The most popular varieties of Chinese cabbage: their classification and characteristics

Why is it so important to choose the right type?

The answer is simple - not all varieties are suitable for growing in the middle zone, and even more so in the northern regions of our country. Moreover, each species has its own characteristics, both positive and negative, and it is important to choose the variety that suits your needs.

Objectively, the best varieties of Chinese cabbage can be considered those that produce large yields and are resistant to flowering and diseases.

There are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties of Chinese cabbage . This classification, as the name implies, divides Chinese cabbage varieties according to ripening time. There are also varieties that are resistant to flowering and bolting; they will also be discussed in this article.

Late varieties of Chinese cabbage

Late varieties of Chinese cabbage are characterized by good keeping quality, high yield and resistance to many dangerous diseases.

Cauliflower - the best varieties with descriptions and photos

Russian size F1

This cabbage variety received this name for the large size of the ripening heads of cabbage - up to 4 kg. Russian size is a cold-resistant variety of Chinese cabbage that can grow on almost any type of soil.

Turquoise

This variety of late Chinese cabbage is characterized by high yield; its heads are oval, semi-open. The ripening period of the crop is up to 3 months from the moment of germination of the seed material.

Weight of heads of cabbage – 1.0-1.2 kg

. The foliage is porous, light green in color. The harvested crop can be stored for up to 4 months in a cool, dark place.

Climate dependency

As already mentioned, not all varieties are suitable for growing in Russia.
Some, such as the late-ripening Bokal variety, are capricious, so it is advisable to grow them in a warm climate. The Russian size variety was bred specifically for regions with harsh climates , and the breeders were domestic biologists, so this variety is resistant to cold, unpretentious to the soil and early ripening.

Late-ripening varieties are recommended to be grown only in a favorable climate. When planning to start growing Chinese cabbage, special attention should be paid to choosing a site for planting, preparing the soil and purchasing seed material. It is important to take into account the climatic features of a particular region, because in many respects the timing will depend on them.

Optimal conditions for growth and formation of the bush

Growing Chinese cabbage involves meeting several requirements. The future harvest depends on this.

Lighting

Chinese cabbage is a light-loving plant. For growth and development, it is planted in open sunny areas. As temperatures rise, it is necessary to protect plants from the scorching sun. To do this, use the method of shading with non-woven fabric.

Temperature and watering

To grow, seedlings require a temperature range of +15 to +25 degrees. With a sharp jump in temperature, dropping to +5 degrees, the cabbage will not have enough heat. In the northern regions, seedlings are not planted before mid-June to eliminate the possibility of return frosts.

Irrigation for Chinese cabbage is an important item on the list of maintenance conditions. Cabbage is watered at the root with warm water as the top layer of soil dries.

Fertilizer

Complexes of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are necessary for cabbage during the period of fruit ripening. Before planting, the soil is fertilized with nitrogen-containing mixtures.

Classification

The number of days before ripening indicated in the article is average and inaccurate. The ripening period is influenced by various factors, especially weather conditions.

Also, when we write “varieties suitable for cultivation in Russia,” we do not mean that the variety can be grown in any part of Russia, because the climate can vary dramatically in different parts of our country.

Before planting a particular variety, you need to learn more about it and decide whether it is suitable for growing in your area.

Early ripening

Early ripening varieties ripen earlier than all others, from two months after planting . At the same time, how quickly cabbage ripens depends solely on each individual variety. For example, for the Vesnyanka variety it usually takes about 35 days from planting seeds to harvest, for the Orange Mandarin variety - 40 days (if weather conditions are favorable), but for Cha-Cha - 50-55 days, although this variety is also considered early ripening.

The best early ripening varieties include:

• Richie F1.
• Stonefly.
• Beijing broadleaf.
• Half-headed.
• TSHA 2.
• Lenok F1.
• Russian size.
• Cha-Cha.
• Orange tangerine.
• Yuki F1 (grown under film, which promotes early ripening).

As a rule, those varieties of Chinese cabbage that ripen early do not last long. An early-ripening variety of Chinese cabbage with a period from the appearance of the first shoots to harvest in 45-50 days.

Mid-season

Varieties that ripen later than early ripening ones, but earlier than late ripening ones. A representative of mid-season Chinese cabbage, the Hydra F1 variety, ripens in about 2 months, the Bilko variety also takes about 60-65 days.

Mid-season varieties suitable for cultivation in Russia include varieties:

• Pomegranate.
• Hydra F1.
• Slides f1.
• Lyubasha.
• Bilko.
• Brocken F1.
• Beijing Express (considered a mid-early variety).

Late ripening

Varieties of Chinese cabbage that ripen the latest, that is, over the longest period of time. For example, the Chinese cabbage variety Bokal ripens in 70 days . These (late-ripening) varieties suitable for cultivation in Russia include the following varieties:

• Wineglass.
• Nika.
• Monument.

Late-ripening varieties of Chinese cabbage are recommended to be grown exclusively in those regions of our country where a warm, mild, favorable climate prevails.

It is worth noting that if Vesnyanka and Glass differ greatly from each other in ripening time (30 and 70 days), then, say, the early-ripening variety Cha-Cha, ripening in 50-55 days, and the mid-ripening variety Hydra F1, ripening in a month, ripen fairly close in time. Thus, it is not always worth pursuing early ripening . If, say, some mid-season varieties have more advantages from your point of view.

Resistant to bolting and blooming

Some varieties may develop flower stems, that is, arrows on which flowers subsequently form. Chinese cabbage blooms instead of producing a harvest. Therefore, an important task was to develop varieties resistant to bolting and flowering. Now they exist in the market in abundance. We recommend choosing these varieties.

Varieties of Chinese cabbage resistant to bolting and flowering:

• Champion.
• Manoko.
• Mirako.
• Optico.
• Bilko.
• Cewstar.
• Gilton.

Cabbage easily tolerates cold, but if it has been exposed to low temperatures, then there is a high probability of it bolting. In general, shooting of Chinese cabbage occurs during any worsening weather conditions.

It is important to remember that resistance to bolting and flowering is not the only quality that it is desirable for a cultivated variety to have! For example, the Champion variety is late-ripening, so it is not suitable for growing in cold regions of Russia.

Early varieties of Chinese cabbage

There are a lot of early varieties of Chinese cabbage, so vegetable growers will definitely choose the one suitable for planting in their vegetable beds.

Victoria F1

An early ripening variety of Chinese cabbage

, from the moment of germination of the seed material to harvest, two months pass. The heads of cabbage have a pleasant taste, the foliage is porous and loose. The rosettes are of a classic light green color; in cross-section, the foliage is light and does not change its color.

The leaves of this cabbage are used to prepare vegetable mix and do not change shape during heat treatment. One of the additional qualities of Chinese cabbage Victoria is its juiciness

— cabbage juice is actively released when cutting the leaves.

BROCCOLI cabbage - the best varieties, early, late, for the Moscow region, for Siberia and the Urals

Richie F1

Heads of Ritchie cabbage weigh about 2.5 kg

. The foliage is collected in a dense white rosette, its structure is porous. This mid-early hybrid of Chinese cabbage is highly resistant to a dangerous disease - mucous bacteriosis.

Heads of Ritchie cabbage can be used as a side dish for hot dishes or made into vegetable salads.

Stonefly

The heads of the Vesnyanka variety are small in size, shorter than those of other varieties. The foliage is smooth, dark emerald in color. There is a stalk inside that can be used for food.

From the moment the seed material germinates until the heads are harvested, a little more than a month passes - this is an early ripening variety of Chinese cabbage

.

Characteristics of the most popular types

Manoko F1

A variety resistant to flowering and intended for cultivation throughout the season both in open ground and in greenhouses. The ripening period of Manoko is from 45 to 48 days, it is considered an early ripening variety . It produces fruits of a cylindrical shape, light green color, weighing 0.8-1 kg.

It is considered a highly productive variety. Heat-resistant (thanks to the powerful root system), resistant to browning of leaves and fusarium disease. Tolerates unfavorable climatic conditions well.

Wineglass

A variety of Chinese cabbage that ripens in 70 days, so it can be classified as either a late or mid-late variety. The heads of cabbage glasses grow weighing up to 2 kg, have an oval shape, high density, and there are no voids.

The heads of cabbage are so well closed that it would be difficult for fungal spores or larvae to penetrate inside. In this regard, heads of cabbage variety Bokal can be stored for quite a long time without spoiling. The color of the heads of the Glass variety is pleasantly light green .

The Bokal variety is quite capricious, so it is not recommended to grow it in cold regions of Russia. The description of this variety often indicates resistance to stemming.

If you plant the Glass in the spring, it may well go into flowering . In this regard, it is recommended to plant it only in the second half of summer.

This variety can survive darkening without a noticeable loss in yield, which is quite unusual for the generally light-loving Chinese cabbage. The taste qualities of this variety are high, so it is recommended to use it only in its pure form or in salads - varieties with lower taste qualities can also be baked and boiled in soups.

Tenderness F1

An early ripening variety bred by domestic producers. Ripening time is 45-48 days. The heads of cabbage are compact and small, shaped like a wide ellipse, of medium density, weighing about 0.5 kg. Like most early-ripening varieties, it is only suitable for short-term storage.

The leaves are juicy, bubbly, and have a delicate consistency. Tastes good. When cut, the head of cabbage is yellowish-white in color. Hybrid Tenderness is resistant to clubroot and mucous bacteriosis . The first sowing of seedlings is carried out from April 1 to April 10. Picking - in the cotyledon phase. Planting in the ground - in early May. The second sowing of seedlings is carried out on June 20. Planting in the ground on July 5. Planting pattern - 40 by 60 cm.

The planting time cannot be delayed, since this variety of Chinese cabbage is not resistant to flowering and may bloom.

They say that this variety is well suited for delicate salads, which fully justifies its name.

Nika

This mid-season variety has high yields and resistance to clubroot, and matures in about two months. Heads of cabbage are stored for a long time. This variety is demanding on soil fertility. Cold-resistant. The head of cabbage has the shape of a wide ellipse, is dense, yellow when cut, and weighs 2-3 kg. Medium length inner stump. The Nika variety has good taste .

Lyubasha

Mid-season variety, high-yielding, leaves are dense and crispy. The average ripening period is 2 months. It is believed that this variety of cabbage is good for Kim-Chi, and in general for salads and side dishes. Not color resistant. The variety has a pleasant taste and a truly wonderful and fresh aroma.

Martin

Chinese swallow is an early ripening variety. It takes about 35-40 days from full germination to the beginning of technical maturity. It is grown by sowing seeds in the ground. The rosette of leaves is semi-raised, the leaf is entire, smooth, green, there is no pubescence. The petiole is fleshy, juicy, green, making up about 2/3 of the entire plant. The weight of one plant is from 1.5 to 3 kg.

Cha-cha

The Cha-cha variety takes about 50-55 days from the moment of planting seeds to technical ripening . The maximum weight of a head of cabbage is 2.8 kg. This variety of Chinese cabbage is cultivated using the seedless method, which can make life much easier for those who decide to grow Chinese cabbage on their own.

Cha-cha can be cultivated even in the Urals, but it will have especially high yields in the middle zone.

In a separate article we wrote about the variety of Chinese cabbage Cha-cha F1.

Bilko

Mid-season variety, ripening in 60-65 days. The weight of Bilko heads is up to 1.5 kg. The leaves have a pleasant slightly sweet taste and are crispy. Unfortunately, Bilko cannot be stored for a very long time - no more than two months .

In accordance with the information provided, the best variety can be called Manoko F1: it is early ripening, resistant to flowering, fusarium, heat and unfavorable climatic conditions.

Features of agricultural technology

Pak-choi

Pak choy is grown in well-lit areas where legumes or nightshade crops previously grew.

Important! Rainwater should not stagnate in the chosen location, since cabbage does not tolerate excessive moisture.

For each m² of land you need to add 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, half a bucket of humus and 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate. After this, the soil is dug up onto the bayonet of a shovel.

Immediately before sowing, the soil needs to be loosened, then leveled and small furrows made. The distance between them should not be less than 30 cm.

The grooves should be watered, and then you can start planting the seeds, burying them to a depth of 1 cm. In order for seedlings to appear already on the 4th day after planting, the seeds must be wetted with a solution of microelements. This is done a few days before the proposed work.

After several leaves appear, the seedlings must be thinned out. The interval between rows should be from 20 to 40 cm. The distance depends on the crop variety.

Pak choi can also be planted as seedlings. To do this, the seeds are soaked and then planted in separate containers. At the age of 15–17 days, already sprouted seeds are sown in open ground. It should be taken into account that the air temperature must be at least 15 degrees Celsius.

A little history

Peking was born in China, where it originated around the 5th century BC.

This vegetable was believed to have miraculous qualities, and ancient Chinese healers recommended it for the treatment of almost all ailments.

Peking cabbage is particularly beneficial for overweight people.

But later, doctors discovered that this vegetable has a “negative” calorie content.

That is, to process a plant, the body requires much more energy, which it contains itself.

This discovery helped healers more accurately and purposefully use Chinese cabbage in healing.

But in America and European countries, this succulent crop appeared only in the 70s of the last century and was initially grown in small quantities.

The culture was brought to us in Russia quite recently; here it has not yet gained full popularity.

Reviews from vegetable growers

The quality characteristics of a variety can only be judged based on reviews from experienced farmers. For example, when reviewing the best varieties of vegetables, gardener Sergei calls the Little Miracle F1. It confirms that the cabbage has the benefits described by the seed manufacturer.

A vegetable grower with many years of experience, Lyudmila points out that the density of heads of cabbage is significant. She classifies the variety as a crop with good immunity and early harvest.

Cabbage Little Miracle F1 cannot be stored for a long period. However, this disadvantage can be compensated for by planting the variety 2 times per season. The vegetable has a decent taste and is easy to grow.

Proven benefits

The Chinese and residents of Southeast Asia, where petsai has been eaten for many hundreds of years, consider it almost a national dish.

Typically, Asians consume heads and leaves of Chinese cabbage, which contain:

• sugars: up to 3-3.5%;
• crude protein: about 4% (twice as much as white cabbage);
• ascorbic acid: 50-60 g (twice as much as in regular lettuce);
• vitaminized complex of groups PP, K, A and B;
• citric acid is a unique and rare component of natural vegetables, a natural powerful antioxidant.

Chinese cabbage has proven benefits, especially considering that it has huge reserves of dietary fiber.

They are difficult to digest and act as a kind of brush that effectively cleanses the gastrointestinal tract from waste, toxins and mucus.

Interesting. The greatest amount of healthy dietary fiber accumulates in the whitish parts of the leaves (there is not so much in the green parts).

Petsai actively fights pathogenic microbes and viruses, successfully increases and stabilizes immune forces.

It has the unique ability to produce in the human body the valuable substance rhodopsin, which has a beneficial effect on vision and stabilizes blood clotting.

What other benefits does Chinese cabbage have? Regular consumption of it in food rejuvenates the body, replenishing collagen reserves, thereby smoothing out wrinkles and improving skin condition. But!

Remember that petsai will not be useful to all people! This vegetable is not recommended for consumption if a person has:

• there is high acidity of the stomach;
• gastrointestinal diseases have been diagnosed;
• a stomach ulcer or gastritis was detected.

Pest and disease control

A variety of pests and diseases of vegetable crops not only reduce the yield, but can also completely destroy it. Cabbage especially suffers from them. The most common diseases:

• Clubroot is a dangerous and intractable disease of all cruciferous vegetables, caused by a parasitic fungus. It spares neither young nor adult plants. Motile cells with flagella emerging from the fungus reach the cabbage roots, penetrate them and begin their destructive activity. Growths form on the roots, which grow and rot over time. The diseased plant stops receiving nutrition and dies. Fungal spores in the soil remain viable for up to 6 years, so it is important to observe crop rotation. If there is a severe infestation in this area, you should avoid growing cabbage for at least 7 years. A preventive measure against the spread of fungal spores on the site is the disinfection of thoroughly cleaned equipment. The soil where clubroot was found is well loosened, drained, and limed if necessary.
• Downy mildew (downy mildew). With this disease, gray or yellow spots appear on the leaves, and a whitish coating is noticeable on the back of the leaf. Affected leaves wither and die. Downy mildew can completely destroy the crop, so you can’t hesitate; at the first signs of the disease, the plants should be treated with fungicides: Fitosporin-M,
• Gamair,
• Alirin-b.

Photo gallery: cabbage diseases

To prevent clubroot, seeds are disinfected before sowing.

Black leg appears due to excessive watering and prolonged rainy weather.

Downy mildew or downy mildew can destroy the entire crop

Important! Before using various medications, be sure to read the instructions!

Pests of Chinese cabbage:

• Mol. A miniature butterfly measuring 1.5 cm, a greenish caterpillar and a pupa are all different development cycles of the same pest, the cabbage moth. A female moth can lay 80–350 eggs; after 37 days, caterpillars emerge from them and penetrate the leaves, making passages in them. In just 2 weeks, the caterpillar turns into a pupa, after another 2 weeks the pupa becomes a butterfly and everything starts all over again. To repel cabbage moths, you can sow calendula or marigolds next to cabbage. If this does not help and moths have infested, then it is necessary to treat the plants with anti-pest preparations.
• The cabbage or cruciferous flea beetle is a small bug, 2–3 mm in size, that sucks juices from cabbage leaves. To prevent the appearance of flea beetles, you can pollinate the plants with tobacco or road dust, and when they appear, treat them with approved insecticides.
• Aphids are small sucking insects, as if covered with whitish dust. They infect cabbage, completely covering the leaves, which subsequently become discolored, curl, and the development of the head of cabbage is suspended. If a small number of insects appear, cabbage leaves can be wiped with a cloth soaked in a soap solution, and then sprayed with tobacco decoction. If the moment is missed and the aphids have spread, the use of insecticides is allowed.

Photo gallery: who “eats” cabbage

Cabbage moth caterpillars can eat cabbage heads in a matter of days

The cruciferous flea beetle produces several generations per season, which can completely destroy the crop.

The cabbage aphid infects cabbage by sucking the juice from the leaves.

Since Chinese cabbage is a fast-ripening crop, drugs with a short waiting period are suitable for pest control:

• Decis Profi (deltamethrin). Spray cabbage during the growing season with a working solution (0.3 g/5 l of water) against cabbage and turnip whites, cabbage cutworms, flea beetles, and aphids. The waiting period is 20 days.
• Iskra M (malathion), emulsion concentrate. At a concentration of 10 ml/10 l of water, it is allowed to spray cabbage against a complex of pests. The waiting period is 20 days.

The waiting period indicates how long after spraying the cabbage can be safely eaten.

As an alternative to chemicals for pest control, there are several folk remedies:

• Vinegar. Its pungent smell repels many pests. To prepare the solution, 25 ml of vinegar essence is diluted in 10 liters of water.
• Ammonia. All insect pests do not like the specific smell: aphids, flies, mole crickets, white moths, slugs. 50 ml of alcohol (1 bottle) is diluted in 10 liters of water.
• A decoction of onion peels with the addition of garlic and laundry soap will repel aphids. Brew 2 handfuls of onion peels with 1 liter of water, after the broth has cooled, add a chopped head of garlic, 50 g of soap, leave for a day, then strain and bring the volume of liquid to 10 liters.
• To repel slugs and snails, the ground around the cabbage should be powdered with a mixture of ash, red or black pepper and dry mustard.

Treatments against insects are carried out by spraying plants in dry, windless weather.

Even plants love cabbage. One of these parasitic plants is broomrape. Its roots have changed into suckers, with which it attaches itself to the cabbage roots, taking away all the nutrients from the cabbage, due to which it exists. Measures to combat broomrape come down to timely removal of the weed.

We take care of our plantings in the garden

To get a rich harvest, you need to know how to grow Chinese cabbage outdoors.

Proper cultivation of petsai requires the gardener to follow certain rules.

Freshly planted seedlings must be carefully covered with agrofibre (you can also use other non-woven material).

Such shelter provides:

• protecting the plant from freezing and sudden temperature changes;
• protects from scorching sun rays;
• protects the root system from rotting during rainy weather;
• hides tender seedlings from attack by parasites.

14-20 days after planting the seedlings, the soil should be mulched.

Peat or broken straw acts as mulch.

Hilling up Chinese cabbage is pointless since the dense layer of organic matter reliably conserves moisture and prevents weeds from growing.

Further care for the Pekinka is not complicated and includes several activities.

Watering. Petsai needs abundant and regular watering.

The soil is moistened weekly; when watering, use only settled warm water.

Watering is carried out directly under the root of the crop.

For good growth, it is better to plan watering activities in the evening or morning.

Advice. When watering, try to prevent moisture from getting on the leaves of the plant, otherwise they may get sunburned.

Feeding. Our pet needs to be fed for the first time 14-15 days after being planted in the garden.

The following types of nutrient solutions can be used:

• 10% manure infusion (10 liters of water per 1 kg of mullein);
• 5% solution of bird droppings (500 g of organic matter per 10 liters of water);
• herbal infusion (nettle or other herb is used).

The nutritional composition is added at the rate of 1 liter of substance for each Chinese cabbage bush.

When planting in spring, cabbage requires 3 similar feedings.

For summer plants, additives are used twice during the growing season.

Foliar feeding is also becoming important for Beijing.

It is not difficult to make a nutritious and healthy substrate - boric acid (2-2.5 g) is dissolved in 1 liter of boiled hot water.

Then the volume of liquid is adjusted to 10 l (cold water is added). The solution is sprayed on the leaves in the evenings.

Harvesting

To improve the taste of Chinese cabbage, harvesting should be done in dry weather.

Cut heads of cabbage are stored in a dry and cool place.

Provide the petsai crop with temperature conditions of 0-+2⁰С. Vegetables can be placed in boxes or placed on racks.

Periodically inspect the heads of cabbage for rotten areas and dried leaves.

Petsai is an amazing plant with huge reserves of substances valuable for health.

Knowing how to grow Chinese cabbage on your plot and doing it correctly, you can get a great harvest of a useful crop!

See you soon, dear readers!