Granaat Chinese cabbage organic seeds - Brassica rapa var. pekinensis

The Organic 'Granaat' Pe-Tsai Cabbage is a Chinese cabbage of the Pe-tsai type which produces ovate heads, tall and well-closed, with tender green waffled foliage and very fleshy white midribs. An autumn leaf vegetable, it is distinguished by its crunchy texture, its sweet and refreshing flavour and very good digestibility, appreciated by those who struggle with classic headed cabbages. This reproducible seed variety is suitable for the family vegetable garden as well as for square-foot gardens or small urban container gardens. Fast-growing, it offers both young leaves for mesclun and heavy heads for Asian cuisine, compound salads or homemade kimchi preparation.

Chinese Cabbages are vegetable plants originating from China and, more generally, from East Asia. They belong, like their European homologues, to the large Brassicaceae family and bear the species name *Brassica rapa* var. *pekinensis*. The Chinese cabbage form, selected in China for several centuries, is thought to have arisen from hybridizations and selections from the turnip and other forms of *B. rapa*, particularly around the Beijing region. In the wild, this form does not exist spontaneously: it is a pure product of traditional market gardening.
The species is biennial, it flowers in the second year, but 'Granaat' is grown as an annual: the head is harvested before it goes to seed.

The plant develops a very dense, strongly upright, oblong head, 35 to 40 cm in height and about 30 cm in diameter, commonly weighing 1 to 1.5 kg. The outer leaves, bright green to dark green, are well-waffled and undulate, while the inner leaves, lighter to pale yellow, remain very tender. The median midribs and secondary veins are thick, white, juicy and crunchy. In the second year, on plants left in place, branched flower stems rise bearing clusters of small yellow cruciform flowers with four petals, visited by pollinating insects, especially bees. Like many Chinese cabbages, 'Granaat' is sensitive to premature bolting in case of prolonged cold or sowing too early: it is preferably sown in late summer, when temperatures are stable and mild. This variety is widely used as a reference line in agronomic research, particularly for the study of clubroot.
Chinese cabbage is one of the staple vegetables in Northern China: leaves or whole heads were once hung under eaves to dry and create vegetable reserves for winter.

In the kitchen, it lends itself equally well to crunchy salads, quick wok cooking, Asian soups or homemade lactic fermentation, making it a true pillar of autumn harvests.

In the vegetable garden, growing Chinese Cabbage is a little more delicate than that of classic cabbages as it requires more warmth but it shares the same requirements: deep soil, excellent manure and regular moisture. It is planted in full sun. Not very hardy, Chinese Cabbages are vegetables for late summer and early winter only.

Harvest: The Pe Tsai Granaat Chinese Cabbage is harvested from August to October as needed, by cutting with a knife at the collar level. Its leaves can be consumed both at the young shoot stage and at ripeness.

Storage: It keeps in the refrigerator for a few days.

The Gardener's Tip: To limit watering, we advise you, when the young plants are well developed, to mulch the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also reduces weeding.

In the garden, the Pe-Tsai 'Granaat' Chinese cabbage is planted in the late summer and autumn leaf vegetable beds. It accompanies pak-choi of the 'Taisai' type or tatsoi. In an urban vegetable garden, it can be grown in deep containers, in association with aromatic herbs reputed to protect cabbages like thyme, common sage or chives.

Organic or "AB" seeds come from plants grown without phytosanitary products (insecticidal, herbicides). These seeds also do not undergo any post-harvest treatment. They carry the AB label and are certified by Ecocert, which is an independent body.