VegetableCabbage
Yuki Chinese Cabbage
Yuki is a hybrid Chinese cabbage bred specifically for gardeners battling the spring bolting curse. This medium-maturing variety reaches harvest in 60 to 69 days, producing large, uniform heads with the upright growth habit that makes it easy to tuck into tight garden spaces. Hardy from zones 2 through 10 and thriving in full sun, Yuki grows 12 to 18 inches tall and was engineered for cool-season gardens where heat-induced flowering would otherwise wreck your crop. It combines good disease tolerance with moderate bolting resistance, making it a genuine relief for spring gardeners who've watched traditional Chinese cabbage bolt before reaching maturity.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained Loam, Tolerates Poor Soils
Growth Stats
18 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
18in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Yuki stands out because it was specifically bred to resist bolting, the nemesis of spring Chinese cabbage growers. Large head size pairs with excellent uniformity across plants, so your entire planting matures together rather than sporadically. Its genetic backbone includes solid disease tolerance, which means fewer losses to the common pathogens that plague brassicas. The moderate bolting resistance lets you push your spring harvest further without the plant prematurely flowering and becoming unusable.
Common Uses
Yuki is grown for its large edible heads, prepared like any Chinese cabbage in stir-fries, soups, and braised dishes where its texture holds up well to high heat. The wrapped leaves also work beautifully for fresh applications like salads or as wraps, where the mild flavor and crisp texture shine. Home and market gardeners in cooler climates particularly value it for spring production, when the reliable maturity window means you can plan your harvest rather than scrambling to use a crop before it bolts.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before your desired transplant date, which should align with spring cool weather or late summer for fall harvest. Keep soil temperature between 60 and 70°F for reliable germination. Transplant seedlings outdoors once they develop true leaves and the weather has cooled enough to minimize bolting stress.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days before moving them to the garden. Transplant into full sun when air temperatures consistently remain below 75°F during the day, typically in spring or late summer depending on your location. Space plants 18 inches apart with 12 inches between rows. Water thoroughly at transplanting to reduce shock.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds in cool-season windows by pressing seeds into moist soil at the appropriate depth. In spring, sow as soon as soil is workable; in summer, sow 10 to 12 weeks before your first fall frost to catch the cool-weather window.
Harvesting
Harvest when heads feel firm and dense to the touch, typically 60 to 69 days after planting. Look for heads that have filled out completely with tightly wrapped leaves but before the plant shows signs of bolting, such as elongation or flower buds forming at the center. Cut the entire head at its base with a sharp knife, or harvest outer leaves individually if you prefer a longer harvest window from each plant.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Brassica rapa var. pekinensis
Family
Brassicaceae
Genus
Brassica
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)CAN (I)GL (I)
History & Origin
“Yuki is a hybrid Chinese cabbage developed through deliberate crossing to address a persistent gardening problem: spring bolting. Unlike heirloom varieties that were selected over generations within specific regions, Yuki was engineered in response to what growers actually needed. The variety emerged from breeding work focused on creating a medium-maturing headed cabbage that could reliably produce in cool-season gardens without the stress-induced flowering that makes spring crops unpredictable. Its development reflects modern vegetable breeding's shift toward solving real agronomic challenges rather than preserving historical flavor or form.”