The Influence of Seedlings Age and Pots Size on Growth and Yielding of Chinese Cabbage in Spring and Autumn Cultivation

Two parallel experiments in two factorial design using the method of random sub-blocks in four replications were conducted in 2002-2004 at the Experimental Station of the Horticulture Department of University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wrocław. The effect of seedlings age (3, 4, 5-weekly) and diameter of pots (25, 32, 44, 55 mm) on the yield of Chinese cabbage cultivar Optiko grown in spring and autumn was evaluated. The highest marketable yield in spring and autumn during the harvest from all objects at the same time was obtained from 5-weekly seedlings grown in pots with a diameter of 55 mm. The use of younger seedlings from pots with smaller diameters was decreased the yielding of cabbage and influenced on forming the smaller heads. Spring cultivation period in comparison to autumn was allowed to obtain a higher marketable yield of Chinese cabbage with a smaller share of not fully grown head cabbage in total yield but a greater share of decay head.