Chinese cabbage, also known as Napa cabbage, combines the tasty flavor of cabbage with the texture of romaine lettuce to reign as one of the most enticing cool-season vegetables. One of the easier plants in the brassica family to grow, Napa cabbage's mild flavor has a peppery kick that suits salads, stir-fries, and spicy kimchi.
Chinese Cabbage Overview
Where to Plant Chinese Cabbage
Plant Chinese cabbage in moist, fertile, well-drained soil and sun or part shade. Avoid planting where you've grown brassica crops in previous years.
Each plant needs about 3 feet to grow well so give it ample space within a row of crops, in a raised bed vegetable garden, or even tucked in an island bed or border.
Avoid planting any type of cabbage near tomatoes, peppers, beans, or strawberries.
How and When to Plant Chinese Cabbage
Chinese cabbage thrives in the cool temperatures of spring and fall. Wait until after the last frost date to direct-seed Chinese cabbage or plant transplants. For fall harvest, plant seeds directly in the garden in late summer.
Consistently moist and nutrient-rich soil are key to growing Chinese cabbage. Enrich the area prior to planting by incorporating a 3-inch layer of well-decomposed compost into the soil. If possible, plan to irrigate plants with a drip hose and install prior to planting.
To plant nursery specimens, dig a hole about the same width and depth as the planting container. Remove the plant and place in the hole. If using biodegradable pots, place the pot in the hole with the top rim at soil level. Backfill with soil, tamp lightly, and water well.
Chinese Cabbage Care Tips
Light
Chinese cabbage likes an open spot in full sun. But if your region experiences hot summers, it's helpful to choose a part-shade planting. Part shade helps prevent this vegetable from bolting and turning bitter.
Soil and Water
Give Chinese cabbage moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.5. Before sowing seeds, prepare the soil by working compost or well-rotted manure into the bed.
Water regularly throughout the growing season, providing 1 inch of water per week via irrigation if it does not rain, as Chinese cabbage likes a moist soil. A drip irrigation method is best. If watering with a hose, avoid spraying overhead. A layer of mulch around the plants can help to keep the ground moist and cool.
Temperature and Humidity
Chinese cabbage thrives in the cool temperatures of spring and fall and will tolerate a light frost. However, the plant also tends to bolt and become bitter when exposed to prolonged frost or a week of nighttime temperatures below 50°F.
As long as there is good air circulation among the plants, humidity usually isn't a concern.
Fertilizer
Use a balanced fertilizer, following product label directions, on Chinese cabbage when the plants are young but stop fertilizing once the heads begin to develop.
Harvesting Tips
Harvest Chinese cabbage when heads are plump and well filled out. Finish harvesting before the advent of freezing weather. With a sharp knife, cut mature heads when they are compact and firm. Most varieties are ready to harvest 45-50 days after planting. Direct seed a second crop in mid- to late summer for fall harvest before a hard frost.
Chinese cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator's vegetable bin for about a month, or blanched and frozen for up to four months.
Potting and Repotting Chinese Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage makes a good container plant. Select a pot at least 8 inches in diameter for each plant with large drainage holes and use well-draining potting soil. Terra-cotta is an ideal type of pot since the material allows excess moisture to escape through its walls. Keep in mind that potted plants, unlike plants in the landscape, require more frequent watering and fertilization.
Pests and Problems
Young Chinese cabbage plants can be attacked by aphids and cabbage worms. Hand-pick or hose off the aphids, and control the cabbage worms by spraying Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Slugs and snails may also attack the plants.
To prevent pest and disease problems, plant in a garden space that hasn't hosted these crops in at least four years.
How to Propagate Chinese Cabbage
When planting in the garden, sow two or three seeds 10 inches apart in rows spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. When seedlings are several inches tall, thin them to one strong plant every 10 inches. (Use the thinned plants in salads, if you like.) To avoid stunting growth, don't let seedlings get crowded before thinning or transplanting. Water plants regularly to keep the soil evenly moist, but not wet, to promote strong growth.
Direct seed a second crop in mid- to late summer for fall harvest before a hard frost.
Chinese cabbage does not like to be transplanted. Seedlings started indoors should be placed in biodegradable pots that can be set into the soil. Start seeds six weeks before the average last frost date in your region. Fill biodegradable pots with moistened potting or seed-starting mix. Sow 2 seeds per pot 1/4-inch deep and cover lightly with mix or vermiculite. Place pots on a heating mat or other warm surface to maintain about 75 degrees F. until germination. Keep the soil moist. If two plants sprout in the pot, thin to the strongest seedling. After the last frost date, harden off your sturdy seedlings and plant the pots in the garden.
You can also regrow a chinese cabbage from scraps. It won't get as large as one grown in the ground, but you'll have tender leaves to harvest and cut down on food waste.
Types of Chinese Cabbage
Chinese cabbage, along with other green leafy vegetables, has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. Plant breeders are developing new varieties that are well-suited for container-growing and tolerate a wide range of growing conditions. Here are few cultivars to try.
Chinese Express
An early, slow-bolting variety, this Chinese cabbage features glossy green and white leaves. Barrel-shaped heads are tightly packed with mild-flavored leaves.
F1 Blues
Another early maturity and highly adaptable hybrid, the Blues cabbage is resistant to several diseases including downy mildew and leaf spot.
Monument
Monument, a well-known Michihili type of Chinese cabbage, produces tall, cylindrical heads with green outer leaves and white inside. A late variety, the heads can grow up to 18 inches tall and make a statuesque statement in the garden. This is a good storage cabbage.
Chinese Cabbage Companion Plants
Pair this nutrient-packed vegetable with other cool-season edibles for a robust backyard harvest at the beginning or end of the growing season.
Radish
A favorite early spring crop, radishes are a cinch to grow from seed, producing peppery edible roots in as few as 30 days. In climates with cold winters, you can enjoy a second crop in fall by planting seeds when the nights turn cool in early fall.
Spinach
Spinach is a rewarding plant in the spring vegetable garden because it's easy to grow and incredibly nutritious. Dubbed a superfood because of the vitamins and minerals found within its leaves, spinach deserves a space in every yard.
Nasturtium
A fast-growing heirloom annual with slightly succulent stems and distinctive, rounded green leaves that resemble miniature lotus leaves, nasturtiums make a wonderful companion plant in the vegetable garden since they have some pest deterrent properties among cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Chinese cabbage come back every year?Although technically a biennial plant, Chinese cabbage is usually grown as an annual and harvested when the heads become firm.
Although technically a biennial plant, Chinese cabbage is usually grown as an annual and harvested when the heads become firm.
- How does Chinese cabbage differ from regular cabbage?Although it features tightly-wrapped leaves in a head like regular cabbage, Chinese cabbage is leafier, more elongated in shape, and has a sweeter flavor. It also provides higher vitamin and mineral content and offers additional nutrients such as folic acid and antioxidants.
Although it features tightly-wrapped leaves in a head like regular cabbage, Chinese cabbage is leafier, more elongated in shape, and has a sweeter flavor. It also provides higher vitamin and mineral content and offers additional nutrients such as folic acid and antioxidants.
- Is Chinese cabbage the same as bok choy?Bok choy (aka pak choi) features tall, narrow heads with thick white stalks and deep green leaves, while Chinese or napa cabbage is more compact and resembles a miniature head of romaine lettuce.
Bok choy (aka pak choi) features tall, narrow heads with thick white stalks and deep green leaves, while Chinese or napa cabbage is more compact and resembles a miniature head of romaine lettuce.