Brassica rapa (Pekinensis Group) 'Vitimo'

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Chinese cabbage 'Vitimo'

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Annual Biennial

A compact, upright, annual vegetable with barrel heads. Each barrel head has attractive dark-green outer leaves and a contrasting yellow heart. Suitable for close planting in a raised bed or containers and is usually ready to harvest 55 days from sowing

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Clay

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1 year
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Clay
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Neutral or Alkaline

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Brassicaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Brassicas can be annual, biennial or perennial plants, most are upright with alternate, often glaucous leaves, long taproots and clusters of cross-shaped, yellow or white flowers. The genus includes a number of species bred to produce food crops, such as cabbages, turnips, mustards and oilseed rape, as well as others grown for their ornamental value
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun. Sow indoors between May-July or direct sow into a well prepared seedbed. Direct sow at a depth of 1cm with 30cm between rows, thin out later to 30cm between each plant when large enough to handle. Sow indoors in trays of free draining seed compost and lightly cover with vermiculite and place in a propagator at 20-25C until germination. Once germinated grow in cooler conditions, transplant when the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, harden off for 7-10 days before planting in final position. See Vegetable Cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to birds, flea beetle, cabbage caterpillar, cabbage whitefly, cutworms, slugs and snails, mealy cabbage aphid, cabbage root fly

Diseases

May be susceptible to club root, downy mildew, black rot, leaf spot, grey mould