When is the best time to sow purple choy sum?

Purple choy sum is a vegetable whose edible part is the tender flower stalk. It tastes sweet and has a tender texture, and can be stir-fried, made into soup, or blanched and served as a cold dish. Many people enjoy eating it, and some want to grow it. So, when is purple choy sum sown?

1. When is purple choy sum sown?

The sowing time of purple choy sum varies with the variety. In the Yangtze River basin and the Suzhou area, if it is an early-maturing variety, it can be sown in August-September; if it is a mid-maturing variety, it can be sown around September; if it is a late-maturing variety, it can be sown in September-October. Sowing too early makes it prone to viral disease and soft rot; sowing too late results in few leaves, insufficient growth, and low stalk yield.

2. How is purple choy sum sown?

1. Sowing: For sowing purple choy sum, choose fairly fertile sandy loam or loam. The seedling bed should use sandy loam or loam, and then the seeds are sown in the soil. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 25-30°C. Maintain a suitable temperature and keep the soil moist, and wait for the seeds to germinate.

2. Seedling raising: The suitable temperature range for the growth of purple choy sum seedlings is relatively wide. They grow rapidly at around 20°C, can also grow at the higher temperature of 25-30°C, and grow slowly below 15°C. During the seedling period, topdressing should be carried out to promote seedling growth.

3. Transplanting: When the seedlings have grown to a suitable size, they can be transplanted. Before transplanting, prepare the selected plot by tilling the soil, applying base fertilizer, and covering it with plastic film. Punch holes in the film at a spacing of 20 cm × 50 cm between plants and rows, then transplant the seedlings into the holes.

4. Management: Just carry out management tasks such as fertilizing, watering, weeding, and controlling pests and diseases; before the severe winter arrives, control fertilizer and water to avoid excessive growth and cold damage.