Detailed Explanation of Cabbage Planting Techniques and Management Methods
Cabbage is a crop with a strong winter habit, and 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 have less strict requirements, while round-head varieties have relatively strict requirements for long daylight. After entering the reproductive growth stage, it generally goes through the bolting stage, flowering stage and fruiting stage. The flowering stage requires 30-40 days. The fruiting stage requires 40-50 days.
????1. 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, seedlings are mostly raised in spring and summer, transplanted in summer and harvested in autumn, with a long growth period and large heads; this is the main producing area of cabbage in China. In North China and some cities in Northeast China and Northwest China, planting is mainly in two crops, spring and autumn, and multiple cropping is also possible. Raising seedlings in winter and spring, transplanting 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.
????2. Cabbage Seedling Raising Techniques
Cabbage planting all adopts seedling raising and transplanting. Spring cabbage is mostly early-maturing planting. In cold areas such as Northeast China, Northwest China and Inner Mongolia, seedlings are usually raised in greenhouses from February to March, with a seedling period of 60-80 days; North China has two seedling raising methods: one is to raise seedlings in sunny beds from mid-December to early January and transplant in February to 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 to July, with a seedling period generally of 35-40 days; summer cabbage seedlings are raised from April to May, with a seedling period of 30-40 days.
?3. Fertilizer and Water Management for Cabbage
After cabbage is transplanted, it needs to be watered to help the seedlings recover. At this time, because the temperature is relatively low, after watering, cultivate and loosen the soil in time to preserve moisture and increase soil temperature, promoting the recovery and growth of the root system. When entering the rosette stage, the plant needs to form a strong assimilatory organ and absorbs more water and fertilizer, so the first topdressing can be carried out, applying 15-20 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per mu, and fully supplying water to promote leaf head growth. After the leaf heads form, watering should be controlled to prevent splitting and facilitate storage.
After the cabbage survives, carry out the first topdressing, applying 10% diluted human and livestock manure liquid per mu, 600-800 kg per mu. Afterwards, at the spreading stage, before heading and in the middle stage, topdress again, with a topdressing concentration of 30-40%, about 1500 kg, mainly using human feces and urine, pig manure, etc., and a little nitrogen fertilizer can be added; generally adding 0.5 kg of urea per 100 kg is sufficient.
Furthermore, during the entire growth period, chemical fertilizer should only be added 2 times or fewer, so as not to affect quality. Under conditions of high temperature, strong sun and long periods without rain, corresponding measures can be taken to carry water to irrigate the seedlings or irrigate to wet the seedlings for drought resistance. Irrigation should be done in the evening on sunny days, and after the water reaches the ditch surface, the remaining water in the ditch should be drained immediately to avoid root rot and affect growth. In addition, the topdressing of spring cabbage is different from the above-mentioned autumn kohlrabi topdressing. With the same base fertilizer, spring cabbage in winter is generally watered with clear water mainly for drought resistance and protection, but clear water should not be watered too much; as long as the seedlings are growing well and there is no water shortage, do not water.
After the beginning of spring, spring cabbage grows rapidly. At this time, it is suitable to topdress 2-3 times with heavy fertilizer at a concentration of about 40%. One time is when the leaves between the plants fill the field soil, called "row closing," and the other 1-2 times are before heading and in the middle stage. Apply about 1500 kg of human feces and urine per mu.