Growing Chinese Cabbage – Brassica Chinensis
Mealy bugs are sometimes to be seen on many different kinds of plants, recognizable by the white, waxy wool in which they hide. They are difficult to remove but must not be allowed to remain on the plants, for they secrete some sort of honeydew which becomes attacked by a fungus. Scrape them off as well as possible with a matchstick dipped in white oil (Volck) solution and then spray the plant with a systemic insecticide. Mealy bugs sometimes get into the most impenetrable places on cacti, where they are almost impossible to remove by hand.
Scale is another insect difficult to dislodge. This settles on the undersides of leaves, often on or beside a main rib, juicy and succulent, where it sucks away at the sap and leaves a slightly paler portion around it. Try to scrape them away with a matchstick dipped in white oils, but for safety sake also give the plant a good spraying with insecticide.
Very occasionally you may find a snail, a slug or even an earthworm among your plants, particularly if they have been placed outside in the summer. These are generally comparatively simple to see and identify and can generally be removed simply enough by the classic finger and thumb method.
Synonyms are B. napus L. var. chinensis O.K. Schult, B. pekinensis (Lour.) Rupr., B. petsai Bailey, B. campestris L. Some authorities now consider that Brassica campestris L. is a more valid name and that this species should be divided into two varieties: var. chinensis (Paak-ts’oi) and var. pekinensis (Pe-tsai).
The most commonly grown Brassicas in tropical areas are: Brassica chinensis L. – Chinese Cabbage, White Cabbage; Brassica juncea (L) Czern & Coss – Indian Mustard, Leaf Mustard; Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala D.C. – Kale, Collard; var. botrytis L. – Cauliflower, Broccoli; var. capitata L. – Cabbage; var. gongylodes L. – Kohlrabi; var. italica Plenck – Sprouting Broccoli; var. rapa L. – Turnip.
The nutritional value of the Brassicas, in general, is high although there is some variation in the nutritional composition of the various crops used as vegetables.
