An Introduction to Baby Cabbage Cultivation Techniques and How to Tell Real from Fake

Baby cabbage is a miniature small-head Chinese cabbage, a concentrated version of Chinese cabbage. Its taste is slightly better than Chinese cabbage and its nutritional value is slightly higher, so it is favored by many consumers. Baby cabbage has a short maturation cycle, quick results, and high yield. How do you grow it? Below, we introduce baby cabbage cultivation techniques.

I. A Brief Introduction to Baby Cabbage

1. What does baby cabbage look like?

Baby cabbage looks similar in shape to Chinese cabbage, but its size is only one-quarter to one-fifth that of Chinese cabbage, making it a “simulated miniature version” of Chinese cabbage; its leaves are slightly yellow in color, the leaf surface is relatively smooth, the leaf base is relatively narrow, the leaf veins are fine, and the curled leaf patterns are small and delicate.

2. What nutrients does baby cabbage have?

Baby cabbage is a variety of Chinese cabbage and contains nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and carotene. It has effects such as nourishing the stomach and promoting fluid production, relieving restlessness and quenching thirst, promoting urination and relieving constipation, and clearing heat and detoxifying, and it can also help prevent rickets and prevent colon cancer.

II. How Do You Grow Baby Cabbage?

1. Time

Baby cabbage is a semi-cold-tolerant vegetable plant. It grows poorly above 25°C and grows slowly below 10°C. The most suitable growing temperature is 10-25°C. If grown in open fields, it can be planted in spring and autumn; if grown in greenhouses, it can be planted all year round.

2. Soil

Because baby cabbage has fewer aboveground parts, its root system is smaller than that of ordinary Chinese cabbage. It is best to choose fertile sandy loam to clay loam with convenient drainage and irrigation. If the soil is calcium-deficient or slightly alkaline, an additional 15-20 kg of superphosphate can be applied.

3. Sowing

Baby cabbage can be sown directly with seeds or raised as seedlings and then transplanted. It can be grown in ridges or in beds. If sowing directly, you can sow 1-2 seeds per hole, or alternate 2 seeds per hole and 1 seed per hole. If raising seedlings for transplanting, transplant them at the 3-leaf stage with a soil ball, and a spacing of 20×30 cm between plants and rows is better.

4. Fertilizer and Water

Baby cabbage has a relatively short growth period. Before sowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer. When it grows three to four leaves, apply farmyard manure once. When it grows six to seven leaves, apply a mixed fertilizer of farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer once. Before head formation, apply urea once. Keep the soil moist throughout the growing period, but do not let water accumulate. After head formation, replenish water and fertilizer as appropriate.

5. Management

Baby cabbage is relatively simple to manage. Two weeks after sowing, promptly thin the seedlings, finalize the stand, fill gaps, and pull weeds. Before head formation, loosen the soil frequently. Its insect pests include diamondback moth and cabbage borers, which can be controlled by spraying pesticides. Its disease is downy mildew, caused by improper drainage, so drain promptly and spray for treatment.

III. How Do You Tell Real Baby Cabbage from Fake?

The market price of baby cabbage is higher than that of Chinese cabbage. Therefore, some sellers pass off Chinese cabbage hearts as baby cabbage to seek excessive profits. So how do you tell real baby cabbage from fake?

1. Look at the leaves: Baby cabbage leaves are relatively straight and the leaf surface is relatively smooth, the leaf base is relatively narrow, the leaf veins are fine, the curled leaf patterns are relatively small and delicate, and the color is tender yellow; while Chinese cabbage heart leaves curve inward, the leaf base and leaf veins are relatively broad, the leaves are wrinkled and twisted, and the color is yellow with white.

2. Taste it: Baby cabbage is slightly sweet and does not have a raw grassy taste; Chinese cabbage has more water and is not as delicate and smooth as baby cabbage.

Summary: The above is an introduction to baby cabbage cultivation techniques. We hope it is useful to everyone.