Napa cabbageBrassica rapa subsp. pekinensis

Napa cabbage

Napa cabbage

1. Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis
2. Pe tsay
3. petsai
4. pe-tsai
5. Chinese cabbage
6. Chinese leaf
7. wombok

1. Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis
2. Pe tsay
3. petsai
4. pe-tsai
5. Chinese cabbage
6. Chinese leaf
7. wombok

1. Napa cabbage

1. Tracheophyta
2. Angiosperms

Mustard family

1. head
2. leaves

Napa cabbage is a favorite for the late summer garden. With an extremely short cultivation period of often just 60 to 80 days, it efficiently fills the gaps left by summer vegetables. Its mild flavor and tender leaf structure make it one of the most digestible members of the brassica family. Unlike head cabbage, however, it requires a very consistent water supply and a precise sowing time starting in late June to prevent the dreaded premature bolting (flowering).

1. Taskthinning

   Label

   Thinning

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 7

   Notes

   Thin direct-sown plants to final spacing.

1. Taskpest_control

   Label

   Pest Control

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 9

   Notes

   Check for slugs and cabbage white butterflies.

Sunny to semi-shaded

Beneficial but not critical

Humus-rich, deep loamy soil

Regularly, never let soil dry out completely

Apply compost before planting, top-dress with horn meal if needed

Good preceding crop for peas or beans; do not follow with other brassicas.

1. Peas
2. Beans
3. Early potatoes

1. Peas
2. Beans
3. Lettuce

Strict adherence to a 4-year rotation break to prevent clubroot.

1. Slugnitrogen-deficiency

   Name

   Nitrogen deficiency

   Symptoms

   Pale, yellowish leaves; stunted growth.

2. Slugboron-deficiency

   Name

   Boron deficiency

   Symptoms

   Hollow heart; brown spots inside the head.

1. Slugbolting

   Name

   Bolting

   Description

   Premature flowering caused by early sowing or heat.

2. Slugtipburn

   Name

   Tipburn

   Description

   Brown leaf edges due to calcium deficiency or irregular watering.

1. Chewing insects
2. Mollusks

1. Soil-borne fungi
2. Foliar fungi

1. Use crop protection nets
2. Strictly observe crop rotation
3. Ensure consistent water supply

Always check the roots of wilting plants for clubroot.

1. Slugplasmodiophora-brassicae

   Severitycritical

   Conditions

   1. Acidic soil (pH < 6.5)
   2. Waterlogging
   3. Short rotation cycles

   Affected parts

   1. Roots
   2. Whole plant (wilting)

   Prevention

   1. Liming to increase pH
   2. 4-year rotation break
   3. Choose resistant varieties

   Organic control

   1. No direct control possible; dispose of affected plants in household waste.

1. Symptom

   Head does not form, plant shoots upwards.

   Possible causes

   1. bolting
   2. excessive_day_length

   First checks

   1. Check sowing date
   2. Check for temperature extremes

1. Germination
2. Leaf development
3. Head formation
4. Harvest maturity
5. Bolting (under stress or over-maturity)

Fast-growing crop; head formation begins approximately 6-8 weeks after sowing.

May to June (in the second year or if premature bolting occurs)

Yellow

1. Cutting the entire head just above ground level
2. Removing loose outer leaves

1-3 kg per head

Single harvest per plant

1. Head feels firm when lightly squeezed
2. Reached variety-specific size
3. Before the first hard frost

Do not wash if storage is intended; leave outer leaves on for protection.

Cool (0-1°C) and high humidity

1. Wrapping in newspaper or shrink-wrapping in plastic
2. Storage in a cool cellar or refrigerator

Short to medium-term storage

4 weeks (refrigerator) up to 3 months (optimal storage cellar)

1. Fermenting (Kimchi)
2. Pickling
3. Freezing (after blanching)

Fresh consumption and fermentation

1. Raw in salads
2. Briefly stir-fried in a wok
3. Steamed in soups

Mild, subtle cabbage flavor, slightly sweet

1. Leaves
2. Leaf ribs
3. Heart

1. Roots

Non-toxic; very easily digestible, causes less bloating than other brassicas.

Excellent for raw consumption.

Difficult (Biennial, risk of cross-pollination)

Plants must be overwintered frost-free to flower in the second year.

1. Resistance to bolting
2. Head firmness
3. Health (no clubroot)

Not applicable to Napa cabbage as it is an annual herbaceous plant.

Usually harvested as an annual before the flowers can provide food for insects. However, brassicas are important host plants for specialized insects like the cabbage white butterfly.

Bed preparation; liming acidic soils to prevent clubroot.

Main sowing time; watch for flea beetle infestation on young plants.

Main harvest season; protect late crops from night frosts with fleece.