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Chinese Cabbage Growing Tips and Advice
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| Celery needs a particularly long cool-weather season, so it is ideal for New England and other cooler regions. Celery needs rich, sandy loam and lots and lots of water. You also should fertilize monthly.
Planting Chinese Cabbage
If you have a little extra space in your garden when the month of August rolls around, try filling it by planting Chinese cabbage. You should have room to plant a row or two after harvesting some of the earlier vegetables. Chinese cabbage is sometimes called celery
cabbage, although it does not taste too much like cabbage. It is perhaps
best described as a sweetly flavored, lettuce-like vegetable with large
crisp leaves. It is used fresh for salads or boiled as greens. Chinese cabbage is an annual requiring cool weather during the greater part of the growing season in order to develop to perfection. A continued period of heat tends to force the plant into flower before the leaves have reached any size or formed heads, at the same time giving them an undesirable cabbage taste. Where the summers are cool you may plant early in the spring, at the time lettuce is sown. In sections of the country where the summers are hot, a fall sowing is advisable. Plant the seed in the early part of August, and keep the seed bed well cultivated from the time the rows can be recognized. The best growth is made in a rich, light loam. Apply a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure to the soil before planting. If the soil is reasonably rich, a three-inch layer of compost can be lightly dug in along the line where the rows are to stand. An application of dried cow manure during the growing period will also be beneficial. It is important to encourage a quick and fleshy growth. In soils known to be acid, lime should be raked into the soil to correct this condition. Sow the seed in the open ground, as the plant is somewhat checked in its growth by transplanting. Plant one-half inch deep in rows about 12 to 16 inches apart. When the plants are 3 to 4 inches high, thin out to stand about 10 inches apart in the row. You may use the thinnings for greens or salad. This crop requires a good amount of moisture. Cultivate frequently to keep down weeds and save moisture. Water during dry spells, if possible, with a thorough drenching every evening. Harvesting Chinese Cabbage Most varieties reach maturity in approximately 70-80 days after planting. When the heads reach maturing they may be cut for use as you need them. The heads can be harvested after the first light frost and stored for a couple of months in a cool cellar or outdoor storage pit. In gathering, pull the plants with the roots, remove the outer leaves and store in layer protected by dry straw and cover with soil. Varieties of Chinese Cabbage Most seedmen recommend Michihli as the best variety, and have dropped Chihli, which used to be the most popular variety grown. Michihli is more uniform and dependable than the Chihli. Pe-Tsai grows more like Swiss chard and usually does not form solid heads. Wong Bok is a popular variety in the South and is a stalky grower. Chinese cabbage is seldom grown in home
gardens, so why not try your luck with something a little out of the
ordinary? Tips for growing vegetables: Pumpkins Tips for growing herbs: Sage
Tips for growing flowers:
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