planted in any season.

2. Variety selection

The choice of varieties to plant also differs with the season. When planting in spring, choose varieties with strong cold resistance, such as 'February Slow' and 'Winter Evergreen'; in summer, when the temperature is extremely high, choose varieties with strong heat tolerance, such as 'Heat-Resistant 605' and 'Summer Wintergreen'; for autumn and winter planting, the early stage has suitable temperatures and the later stage has lower temperatures, so generally choose the varieties 'Short Cold-Resistant Green', 'Winter Evergreen' and 'Shanghai Green'.

3. Land preparation and fertilisation

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

4. Sowing

When sowing, scatter the seeds evenly over the surface of the bed. After sowing, lightly rake the bed surface to cover the seeds, then tread them firm. Water according to the dryness and moisture of the soil. Generally sow 2 kg per mu. In summer, sowing takes place during a high-temperature season, so from sowing to emergence, shade measures must be taken to prevent strong light from directly scorching the seedlings to death. Also, when 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 high temperatures lead to a lower survival rate, so the sowing rate is also larger, generally 2-4 kg per mu. Autumn sowing also falls in a high-temperature period, and if the soil is too dry when sowing, water first as well; the sowing method and sowing rate are the same as in spring.

5. Field management

Growing chicken feather greens is relatively simple. With sufficient base fertiliser, generally only two top dressings are needed before harvest. The first top dressing is after the cotyledons unfold, applying 5 kg of urea per mu; it is recommended to dilute the top dressing with water and wash it on. The second is after two true leaves appear, applying 10 kg of urea per mu. At the same time, keep the soil moist and water frequently, but avoid heavy flooding irrigation. Also pay attention to pests and diseases. The main disease is viral disease, and the main pests are aphids, cabbage caterpillars, diamondback moths, and so on, so pest and disease control work should be done well.

The above is an introduction to what chicken feather greens are and how to grow them. I hope it can help you!