A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cabbage Seed Varieties and Sowing Methods
Cabbage is eaten for its tender heads, rosette leaves or flower stalks, and can be stir-fried, made into soup or pickled. Together with bok choy, it has become an indispensable delicious vegetable on the dining tables of Chinese residents. In the winter of northern China, Chinese cabbage is even more of a regular on the table. Below, let us take a look at cabbage seed varieties and sowing methods!
What cabbage seed varieties are there?
Cabbage is the vegetable crop with the largest cultivation area, the highest yield and the best quality in the northern region of our country. The varieties or first-generation hybrids selected mostly have a growth period of about 85 to 110 days and belong to the mid-to-late maturing type. Common ones include Beijing 106, Beijing New No. 1, Beijing New No. 2, Beijing New No. 3, Beijing New No. 4, Beijing New No. 5, Fushan Baotou, Shandong No. 4, Qingza Zhongfeng, Taiyuan Erbaotou, Taiyuan Erqing, Jinqing No. 9, Yuqing, Ji Cabbage No. 2, Jin Cabbage No. 3, Yu Cabbage No. 1, Zhengzhou Erbaotou, Zhongbai No. 4, Qingmaye, Lianfeng, Liaobai No. 1, Jiabai No. 2, Chengyangqing, Anyang Dabaotou, and others.
Cabbage seed treatment methods
1. Sun-drying: To improve seed germination vigor, the seeds can be sun-dried for 2~3 days before sowing, for 2~3 hours each day, and after drying placed in a cool place to dissipate heat. This method can improve the vigor of seeds after long-term storage.
2. Warm water soaking: To prevent seed-borne bacteria, warm water soaking can be carried out. The specific method is to first soak the seeds in cold water for 10 minutes, then soak them in warm water at 50~54°C for 30 minutes, immediately move them into cold water to cool, then remove them and place them in a ventilated place to dry before sowing.
3. Chemical seed dressing
① To prevent and control seed-borne diseases such as downy mildew and black rot, seed dressing can be carried out with chemicals such as Ridomil, thiram or mancozeb at 0.3%~0.4% of the seed amount.
② To prevent and control soft rot, seed dressing can be carried out with 1%~1.5% of the seed weight of Nongkang 751 or 0.2% of the seed weight of 70% DTM wettable powder.
Cabbage seed sowing methods
Sowing cabbage at the right time is very important. Choosing a suitable sowing period and maximizing the satisfaction of cabbage's needs for environmental conditions at each stage is the key to obtaining a bumper harvest. Sowing methods are divided into direct sowing and seedling raising.
1. Direct sowing: Direct sowing is the main cultivation method. Direct sowing involves drawing furrows about 1.5 cm deep in prepared ridges or beds, sowing manually along the furrows, then covering with soil and pressing. The seeding rate is 150~200 grams per mu.
2. Seedling raising: For the seedling bed, choose a plot with high terrain, fertility and good drainage. The autumn sowing period can be 3~5 days earlier than direct sowing, and the seedling stage is 20~25 days. In winter and spring, temperatures are low and seedlings grow slowly, requiring a seedling age of 40~50 days. In late spring and midsummer, temperatures are high and seedlings grow rapidly, requiring a seedling age of 25~30 days. When raising seedlings, appropriate protective facilities should be adopted according to the local seasonal and climatic characteristics. For winter-sown early-maturing cultivation, because the severe winter season is cold, it is advisable to use high-efficiency and energy-saving solar greenhouses for sowing, seedling raising and cultivation. For spring-sown early-maturing cultivation, because early spring temperatures are low, it is advisable to use ordinary solar greenhouses for sowing, seedling raising and cultivation. For late-spring and summer planting, because temperatures in late spring are low in the morning and evening, it is advisable to sow and raise seedlings in plastic arched sheds and transplant in the open field. For summer early-maturing cultivation, because the summer climate is hot and rainy, it is necessary to use shaded sheds to lower temperatures for sowing and seedling raising, or to sow directly and then cover with grass and water to lower temperatures and protect seedlings, and attention should be paid to drainage after rain.
3. Temperature control: Chinese cabbage generally undergoes vernalization at 2°C~13°C over 10~25 days to form flower buds and then bolt and flower. Therefore, the minimum temperature of the seedbed in spring should be kept above 15°C, and after transplanting, low temperatures below 10°C should be avoided as much as possible. During the high-temperature period in summer, attention should be paid to shading and cooling for seedling raising, and to watering to lower temperatures and protect seedlings. When sowing, water thoroughly to keep the bed soil moist so as to facilitate seedling emergence. When thinning seedlings and transplanting, water promptly. Especially during the high-temperature period in summer, after transplanting, water 1~2 times consecutively to help seedlings recover, and thereafter water once every 5~7 days. Flood irrigation should not be used, and during the rainy season attention should be paid to drainage and waterlogging prevention to prevent the occurrence of soft rot.