Cabbage - Chinese
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- Vegetables and herbs Growing Guides
This salad crop is also known as Chinese leaves - and offers crisp, sweet leaves that are lovely stir-fried.
| Growing calendar | |
|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Mid Jul - Aug |
| Harvest | Sep - mid Nov |
Chinese cabbages prefer moist soil, and won't tolerate hot, dry conditions, so are a great crop for shady area of your garden or large containers (at least 1ft deep), where you can monitor water levels more closely.
How to grow
Sow Chinese cabbage seed 0.5cm deep in rows in summer. Thin seedlings to 30cm apart. Choose fertile, moist soil and keep the soil well watered as the plants grow to prevent bolting.
Tie plants loosely with twine when hearts of compact leaves form (not required for 'self hearting' varieties).
Sow every three weeks so you have a continuous supply.
Harvesting and using Chinese cabbage
Harvest Chinese cabbage by cutting 2.5cm about the soil level when the base feels firm. Stumps will sprout edible leaves. Flower shoots are also edible.
Tips for growing Chinese cabbage
- Use bolt-resistant cultivars for early sowings.
- Slugs love cabbage so keep your young plants well protected.
- Advance late harvests with cloches.
| Growing notes | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Germination time | 7-12 days |
| Average time to harvest | 8-10 weeks |
| Equipment needed | Twine, cloche (optional) |
| Average plant size | 30cm tall, 15cm wide |
| Family group to grow with | Brassica: eg cauliflower, broccoli |
| Seed saving notes | 4 - biennial, needs isolation |
| Key nutritional content | Vitamin C, calcium, folate |