Plant Chinese Cabbage in Your Garden

Very few people in the US grow Chinese cabbage, but they are one of the oldest vegetables grown in China. Because they have few insect pests, these cabbages are actually easier to grow than tomatoes.

Chinese cabbages are loose-leaf cabbages and include Ornamental cabbage and bok choy. Ornamental cabbages can be grown in flower beds as edible ornamentals. These vegetables thrive in cool weather. Choose early, mid, and late-season types of Chinese cabbage in red, green, or purple colors for an extended, colorful harvest.

I used to live in a community where we had greenhouses where we grew many of our winter vegetables and among them were the Chinese cabbages. During that time, we ate Chinese cabbage stir-fried three or four times per week. Because we had a crop of Chinese cabbage growing in the greenhouse during the winter, we had three crops of this vegetable per year.

Although Chinese cabbage can be bought as transplants from a nursery, the plants are easy to grow from seed. Plan your planting time so that you can set the plants out up to four weeks before the last expected frost. Plant your seeds about 4 weeks before that which means that you will plant your seeds about eight weeks before the last frost in the spring. Sow seeds indoors a quarter inch deep and two inches apart or plant two seeds per biodegradable garden pot. Place in a sunny location with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep soil moist by covering planting containers with breathable plastic. Remove the plastic when plants germinate.

Plant seedlings outdoors when daytime temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit and seedlings have three leaves. Cabbage seedlings should be planted slightly deeper than they grew in the growing flats. Make the planting holes large enough to accommodate the roots. Next, sprinkle kelp powder into the planting hole and water them well. Plant cabbage and water thoroughly again.

Give Chinese cabbage plenty of room to grow into huge heads. Allow up two feet between cabbage heads to allow for this massive growth. If garden space is limited, plant other quick-growing vegetables around your cabbage such as lettuce, green onions, spinach, radishes, and turnips that can be pulled out when the Chinese cabbages need the space.

Start your late crop in midsummer about ten weeks before the first average frost date by sowing seeds directly into the garden. Space them further apart than in spring and also plant them in a location where they are shaded from the afternoon sun by a taller crop such as corn or trellised tomatoes.

Side-dress plants with compost after they have been in the garden for three weeks and place mulch over the compost. When watering water around roots rather than leaves to prevent disease. Cut back on the water as the cabbage matures.

Chinese cabbages have fewer problems with disease or pests than regular cabbages do. If cutworms are a problem in your garden, place crushed egg shells on the soil around cabbages. If you notice that something has been eating the Chinese cabbages, sprinkle plants with diatomaceous earth, wood ashes, or hot pepper and soapy water spray.

To avoid plant diseases, work composting material into your soil every year and avoid planting Chinese cabbages where you grew other members of the Brassicaceae family during the previous season.

Chinese cabbage grows well with other Cole crops such as Brussels sprouts or cauliflower. It should not be grown near corn because the corn worms will infest it.

Keep Chinese cabbages in the ground until you are ready to use if possible. Freshly cut Chinese cabbage is more nutritious than cabbage that has been stored. Use a sharp knife to cut heads when they are firm. Cut heads at the ground level. Remove roots to the compost pile. Refrigerate cabbages until you use them. Cabbages will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Pre-chop some onion, onion greens, and garlic. Cut a piece of ginger root but leave it whole. Cut cabbage into bite-size pieces. In a wok over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil and a tablespoon of butter and heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, coat with sesame oil, cover, and cook for about three minutes or until just the cabbage leaves are starting to wilt. Add the soy sauce and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.