Zha cai cultivation report

vegetables＆fruit

2023.02.20

Arrived from China! quick! strong! good! triple time. A new wave of garden vegetables!

Hi. I am Minmin, the fairy of Zha cai. Have you ever eaten zha cai? “Yes, pickles.” Also, fried rice and gyoza condiments are delicious. So what have you cultivated? “When I say that, everyone suddenly looks up at the sky and looks troubled.” It seems that not many people grow them at home yet. but! Zha cai is surprisingly easy to grow and can be harvested in a short period of about four months from planting to harvest. Zha cai, which comes from Sichuan, China, is full of energy and makes the garden green in winter. Why don’t you try it once?

Zha cai “almost weekly” cultivation report

9/18start
Seed planting
Minmin
Zha cai seeds are granular, or rather fine like sand, so they are often pelleted like this.
9/25
Germination!
Minmin
Germinate immediately. Germination is fast.
10/2
True leaves appear and grow steadily!
Minmin
It’s grown so much in just two weeks since I planted the seeds.
10/9
Big leaves
Minmin
What a cheerful and nice colored leaf, right?
10/16
Larger leaves!
Minmin
The leaves have spread out.
10/23
Still gigantic
Minmin
Add additional fertilizer at this point and change to outdoor planting. Even more energetic and big leaves.
10/30
Wide leaf shape
Minmin
A unique wide leaf shape like a fan.
11/6
The thickness of the leaves and the thickness of the stem increase, giving it a powerful effect.
Minmin
The leaves are glossy. I want to have skin like this!
11/13
Leaves getting bigger and bigger
Minmin
It’s become a leafy vegetable
11/20
Leaves start to grow
Minmin
At first, there were 4 or 5 leaves, but they began to grow thicker around here, and many branches began to appear from the stem.
11/27
Leaves spread and fill the ground
Minmin
In addition, the leaves are wide and wide, making it look like a forest of Zha cai! It is said that armyworms and caterpillars come to devour the leaves of Zha cai, but compared to other leafy vegetables, I have the impression that they are almost inedible.
12/4
Swelling at the base of the stem finally!
Minmin
This bicep-shaped part becomes that “Zha cai”.
12/11
Swelling getting bigger and bigger
Minmin
Feel great power! “It looks like a giant’s face!” ?
12/18
The surrounding stems are also very thick
Minmin
Overall, power accumulates at the root.
12/25
The hump becomes longer vertically
Minmin
Is it hard to tell from the photo? It spreads horizontally and stretches vertically.
Minmin
It’s Christmas today. Just this morning, when the frost fell, the leaves, which had been so healthy, began to soften. It’s about time to harvest.
1/1
Harvest
Minmin
“Happy New Year!” Szechuan szechuan with thick roots and leaves was just like a bicep!

Zha cai cultivation point

It germinates quickly and grows vigorously. Zha cai is resistant to cold and pests and has a short harvest period. Even beginners can harvest with proper watering and fertilizing. However, if the harvest is delayed, the stalks may become hollow and fibrous overall, so it is important to harvest early.

Cultivation difficulty：★★☆☆☆