Chinese Cabbage Growing Guide
Chinese cabbages, also known as Chinese leaves and napa cabbage, are fast-growing oriental brassicas. They produce mild and succulent leaves with a crisp texture, suitable for salads, steaming, or stir-frying. They can be grown as a cut-and-come-again salad crop or as full-headed cabbages. They are quick and easy to grow and are ideal for containers when grown as salad leaves.
This guidance applies to the crop in general. Individual varieties and local conditions can differ.
Planting information
Sow seeds indoors from mid-spring onwards in modular trays, 2cm deep. Sow two seeds per module and thin to one, keeping in bright light and watering regularly. Alternatively, sow seeds outdoors from May to August in a drill about 2cm deep, sprinkling thinly and covering lightly. For continuous harvests, sow small batches every three weeks, leaving 40-45cm between rows. Seeds germinate in 1-2 weeks. Thin seedlings to 15cm apart for baby salad leaves and 30cm apart for large heads. For containers, choose one at least 30cm wide and deep, fill with peat-free multi-purpose compost, scatter seeds thinly, and cover with 2cm of compost. Thin to 15cm apart for baby leaves and 25cm for semi-mature cabbages. Seedlings from indoor sowings are ready to transplant outdoors when about 10cm tall with a good root system. Harden off young plants before planting. Plant them 15cm apart for harvesting as baby salad leaves, or 30cm apart for growing to maturity.
Harvesting information
Chinese cabbages can be harvested as salad leaves from young plants (cut-and-come-again) in as little as 6 weeks after sowing. Take a few leaves from several plants, or all leaves from individual plants (they should re-sprout). Mature heads are ready to harvest after about ten weeks, from July to November. Cut the stem just under the lowest leaves with a knife, leaving a short stump which might produce more leaves or a smaller head. Some varieties may need binding with soft twine or raffia around the heads as they near maturity.