Posted by Lenith on Sunday, December 15, 2013 in How To Grow Cabbage | No comments
Did you know that the inexpensive, humble and widely used cabbage can practically work miracles? Cabbage is a leafy vegetable of Brassica family, and is round or oval in shape. It consists of soft, light green or whitish inner leaves covered with harder and dark green outer leaves. It is widely used throughout the world, and can be prepared in a number of ways, but most commonly, it is included as either a cooked or raw part of many salads.
How to grow cabbage in your garden? Check the instruction below:
Land Preparation
- Pulverize the soil by cultivating the land. Mix chicken dung or compost at 1.0 kg/linear meter to improve soil structure and condition. Application of lime one month before transplanting is recommended at a rate of 3-5 tons/ha if soil pH is below 5.6.
- Make beds 0.75 m wide and 20.0 cm high above the ground. Holes are made 0.40 m by 0.40 apart.
- Alternative option is to cover the beds with plastic mulch to minimize erosion especially during the rainy season and to control the growth of weeds.
It is recommended to use seedling trays in growing of seedlings. This facilitates easy maintenance of the seedlings and efficient transplanting without disturbing the root system. Seedling trays should be filled with a good sowing medium such as peat moss or a commercial potting soil.
Sowing and seedling growing
- Sow 1-2 seeds directly into the tray and cover lightly with soil. The seeds germinate 4-5 days after sowing.
- One hectare approximately has 60,000 plants. This requires 300 to 350 grams of seeds.
- Seeds may also be sown in seedbeds. Seedbeds should be fertile and well-drained. After sowing apply a thin layer of compost or garden soil.
The following is the suggested fertilization schedule for seedling growing.
DAS Application Fertilizer
0, 7, 14, 21, 28 drenching CaNO3or foliar fertilizer at 40g/16 liters andFungicide (a.i. propamocarb hydrochloride) at 40 ml/ 16 liters
- It is recommended to alternately use CaNO3 (calcium nitrate) and foliar fertilizers because foliar fertilizers also contains micronutrients to support seedling growth.
- Seedlings should be hardened about 5 days before transplanting by decreasing the amount of water and exposing them to direct sunlight. This acclimatizes and prepares the plant to withstand harsh condition in the field.
- Seedlings will be ready for transplanting three to four weeks after sowing.
Irrigate the field before transplanting. Transplant the seedlings at 0.40 m between hills by 0.40 meter between rows. From the seedling tray, carefully remove the seedlings with the soil and the roots intact to facilitate crop recovery and minimize transplanting shock. It is recommended to do the transplanting in the afternoon.
Irrigation and Drainage
If rainfall is insufficient, irrigation starts immediately after transplanting and is repeated as often as needed, usually with an interval of 5-7 days during the dry season. The soil must be moist at all times but water lagging must be avoided.
Fertilization
The recommended rate of NPK per hectare on brassica (Chinese cabbage) by AVRDC (2005) is 60-90-60 on basal application. This is equivalent to 8.5 bags of 14-14-14, plus 3 bags of 0-18-0. On side dress, recommended rate is 30-30-30 on cool months (4 bags 14-14-14); and 30-7.5-15 during hot months (option is 1 bag Urea, 1bag 0-18-0, & 25 kg 0-0-60).
Proper adjustment should be made based on soil analysis.
Harvesting
Harvest the cabbage heads when they are firm and compact. Keep 2-3 outer leaves for protection during transport.
Article source: east west seeds company
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