CHINESE CABBAGE
Consider planting this for an exotic, high-yield vegetable in your late garden.
Looking for an exotic, flavorful, high-yield vegetable for
your late garden? John Krill has just what you want!
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Pe-tsai (literally, "white vegetable") is nothing
new to the Chinese gardeners who've been growing the
delicious crop for close to 2,000 years. To American
gardeners, however, "Chinese cabbage" remains largely
unknown.
Which is a shame . . . because this heavy-yielding member
of the mustard family not only [A] grows rapidly in cool
fall weather and [B] shows remarkable pest resistance, but
[C] produces a head of distinctive, mild flavor . . . with
none of the stomach-upsetting qualities of the more
familiar European cabbage.
You'll recognize Chinese cabbage by its tall, columnar
head, which measures up to 20 inches long and 5 or more
inches in diameter. The tightly wrapped, albino leaves of
the head make a fine slaw and are excellent cooked or used
as a "surprise ingredient" in a tossed salad. In addition,
the long, thick-ribbed outer leaves of the head—which
resemble stalks of celery (hence the plant's alternate
name, "celery cabbage")—make tasty cottage cheese
boats and savory additions to soups and stews.
Chinese cabbage isn't at all hard to grow, provided you
satisfy the plant's few simple needs . . . the primary
requirement being cool weather for the greater
part of the vegetable's 70- to 80-day maturation period.
(It'll bolt and go to seed at the slightest hint of
summer-like weather.) Here in northeastern Ohio, we plant
our seeds in the first week of August . . . but then again,
in warmer regions—such as California—it might
be wise to hold off until September or October.
Seed houses offer two varieties of Chinese cabbage: Chihli
and Michihli. I plant only the Michihli variety,
because—in my experience—it heads more
dependably and more uniformly than the other type.
Pe-tsai seems to care little whether the earth it
grows in is clayey, silty, or sandy . . . so long as it's
rich in humus and/or manure. (As a general rule, if the
soil will support onions and tomatoes well, it'll do the
same for Chinese cabbage.) Before you sow your seeds, then,
spread manure or humus on the ground and till it in to a
depth of at least six inches. This procedure will not only
ensure that your plants have a rich supply of nutrients,
but will help the topsoil retain moisture (something your
cabbages need in great abundance if they're to enjoy rapid,
uninterrupted growth).
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