How to Manage Chinese Cabbage During the Head-Forming Stage? Key Technical Points Explained
The head-forming stage of Chinese cabbage is one of the most important growth stages and the final stage of growing Chinese cabbage, and management must be strengthened during this period. It has a great impact on the final yield and weight of Chinese cabbage, and can not only increase its ornamental value but also effectively improve its commercial value. So when growing Chinese cabbage reaches the final head-forming stage, how should we manage it? Today the editor has brought you the management methods for the head-forming stage of Chinese cabbage, so let's take a look below!
1. Timely topdressing
As just mentioned, the head-forming stage is the most important period in the growth of Chinese cabbage. At this time, the nutritional needs of Chinese cabbage become greater, and the fertilizer requirement also increases. At this time, topdressing must be done in a timely manner, because the head-forming stage is usually in autumn and winter, when the temperature is relatively low, so the topdressing fertilizer should preferably use quick-acting fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate, and the amount of topdressing should be determined according to the actual situation. It should be applied at least twice, but it must not be applied directly. Instead, the fertilizer should be mixed with water and applied by watering. Excessive topdressing must not be applied, to prevent excessive nutrition from causing Chinese cabbage to grow excessively.
2. Reasonable watering
After entering the head-forming stage, the soil must be kept moist at all times. If water shortage causes the surface to dry and crack, Chinese cabbage cannot grow, resulting in failure to form heads. In the early part of the head-forming stage, Chinese cabbage has a relatively high demand for water, so water must be replenished in a timely manner to ensure sufficient moisture. However, the amount of watering must be regular and quantitative, and it must not be alternately dry and wet or vary in amount. The first watering during the head-forming stage should be a small watering, as too much water will harm Chinese cabbage; then water once every other week, with the amount of watering determined according to the soil area and moisture content.
3. Disease and pest control
Chinese cabbage has many diseases and pests, so we must take countermeasures for all diseases and pests, and treat them according to the specific condition after examining the actual situation of the Chinese cabbage. Diseases during the head-forming stage generally include black spot and black rot, while pests include aphids, cabbage caterpillars, and so on. Therefore, if we want Chinese cabbage to pass through the head-forming stage smoothly, we must strengthen the prevention and control of diseases and pests, promptly clean up diseased and residual plant material in the field, and use pesticide spraying for prevention. When spraying, pay attention to even spraying and do not miss any spots, and stop using the pesticide two weeks before harvest.
4. Daily management
At this time, management of the vegetable garden must be strengthened. For Chinese cabbage that is in the head-forming stage, we can tie the leaves, which can enhance the ventilation and light penetration of the vegetable garden and promote the growth of Chinese cabbage. It can also effectively reduce the incidence of diseases and pests and improve the nutrient absorption and transport capacity of the roots. It can also appropriately increase the surrounding temperature to prevent frost damage caused by excessively low temperatures. However, changes should still be made according to the actual situation. If the planting area is relatively large, tying leaves will consume more labor, but the benefits brought by tying leaves should still be ensured, and management should be strengthened; only with effort can there be rewards.
The above are the management methods during the head-forming stage. In fact, they are also some precautions in our planting that still require us to pay more attention to. Watering and fertilizing are indispensable tasks in planting, but it is exactly this kind of work that is most important to the growth of Chinese cabbage, so I hope everyone will take it seriously, otherwise it is you who will suffer the loss. That is all for today's introduction. For more information, please continue to follow us. Thank you all for your support and reading.