How much do cabbage seeds cost? With growing methods included
Cabbage is one of the important vegetables in China, also known as lotus cabbage, head cabbage, kohlrabi cabbage, and so on. It is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Brassica in the crucifer family. All of its varieties originated along the coast from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. It is cultivated throughout China as a vegetable or fodder. Now let us take a look at cabbage seed prices and growing methods!
How much do cabbage seeds cost per gram?
The price of cabbage seeds is about 2 to 4 yuan per gram, but prices vary greatly depending on seed quality, variety, place of origin, market conditions, and so on. In production, cabbage is propagated by sowing seeds. It likes mild, humid conditions and sufficient light, is relatively cold-tolerant, and can also adapt to high temperatures. The optimum growing temperature is 15 to 20°C. If the fleshy stem enlargement stage encounters high temperatures above 30°C, the flesh tends to become fibrous. It is not very strict about soil choice, but is best planted in clay loam or sandy loam rich in humus.
Sowing methods for cabbage
1. Variety selection: For cabbage cultivation, choose early-maturing varieties with a short growth period, a single head weighing about 1 kg, and about 45 days from transplanting to harvest. These are relatively well suited to consumers' habits and do not affect the sowing period of the next overwintering crop, such as the Dutch variety Switzerland Duo and others.
2. Seedbed fertilization: The formula for cabbage seedbed soil is 6 parts field soil and 4 parts decomposed organic fertilizer. For each cubic meter of nutrient soil, add 1 kg of ternary compound fertilizer, 80 g of carbendazim, and 100 g of phoxim granules. Mix well and make beds. The bed width is 1.2 m, and the length is unlimited.
3. Sowing time: Cabbage seedlings are not strict about temperature, but the head-forming stage is very strict about temperature and should be around 17°C, which is favorable for the formation and growth of the leaf heads. Therefore, the summer sowing time is around late July.
4. Sowing method: For cabbage cultivation in late July, irrigate the prepared seedbed with enough bottom water, then scatter the seeds evenly, cover with about 1 cm of fine soil, cover with film to retain moisture, insert hoops, and cover with a shade net.
5. Remove film and prick out seedlings: When more than 70% of the cabbage seedlings have emerged, promptly remove the plastic film to prevent scorching the seedlings. When the seedlings grow to 2 true leaves and 1 heart leaf (about 10 days after sowing), prick out the seedlings once. Pricking out in the evening or on cloudy days helps survival. The water for pricking out should be applied in hidden furrows and watered thoroughly.
6. Seedling-stage management: Cabbage seedlings have strong stress resistance, but insect and weed control must be done well. Pests include aphids, diamondback moths, and cabbage caterpillars. Wanling and 1.8% abamectin can be used alternately. Because the seedling stage is short, applying pesticide twice according to the insect situation is sufficient.
Growing methods for cabbage
1. Land preparation and fertilization: For cabbage cultivation, it is best to choose a plot whose previous crop was a non-cruciferous legume or cucurbit. Apply 3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 30 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ternary compound fertilizer per mu, plow the land and make beds. The bed width is 1.2 m, with 2 rows planted, and the plant spacing is 40 cm.
2. Reasonable close planting: For cabbage, choose strong seedlings about 40 days old with 6 to 8 true leaves and transplant them on cloudy days or sunny evenings. Plant 3000 to 3500 plants per mu. For autumn cultivation, Meimao No. 2 and Baosheng are about 3500 plants. For winter cultivation, Huyue and Guanwang are about 3000 plants.
3. Fertilizer and water management: After cabbage transplanting, carry out intertillage and seedling restraint, with less fertilizer and water to promote underground growth. After the seedlings recover, keep the soil alternately dry and moist to expand the leaf assimilation area. The key topdressing should be placed in the vigorous growth stage of the rosette leaves and the head-forming stage.
① After the cabbage seedlings are transplanted, apply a seedling-promoting fertilizer, watering with a mixed solution of 0.3% urea and 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and carry out intertillage, loosening the soil, and weeding.
② For cabbage, apply topdressing once at the early stage of rosette leaf growth, applying 10 kg of urea per mu, and at the same time spray the leaves once with 0.2% borax solution.
③ For cabbage, apply topdressing once at the vigorous growth stage of rosette leaves, applying 15 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu.
④ For cabbage, apply topdressing twice at the early and middle stages of head formation, applying 10 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu each time.
⑤ For cabbage cultivation, to prevent tipburn, spray with 0.7% calcium chloride 2 to 3 times during the head-forming stage.
4. Proper harvesting: Cabbage can be harvested when the leaf heads are firm. When harvesting, keep 2 outer leaves to protect the leaf head, ensuring the surface is clean, free of pests, and free of split heads. At the same time, according to the standard requirements for fresh-keeping processing and export, grade according to the size of the leaf heads.
Pest and disease control for cabbage
1. Downy mildew
[Damage] Downy mildew is an important disease of cabbage and is distributed in all regions. It damages leaves. When severe, the lesions merge and the leaves turn yellow and die.
[Control] Before sowing, seed can be treated with 50% thiram wettable powder or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 0.4% of seed weight. After transplanting, spray with 80% mancozeb 600-fold solution for prevention.
2. Damping-off
[Damage] Common symptoms include seedling death and damping-off. Seedling death occurs after sowing and before germination and emergence, while damping-off occurs after seedling emergence and before the true leaves unfold.
[Control] After disease onset, immediately pull out diseased seedlings and spray with 25% metalaxyl wettable powder 800-fold solution, or 64% oxadixyl · mancozeb wettable powder 500-fold solution, or 72.2% propamocarb aqueous solution 500-fold solution, once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.
3. Sclerotinia rot
[Damage] Sclerotinia rot is an important disease of cabbage and is relatively widespread. It significantly affects yield and quality and can damage the stem base, leaves, leaf heads, and seed pods.
[Control] At the early stage of disease, spray 50% chloronitroammonium wettable powder 800-fold solution, or 40% sulfur · carbendazim suspension concentrate 500-fold solution, once every 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times, focusing on spraying the stem base of the plants, old leaves, and the ground.
4. Black root rot
[Damage] Black root rot is an important disease of cabbage and is relatively widespread and common, significantly affecting cabbage yield and quality.
[Control] At the early stage of disease, spray 20% tolclofos-methyl 1000-fold solution, or 60% carbendazim · thiram 500-fold solution, or 75% chlorothalonil 600-fold solution, or copper-ammonia mixture 400-fold solution, once every 7 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.
5. Black spot disease
[Damage] Black spot disease is a major disease of cabbage and is widely distributed. In diseased fields, the incidence rate is about 30%, and in severe cases reaches 100%, significantly affecting yield and quality.
[Control] Before disease onset or at the early stage, choose 70% zineb wettable powder 400 to 500-fold solution or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 500 to 600-fold solution, once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.
6. Soft rot
[Damage] Soft rot occurs in all regions. The affected site first appears water-soaked and semi-transparent, after which the diseased part turns brown, becomes soft and rotten, sinks, produces dirty white bacterial ooze, feels sticky and slippery to the touch, and has a foul odor.
[Control] At the early stage of disease, spray 72% agricultural streptomycin sulfate soluble powder 3000 to 4000-fold solution, or streptomycin 4000-fold solution, or 14% copper ammonia complex aqueous solution 350-fold solution, spraying once every 10 days for control, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.
7. Black rot
[Damage] Black rot mainly damages leaves, leaf heads, or stems. Affected cotyledons appear water-soaked, then quickly die or spread to the true leaves.
[Control] At the early stage of disease and during periods of susceptibility, promptly spray 14% copper ammonia complex aqueous solution 350-fold solution, or 60% copper succinate · fosetyl-aluminum wettable powder 600-fold solution, once every 7 to 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.