I thought I'd give napa cabbage a try in my Minnesota garden, and ordered seeds. But the packet sternly warns one NOT to grow indoors with the intention of transplanting, as any disturbance - including both root disturbance and crummy weather near maturity - causes them to bolt to seed. I start to see why it's expensive in the store. I have nothing to loose really, at this point. But does anyone have any experience with starting early indoors with this kind of plant?
Thanks,
Joan
Starting napa cabbage early from seed
I have 2 Napa cabbages and this is my first try with them so it sounds like you know more about it than I do since I hadn't heard that they don't like transplanting.
I sowed several seeds in 1 small pot of soil back in January. At the same time I started some broccoli, regular cabbage and pak choi. Only 2 came up and they never grew as fast as the others. I planted them out about a month ago and 1 has grown very slowly while the other is just sitting there. I had assumed that they'd act like normal brassicas which don't mind transplanting. I had blamed their failure to thrive on the extra cold winter. So I'm not much help. I'll keep this in mind when I try again in the fall. I've found that most things can be transplanted, even root crops, if you water them in well.
If you're going to try them indoors, I'd use something like peat pots or toilet paper rollers so you can plant them "as is", or with as little disturbance as possible.
Do you have raised beds or are they go directly in the ground?
I have peat pellets for getting them started in the house. The packet says (Stokes, you know how detailed and very useful but - well, stuffy I guess - their instructions can be) that northern gardeners usually direct sow after July 7! If I do that there might be no crop! Plus I'm pooped by then. So I'll start some now and chop 'em up if they bolt, and start some later directly in the garden and see how fast they grow. I take it pretty warm soil temps are desirable at least for starting. I guess what I'm wondering is what kinds of experience people have had with this kind of cabbage. Nobody but nobody I know grows it, but I do love it in stir fry and so do my friends.
The thing is, I've grown other stuff that says "roots must not be disturbed," and had success. I think the trick is to plant one seed per soil unit, so you don't have to pull them apart; or be willing to simply chop off excess seedlings per unit. That's my guess anyway; I think it's not that the roots must never be exposed to air, as happens when you transfer (with root system completely maintained) from pot or what have you, to the garden.
How about lining a plastic pot with newspaper? Anybody ever tried that for the touchy guys? No way a peat pellet is going to last long, for cabbage, and I think I should probably hold these until late May. Plastic pot support may actually prevent disturbance while the root ball is forming.
Raised beds, no; my veg garden is on a south-facing mild slope, and it's basically sandy. It warms pretty quickly, compared to wet soils. It's kind of naturally raised! ;D
You can put soil in a toilet-paper cardboard roller and place that in the plastic pot. They hold up well, and you can just peel them off when transplant.
Whatever you decide - I hope they do well for you - and I hope you will keep us posted!
Of my 2 napa cabbages, the little runt died and the larger one is bolting. It's only about 4" across. My pak choi that took the heat so well and for so long last fall has bolted before it got full grown. I've concluded that these are only for fall and winter in my zone. The side shoots on the old broccoli are flowering while the shoots are still too small to harvest. The new broccoli is not heading yet and I have hopes. The cabbage has small heads forming. I pinched one today and didn't feel anything solid yet. The cauliflower is also history.
On the plus side, my lettuce is doing very well which is a first for me this late. I discovered the secret I think. It hates the direct sun and loves lots of water and indirect bright light.
Golly, Twiggybuds, that's kind of a disappointing showing! Well, I planted my seeds a couple of days ago and we'll just see how it goes. It sounds like weather is the thing. You planted the napa cabbage in mid-February and it's bolting already?? Wow.
OK, so I went to Stokes' website, and found a fact sheet about the variety I'm trying, which is "Blues." Supposedly slower to bolt. Wants night temperatures above 50; if night temps drop to 40 for a week, or 50 for two weeks, "bud differentiation" occurs. I'm guessing that I might have to haul the cold frame out to the garden, to be opened in the daytime and closed at night. Is it worth it, I wonder? But it'll be interesting, anyway. Maybe I *should* try sowing in July, for September harvest. Plenty of seeds left --
I have always started mine in my GH and then transplanted them to the garden (usually in July) and i buy my seed from Territorial. I never realized that they resent transplanting or that they are fussy about temps. I have gotten some very nice heads over the years. Hope knowing this won't affect my success. You know---ignorance is bliss---Guess i could try planting them where they will grow.
Beebonnet, that's great news. I bet your temps are pretty well up in the perfect range though, in Coos Bay area. Mine germinated pretty quickly. We'll see what happens!
Joanic, I don't know much about your temps. except that they may soar up in late spring, but are cold right now. But, maybe, if you wait until the napas have some true leaves, and are hardened off properly before planting out, you will be able to get some great plants. That would be great. Good luck.