What varieties of cabbage seeds are there? A detailed guide to prices and planting methods

Cabbage is a common vegetable in both northern and southern China. In the north it is called baotou cai or yuan cai, and in the south it is called lianhua bai, juanxincai and so on. It is not only a major seasonal vegetable, but also the main raw material for making pickles and kimchi. So what varieties of cabbage seeds are there? What are the prices and planting methods?

1. What varieties of cabbage seeds are there?

The main varieties include Zhonggan No. 11, ox-heart cabbage, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, common cabbage, kale, Chinese kale, Miyaro, Wangwang, Holland Piqiu, 8398 cabbage, purple cabbage, Chunyu cabbage, Zhonggan 21 cabbage, Chunguan cabbage, Chunfeng cabbage, Chunlei cabbage, Chunmian cabbage and so on.

2. What is the price of cabbage seeds?

The price of cabbage seeds is about 2 to 4 yuan per gram, but prices vary greatly depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin and market. In production, cabbage is propagated by sowing seeds. It likes a mild, humid environment and sufficient light, is relatively cold-tolerant, and can also adapt to high temperatures. The optimum growth temperature is 15 to 20°C. If the fleshy stem swelling stage encounters high temperatures above 30°C, the flesh tends to become fibrous. It is not very strict about soil choice, but is best planted in humus-rich clay loam or sandy loam.

3. What are the planting methods for cabbage?

1. Choosing a variety

Choose an early-maturing variety with a short growth period, with a single head weighing about 1 kg and about 45 days from transplanting to harvest. This is relatively well suited to consumers' habits and does not affect the sowing period of the next overwintering crop, such as the Dutch variety Swiss Multi and others.

2. Sowing at the right time

Cabbage seedlings are not strict about temperature, but the head-forming stage is very strict about temperature, which should be around 17°C, as this favors the formation and growth of the leaf head. Therefore, the summer sowing time is around late July.

3. Growing strong seedlings

(1) Making the seedbed: The seedbed should be chosen in a pollution-free plot with good ventilation, higher terrain, convenient drainage and irrigation, no previous planting of vegetables of the same family, and relatively close to the transplanting field. The seedbed soil formula is 6 parts field soil and 4 parts decomposed organic fertilizer. For each cubic meter of nutrient soil, add 1 kg of NPK compound fertilizer, 80 g of carbendazim and 100 g of phoxim granules, mix well and make a bed. The bed width is 1.2 m, and the length is unlimited.

(2) Sowing and seedling separation: In late July, water the prepared seedbed thoroughly, scatter the seeds evenly, cover with about 1 cm of fine soil, cover with film to retain moisture, insert arches, and cover with a shade net. When more than 70% of the young seedlings have emerged, remove the plastic film in time to prevent burning the seedlings. When the seedlings grow to 2 leaves and 1 heart (about 10 days after sowing), carry out seedling separation once. Doing this in the evening or on a cloudy day helps survival. The seedling separation water should be poured into the hidden furrow and soaked through.

(3) Seedbed management: Cabbage seedlings have strong stress resistance, but pest and weed control must be done well to avoid the seedlings being consumed by insects and weeds. The main pests include aphids, diamondback moths and cabbage caterpillars. Wanling and 1.8% abamectin can be used alternately. Because the seedling stage is short, depending on the pest situation, generally 2 applications are enough.

4. Land preparation and transplanting

It is best to choose a plot whose previous crop was beans or melons rather than cruciferous vegetables. Apply 3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 30 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per mu, plow the land and make beds. The bed width is 1.2 m, with 2 rows planted, plant spacing 40 cm, and 2500 to 3000 plants retained per mu. Transplant when the seedlings have grown to 5 to 6 leaves. Spray once before transplanting, that is, when the seedlings are gathered in the seedbed, spray heavily once with 600 times carbendazim plus 3000 times Wanling. With proper management after transplanting, generally no pesticide is needed, and basically no disease occurs throughout the whole growth period. The transplanting water should be timely to help the seedlings recover, and the seedlings must not be left to dry in the sun.

5. Fertilizer and water management

After transplanting, carry out intertillage and seedling hardening with little fertilizer and water to promote underground growth. After the seedlings recover, keep the soil alternately dry and wet to expand the leaf assimilation area, and apply 1 kg of urea per mu. Entering the head-forming stage, in order to meet growth needs, give sufficient fertilizer and water, apply heavy nitrogen fertilizer, and appropriately increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Apply 2 kg of diammonium phosphate per mu to promote rapid expansion of the leaf head in a short time.

6. Harvesting at the right time

In late September, when the leaf head is tightly packed, it can be harvested in time for market.

Overall, when planting cabbage, choose suitable varieties according to local conditions and manage them carefully; do not follow blindly.