Is baby bok choy (ji mao cai) the same as green bok choy? Can it be eaten raw? When is the best time to plant it? How do you grow it? What is the difference between it and Shanghai bok choy?
Ji mao cai, also known as baby bok choy or green bok choy, is the seedling of the cruciferous baby bok choy. It is fairly common in Shanghai and is credited with helping treat constipation and cough from lung heat, so many people like to eat it. So, is ji mao cai the same as green bok choy? Can it be eaten raw? When is the best time to plant it? How do you grow it? What is the difference between it and Shanghai bok choy?
Ji mao cai is actually baby bok choy, also known as baicai, green bok choy or rape. It is the common name for the seedling of the cruciferous plant baby bok choy. It is rich in vitamins and has the function of relieving mental tension, so it is well liked by consumers and has high cultivation value.
Can it be eaten raw?
No. Because ji mao cai is cooling in nature, people with deficient cold of the spleen and stomach or loose stools should not eat much of it, and ji mao cai is not suitable for eating raw. Ji mao cai can be boiled or stir-fried, and can also be made into soup or served cold dressed. When making dishes with ji mao cai, the stir-frying or boiling time should not be too long, so as to avoid losing nutrients. After being wrapped and refrigerated, ji mao cai can only keep for 2-3 days; if two stalks are stored together, this can be slightly extended by 1-2 days.
Planting time:
Ji mao cai can be planted in all four seasons. Generally, spring planting is done in greenhouses from early November to late February, summer planting from April to August, and autumn-winter planting from August to November.
Cultivation techniques:
1. Variety selection: For summer cultivation, generally choose heat-tolerant varieties, such as Kangre 605, Xiadongqing, Zhengda Kangreqing No. 1, Kangreqing No. 3 and other excellent varieties.
2. Land preparation: Summer planting coincides with the season of typhoons, rainstorms and high-temperature drought, so deep furrows and high beds should be made to facilitate irrigation and drainage.
3. Sowing: In the high-temperature season, shade netting should be used to cover the crop from sowing to emergence. Because the weather is dry, the bottom water should be watered thoroughly the day before sowing, and sowing should be done after the water has seeped in. From sowing to emergence, the bed surface should be kept moist. Because the climate is hot and dry, the sowing rate in summer should be higher, generally broadcasting 2-4 kg of seed per mu.
4. Field management: For summer-grown ji mao cai, generally topdress twice. The first time is after the cotyledons unfold, applying about 5 kg of urea per mu; the second time is after two true leaves appear, applying about 10 kg of urea per mu. Watering should follow the principle of light and frequent watering, and must never be flood irrigation; watering is best done before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Pests include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, diamondback moths and striped flea beetles, which can be controlled alternately with agents such as Aimeile and Caixi.
5. Harvest: Summer-grown ji mao cai is harvested 20-25 days after sowing, with a yield of about 750 kg per mu.
Difference from Shanghai bok choy:
Ji mao cai is a leafy green vegetable and the common name for the seedling of the cruciferous plant baby bok choy (Brassica chinensis); this name is fairly common in the Shanghai area. It can help treat cough from lung heat, constipation, erysipelas, lacquer dermatitis and other conditions. For children with calcium deficiency, soft bones or hair loss, baby bok choy can be boiled into soup with salt or sugar for them to drink, and eating it regularly is quite beneficial. Baby bok choy contains vitamin B1, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid and others, and has the function of relieving mental tension.
Ji mao cai is the common name for the seedling of the cruciferous plant baby bok choy (Brassica chinensis), and this name is most common in the Shanghai area.
Ji mao cai, also known as green bok choy, baby bok choy or Shanghai bok choy, is a variety of the cruciferous vegetable Chinese cabbage. It is one of the vegetables richest in vitamins and minerals, and ji mao cai is the tender seedling of baby bok choy, with a more tender texture and mouthfeel and a delicate fragrance, making it a vegetable especially liked by the public.
Ji mao cai originated in our country and is cultivated in all regions, most widely in the south. It is supplied all year round, with the largest amounts in spring and summer.