Napa Cabbage Spectrum F1 - Vilmorin Seeds
Napa Cabbage Spectrum F1 - Vilmorin Seeds
Napa Cabbage Spectrum F1 - Vilmorin Seeds
Brassica rapa var. pekinensis Pe Tsaï Spectrum F1
Chinese Cabbage
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Description
'Spectrum F1' Cabbage is a hardy and very productive hybrid variety that produces attractive, densely-packed elongated heads. The green crinkled and wavy leaves have a delicious sweet flavour, milder than green cabbage. Sow from July to August and harvest from September to November.
Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) is a leaf vegetable belonging to the large Brassicaceae family. It is native to East Asia. It is a staple in Asian cuisine and has become increasingly popular in western countries since the 19th century. The two most common subspecies are napa cabbage (Pekinensis Group) and bok choy (Chinensis group). Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese white cabbage, pe-tsai and “celery cabbage”, produces tall, oblong heads of pale green leaves white thick white ribs. Bok choy or pak choi is doesn’t form heads but lightly-packed clusters of fleshy stalks, topped with dark to medium green leaves. Chinese cabbage is a versatile vegetable that is delicious eaten raw in salads as well as cooked in a stir-fry or a stew. This biennial plant, grown as an annual, is remarkably healthy thanks to its high vitamin A, K and C content. It is also a good source of fibre and minerals such as calcium and potassium.
Chinese cabbage is slightly trickier to grow than regular green cabbage as it tends to bolt easily in hot weather and is not very cold hardy. It is an ideal crop for late summer and early autumn, before the frost sets in. In cooler regions, it is possible to grow Chinese cabbage as a winter crop. It requires deep, rich soil, regular watering and plenty of sun.
Harvest: Either harvest the leaves as and when required or wait until the heads are fully formed and cut them off at ground level.
Storage: Chinese cabbage will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Good to know: Mulching with grass clippings or dead leaves will help keep the soil moist whilst limiting weed growth.
Even if the vegetable garden is first and foremost a place for growing great quality veg, it’s always a good idea to leave a bit of room for flowers. Growing flowers alongside your vegetable plants will make your general gardening experience more enjoyable and is a great way to attract pollinators and repel garden pests! Flowers such as gaillardia, marigolds, zinnias, cosmos or nasturtiums can be sown in and around the rows of vegetables. Herbs such as dill can be very useful also. Bear in mind that some companion plants self-seed easily and can be a bit invasive (borage, chives, lemon balm etc.)
NB: This variety is marked F1 for "F1 hybrid" meaning that its qualities are derived from carefully selected parent plants. This results in a variety that is both full of flavour and resistant to diseases. Sometimes criticized or wrongly assimilated to GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds have the advantage of producing reliable, uniform, disease resistant plants. Unfortunately, these qualities will not be passed on to following generations.
Harvest
Plant habit
Foliage
Botanical data
Brassica
rapa var. pekinensis
Pe Tsaï Spectrum F1
Brassicaceae
Chinese Cabbage
Cultivar or hybrid
Annual
Planting and care
Sowing:
The germination temperature of Chinese Cabbage (Pé-Tsaï) Spectrum F1 is around 20° and takes about 14 days.
Sowing period: under heated shelter from April to May or in open ground from July to August
You can proceed with direct sowing in place or prepare seedlings that will then be planted in their final location in the garden.
Preparing seedlings: Under shelter or in a nursery in the garden for the rest of the year (according to the recommended sowing period), sow the seeds at a depth of 1 to 2 cm in good seed compost or fine soil. Cover lightly with compost and remember to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.
When the young plants appear strong enough to handle, transplant them into pots if necessary before planting them in the garden, when there is no longer any risk of frost. During planting, respect the recommended spacing for direct sowing.
Direct sowing: In properly amended and finely worked soil, make furrows with a depth of one or two centimeters, spaced 40 centimeters apart. Sow the seeds and cover them with a thin layer of fine soil. When the seedlings are well developed, thin them out, keeping only one plant every 40 centimeters.
Cultivation:
Chinese Cabbage (Pé Staï) Spectrum F1 is grown in full sun. It is a demanding vegetable that requires well-rotted, nitrogen-rich and potash-rich soil. It is advisable, preferably in autumn, to generously apply mature compost (about 3/4 kg per m2), by raking it in to a depth of 5 cm, after having, as with any vegetable crop, thoroughly loosened the soil. It is not very tolerant of soil pH, which should be between 5.6 and 6.5. In acidic soil, it will be necessary to gradually raise this pH by adding calcium in the form of Dolomite or Lime.
Beware of pests such as Cabbage White butterfly or Flea Beetles and consider installing insect netting.
Seedlings
Care
Intended location
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:- In zones 9 to 10 (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), flowering will occur about 2 to 4 weeks earlier.
- In zones 6 to 7 (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and lower mountainous regions), flowering will be delayed by 2 to 3 weeks.
- In zone 5 (Central Europe, Scandinavia), blooming will be delayed by 3 to 5 weeks.
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
- In Mediterranean zones (Marseille, Madrid, Milan, etc.), autumn and winter are the best planting periods.
- In continental zones (Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, etc.), delay planting by 2 to 3 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 2 to 4 weeks in autumn.
- In mountainous regions (the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, etc.), it is best to plant in late spring (May-June) or late summer (August-September).
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.