How to Grow Cabbage? The Latest Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Cabbage is a strongly winter-type crop. The transition from vegetative growth to reproductive growth has strict requirements for environmental conditions: the seedlings must grow to a certain size before they can respond to low-temperature induction, and vernalization can be completed after 50-90 days at 0——12°C. Regarding photoperiod, pointed-head and flat-head varieties are not very demanding, while round-head varieties have a stricter requirement for long daylight. After entering the reproductive growth stage, it generally goes through the bolting stage, flowering stage and fruiting stage. The flowering stage takes 30——40 days. The fruiting stage takes 40——50 days.

Cabbage's environmental requirements are basically the same as those of Chinese cabbage, but it is more widely adaptable and somewhat more resistant than Chinese cabbage.

Cabbage likes a mild climate and can withstand severe frost and relatively high temperatures. The suitable temperature for the head-forming stage is 15——20°C, but the adaptable temperature range is 7——25°C; seedlings can endure low temperatures of -15°C and high temperatures of 35°C. Cabbage requires sufficient soil moisture and humid air; if the soil is dry, it will affect head formation and reduce yield. Cabbage is a long-day crop and has broad adaptability to light intensity, with a light saturation point of 30000——50000lx. Cabbage is a fertilizer-loving and fertilizer-tolerant crop with a relatively high nutrient uptake. It needs more nitrogen fertilizer during the seedling stage and rosette stage, and more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer during the head-forming stage. The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium absorbed over the entire growth period is about 3:1:4. For every 1000kg of leaf heads produced, it absorbs 4.1——4.8kg of nitrogen, 0.12——0.13kg of phosphorus and 4.9——5.4kg of potassium. On the basis of applying sufficient nitrogen fertilizer, combined application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer has an obvious yield-increasing effect.

Cabbage Planting Time

Cabbage has strong adaptability and is both cold-tolerant and heat-tolerant. In northern China, it can be planted in the open field in spring, summer and autumn. In the high-cold areas of Northeast China, Northwest China and North China, it is mostly raised as seedlings in spring and summer, planted in summer and harvested in autumn, with a long growth period and large leaf heads; this is the main production area of Chinese cabbage and cabbage. In North China and some cities in Northeast China and Northwest China, spring and autumn cropping are the main practices, and multiple cropping is also possible. Raising seedlings in winter and spring, planting in spring and harvesting in summer is called summer cabbage; raising seedlings in summer, planting in autumn and harvesting in autumn and winter is called autumn cabbage.

Seedling Raising Techniques for Cabbage

Cabbage planting all uses seedling raising and transplanting. Spring cabbage is mostly early-maturing cultivation. In cold areas such as Northeast China, Northwest China and Inner Mongolia, seedlings are usually raised in greenhouses from February——March, with a seedling period of 60——80 days; in North China there are two seedling raising methods: one is to raise seedlings in cold frames from mid-December to early January and transplant in February——March. The other is to raise seedlings in plastic greenhouses in February, with a seedling period of 40——50 days; autumn cabbage seedlings are raised from June——July, with a seedling period generally of 35——40 days; summer cabbage seedlings are raised from April——May, with a seedling period of 30——40 days.

Cabbage Transplanting and Planting Density

Cabbage roots begin activity when the soil temperature is above 5°C. Therefore, spring cabbage can begin transplanting when the average daily temperature reaches above 6°C. In northern spring, where drought is common, flat beds are mostly used for planting; in summer, with high temperatures and frequent rain, it is also best to keep as much soil around the roots as possible, injure the roots as little as possible, and water after planting to help survival.

Rational close planting is one of the important technical measures for increasing yield. The suitable nutritional area for cabbage should be determined according to the variety and the length of the growth period. The approximate number of plants per mu and the row and plant spacing are as follows:

Early-maturing varieties: 33——40cm square, 4000——6000 plants per mu; mid-maturing varieties: 45——50cm square, 2500——3000 plants per mu;

Late-maturing varieties: 60——65cm square, 1500——1800 plants per plot. Choose a field with convenient irrigation and drainage and loose, fertile soil for the seedbed. Combine deep plowing with the application of an appropriate amount of decomposed organic fertilizer and ternary compound fertilizer (N:P:K at 15:15:15, the same below). Water thoroughly before sowing, and level the bed surface when the soil moisture content is moderate. After leveling, sow at a rate of 300-400 grams per mu of seedbed, press lightly after sowing, spray with 50% carbendazim 500-fold solution, and use a small arch shed or large shed covered with shade netting. When the seedlings grow to 3-4 true leaves, carry out one temporary planting. During the seedling raising process, cover with shade netting for shade from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on hot sunny days.