Contents
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is a hybrid variety of the first generation (F1). It has extra early ripening, high yield and many other advantages. It is easy to grow a culture, it is quite unpretentious in its care.
Description of the Beijing cabbage variety Cha-Cha
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is classified as a hybrid variety. Her origin is domestic. The hybrid went on sale in 2008. It looks like this:
- average weight 2,6-2,7 kg;
- the leaves are juicy and elastic, loose in the upper part;
- compact dense head of cabbage, barrel-shaped;
- the lower part of the heads is almost white, at the top there are leaves of a salad shade, the edges are light green;
- coloring in a section is white-yellow;
- the leaves are crisp but tender;
- the length of the external stalk is medium, inside it is short.
The variety of Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is very early. After sowing seeds, heads of cabbage are harvested after 50-55 days. 1 m² of plantings brings up to 8 kg of crop.
Where grows
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is ideal for temperate latitudes. It is preferable to grow it in the middle lane. In the south, where summer temperatures often exceed 25 °C, the crop often blooms.
For high yields, it is important to choose the right place to plant:
- good lighting, light partial shade is recommended during the day;
- loose and fertile soil;
- soil acidity up to 5,0 pH.
You can grow Beijing Cha-Cha cabbage both in open ground and in greenhouses.
Application
Beijing Cha-Cha cabbage is grown for food. It is mainly consumed fresh, adding to salads.
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is also suitable for heat treatment. It is used as a substitute for classic white leaves in the preparation of cabbage rolls, for stewing. This variety is not suitable for pickling.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is great for mid-latitudes. Even under such conditions, it is resistant to stalking when planted early in spring, which is not the case with most other varieties.
When storing Beijing cabbage, it is better to place heads of cabbage vertically and in one layer – this is important to reduce the risk of mechanical damage.
Pros:
- early maturation;
- high yield;
- compactness;
- unpretentiousness in care;
- resistance to wet rot;
- excellent taste;
- high marketability.
Cons:
- sensitivity to temperature conditions;
- the need for regular watering.
Features of growing Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha
Beijing Cha-Cha can be grown through seedlings or seedless. In any case, it is better not to ignore seed preparation. They are placed in a solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour (temperature up to 50 ° C), then washed in cold water for 2-3 minutes. Seeds can be sown immediately after drying.
Seeding for seedlings
For seedlings, the seeds of Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha have been sown since March. You can shift the dates to the beginning of summer, but then the harvest will be obtained in the fall.
Peking cabbage seedlings do not like transplants, so it is better to sow the seeds immediately in individual containers. Peat pots work well for this.
Seedlings need loose and fertile soil. It is optimal to mix soddy soil with humus. Sowing Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha is easy:
- Fill the selected containers with soil.
- Distribute the seeds in pots, deepening by 1 cm.
- Moisten the crops with a spray bottle.
- Cover the planting containers with foil.
- Remove crops in a warm place.
Seedlings will appear in a few days. Landings are placed in a sunny place. Seedlings are moistened as needed. Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a top dressing. It serves as a prevention of diseases and speeds up the metabolism.
Seedlings are transferred to open ground when four true leaves appear. This is usually done in May-June. The optimal landing pattern is 40×60 cm.
Before moving to open ground, hardening is necessary – the time is increased gradually
When growing Beijing Cha-Cha cabbage, the right temperature is important. It should not be lower than 13-14 °C and preferably not higher than 25 °C. When it gets colder, use a non-woven cover.
seedless way
Directly into the ground, Beijing Cha-Cha cabbage is optimally planted in late June or early July. Sowing is carried out according to the same principle as for seedlings. The recommended planting pattern is observed, the seeds are buried by 1-2 cm. After sowing, they are moistened with a spray bottle. Warm water is used.
Seedlings are thinned first when two leaves appear, then after 1,5 weeks. Leave the strongest specimens.
Care instructions
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha must be watered regularly. Its roots are located close to the surface of the soil, which dries quickly, so moisture is required quite often. In the heat, it is carried out every two days, the rest of the time – half as often. When the plants get stronger, weekly moisture is enough.
After watering and rains, the earth is loosened. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the roots close to the surface. It is better to loosen only the aisles.
To preserve moisture, planting Beijing Cha-Cha cabbage is recommended to be mulched. Additionally, this measure reduces the growth of weeds. When planting seedlings, mulching is recommended after two weeks.
Natural products are more suitable for feeding. You can use herbal infusion or bird droppings or mullein by diluting it in water. It is better not to use mineral fertilizers. The crop has a short growing season during which it can easily accumulate nitrates. It is better to properly prepare the site in the fall.
Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha can suffer from cruciferous flea. The following measures are used against it:
- drugs – Aktara, Actellik, Decis, Avant, Modesto, Sumi-alpha;
- folk remedies – dusting with wood ash with tobacco, spraying with a decoction of tomato tops, a solution of vinegar, an infusion of dandelion roots and leaves.
Plants from cruciferous flea are recommended to be sprayed at least twice, to effectively alternate preparations
Slugs are another enemy of culture. There are several ways to deal with them:
- preparations – Slug-eater, Thunderstorm, Ulicid;
- traps with beer, kvass, fermented juice;
- spraying with infusions of bay leaf, garlic, sage, lavender, thyme;
- dusting with a mixture of ash and fluffy lime;
- mechanical obstacles – crushed nut or egg shells, gravel, crushed shells;
- the neighborhood of garlic, onions, parsley, coriander, tansy, peonies.
Slugs prefer clay areas, they are also attracted by mowed grass, the proximity of compost heaps
Conclusion
Beijing cabbage Cha-Cha is an ultra-early high-yielding hybrid. It is resistant to maturation and wet rot, compact, unpretentious in care. You can start with seedlings or limit yourself to sowing directly into the ground.
Reviews of gardeners about Chinese cabbage Cha-Cha
