Growing, harvesting and storing Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage: The all-rounder is enjoying increasing popularity. We give tips and tricks on cultivation, harvesting and storage.

Chinese cabbage has been cultivated in China, Korea and Japan for centuries. Since the 20th In the 19th century, it is also known in our latitudes. In its original homeland, Chinese cabbage is usually pickled with a type of fermented sauerkraut, which can also be very spicy. In South Korea, the so-called kimchi is a common accompaniment to many dishes. Archaeological finds of clay pots show that such a preparation has been practiced for over 2000 years. Learn more about the Origin of the Chinese cabbage in our article.

Chinese cabbage varieties

There are now various types of Chinese cabbage on offer. In addition to the old varieties, modern F1 hybrids predominate in the garden centers of the hardware stores. Some F1 hybrids are now also against that

Carbonic hernia resistant. With Scarlette, there is now also a variety with reddish foliage.

An extensive Overview of varieties of Chinese cabbage You will find here.

• garnet: Variety with elongated heads and serrated leaf margins; Garnet is particularly valued for its good taste and its delicate leaves; According to studies, the variety is said to have an above-average amount of vitamins.
• Hong Kong (F1): short, squat and tightly packed heads; good taste.
• Kasumi (F1): very early variety with very good visual and taste properties.
• Parkin (F1): Firm and medium early variety with resistance to clubhead. Medium-sized heads with delicate and aromatic leaves.
• Scarlette (F1): the peculiarity of this variety are the red-purple leaves; if the outer binders are still green with a slight purple tinge, the inner leaves in the heart are almost completely red-purple; Scarlette is high-yielding and has a particularly mild aroma.
• Yuki (F1): medium early variety with very firm heads; very mild taste.

Growing Chinese cabbage

The tasty Chinese cabbage can also be grown in the home garden without any problems. It prefers nutrient-rich soil in a sheltered and sunny to partially shaded location. Contrary to our readers' frequent questions, the heat demand is not as high as its main growing countries would suggest. Much more important is a sheltered location and a good supply of moisture.

Chinese cabbage counts like most Types of cabbage to the heavy consumers. Lean soils should be mended before planting the young plants. A primarily organic bio-fertilizer such as our Plantura Organic tomato fertilizer can be used with long-term effects. Alternatively, compost or some manure from organic animal husbandry is also possible.

The Chinese cabbage is usually planted very late. Therefore, it is well suited as a post-crop of plants that were cleared early, such as carrots or beans. The seeds are only sown from mid-June to early August. You can grow the plants in smaller pots or sow them directly in the bed. The sowing depth is 1.5 cm. The distance between the plants should be 30 to 40 cm and between the rows 50-60 cm. At a soil temperature of 15 to 18 ° C, germination takes place within a week.

It is a typical root crop. If the soil is regularly loosened by hoeing, the cabbage will thank it with healthy growth and a high yield. If it is dry, it must always be watered.

Harvest and store Chinese cabbage

Depending on the variety, Chinese cabbage takes around 75-95 days to harvest. Depending on the sowing, it can be harvested in September, October and even in November. Chinese cabbage can withstand light frosts without any problems and if not needed in the kitchen, it should remain in the bed as long as possible. You can protect the plants from frost with some fleece, large cardboard boxes or fir branches. Later and larger heads of cabbage can be stored better and longer. The head should be as firm as possible for this. Do not wait too long, however, because temperatures that are too low can damage Chinese cabbage.

When harvesting, loose binders should be removed and the plant cut as deep as possible at the roots. The petioles should not be injured as this is a gateway for pathogens. The Chinese cabbage quickly starts to rot during storage.
Chinese cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week without any problems. If you wrap your heads in damp newspaper or in a damp towel, it can stay in the refrigerator for a few weeks. The Chinese cabbage can also be stored in a suitable, cool cellar. It is not advisable to freeze this type of cabbage, but you can easily process the cabbage into a delicious Chi Kimchi and keep it for months. Kimchi is traditionally popular in Asia (especially Korea). It can best be described as fermented and savory pickled sauerkraut.

Diseases and damage in Chinese cabbage

The damage patterns range from leaf damage (Nudibranchs or Cabbage white butterfly) over holey leaves (Earth fleas) to Carbonic hernia, a fungal disease that causes the roots of Chinese cabbage to thicken.

Ingredients and uses of Chinese cabbage

With a calorific value of only 10-18 kcal per 100g, Chinese cabbage is very low in calories. It can be added to mixed salads, dressed as a mild coleslaw or served as stir-fried vegetables. If you are keen to experiment, you can try the Korean kimchi.