Asian Leafy Vegetable: Chinese Cabbages （大白菜）

 

Chinese Cabbages （大白菜）are typically grown in cooler climate/temperate countries ( 20 to 25 degree C). However, if you have a balcony that is not too sunny and you do not mind a tasty but 'non wrapped-up' version, I have succeed in growing it in tropical weather. ( ~ 25 to 30 degree C).

Instead of having a fully wrapped up chinese cabbages in 7 to 9 weeks, you will be able to harvest the leaves in about 5 to 6 weeks time. Harvest can continue for about 2 to 3 months. Sound interesting? Read on to find out how.

Materials you need

·  At least a space of approximately 2m by 1m at a balcony. Both open garden and roof top garden will be too hot for it to grow. You can try shading it but it will not work if you have no direct sunlight at all too.

·  This illustration is designed and documented using a HDB balcony space.

·  I used seeds from KNOWN-YOU (农友) but you may want to experiment with other brands too.

Fig. 1 The seeds

Step 1: Used a small gardening pot to seed the vegetable (about 20cm pot for about 25 seeds). Leave the pot at a sunny but cool place ( ~ 24 degree) spot of your balcony. The seeds take about 10 to 14 days to grow into seedlings of about 3 to 5 cm. Choose the healtier seedlings and get ready to transplant

Step 2: Prepare the planting plot.  I used two fiber glass containers of 0.8m by 0.8m. Refer to here if you need help to prepare the soil for both the seeding pot and the planting plot. For each 20cm by 20cm area, you will need about 200ml of organic fertilizer.

If your balcony is like mine with a half wall, elevate your containers/planting pots to level with the wall or at least just slightly below the wall. This is to allow the vegetable to get enough sunlight. Make sure that the height is still comfortable for you to water the vegetables or you may need a short stool to stand on.

Fig. 2 The elevated planting pots

Step 3: Transferred the seedlings once it is about 5cm height. Always water the plot well before transplanting the seedlings. Water the soil in each container above with about 2L of water before transplant. Water with additional 2L of water after transplanting the seedlings. 

To protect the plant from strong direct sun, a translucent sheet is placed directly above the planting pots. This provide enough sun and yet cushion the vegetable against the direct scorching heat of the tropical sun.

Water daily in the morning and evening ( about 1 L of water each pot). The vegatable can grow by 3 to 5 cm height each week.



Fig. 3 Chinese cabbages after week 2 (above) and week 4 (below)

 

Step 4: Apply fertilizer every week after transplant, about 10 pellets ( about 1/8 of 200ml cup) of organic fertilizer to each plant. Dig a hole about 5cm away from the vegetable, put the pellets in the holes and cover it. This is to prevent the smell of the fertilizer from disturbing your neighbours.

Step 5: On week 5, the crop is ready for harvest. You should see the outermost leaves open up like a fan toward the floor bed. The leaves will rot away if you do not harvest them

Fig. 4 Chinese cabbages ready to harvest the 'tropical' way 

Step 6: Use a scissor to trim off the outermost leaves from the vegetable. Leave the vegetable to grow further.

Fig. 5 Vegetables before (above) and after (below) trim

Fig. 6 Closed up of vegetable before trim (left most), after trim (center)

and after trim view from side (right)

 

Repeat the process once it has fully grown again. You can repeat the process for up to 3 months.

Fig. 7 The vegetable is ready for harvest/trim again
7 to 10 days after last trim.

Disclaimer:

Information are documented to the best of my ability and your result may varies.

Products and brands mentioned directly or indirectly in this blog reflects the experience of the author and does not represent the views of the individual merchants. There are many factors like seeds condition, weather, actual soil mixed, individual planting habits etc which may affect your results.