How to grow health-boosting cabbage? Master these seven planting steps

　　1. Variety selection

The varieties used for cabbage cultivation depend on the cultivation purpose and the time of going to market. For early-spring plastic-film cultivation in small arch sheds, early-maturing varieties are mostly used, such as Zhonggan11, Beinong Zaosheng,8398, Baochun, Yingchun, Chicken-heart Cabbage, Ox-heart Cabbage, Beijing Early. Medium-maturing varieties such as Jingfeng1, Zhonggan8, Qiulan, Qiufeng, Lixiang1, Qingfeng1, Xiaguang. Late-maturing varieties such as Huagan2, Dongnong609, Qiufeng, Wanfeng, Hanguang1, Xinfeng Cabbage, Huangmiao Cabbage. Medium-to-late-maturing varieties are mostly used for summer and autumn cultivation.

　　2. Cultivation season

In the Shenyang area, cabbage is sown and raised as seedlings in2early month, planted out in4early month, and harvested in6early month; summer cabbage is raised as seedlings in4early month and harvested in8early month; autumn cabbage is generally sown in6early month and begins to be harvested in9early month.

　　3. Sowing and seedling raising

　　1.The nutrient soil is generally prepared from field soil, horse-manure soil, peat and quick-acting fertilizers, with sandy loam being preferable. Mixing ratio: field soil60%―75%, horse-manure peat soil15%―25%, and per cubic meter of seedbed soil add compound fertilizer1―1.5kg, mix thoroughly and set aside.

　　2.Seed treatment: to improve the germination rate, soak the seeds in50℃―55°C warm water for15minutes, then let it cool naturally and soak for about3hours, remove and shake dry, place under22℃―24°C for germination, taking care to maintain humidity; generally germination occurs in36hours, and once80%of the seeds have germinated, they can be sown.

　　3.Sowing method: level the seedling bed, water it thoroughly, and after the water seeps down, scatter a thin layer of sifted soil, then sow. Sowing rate is about4g per square meter, and after sowing cover uniformly with8―10mm of soil. To prevent damping-off, use50%carbendazim wettable powder to sterilize the soil, mixing7―10g per square meter into the covering soil. For greenhouse seedling raising, where the soil temperature is higher, you can water thoroughly and then sow dry seeds.

　　4.Seedling-stage management: before emergence, daytime temperature20℃―25°C, nighttime temperature13℃―15°C. After the seedlings emerge, begin appropriate ventilation, lower the temperature and humidity to harden the seedlings, daytime12℃―15°C, nighttime5℃―8°C, then gradually raise the temperature, daytime15℃―20°C, nighttime8℃―10°C. When the seedlings grow to2leaves1heart, transplant the seedlings; after transplanting, water thoroughly and give appropriately higher temperatures. After the seedlings recover, ventilate promptly and manage with lower temperatures to prevent spindly growth. When the seedling stem diameter reaches0.5cm or more, keep the temperature as much as possible above15°C to avoid passing through the vernalization stage and producing premature bolting. Spring cabbage is generally raised in a sunny bed, with a seedling period of50―70days. At planting time, the5―10cm soil temperature should be5℃―8°C. For5―7days before planting, the seedlings should undergo low-temperature hardening so they adapt to external conditions.

　　4. Land preparation and fertilization

The plot for growing cabbage should be rotary-tilled in advance together with organic fertilizer, the land prepared into beds or ridged, and covered with plastic film. For early-spring cultivation, early-maturing varieties are planted at5000―5500plants per mu, medium-maturing4000―5000plants, late-maturing2000―3000plants. Before transplanting, use a hole puncher and water the planting holes before setting out.

　　5. Fertilizer and water management

After planting and seedling recovery in early-spring plastic-film cultivation, watering should be appropriately controlled to raise the soil temperature. If there is cold-wave weather, apply ammonium sulfate at15―22.5kg per mu in advance. And irrigation can enhance the plants' cold resistance. During the rosette stage, topdress1times, applying quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer at15―20kg per mu; at the end of the rosette stage, watering can be appropriately controlled and timely cultivating and weeding carried out. For summer-autumn cabbage cultivation, because medium-to-late-maturing varieties are used or it is planted in open ground, attention should be paid to cultivating and weeding, increasing the number of topdressings and controlling irrigation; after rain, pay attention to drainage to prevent waterlogging in the field from causing root rot and head rot.

　　6. Pest and disease control

　　1.Soft rot: focus on choosing a previous crop that is not a cruciferous crop, and apply fully decomposed farmyard manure. For summer cultivation, adopt high beds and cultivate strong seedlings. For chemical control, drench the roots with Dexon powder diluted1000times with water, or drench the roots with agricultural streptomycin solution at200mg/kg concentration.

　　2.Black rot: choose disease-resistant varieties, practice rational crop rotation, clean up the garden, control insect pests, reduce wounds, and irrigate scientifically. Before sowing, soak the seeds in0.5%amobam for15minutes, or soak in50°C warm water for25minutes. Before and at the beginning of disease onset, use60%yimeiling or35%ridomil, add50%thiram1：1and mix evenly, add water to make a500times dilution, or use agricultural streptomycin at200mg/kg, or new streptomycin at200mg/kg,6―7days spray1time, for control2―3times; you can also use agricultural antibiotic75―1and Caifengningbfor seed dressing and root drenching.

　　3.Aphids: remove weeds promptly, and after harvest promptly remove residual plants and dead leaves to eliminate aphids. Based on aphids' positive tropism to yellow and negative tropism to silver-gray, use yellow boards to trap aphids or silver-gray film to repel them. For chemical control, use40%dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate or50%menazon emulsifiable concentrate at1000times dilution for spraying, or use50%pirimicarb wettable powder at2000―3000times dilution for spraying, which is effective against cabbage aphids. Generally6―7days1time, spraying2―3times consecutively.

　　4.Cabbage caterpillar: clear away residual branches and fallen leaves in the field, plow the soil, and avoid continuous cropping or intercropping/succession planting with vegetables of the same family. For chemical control, spray Bacillus thuringiensis at500―1000times dilution, or use20%fenvalerate emulsifiable concentrate at2000―3000times dilution for spray control; granular virus preparations for cabbage caterpillar can also be used.

　 7. Harvest

Harvest promptly when the head is basically solid and the outer head leaves are shiny. For plots with uneven heading, harvest in stages.