Hosts summer cottages They have already learned the taste of Chinese cabbage and began to grow it with pleasure, obtaining quite good harvests. But not everyone knows yet another leafy cabbage from China - pak choy. Its main advantage is fast growth, only a month will pass and you can get the first harvest.

Separate leaves and petioles

In appearance, pak choi cabbage is absolutely not similar to any other cabbage, but rather looks like a large leaf salad or Swiss chard. In China it is called Bai Cai “white cabbage”, and in Europe it is called mustard cabbage. Pak choy in the salad gives a pleasant bitterness (the taste is more like arugula salad), but when it is cooked, a slightly sweetish aftertaste appears. The leaves and petioles of this cabbage are prepared separately in most cases. The petioles are mainly stewed or boiled, and the leaves are consumed fresh.

Pak choi cabbage does not grow the usual head of cabbage, but creates an erect, dense rosette of leaves about 35 cm in diameter, which is supported by thick, closely spaced petioles. Pak choi cabbage leaves are corrugated and tender, from light salad to grayish in color.

Gardeners grow three types of this cabbage. The first has leaves dark green color, and light white petioles. The second variety has both petioles and leaves of a light green hue. The third has unusual red-purple leaves on top and green at the bottom of the leaf, and the petioles of this variety are green. Depending on the variety grown, the dimensions of the plants vary from low, 10 cm tall, to large ones, which grow up to 50 cm. Although pak choy belongs to the cabbage family, at the same time it is also classified as a salad crop.

The harvest of this plant can be harvested at any time, because it is a shear type crop. Basically, this plant can be harvested at the age of 35-50 days. But you can make your first salad from young leaves much earlier than this. Grown rosettes are cut 2-3 cm above the soil surface, and fully grown rosettes are cut a little higher. After some time, using the remains of the rosette, you can collect several more harvests of vitamin-rich greens.

Positive properties of pak choy

Pak choi may seem a little rough to some gardeners, but the good thing about it is that when white cabbage planted in open ground, this crop can already be eaten. This plant is more cold-resistant compared to Chinese cabbage and resists diseases much better.

Varieties

In the retail network you can find more than 10 varieties of this plant: Pagoda, Early Jane, Marie, China Express, China Crunch, East Beauty, Yuna, Four Seasons, Swan, Swallow, Vesnyanka, Alyonushka, Gipro, Richie, Prima, but best for choose landings hybrid varieties, which are resistant to coloration.

Planting and subsequent care

Pak choi cabbage is quite easy to grow. Of all the cabbage crops, this plant is less demanding and produces a rich harvest. This “Chinese plant,” like its related plants, loves moisture and cool weather, responds well to fertilizing with organic fertilizers and humus, and does not tolerate the acidic reaction of the soil. But there are certain features of caring for this crop that must be taken into account if you want to get good harvest pak-choi in the country garden.

The secrets of success are simple:

It is necessary to sow Pak Choi in early April or late August.
Plants growing during long daylight hours shoot quickly and then bloom.
You can sow pak choi seeds directly in open ground, but it is better under a film cover, 3 seeds in each hole. You can get a good harvest of pak choi by growing it in seedlings.
Seedlings ready for planting in the ground at the age of 3 weeks should have 4-5 leaves.
It is necessary to thin out cabbage in the phase of 1-2 leaves, leaving the seedlings at a distance of approximately 15-20 cm, in this case the pak choi rosettes will turn out to be large.

There is no point in sowing many seeds at one time; the leaves of this plant are short term become rude. It is best to stretch out the pleasure by sowing seeds at intervals of 1 week, of course, if you like this plant.

Pests

The most damaging thing to Chinese cabbage sown in spring is cruciferous flea beetles. To reduce losses from this pest, it is advisable to protect crops with agrofibre. You can also scare it away by dusting the seedlings with tobacco dust or wood ash.

Our summer residents have already tried Beijing cabbage and are successfully growing it, receiving decent yields. But few people know the second native of China, pak choi. Its most important advantage is early maturity. Already a month after germination, you can harvest.

Petioles and leaves - separately

Externally, pak choy (from the English bok choy or pak choy - cabbage-turnip) does not look at all like any cabbage, but is more reminiscent of chard or large-leaf lettuce. In China it is known as “white ka empty” - Bai Cai, in Europe it is called mustard. When fresh, pak choy has a spicy bitterness (reminiscent of arugula), but after cooking it acquires a pleasant, slightly sweet taste. The stalks and leaves of pak choy are usually cooked separately. The petioles are most often boiled or stewed, and the leaves are eaten fresh.

Pak choy does not form a head of cabbage, but an upright compact rosette of leaves up to 35 cm in diameter, which is supported by thick petioles tightly pressed to each other. The leaves are delicate and ruffled, grayish to light blue-green in color.

There are three varieties of this culture. One has dark green leaves and bright white petioles (‘Joi Choi’). The other has both leaves and petioles light green (‘Shanghai Green’). The third has red-violet leaves above and green below, green petioles (‘Red Choi’). Depending on the variety, the size of the plants varies from squat, about 10 cm high, to tall, reaching 50 cm. Although this plant belongs to the cabbage family, it is classified as green (salad) vegetables.

Pak choy can be harvested at any stage as it is a shear plant. Usually this cabbage is ready for harvesting after 35-50 days from germination. But you can pick the first leaves for the salad much earlier than the specified period. Young rosettes are cut at a height of 2-3 cm above the ground, very mature ones - a little higher. After regrowth, it will be possible to harvest more than one harvest of juicy greenery from them.

Pros of growing pak choi
Many people find pak choi to be a bit rough in taste, but whereas white cabbage is just planted in the garden, this one can already be eaten. It is more cold-resistant than Beijing and is less susceptible to disease.

Pak choi: varieties

You can find more than a dozen varieties on sale (Prima, Richie, Gipro, Alyonushka, Vesnyanka, Lastochka, Lebedushka, Four Seasons, Yuna, Beauty of the East, China Crunch, China Express, Marie, Early Jane, Pagoda), but it is better to give preference to hybrid ones. resistant to "blooming".

Pak-choi - planting and care

Growing pak choi is not difficult. Of all kale she is perhaps the most uncapricious and generous with the harvest. Just like her close relatives, the “Chinese woman” loves cool and damp weather, feeding with organic matter, humus, ash and does not tolerate waterlogged and acidic soils. Meanwhile, there are some care features that should be kept in mind if you decide to provide pak choi with a place in the garden bed.

The ingredients for success are simple:

Pak choy should be sown in April or August. Planted during long daylight hours, in May-July, the Chinese plant will quickly shoot and bloom. Seeds can be sown directly into the garden bed, preferably under film, 3 pieces per hole. It is also possible to grow pak choi through seedlings. When ready for planting at 20-25 days of age, it should have 4-5 true leaves. Mandatory thinning of plants in the phase of one or two true leaves at a distance of at least 15-20 cm from each other. Then the rosettes will grow large. You should not sow a lot of cabbage at once; its leaves quickly become coarse. You can extend the pleasure by sowing the seeds little by little at intervals of 7-10 days. If pak choy, of course, is to your taste.

Pak choi pests

Cruciferous flea beetles can cause great damage to spring-sown Chinese cabbage. Losses can be avoided by covering the beds with agrofibre. The pest is also repelled by dusting plants with ash or its mixture with tobacco dust (1:1).

Unusual taste and benefits

Pak choi cabbage has long been widely known in Southeast Asia. This vegetable is valued in both Japanese and Chinese, and korean cuisine It is used as a side dish and as an independent dish.

Not so long ago, thanks to its unusual taste and the content of the whole range useful properties Pak choi cabbage has firmly established itself in European cuisine.

Unpretentious plant

Pak choy can be grown through seedlings. 15-18 days after germination and it’s time to replant into the beds.

This plant is not picky about soil and ripens quickly (in 25-30 days). Tolerant to the length of daylight hours, so it is possible to sow several times per season or reseeding with an interval of 10 days

But sometimes pak choi cabbage does not take root after transplantation. Therefore, it is better to sow it in the ground.

The distance between the sown seeds should be 30 cm Rows should be made

smooth, neat. To ensure that the surface does not dry out and the seeds do not disappear, the soil is covered with film for a maximum of 10 days - and the cabbage shoots are ready!

Where to plant

It is important that the predecessor of pak choy is not any cabbage (they have common pests and diseases).

If there is no other territory, no problem. 3-5 days before sowing or planting, treat the soil with Farmayod - 10 ml per 10 liters of water. Consumption of the working solution is 10 liters per 3 m 2.

Pak choy: benefits

Cleanses the body

Pak choy is valued for its low calorie content. rich in microelements and fiber. This product is ideal for those who want to lose weight. Its use helps cleanse the body, eliminates the development of constipation, and reduces the amount of bad cholesterol.

A storehouse of vitamins

Of particular value are the leaves, which contain huge amounts of ascorbic acid. If pak choy is used for food systematically, the vessels will acquire plasticity and become durable.

Vitamin K, which is also found in cabbage, plays an indispensable role in blood clotting. Vitamin A is necessary for the renewal of skin cells.

What makes this cabbage an irreplaceable product is its constituents: lysine, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, lemon acid, vitamins PP, troupe B, etc.

Pak choi cabbage is one of the most ancient vegetable crops and a close relative of Chinese cabbage, but it is grown quite rarely. Pak choi is a bit like lettuce and chard. This early-ripening vegetable plant is popular in Chinese and Asian cuisine.

To grow such a plant there is no need to be a professional grower. Pak choi cabbage is very unpretentious and requires compliance with simple agrotechnical measures when growing.

Characteristics of pak choi cabbage

Agrotechnical requirements for cultivation Chinese cabbage somewhat different than for most of the ones we are used to cabbage plants. Pak choy is practically not demanding on the quality of the soil and perfectly forms a crop when grown on poorly fertilized land.

The Chinese variety of cabbage does not form heads and is similar in appearance to exotic greens or salad vegetables. Refers to early ripening species that, after planting, seedlings ripen thirty days later. The warm Asian climate allows pak choy to be grown and harvested many times in one season.

In Russia, you can grow two varieties of pak choy:

having a dark green leaf part and white petioles;
having all parts completely light green.

Health benefits of pak choi cabbage

The main feature of this cabbage crop is its high performance, which is very useful for human body an amino acid called lysine. An important advantage is the rich composition of vitamins, as well as essential minerals that have a beneficial effect on human health.

Pak choy has a very wide range of uses in terms of cooking. Most often this vegetable crop used in a variety of salads, as a vitamin green crop. Pak choy can be stewed and used as a side dish for a variety of meat or fish dishes.

Growing seedlings

For faster and more friendly germination of pak choi seeds, the soil for planting should be very loose and light. If seedlings are grown in the warm season or indoors with high temperature, then the seeds are sown in the last days of March.

It is very convenient to grow pak choi in several stages, leaving intervals between sowing seeds of two weeks. After the formation of five true leaves on the plant, the seedlings are transplanted. This period occurs in the third week after sowing the seeds in a container with soil. Should be paid Special attention to poor survival rate of seedlings when transplanted to a permanent place.

Of particular importance for productivity is right choice varieties. It is very important to choose a pak choi variety that is bred by breeders to grow in similar weather conditions and is not susceptible to pests or diseases.

Landing Features

Experts recommend either transshipping seedlings with an earthen ball with extreme caution, or growing pak choy on ridges by directly sowing seeds. Sowing seeds on ridges is done in an ordinary way. The gap from one row to another should be at least thirty centimeters.

The ridges with crops need to be covered with a covering film and then the first entrances can be observed in a week. It is very correct to cover the plantings with ordinary wood ash, which perfectly protects the seedlings from the invasion of the worst enemy of cabbage crops in the form of the cruciferous flea beetle.

The most effective way is to prepare the soil for sowing seeds in the fall of last year. Preparation consists of deep digging, no less than a spade's length, combined with the application of fertilizers. Good results shows deposit organic fertilizers in an amount not exceeding ten liters per square meter of beds. To get a good harvest, you need to add superphosphate fertilizers and a little lime to organic matter.

In early spring, fertilized ridges should be covered with a dark, dense film, which will help the soil to quickly thaw and warm up to a temperature comfortable for growing plants. Next, the thawed soil is dug up with the addition of urea.

Rules of care

Pak choy cannot be grown as a follow-on crop after plants such as cabbages, radishes and other cruciferous vegetables. Cabbage root system located in the surface layers of the earth and does not go deeper than fifteen centimeters.

It is very important not to treat or spray the plant during the growing season. chemicals and agents that can accumulate in parts of pak choy that are eaten. The process of cross-pollination with Peking cabbage is allowed. Despite its exotic nature, pak choy is very unpretentious to growing conditions and does not require any special care from the grower.

There are still some features when growing pak choi cabbage, and if you adhere to them, the harvest will be very high.

The most important thing is not to forget that Chinese cabbage can bolt and bloom at a stage when daylight hours increase significantly.
The most best time cultivation time is from the end of April. It is at this time that the active formation and growth of the vegetative mass occurs. Growers who plant pak choi from mid-May risk ending up with a plant that blooms and goes into the stem. Have a good time The time to grow Chinese cabbage is the end of July, when daylight hours are waning and the plant produces a very high yield.
The basis of care is weeding, which can be replaced by mulching plants with pine needles, grass clippings, straw or sawdust. It is also important to carry out timely watering and protective measures against diseases and pests.

Diseases and pests

The greatest damage is caused to Chinese cabbage pak choi by cruciferous flea beetles. This very small pest can completely destroy all plantings. The pest begins its flight in early spring, after the air warms up to fifteen degrees Celsius. During the same period, very active and massive egg laying occurs.

Cruciferous flea beetles, awakened from hibernation, immediately begin to intensively feed on young plants and can completely consume a plant that is beginning to actively grow in a couple of days.

There are several very effective methods and means that will save plants from death. Important During this period, the seedlings receive abundant watering. This pest does not tolerate high humidity, since plants growing in well-moistened soil are perfectly protected from cruciferous flea beetles.

A very good result is obtained by the method of pollinating young and already mature plants with any mixtures, the base of which is represented by ordinary wood ash or tobacco dust.

The best infusions against pests of pak choi:

solution from liquid soap with sifted wood ash;
infusion based on garlic and fresh tomato leaves;
infusion of dandelion root and liquid soap;
vinegar water solution;
infusion of green wormwood and garlic arrows.

If the grower does not have the opportunity to spray or pollinate the plants, then it is possible to briefly cover fragile plants with a light non-woven covering material such as spunbond, agrospam or lutrasil.

Pak choi cabbage is traditional to China and has been cultivated in this country for thousands of years. Recently, exotic culture has been gaining a well-deserved place on our tables. Growing it is not difficult, pak choi ripens early and is undemanding to soil fertility, while it has a good taste. The white fleshy petioles resemble asparagus or chard, and green leaves similar to spinach.

Description of Chinese cabbage pak choi

Chinese cabbage pak choi is a close relative of Chinese cabbage, but differs from it appearance, growing conditions, culinary use. It is also called mustard cabbage because of its spicy taste. It looks like an exotic lettuce up to 50 cm high and up to 30–40 cm in diameter. Smooth or pimply leaves are collected in a rosette, their color ranges from grayish and light green to dark green with white veins. It differs from Chinese cabbage in its smaller height, increased cold resistance and the fact that it does not form a head of cabbage. Around the central bud, white succulent petioles form, making up the bulk of the plant. Both tender sprouts and adult shoots can be eaten. If you cut off young shoots at the white base of the cabbage, after a while it will grow back.

In China, young heads of pak choi, which are small in size, up to 15 cm high, are most valued - they are more tender and more juicy.

The petioles of Chinese cabbage taste like asparagus or chard, and the leaves taste like spinach.

Chinese cabbage combines dietary and medicinal properties, it contains:

vitamin C - supports immunity, a source of antioxidants;
vitamin P - strengthens blood vessels, helps the body in the fight against viral and bacterial infections, reduces allergic reactions;
vitamin A - improves vision, prevents atherosclerosis;
magnesium, potassium, phosphorus - microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body;
fiber - to cleanse the body of toxins and improve digestion;
folic acid - it is especially necessary during pregnancy for correct formation fetus;
lysine, an essential (i.e., not produced in the human body) amino acid that helps fight various diseases, even cancer.

Pak choy is great in the first spring salads, but you can make a soup, a side dish, or an independent vegetable dish from it. It goes well with other vegetables and meat products. When cooked it becomes sweetish, but when fresh it has a slight bitterness, like arugula. Chinese cabbage can be boiled, fried, stewed, even pickled and stored for future use. Pak choy is a fast-growing crop; within a month after planting it can be used for food.

Chinese cabbage should not be eaten large quantities in diabetes, because it can cause hypothyroidism and other hormonal diseases.

Popular varieties

In Russia, this crop has been grown recently, so there are not many zoned varieties:

Alyonushka - an early ripening variety with a leaf rosette average size. The petiole is fleshy, medium length, wide, green.
Vesnyanka is an ultra-early ripening leaf variety for open and protected ground. Shoots appear on the 3–4th day, the first harvest after 20–25 days. Rosette semi-raised, densely leafy, up to 35 cm high
Swallow is an early ripening petiole variety of Chinese cabbage. The shoots are juicy, white, fleshy. The mass of plants can reach 1 kg or more, with more than half of it being petioles.
Swan is a mid-season (40–45 days) variety. The leaf rosette is erect, up to 40 cm in diameter and up to 50 cm in height. Plant weight is up to 1 kg. The petioles are bright white, up to 35 cm long, accounting for up to 80% of the plant’s mass. The variety is relatively resistant to early stemming and unfavorable weather conditions, suitable for thickened planting.
Pava is a mid-season hybrid of Chinese and Chinese cabbage. Combines large leaves and wide, dense, crispy petioles. The leaves are bright green, the petioles are white, fleshy, juicy, without fibers. It is resistant to stemming, so the variety can be sown at any time. The plants are very decorative and are well preserved after cutting.

Photo gallery: varieties of Chinese cabbage

Alyonushka is capable of producing two harvests per season Ultra-early ripening Stonefly suitable for open and protected ground The swallow is prized for its juicy, fleshy petioles.

For growing in open ground in cold regions (in the Urals and southern Siberia), early ripening varieties are recommended in order to obtain two or more harvests per season, almost unprecedented for these places. In cool summers and cool climates, seeds can be planted throughout the growing season. In hot climates, it is better to choose flowering-resistant hybrids for planting.

Planting Chinese cabbage

The ground for spring planting This crop is prepared in the fall, choosing a place where no other cabbage grew in order to avoid common pests (can be sown in the beds vacated after onions or garlic).

Before digging, add humus (Asian crops do not tolerate manure well) - 1 bucket per 1 square meter. meter, as well as 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate and potassium fertilizers; if necessary, deoxidize with lime. In spring, the soil is dusted with ash to protect against cruciferous flea beetles, which can damage tender shoots.

To obtain seedlings and early production, the seeds are planted one at a time in separate pots with peat in mid-March. The seedlings are not picked (they have very delicate roots), but are planted in the ground when 4–5 true leaves appear (late April - early May).

Pak choi seedlings are transplanted to the garden bed when 4–5 true leaves appear

Sowing directly into the ground is carried out in rows on elongated beds. Leave free place between rows of crops 30–40 cm. Film or white agrospan is thrown over the beds. Shoots from good seeds will appear approximately a week after planting. Thickened shoots need to be thinned out, leaving about 20 cm between shoots.

Chinese pak choi cabbage is a short-day plant, it is better to plant it in early spring or late summer, and when sown from May to June, it can shoot out and bloom. It is believed that best harvest Late summer planting of Chinese cabbage provides benefits. It is carried out at the end of July or at the beginning of August, then the plants have time to ripen before frost.

Features of cultivation

Even a novice gardener can grow Chinese cabbage; it requires little care. But it also has its own characteristics:

prefers loose soil, since its root system is superficial;
it cannot be treated with chemicals, since it has a very short growing season;
It is important to provide the plant with moisture, especially at the beginning of cultivation: abundant watering is needed, followed by shallow loosening of the soil, and in dry weather sprinkling is useful.

Sprinkling, in addition to the refreshing effect, gives pak choy additional protection from pests

Harvesting and storage

Chinese cabbage can be harvested as a leaf vegetable, pulling off the stems as they ripen. During continuous harvesting, cabbage is pulled out by the roots, which are then cut off. Pak choy is placed in a cool place or cellar, sprinkled with damp sand for storage without loss of taste for up to two to three months. In the east, Chinese cabbage is stored by preparing kimchi from it - the national Korean and Chinese dish. It is known in Russia under the name “Korean cabbage”.

Video: cooking with Chinese cabbage

Pak choi cabbage- a plant of the cabbage family. It is also called mustard or celery. This vegetable is one of the most ancient crops in China. Today, this variety of cabbage has spread throughout the rest of Asia, as well as in Europe.

Pak choy cabbage is a close relative of Chinese cabbage, although there is a big difference between them. The vegetable looks like this: the leaves are colored bright green color, and the petioles, on the contrary, are white (see photo). In addition, pak choi stands out for its juiciness and piquancy. This cabbage does not form a head; the leaves are collected in a rosette, which has a diameter of approximately 30 cm. The length of the vegetable reaches an average of 15 cm. The petioles of this plant taste similar to spinach.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of such cabbage for the human body are very great, and all thanks to the rich composition of vitamins and minerals in the vegetable. And also due to the fact that this type of cabbage belongs to low-calorie foods, it can be safely used during weight loss and to maintain ideal shape.

This vegetable stands out for its rich composition of microelements and, first of all, fiber, which is an excellent prevention of constipation, and it also cleanses the intestines well of toxins and other harmful products decay, and it is also able to cleanse the blood of cholesterol.

The leaves of this cabbage contain ascorbic acid, which is very useful and necessary for humans. Regular consumption of pak choy increases the strength and elasticity of blood vessels.. In addition, vitamin C is directly involved in the synthesis of protein and collagen, which increases the elasticity and firmness of the skin.

Pak choi also contains vitamin K, which is essential for normal blood clotting. It is also worth noting the high content of vitamin A, compared to other types of cabbage, which has a positive effect on skin cell renewal. In addition, this vitamin is necessary for vision, as it forms an enzyme that is needed for the correct refraction of light in the eye.

Use in cooking

This vegetable is most popular in Asian cooking. Pak choi cabbage is eaten like other cabbage varieties. It can be used not only raw, but also stewed, fried and boiled.. Cabbage goes well with other products of animal and plant origin. It is added to salads, soups and side dishes. In addition, cabbage can be fermented and dried so that it can be used at any time.

With its mustardy and slightly spicy flavor, pak choi makes a great addition to any dish.

It is believed that the most delicious and tender are the young leaves.

Benefits of pak choi cabbage and treatment

The benefits of pak choi cabbage are rated at dietary nutrition. It is recommended to be used for various gastrointestinal diseases and for diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The juice of this plant has a bactericidal effect, which allows it to be used for the rapid healing of ulcers, wounds and burns.

Many doctors note great benefit this vegetable to treat anemia.

It is recommended that pregnant women add pak choi to their diet as it contains the much-needed folic acid. Studies have shown that consuming this vegetable prevents the occurrence of various defects in the fetus.

Harm of pak choi cabbage and contraindications

Pak choy cabbage can cause harm only if you are individually intolerant to the product, and therefore it is contraindicated for consumption in the presence of allergic reactions.