Summary Overview of Chinese Cabbage Cultivation Techniques in Southern China

For Chinese cabbage in southern China, early-maturing varieties grown for fresh vegetable supply should be harvested promptly when the heads are firm, while mid- and late-maturing varieties should be harvested when the leaf heads are fully mature and before heavy frost arrives. So specifically, how do you grow Chinese cabbage in southern China? What cultivation techniques are there?

1 Site selection, land preparation, and application of base fertilizer

1.1 Site selection

Light sandy loam or loam rich in organic matter;

Not suitable for continuous cropping, and must not be planted in succession with cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and radish;

Rotation between grain crops and vegetables, and rotation between paddy fields and dry land, are recommended.

1.2 Land preparation

About one week before sowing, the plot should be plowed, leveled, and formed into beds;

The specific procedure is: deep-plow the plot 20-27cm, leave the soil to dry for 10-15 days, then level the land and make beds 1.3-1.7m wide, or narrow beds or raised beds 0.8m wide;

When making beds, deep field ditches, middle ditches, and surrounding ditches must be opened to more than 27cm, ensuring all ditches are connected to facilitate drainage.

1.3 Application of base fertilizer

Apply 5000-7000kg of high-quality farmyard manure per mu, together with 50-70kg of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compound fertilizer;

After fertilizing, combine with plowing and harrowing so that the base fertilizer is mixed evenly with the soil, which helps roots grow downward and absorb nutrients.

2 Seed selection and sowing

Final thinning: usually carried out when seedlings have 5-6 leaves;

Early-maturing varieties: plant spacing 45-50cm, keeping 2400-2600 plants per mu/㎡; mid- and late-maturing varieties: plant spacing 50-55cm, keeping 2200-2400 plants per mu/㎡.

Thinning and final thinning should be combined with weeding, intertillage, and hilling up;

When intertilling and weeding, follow the principle of shallow first hoeing, deep second hoeing, and third hoeing without injuring roots.

2.1 Seed selection

Choose suitable varieties according to different planting times, planting purposes, and different environments.

2.2 Sowing

Sowing methods: direct sowing in the open field is mostly used, and seedling raising measures can also be adopted;

Direct sowing methods for Chinese cabbage: drilling, hill sowing, and machine sowing.

Water promptly after sowing as part of management.

3 Fertilizer and water management

Germination stage: watering follows the principle of “three waterings for full seedling emergence”;

Seedling stage: the root system is not well developed and water absorption capacity is poor, so water moderately and apply urea to provide nutrients for seedling growth;

Rosette stage: soil water content needs to be controlled, and 1 topdressing is appropriate;

Heading stage: stop seedling restraint, water once every week, and apply an appropriate amount of organic fertilizer together with watering.

4 Field management

Seedling stage management includes: thinning seedlings, replanting missing seedlings, final thinning, and intertillage and hilling up.

5 Pest and disease control

5.1 Disease control

Main diseases: downy mildew, viral disease, soft rot, white spot, black spot, etc.;

Downy mildew control measures: at the early stage of disease, spray with diluted metalaxyl wettable powder or diluted chlorothalonil wettable powder for control;

Viral disease control measures: spray 0.3% Sophora flavescens plant insecticide once every 5-7d for control;

Soft rot control measures: at the early stage of disease, spray streptomycin sulfate or agricultural streptomycin once every 7 days for control (add 150mg streptomycin per 1kg water).

5.2 Insect pest control

Main insect pests: aphids, cabbage caterpillars, etc.

Insect pest control: choose insect-resistant varieties, weed, deep-plow and sun the soil, introduce natural enemies, and spray some chemical agents for control;

Aphid control measures: use diluted fenvalerate or imidacloprid for control;

Cabbage caterpillar control measures: use bacterial insecticide Bt emulsifiable concentrate, or Bacillus thuringiensis liquid, or phoxim emulsifiable concentrate for control.