Chinese cabbage?

[FionaH]

I planted some chinese cabbage seeds. The first pic looks like the pic on the packet, the second two are what I have actually got growing. Spot the difference anyone?
The leaves are spikey and they dont look anything like the packet! Any ideas what I have got?

[zazen999]

Well, mine aren't even as neat as yours Fi. Mine are all over the place; with spiky leaves.

They are going onto the compost heap soon, if nothing resembling the first photo happens......

[FionaH]

Oh good so its not just me then? I bought a huge bulb of "Charlies French Garlic" in the pub last night. I may rip em out and plant that instead

[OllieMartin]

hmmm, sounds like this is common.
I've just planned next year's beds and included Chinese Cabbage. Wonder if that'll turn out the same.

[Storming Norman]

Hi there,

I've just picked my first chinese cabbage ever - it looked like your flat looking one for ages. Then in the past week I noticed that they had already started hearting up.

In fact I had no idea they were so advanced - but a quick squeeze today suggested that one needed picking and trying.

Once I had taken off a few leaves it was a slightly smaller version of those you buy in the supermarket and had a fat solid heart. Very tasty for tonight's supper.

I've no idea when you planted yours but it just might not be ready yet - if so it is worth waiting for. Your pictures look like pretty young cabbages in my recent experience - perhaps they need a few more weeks?

When mine were about 6 weeks old I took off a few of the outside leaves for tidyness - perhaps that helped?

I will definitely be growing these again.

[FionaH]

only planted them out a couple of weeks back, thanks for this, I may leave them a bit longer

[WeeGarden]

I sowed mine a few weeks ago and they look like yours too. I think the ones in the picture are of the hearts, so ours will look like that once they heart up and have the outer leaves stripped off.

*she says, as she crosses her fingers, toes and eyes....

[snohare]

think the ones in the picture are of the hearts, so ours will look like that once they heart up and have the outer leaves stripped off.

Methinks Chinese quality control has struck again. They look like F2s to me, the growth pattern and leaf surface and shape is too different to the first photo. Given that there is no form of regulation that is not prone to subversion in China (like anywhere else, but worse due to endemic graft and censored press) I would guess that any seedsman could save costs by bagging up non F1 seeds, call them uniform hybrids for a higher price, and how would anyone but the end-users know ?
I've grown them like the ones in the first photo, and they were never anything other than that shape - they just got bigger and fatter from a small size, and most telling to me, they had smooth surfaces to the leaves. But hey, there are so many different sorts of Chinese veg these days, I think it is pretty much a case of wait and see unless it is a really well known variety !

[sewer rat]

They'll be fine - they just need to heart up - I have been picking chinese cabbage "The Blues" for about a month now and they all looked like your photos to start with. but have patiece and you will get what the packet photo indicates you should get

[FionaH]

ok thanks all, they will get a reprieve for a little longer then its in with the garlic!

[blackcatlois]

I've had exactly the same thing happen to me and it's been weeks since sowing them - we've eaten them anyway as they were starting to get a bit tatty and we're still alive!

[Ken the Chef]

I've jumped straight to the end!
The pictures you see on the packet are just the hearts - just like the ones in the supermarket - are they not!!!!!!!!!