Why did Chinese cabbage bloom? Why Beijing cabbage blooms

Chinese cabbage is a long day plant. For flowering and fruiting, it needs daylight hours lasting more than 12 hours. With prolonged illumination from 15 to 16 hours, the formation of a peduncle will definitely begin. This is if you want to grow cabbage for seed.

With a short daylight hours, an arrow with seeds does not form, but leaves grow well and heads are tied, which is necessary. Best growth head varieties of Chinese cabbage relatively when not high temperature+15 + 25° and short daylight hours.

Based on this, Beijing cabbage should be sown VERY early (in mid-April) or already at the end of July:

• Early spring landing - April 15-20.
• Summer-autumn landing - from July 20 to August 10.

The methods for growing all types of Beijing cabbage are almost the same. But it is necessary to take into account its peculiarity - this is a relatively short growing season, which ranges from 50 to 70 days, which allows you to get two crops per season. When growing Chinese cabbage in open field already on the 40-50th day, its head is suitable for use, however, its final formation occurs approximately on the 50-60th day.

One should not be afraid of a very early planting - its seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 4 ... Therefore, it is necessary to provide for a short-term shelter from frost and heat. These types of cabbage give an arrow in case of any deterioration in the weather and interruptions in soil moisture.

It is also necessary to choose varieties of Beijing cabbage that are resistant to flowering (F1 Spring Jade, F1 Michiko).

It is necessary to grow seedlings of Beijing cabbage in separate, better peat, cups or peat tablets, as it does not respond well to transplantation and tends to bloom very early.

By the way, many complain that Chinese cabbage does not form heads. Here, first of all, it must be taken into account that it has leafy, semi-headed (open from above) and headed (heads are completely closed) forms. So leafy forms may not form heads at all.

The most precocious is the head form. Stores sell a vegetable that customers call "head lettuce" or "salad cabbage".

Beijing cabbage interests us because it has a content of vitamin C and protein twice as high as white cabbage. It can serve as an excellent source of vitamin and mineral salts in winter time. After all, there are people who do not like sauerkraut or salted cabbage. But from fresh Beijing, a salad will be served on cold winter days. There is also a source of longevity and our cheerfulness in it - the amino acid lysine. Cheerfulness, this is exactly what is missing at the junction of winter and spring. You can also stew, boil, fry, salt and marinate it.

Like other species, Beijing cabbage is cold-resistant when grown. Already at +4˚С the seeds will germinate, and will grow at +15˚С. It can withstand short frosts down to -4˚С. It is optimal to increase the temperature to + 22˚С. But he dislikes the heat. Resistant to slight shading, although related to light-loving plants. Often affected by clubroot acidic soils. Therefore, such areas require preliminary cultivation. Grows well in fertile, well-drained areas.

But the most important requirements for light, day length, heat.

So why does Beijing cabbage bloom?

A high yield forms with a shortened day and warm weather. If the daylight hours are long, it will go into the arrow, that is, it will bloom. The plant differs from others in precociousness. Therefore, with early sowing in the spring, it can fall under a long decrease in temperature. But the daylight hours will be long. As a result, the result will be deplorable - the head will not form. Therefore, we create conditions for growth and select varieties with a long growth stage. And just if you are late with the cut, you can get flowers instead of a crispy head or rosette of leaves. With summer crops, it also shoots prematurely. Therefore, extra-early varieties can be sown early only in closed ground, so as not to be exposed to low temperatures. There is no way to cover, take the Champion, Khibiny varieties. And leave the early ripening for a warmer period.

Predecessors and intermediate crops - Beijing cabbage is grown after zucchini, legumes, tomato, cucumber, onion. But after cabbage and plants suffering from keel, you will have to wait up to 3-4 years. With an early harvest, many more types of vegetables with a quick ripening period can be planted after it. It can be greens, and even cucumbers. You will have time to enjoy the harvest. And the place will not walk. In extreme cases, sow after green manure - this is an excellent fertilizer.

The transplant does not tolerate very well, so grow seedlings either in cups or immediately sow on permanent place. In extreme cases, when transplanting, keep a large earthen ball and do not delay the timing.

The planting pattern for growing Beijing cabbage is thicker than white cabbage. Keep 30 cm between rows, and 15-20 cm between plants in a row. In closed ground, head varieties are planted according to the 20 by 20 scheme, leafy 10 by 10 cm. Seedlings are usually transplanted in the phase of 4 true leaves. You can also use this plant as a compactor, planting in the aisles.

If you notice a developmental delay, then feed nitrogen fertilizer based on 10 liters 20 grams. But only in the early stages. Actually, it's better to do without it. After all, the culture is fast-growing. What to do, pay attention to preparing the beds in the fall, add compost or mineral fertilizers. Even better, sow green manure, dig in the fall. And by spring, the fertility of the beds will be increased. If none of this has been done in advance, then use liquid compost. Excellent fertilizer and no material costs.

Beijing cabbage can be called a moisture-loving plant. But when waterlogged, rotting is possible. But with a lack of moisture, it forms rough, fibrous leaves. In hot weather, it is better to water not from above, but into the furrows made along the row.

Refers to vegetables capable of accumulating nitrates in dangerous concentrations for health. Therefore, do not neglect the recommendations for fertilizing. To reduce the amount of nitrates by 20%, soaking in cold water in an hour.

This summer, a rare gardener can boast of a good harvest of cauliflower. The heads either did not tie, or were small, "disheveled" and gray. What is the reason? Most likely, it was the weather, it was very changeable. In June - rainy and too cool, in July the heat came, in early August - a strong drop in temperature and cold nights, and then hot days again.

Cauliflower does not like sudden changes in weather. From this, her normal development is disturbed, and she grows only leaves.

To mitigate the impact weather conditions, experienced gardeners carefully choose a place for cauliflower. And, of course, they try to please her requirements. Even this season they managed to get an excellent harvest.

Sergei Ivanovich Stepashin, our regular author and consultant, shares his experience.

A place for cauliflower should be chosen protected from the winds. I make a bed in front of the house, a fence or a tall bush. Thanks to this barrier, there are no drafts.

The site must be bright and warm. Shadow is strictly prohibited. At the same time, short-term shading of cabbage is desirable in the very heat - at noon. It can be a moving shadow from a tree or building.

To hide the cabbage from the midday sun, some gardeners specially stretch a sheet over it in the form of an awning, fixing it on four pegs.

Irrigation plays a big role. Often it is carried out by sprinkling. It only wets upper layer soil, which is clearly not enough. Stable crops in any weather are obtained by those gardeners who water the cabbage under the root, into holes or trenches, thoroughly wetting the soil. Good results gives water to plastic bottles, which are dug in next to the plants. Water enters directly into the root layer.

With a lack of moisture and high temperatures, the soil is very hot. This can also lead to a lack of harvest. So cauliflower needs to be mulched. A layer of mulch keeps the roots from overheating.

Lack of moisture also leads to nutritional deficiencies. Plants absorb nutrients only in dissolved form. Therefore, they do not give a full harvest.

Can something

do now?

If the head is tied, but it is very small and is already “falling apart”, cut it off. Then it will go only in color. Perhaps, small lateral inflorescences will still have time to start.

If the cabbage had no head, then all is not lost. Increase watering. Mulch the soil to reduce evaporation and prevent crusting. AT hot weather spray cabbage in the evening with water heated in a barrel.

Eliminate nutritional deficiency by applying a solution of complex mineral fertilizers with trace elements, in particular, with boron.

You can find this article in the newspaper "Magic Garden" of 2011 No. 16.

Domestic agronomists learned about Beijing cabbage not so long ago, since the birthplace of culture is China. The plant belongs to the cruciferous family. The product has a high concentration nutrients that have a beneficial effect on human body, while it is among the dietary. Growing Chinese cabbage suburban area not difficult, but you need to know all the features of its development. Many beginners, and even experienced agronomists, are wondering why Beijing cabbage is in color, what to do in these cases.

Basic information about culture

An alternative name for Beijing cabbage is lettuce cabbage. It began to be cultivated in China, as evidenced by written references dating back to the 5th-6th centuries AD. Further, the cabbage culture spread to Korea, Japan and India. At the end of the 20th century, few people knew about Beijing cabbage in the USA and Europe, but in recent times the situation has changed drastically. Today it is one of the most sought-after garden crops in the world, in Russia too. Domestic gardeners are increasingly growing it on their personal plots.

Chinese head of cabbage is more like lettuce leaves. In the process of plant development, tender leaves with excellent taste are formed, there are no hard veins, the pulp is tender and juicy. In cooking from this garden culture cook everything from common varieties cabbage.

Chinese cabbage

Main varieties:

• Bilko F1 - hybrid Dutch selection, designed for cultivation in open soil and film tunnels. The ripening period is late, intended for cultivation in the fall (67 days). The weight of each leaf head, subject to the rules of agricultural technology, varies from 1.2 to 1.8 kg. The variety is highly productive, therefore it is in great demand in the domestic market. Has good transportable qualities and excellent keeping quality. It has good disease resistance.
• Manoko F1 is a hybrid variety adapted to Russian climatic conditions. Designed for cultivation in open soil or under cover throughout the summer season. Refers to early varieties, the duration of the growing season is 45-48 days. The weight of each head reaches 800 g - 1 kg, compact, have a cylindrical shape. It is in demand due to its productivity. root system heat-resistant, can be transported over long distances. It has excellent taste qualities. Good disease resistance.
• Taranko F1 - late-ripening hybrid of the Dutch selection. After disembarkation planting material subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, the crop can be harvested after 72 days. The weight of a head of cabbage can vary from 1.2 kg to 2 kg. Excellent taste qualities. High resistance to Fusarium is noted. Recommended for use in fresh not intended for long term storage.

Reasons why Chinese cabbage is in color

Chinese cabbage is in color

It happens that the culture goes into color (begins to shoot). Why Beijing cabbage goes into color - the most common reasons:

• All varieties of cabbage are heat-loving plants. Perhaps the seeds were sown a week or two earlier, before the optimum temperatures. As a result, during the formation of fruits, there were unfavorable climatic conditions.
• Injury to the root system during transplantation, if the plant is planted with seedlings. You can also damage the rhizome when caring for plants, for example, during loosening. Having lost part of the root system, lettuce to finish faster life cycle, begins to actively form flowers and fruits.
• Lettuce is able to go into color if, when choosing planting material, one does not focus on climatic conditions. Tailored for Russian climate- Dutch seeds Taranko, Manokolo and Bilko. To purchase high-quality seed, you need to visit specialized stores.
• The plant can go into color due to the long daylight hours. In order to prevent the capricious crop from blooming, it is required to sow the seeds in early spring and / or late summer (daylight hours are not so high).
• Moisture deficiency can also cause flowering. All varieties of cabbage are moisture-loving plants. Care must be taken to ensure that the soil is moderately moist.
• Also, a Chinese head of cabbage can bloom with significant temperature changes. The optimal temperature regime for the formation of heads is + 23-27 degrees. When the temperature drops below +22, a bloom may form. In unstable weather, it is recommended to use agrofibre - it warms and controls the flow of moisture.
• It can go into the color of "Peking" if its predecessor in the summer cottage was any representative of the Cruciferous family. The plant is recommended to be planted in areas where tomatoes grew last year, legumes, cucumbers and onions.
• The culture is able to bloom due to the fact that there is not enough nutrients in the soil. Therefore, before sowing seeds, it is recommended to apply organic and / or mineral fertilizers to the ground. Beijing cabbage reacts sharply to a deficiency of minerals in the earth: potassium, phosphorus and calcium. It is effective to use egg tincture as a fertilizer: in 5 l hot water insist 30 g eggshell. For the formation of heads of cabbage, potassium and phosphorus in the soil play an important role. With a deficiency of these substances, heads will form slowly, but the flowers will show good growth.
• A garden crop can go into color or disappear altogether if hybrid varieties were planted in the ground, which are characterized by low cold resistance.
• The cause of problems may be a late harvest. Dense heads of Beijing cabbage must be cut on time, otherwise they will inevitably go into color. The culture bears fruit abundantly in a warm climate and short daylight hours.

Prevention measures

If the culture has gone into color during the previous planting, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the above reasons and, if possible, eliminate them in the future. In order not to encounter such a problem, you must follow the recommendations:

• Lettuce is recommended to be planted near buildings or fences, they provide the shade that the plant needs so much for full growth and development. If there are no such places in the country, you can plant it in an open area, but in the afternoon the culture must be covered with covering material.
• It is recommended to sow the plant in early spring or late summer. To protect against a cold snap, it is recommended to use a covering material, it can not be removed from the beds at all, thanks to this it will be possible to maintain the temperature regime.
• When growing kale in the Russian climate, it is better to give preference to Dutch hybrid varieties. The most frost-resistant of them are Bilko, Taranko and Manoko.
• It is recommended to sow seed immediately in open ground or peat cups. When processing beds, the penetration depth should not exceed 2-3 cm. Such measures will help preserve the delicate roots of plants.
• A month before the expected date of sowing, it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizers to the ground - potassium sulfate or superphosphate. During the growing season, special mineral complexes intended for cabbage should be regularly added to the soil.

Strictly following all the recommendations, it will be possible to avoid situations when the heads of cabbage have not yet formed, and the flowering of cabbage has already begun. If you follow the agrotechnical rules for growing Beijing cabbage, the plant will not shoot arrows.

Beijing cabbage has already taken pride of place on the shelves of domestic stores, but the gardens of summer residents are just beginning to conquer, because not everyone knows about the benefits of growing it. And the pluses of the "Beijing" are many: high yield, good cold resistance, short growing season, excellent taste. In addition, Beijing cabbage, although it came to us from China, is perfect for growing in the local climate.

However, in order to get good harvest"Peking", you need to know the basic secrets for caring for her and methods of dealing with the three main enemies: cruciferous flea, slugs and blooms. The last problem worries gardeners the most, because when, instead of forming a head, you can not count on the harvest. At the same time, many summer residents do not know under what conditions the "Beijing" releases arrows, and how this can be prevented.

Reasons for flowering

Beijing cabbage is quite unpretentious in care, and growing it is no more difficult than white cabbage. However, it is demanding in terms of day length and air temperature. The richest harvest "Beijing" gives in warm weather: optimum temperature for its cultivation, the range from +13 to +20 degrees is considered. In hotter weather, cabbage develops poorly, and during cold snaps, even short-term ones, it shoots and blooms.

Beijing cabbage blooms even with too long daylight hours. The limit for this vegetable crop- 12 hours, if the day is longer, then the probability of shooting is high.

Many gardeners notice that the tendency to bloom often depends not only on growing conditions, but also on the Beijing variety. Hybrids that are characterized by low resistance to cold weather and other factors external environment, most often bloom.

How to prevent bloom

Choice of "Peking" variety

It is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of shooting "Beijing", but it is quite possible to reduce it as much as possible. To this end experienced gardeners recommend to choose dutch varieties Chinese cabbage, as they are the most resistant to flowering and are well suited for growing in our climate. The most popular hybrids are: "Manoko", "Taranko", "Bilko".

It should be borne in mind that properties such as bloom resistance, cold resistance, etc. possess only original hybrids. If you collect seeds from them and harvest them yourself, then the harvest from them will not have such characteristics.

In addition, it is important to buy seed material only in specialized stores that sell certified products. When making a purchase in unverified retail outlets or on street "layouts", it is easy to get a fake.

Temperature and light conditions

"Beijing" is a fairly cold-resistant crop, and its seedlings can easily withstand frosts down to -4 degrees. However, during the formation of the head, it is very important that the air temperature does not fall below +13 degrees, otherwise the Beijing cabbage may bloom. Even short-term cold snaps can cause bolting, so it is important to carefully select the time for planting cabbage.

To protect the "Beijing" from temperature extremes, you can cover it with a special agrofibre. This material perfectly protects plants from cold snaps, exposure to too hot sunlight and precipitation. At the same time, it gives the soil the opportunity to "breathe", which prevents the accumulation of excess moisture in the ground and the rotting of the vegetable.

It is also important that daylight hours do not exceed 12 hours. To comply with this recommendation, it is best to plant Chinese cabbage in early spring and late summer, when the days are not too long. When sown in early or mid-summer, the risk of bolting is highest, since the "Peking" lends itself to strong exposure to sunlight.

How to grow cabbage for a good harvest

To accelerate the germination of seeds and protect them from cold weather, the beds should be covered with a film or agrofibre. The first sprouts should appear within 4-6 days after sowing.

Further care for the "Beijing" is regular watering (1 time per week), weeding and periodic feeding.

In order for Beijing cabbage to give a good harvest and not bloom, it is important to remember to observe temperature regime, the length of daylight hours and do not overdo it with watering.