Pechay plant. This plant is very popular in Asian countries especially in the Philippines. It is widely being cultivated because it is very easy to grow. Know what is pechay plant.
Pechay Definiton
What is pechay definition? Pechay is called bokchoy, pakchoi, Chinese white cabbage snow cabbage, or petsay in tagalog. Its scientific name is Brassica Rapa. That is the description of pechay.
Pechay Care
There are many factors in terms of pechay care. You need to care pechay so that it will grow bigger. Sunlight is very important to this plant. Make sure it receives atleast 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.
Another pechay care is water it atleast once a day especially in the morning or twice when the soil is too dry. Too much water can cause root rot. Also apply complete fertilizer or organic compost to improve it’s growth. That’s how to do pechay care.
Pechay Characteristics
Knowing pechay characteristics? Starting from the seeds. The pechay characteristics of seeds are; it is smooth in texture, odorless in smell, very small in size, round in shape and black in color.
The pechay characteristics of roots are rough in texture, small in size and white to brown in color. The roots are the passageway of the nutrients coming from the soil.
The pechay characteristics of leaves are smooth in texture, a little smell, medium in size, round to oblong in shape and color green.
The pechay characteristics of stalk are; it is crunchy when ate, smooth in texture color white in color. The pechay stalk supports the roots and leaves.
The pechay characteristics of flower are; it is beautiful, small in size and color yellow.
Pechay Light
The pechay light requirements should be around 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight. The sunlight will help the plants to grow well. The sunlight will hit the leaves then the leaves will convert it into foods through the process of photosynthesis.
It is good to have pechay direct sunlight. To do this you should grow pechay in an open place where there are no hindrance or blocking to the light. Pechay direct sunlight will make the plants bigger and healthier.
Grow pechay plant in places with tempersture between 18°C (64.4°F) to 29.44°C (85°F). This kind of temperature is enough for the plants to get is food. You can grow this plant well.
In terms of pechay direct sunlight, it is needed and should be. Try to avoid growing pechay in shaded area.
Pechay Watering
In terms of pechay watering, it depends. If you grow pechay in places with high temperature you need to water it atleast twice a day. Don’t let the soil too dry. Maintain the moisture on the soil so that it will grow efficiently but avoid over watering because it can cause root rot.
So to how often to water pechay, do this early in the morning using sprinkler or any other watering tools. Then in the afternoon observe if the soil is too dry. When it is dry then you need to apply water but if it’s not and you see that the soil is a little bit moist then don’t apply water.
Pechay watering is a little bit hard when it comes to a big plantation. You need more workers to do it. But some big plantation are now adopting new pechay watering management which is pretty easy for them to grow pechay.
Pechay Soil Requirement
When it comes to pechay soil requirement, it will grow to well drained and loamy soil. A good. It will grow best with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 and try to avoid below 4.5 pH. There are many ways to improve pechay soil.
You can use compost or manure. Compost and manure are best to improve your soil. When the soil is good the plants will grow better. A good soil will make your plants to have bigger size and healthy leaves.
Also improving pechay soil will make improve your harvest. Bountiful harvest will come soon.
Pechay Fertilizer
Finding a good pechay fertilizer that will boost your plants. You can use inorganic complete fertilizer (14-14-14) that will help your pechay plants to develop it’s parts. Buy pechay fertilizer at the market that will help you grow this plant.
But if you are organic gardener then find pechay organic fertilizer. There are store selling organic fertilizer. This kind of fertilizer are environmental friendly and human friendly because it doesn’t contain chemicals.
Using organic pechay fertilizer will help the growth of your vegetable. Vermicompost and perlite are examples of organic fertilizer that you can use. You can also try these at home using the methods that you can find on the internet.
The good thing of pechay organic fertilizer is we can avoid damaging our mother Earth while growing vegetables.
Pechay Diseases
The root rot belongs to pechay diseases. This disease happen when over watering had done. The roots are decaying and then plants become stunted and stop growing. To prevent this be careful in application of water.
Yellowing of leaves is another pechay diseases. The leaves of pechay becomes yellow and affecting the growth of the plant. This happen when over or lack of watering happens. Whether lack or over water can cause of yellow leaves. So it is important to apply just enough water to prevent this pechay diseases.
Pechay leaves curling. This kind of pechay diseases is the leaves curl. The cause of this is lack of sunlight. The prevent pechay leaves curling you need to grow it in an area where the plants can get more sunlight. There are some other factors of pechay leaves curling.
Pechay Pest
Most common pechay pests are aphids, diamondback moth and green worm. To control these pest, spray with hot pepper extract. These can control these and prevent damaging your plants. You can also control pechay pest by buying pesticides at the market.
There are many other pechay pest to look for. Animals are not pest but they can destroy your plants too. The chickens and ducks might be a problem. Sometimes they eat the leaves of the pechay so try to prevent them roaming at your garden.
Pechay Planting Guide & Tips
Here are some pechay planting guide and tips. Germinate the seeds in a seed box. This way you can identify which pechay seedlings are stunted and try to avoid them as much as possible. The next pechay planting guide and tips is out spacing about 15 cm between hills and 20 between rows. This pechay spacing will help to grow your plants bigger.
Grow the pechay in an area where it can get atleast 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. This way you can prevent yellowing and curling of the leaves.
Another pechay planting guide and tips is water it once a day to prevent root rot, if the weather is too hot water it twice a day. Apply complete fertilizer 14-14-14 or organic fertilizer to improve it’s growth.
Lastly pick some plants and try to get seeds from them. The plants will produce flower and eventually form into seeds. You can use this again in growing vegetables. Those are the
Pechay Varieties
Here are some pechay varieties that you can try to grow at home; Black Behi, Hari Digma, Shin Kang Gengis Khan, Shanhai No. 2. These pechay varieties are good to choose from.
If you are new and don’t know to choose what pechay varieties to choose from then try to asked from the farmer or agriculture center near your location to have some guide and tips.
Pechay Seeds
The pechay seeds are use to grow this plant. These small size seeds are use to grow garden.
Pechay seed price. One pack with 15 to 50 pechay seeds may cost from 30 to 100 Pesos (0.62 to 1 USD).
Where to buy pechay seeds? You can buy pechay seeds at the agriculture center or agrivet near your location. Or try to buy online at Amazon, eBay, Shopee or Lazada.
Pechay seeds germination time. The pechay seeds germinate around two to five days. During this time the white roots started to appear and the tiny yellow green leaves started to come out from the seeds.
Pechay seeds not germinating. There are many factors why pechay seeds are not germinating. You have low quality of seeds. Maybe the seeds you have are stock for many months already. You have damage seeds which are not capable of growing. And lastly you plant the seeds too deep on the soil.
In order for the pechay seeds to germinate you need to get high quality fresh seeds. Plant the seeds and cover it with light soil and apply light water.
How pechay seeds are produce? The pechay seeds are produce after the plant started to produce flower. The flowers become seeds after a few weeks of development and maturity.
Pechay Growth Stages
The pechay growth stages of pechay start from seeds. The seeds grow and form into a seedling. The seedling grows and the plants mature. From that the mature plant can now be harvest. But if not harvest it will grow older and start producing flowers.
The pechay growth stages continues. The flowers now will form into seeds. And after that the plants started to dry. Finally the plants are completely decay and mix on the soil. That is how pechay growth stages or life cycle taken place.
Pechay Plant Height
The pechay plant height grows from 15 cm (5.90 inch) to 30 cm (11.81 inch). The plant grows well when it gets the necessary things like fertilizer, water and sunlight. You can improve pechay plant height by adding compost or manure on the soil.
When you observe the pechay plant height and you think there is a problem try to fix it immediately to increase its height.
Pechay Planting Distance
The pechay planting distance is 15 cm (5.90 inch) between hills and 20 cm (7.87 inch in row. Pechay spacing is important so that your plants will not be crowded or close to each other.
Having pechay planting distance will help to grow your plants bigger. It’s because when the plants are crowded it cannot move and grow its parts. So pechay spacing is very important. You don’t want to grow stunted plant.
What material you can use measuring pechay planting distance? You can use meter stick or ruler to measure pechay spacing. This or if you are an expert then you can just estimate it.
Pechay Economic Importance
There are many pechay economic impotance. Pechay is a vegetable and has many healthy benefits. This help the people to grow healthy. The vitamins and minerals content from this vegetable helps to boost the immune system.
Another pechay economic importance is many people grows garden. The garden produces more supply of foods. When there are more supply the cost of the foods becomes lower and people can save some money.
Good pechay economic importance is it can also produce some money. When pechay are sold at the market people can earn some money. Also when you have a big plantation of pechay, you need more laborer to do the work and they can also earn money.
Lastly, about pechay economic importance is it produces oxygen. Pechay is plant and it can makes clean air. Even it is small it can contribute to our environment.
Pechay Farming
Pechay farming becomes popular because of many factors. It has many economic factors thats why people started to cultivate it.
Pechay farming in the Philippines continues to grow as it can be a source of food. There are many recipes you can try so why not. Not just a food but many other things. Pechay farming at home is awesome. You can grow this plant around your house.
Also pechay farming at the backyard since there are some spaces for some people that’s why they grow at the front or back of there house.
Pechay Container Gardening
There are many started the pechay container gardening. This kind of garden is good especially to those people living in urban places. Since there are lack of planting spaces there so it is good to grow it inside the container.
Practicing pechay container gardening is good since you can reduce waste material. Use the container and grow plants. After a while you can harvest and consume the plant.
To do pechay container gardening, you need some materials. You can use pale, dipper, drum, milk can or any other container you want. As long as it has enough deep and you can start growing plants. Some potting soil also. A well drained soil is good. Mix some manure or compost there to improve the soil quality. Whenever where you are you can do pechay container gardening.
Pechay Uses
When it comes to pechay uses there many on the list. This is use as a food, immune system booster, use to earn money and many other.
Pechay uses as self relaxation, how? Well if you are planting this plant you can relieve your stress since it will makes you happy.
Pechay uses as ingredients to other food. It is delicious to eat food mix with pechay like tilapia. This makes the food yummy and healthier. Those are some of the pechay uses.
Pechay Harvest Time
The pechay harvest time takes about 30 days. During this time you can now harvest the vegetable since in that time the plant have enough size and growth.
Why you need to be aware of pechay harvest time? It’s because you can know the maturity stage of the plant. This way you will know the time of fertilization and the amount of water to apply. Also knowing the pechay harvest time can help you to know how the plant grows.
Pechay Frequently Asked Question
Why is my pechay not growing?
Pechay is not growing because you have low quality seeds. Poor seeds are not capable of growing. The area where you plant pechay is shaded. Pechay needs sunlight to grow well. Also lack or too much water causing why your pechay is not growing.
What does pechay need to grow?
The pechay need 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight, application of water once or twice a day, fertilizer like 14-14-14 or organic fertilizer and a caring for it to grow well.
Where does pechay seeds come from?
The pechay seeds come from the flower. When the pechay plants reach the maturity stage it will start blooming. Then the flower turns into seeds. Finally after few weeks you can harvest pechay seeds.
When to harvest pechay?
Harvest pechay when it is about 30 days old. During this time the pechay is already mature and ready to consume. Harvest pechay when the leaves are crunchy and mature.
When to transplant pechay seedlings?
Transplant pechay seedlings when it is already 10 to 12 days old. During this time it has enough size and capable enough to grow on the soil. Transplant pechay seedlings early in the morning or late in the afternoon because the sun is not shining brightly to prevent seedlings from drying.
How to transplant pechay seedlings?
To transplant pechay seedlings, first make sure that it is already 10 to 12 days old. Get some tools like bolo or trowel. Water first the seed box so that it will be easy to remove the seedlings. Next make holes on the soil with 15 cm distance per Hill and 20 cm in a row. Then plant the seedlings and cover it with soil. Water it after.
How pechay seeds are produce?
Pechay seeds are produce because of the flower. The flowers form into seeds.
How long to grow pechay?
30 days long to grow pechay. This is one of the most fastest plant to grow and harvest. This is good vegetable to start especially for beginners.
How to plant pechay?
To plant pechay first get some seeds. Second germinate the pechay seeds inside the seed box. After two to five days the seeds will start germinating. Transplant the seedlings after 10 to 12 days. Plant the pechay on the soil with a spacing of 15 cm between hills and 20 cm in row. Water it once or twice a day. Apply fertilizer 14-14-14 or organic fertilizer. Add compost or manure to improve soil. After 30 days you can now harvest pechay.
How much sunlight does pechay need?
4 to 6 hours of sunlight does pechay need. These length of hours is enough for the plants to produce it’s food.
Can pechay grow in shade?
No, pechay cannot grow in shade. Pechay needs more sunlight in order for it to produce it’s food.
Can dogs and rabbit eat pechay?
Yes, dogs and rabbit can eat pechay. Pechay is a green leafy vegetable and will not have any problem when dog eats pechay. What will be a problem is the chemical content mix on the pechay might be a problem. Try to avoid putting more preservatives on foods.
Is pechay good for dogs and rabbit?
Yes, pechay is good for dogs and rabbit. This plant have many vitamins and minerals which may help the animals to grow better. Just reduce the preservatives you put into foods which is bad for animals.
Does pechay need full sun?
Yes, pechay need full sun about 4 to 6 hours. This length of time is enough for the plant to make and produce it’s food.
