How to Grow Napa Cabbage 'Michihili'
Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis 'Michihili'
Napa cabbage 'Michihili' is a beloved heirloom variety prized for its tender, crisp leaves and mild flavor. Gardeners grow it to add fresh texture to salads or hearty soups while enjoying high yields in cool weather conditions.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Napa Cabbage 'Michihili': indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Napa Cabbage 'Michihili' is not usually started indoors.
This plant is best started directly in the garden rather than indoors; simply wait until soil temperatures are cool but not freezing before seeding.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. As a cool-season crop, sow seeds directly outdoors 2-6 weeks before your last spring frost date, as they tolerate light frost well. Press seeds gently into the soil at a depth of about half an inch. Expect germination to occur within 4 to 7 days under these conditions.
Space plants 12 to 15 inches apart to ensure good air circulation and proper head formation. Provide consistent moisture, as this variety requires high water levels to thrive; avoid letting the soil dry out completely. Apply a layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, but keep it away from the crown.
Watch for flea beetles, cabbage worms, aphids, and slugs, which can damage foliage. Prevent clubroot, black rot, soft rot, and downy mildew by rotating crops and ensuring good drainage. Harvest heads when they are firm and full size, typically 65 to 75 days after sowing, cutting the head from the base.
When to Plant Napa Cabbage 'Michihili'
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | April – May | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | April – May | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | March – April | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | April – June | July – October |
| Zone 5 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | February – March | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | January – February | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | January | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | January | January – February | February – December |
Companion Plants for Napa Cabbage 'Michihili'
✓ Good companions
Improve soil structure with deep roots and don't compete for nutrients
Repels cabbage white butterflies and other brassica pests with its strong scent
Attracts beneficial insects like parasitic wasps that control cabbage worms and aphids
Makes efficient use of space as a low-growing companion that doesn't compete for light
Repel nematodes and attract beneficial insects that prey on cabbage pests
Act as trap crops for aphids and flea beetles while repelling cucumber beetles
Repel cabbage root maggots and flea beetles with their strong sulfur compounds
Provides ground cover to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds
✗ Keep away from
Can shade out Napa cabbage and compete for nitrogen despite being nitrogen-fixers
Both are heavy feeders that compete for nutrients, leading to reduced yields
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt brassica growth through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
