Paano Magtanim ng Pechay: How to Plant Pechay the Traditional Way
Paano magtanim ng pechay? Here is how traditional Filipino farmers usually plant petsay (pechay), step by step from getting the field ready to the harvest, with the day of each step and what to change for a higher yield.
This guide shows how traditional farmers usually plant petsay. Use it as a starting point. For a higher yield, update it: plant certified seed or clean planting material, test your soil, and follow the right spacing and fertilizer.
How Filipino vegetable farmers usually grow pechay on beds, either sown in a seedbed and moved to the field or sown straight on the bed, up to the harvest about a month later. For backyard and small market growers who want the usual routine and what to change for more and cleaner leaves.
Before you plant, get the field ready with our land preparation guide for vegetables. Then choose your seed or planting material with the petsay varieties sold here. If the leaves turn pale later on, the petsay nutrient deficiency guide helps you find what is missing. For more on the crop, read pagtatanim ng gulay, vegetables in the Philippines.
When to plant petsay
Pechay grows all year in the lowlands but does best in the dry, cooler months, roughly November to April. In the rainy months farmers plant on raised beds and under light cover, because heavy rain tears the leaves and brings rot. It grows from the lowlands up to mid elevations.
What you plant
Seed, bought in small packs or cans. Farmers either sow it thinly in a seedbed or seedling tray and transplant the seedlings after two to three weeks, or broadcast or drill it straight on the bed and thin later.
Paano magtanim ng pechay: seedbed then transplant
This is the seedbed then transplant way (Seedbed then transplant (punla at lipat tanim)). The crop is ready about 25 days after transplanting.
Seedbed then transplant: before planting (Bago magtanim)
21 days before transplanting: Plow and harrow
Plow and harrow two or three times, about a week apart, to a depth of 15 to 20 cm so the soil is fine and the weeds are gone.
1 day before transplanting: Form the beds and put the base fertilizer
Make beds about 1 m wide with paths of 20 to 25 cm between them. Mix chicken manure and a little complete fertilizer into the bed and cover it with soil. Tip: Raise the beds higher in the rainy months so water runs off.
Seedbed then transplant: the nursery (Punlaan)
18 days before transplanting: Make the seedbed and sow
Raise a seedbed about 1 m wide and 15 cm high with fine, clean soil. Sow the seed thinly in shallow lines or 2 to 3 seeds a hole in a seedling tray, cover lightly with fine soil and sprinkle with water.
- Build the bedRaise a bed about 1 m wide, 10 m long and 15 cm high in a sunny spot near water. Crush the clods and rake the soil until it is fine and loose.
- Clean the soilSpread dry rice straw over the bed and burn it, or pour boiling water over it and cover it with plastic until the soil cools. This kills the damping off fungus, weed seed and soil insects before sowing.
- Sow thinly in linesWater the bed first, then scratch shallow lines across it with a stick. Drop the seed thinly along the lines and cover it with a light sprinkle of fine soil.
- Or sow in a seedling trayFill the tray holes with a clean potting mix and press it down lightly with the palm. Drop two or three seeds in each hole, cover them with fine soil and sprinkle with water.
- Keep it wet until they come upSprinkle gently every morning or late afternoon so the top soil never dries out while the seed is sprouting. Use a can with a fine sprinkler head so the water does not wash the seed out.
14 days before transplanting: Shade and water the seedlings
Give the young seedlings a simple roof against strong sun and hard rain, and water them in the morning or late afternoon.
12 days before transplanting: Prick out into small pots
About five days after the seedlings come up, many growers move each one into its own small pot of rolled banana leaf, so it goes to the field with its roots in a ball of soil and does not wilt.
- Roll the banana leaf potsCut banana leaf into strips, roll each strip into a small cup and fill it with the same clean soil mix used for the seedbed. Stand the pots close together in a box or on the bed.
- Lift the seedlings gentlyLoosen the seedbed soil with a small stick and lift the seedlings with a little soil on the roots. Hold them by a leaf, not by the thin stem, which bruises easily.
- One seedling a potMake a hole in each pot with a finger, set one seedling in it and press the soil around it. Water the pots right away with a weak starter fertilizer mixed in water, or plain water.
- Shade them for a few daysKeep the pots under the shed roof until the seedlings stand up again, then give them more sun each day until transplanting.
7 days before transplanting: Harden the seedlings
Remove the cover bit by bit during the last week so the seedlings get used to full sun before they go to the field.
Seedbed then transplant: planting day (Pagtatanim)
Transplanting day: Transplant in the afternoon
Move seedlings that are two to three weeks old to the beds, 10 cm apart in rows 20 cm apart. Water right after planting.
Seedbed then transplant: care while it grows (Pag aalaga)
Day 1: Water every day
Water daily with a watering can or hose in the morning or late afternoon, enough to keep the bed moist but not soggy.
Day 5: Replace dead seedlings
Fill any gaps with spare seedlings from the seedbed during the first week.
Day 10: Side dress and weed
Many farmers give a little urea, often dissolved in water, along the rows about one to two weeks after transplanting, and pull the weeds at the same time.
Day 12: Check for pests twice a week
Look under the leaves for aphids, small holes from flea beetles and the green larvae of the diamondback moth. Pull out and bury plants with soft, smelly rot or swollen roots.
Day 25: Wash, bundle and keep cool
Wash off the soil, remove yellow leaves, tie in bundles and keep them in the shade, sprinkled with water, until they reach the market.
Seedbed then transplant: harvest (Anihan)
Day 25: Harvest in the cool hours
Three to four weeks after transplanting, cut the plants at the base with a sharp knife or pull them with the roots, in the cool early morning or late afternoon.
Sown straight on the bed, step by step
This is the sown straight on the bed way (Sown straight on the bed (sabog tanim)). The crop is ready about 35 days after sowing.
Sown straight on the bed: before planting (Bago magtanim)
14 days before sowing: Prepare the beds
Plow, harrow and form beds about 1 m wide, then rake manure or compost into the top soil.
Sown straight on the bed: planting day (Pagtatanim)
Sowing day: Sow the seed
Broadcast the seed thinly over the bed, or drop it in shallow lines about 20 cm apart. Dust a little fine soil or rice hull over the seed and water gently.
Sown straight on the bed: care while it grows (Pag aalaga)
Day 1: Keep the bed moist
Sprinkle the bed every day until the seedlings are up, then water daily in the cool hours.
Day 12: Thin the seedlings
Pull out extra plants so the rest stand about 10 cm apart. The thinnings can be cooked or sold.
Day 15: Side dress and weed
Give a light side dressing of urea or manure tea and pull the weeds.
Day 18: Scout for leaf eaters
Check the leaves for flea beetle holes, aphids and diamondback moth larvae, and remove rotting plants.
Sown straight on the bed: harvest (Anihan)
Day 35: Harvest the whole plant
About 30 to 40 days after sowing, while the leaves are still tender, pull or cut the plants in the cool of the day.
Watering petsay, stage by stage
Seedbed then transplant: how to water
Pechay is watered by hand every day, with a watering can or a hose, in the early morning or late afternoon, from the seedbed until the day it is cut. Bigger lowland plots let water into the furrows between the beds instead, and the beds are kept raised so no water stands. A watering can with a fine head or a hose with a sprinkler nozzle, watering the soil and the base of the plants, is the usual way. Larger plots use furrows between the beds. Water in the early morning or late afternoon, never at noon, and early enough that the leaves dry before night.
The days the seed is sprouting: the top soil must never dry out. The first days after transplanting, until the seedlings stand up again. The whole leaf growth: pechay is harvested in about three weeks, so even two or three dry days show in the harvest.
| Stage | When | How often | How much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed sprouting | 18 to 14 days before transplanting | Sprinkle the seedbed every morning or late afternoon so the top soil never dries | A light sprinkle from a can with a fine head, just enough to darken the soil |
| Seedlings under shade | 14 to 7 days before transplanting | Water every morning or late afternoon | Enough to moisten the bed or the pots, never soggy |
| Hardening | 7 days before transplanting to transplanting day | Water a little less often while the shade comes off. Water at once if the seedlings wilt hard | Light waterings |
| Transplanting | Transplanting day to day 1 | Water the beds right after setting the seedlings in the afternoon | Soak the soil around each plant |
| Leaf growth | Day 1 to 22 | Every day in the morning or late afternoon. Give a second light watering on very hot days if the plants still droop in the late afternoon | Enough to keep the bed moist to the roots but not soggy. A 10 liter can covers a short stretch of bed, so walk it slowly |
| Last days to harvest | Day 22 to 25 | Keep watering every day and harvest in the cool hours | The usual daily watering |
Without irrigation. Pechay is seldom grown on rain alone, because it needs water every day. Without a pump, plant near a well, a creek or a rain barrel and keep the plot small enough to water by can. Mulch the beds with rice straw or rice hull to keep the soil moist longer, and grow it in the rainy months under a simple cover.
In the dry season. In the dry months water every day, in the cool early morning or late afternoon, and a second time on very hot days if the plants droop. Water when the top soil feels dry to the touch. On sandy soil that is every day without fail.
In the rainy season. Raise the beds higher and keep the paths open so rain runs off, and put a simple plastic roof over the beds if you can, because hard rain tears the leaves. Skip the watering on days the beds are already wet. Standing water rots the base of the plants and brings soft rot that smells bad.
- Too little water: Leaves droop and stay limp after the sun goes down, the leaves stay small and turn tough or bitter, and plants send up flower stalks early.
- Too much water: Lower leaves yellow, the base of the stem turns soft, brown and smelly, and seedlings fall over at the soil line.
To water better for a higher yield: Mulch the beds with rice straw or rice hull to keep the soil moist, cut the watering and stop rain from splashing soil on the leaves. A drip line or a hose with a fine sprinkler gives even water to every plant and wastes less than splashing from a pail.
Sown straight on the bed: how to water
Seed sown straight on the bed is sprinkled every day until it comes up, then watered daily by can or hose in the cool hours until harvest. Larger plots are watered through the furrows between raised beds. A watering can with a fine head, or a hose with a sprinkler nozzle, is the usual way. Bigger plots water through the furrows between beds. Water in the early morning or late afternoon, never at noon.
Sowing to coming up: the top soil must stay damp every day. The whole leaf growth: a few dry days make tough leaves and early flower stalks.
| Stage | When | How often | How much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing and sprouting | Sowing day to day 5 | Sprinkle the bed every day, morning or late afternoon, until the seedlings are up | A light sprinkle from a can with a fine head, just enough to keep the top soil damp |
| Young plants | Day 5 to 12 | Water daily in the cool hours. Water before thinning so the extra plants pull out easily | Enough to moisten the bed, never soggy |
| Leaf growth | Day 12 to 32 | Every day in the morning or late afternoon. A second light watering on very hot days if the plants droop in the late afternoon | Enough to keep the bed moist to the roots but not soggy |
| Last days to harvest | Day 32 to 35 | Keep watering daily and harvest in the cool of the day | The usual daily watering |
Without irrigation. Direct sown pechay needs water every day, so it is seldom left to rain alone. Without a pump, keep the bed close to a well or a rain barrel, cover the seed with rice hull, and mulch the bed with straw once the plants are up.
In the dry season. Water every day in the dry months, morning or late afternoon, and a second time on very hot days if the plants droop. Water whenever the top soil feels dry. Sandy beds need it daily without fail.
In the rainy season. Sow on higher raised beds and keep the paths open so rain drains away. Hard rain can wash the seed out of a fresh bed, so a light cover of rice hull or a simple roof helps. Skip the watering on wet days. Standing water brings soft rot at the base.
- Too little water: Seedlings come up patchy, leaves droop and stay limp after sundown, and the plants stay small, tough and send up flowers early.
- Too much water: Seedlings fall over at the soil line, lower leaves yellow, and the base of the plant goes soft and smells bad.
To water better for a higher yield: Cover the sown bed with rice hull and mulch the young plants with straw to keep the soil moist and cut the watering. A fine sprinkler or drip line gives even water and keeps the seed from washing out.
Spacing, water and fertilizer for petsay
Spacing
Beds about 1 m wide with 20 to 25 cm paths. Plants 10 cm apart in rows 20 cm apart, one plant a hill. Direct sown beds are thinned to about the same.
Water
Watered by hand every day with a watering can or hose in the morning or late afternoon, right after transplanting and until harvest. Larger fields are watered by furrow. Beds must drain well. Standing water rots the plants.
Fertilizer
Traditional growers lean on chicken manure mixed into the beds, plus a little complete fertilizer (14 14 14) at planting and urea after one to two weeks. One common plot guide for a bed 1 m by 20 m is a sack of chicken manure, 1 kg of 14 14 14 and about 4 kg of urea worked into the soil before transplanting. To read what a bag really gives, see our guide to fertilizer for this crop.
Care and harvest
Care while it grows
Daily watering, one or two hand weedings, thinning of direct sown beds, and close watch for leaf eating insects. Seedlings get a light shade and are hardened for a week before transplanting.
When and how to harvest
Pechay is ready three to four weeks after transplanting, or 30 to 40 days after direct sowing, while the leaves are tender. Farmers cut the plant at the base or pull it with the roots in the cool hours, wash it, remove yellow leaves, tie it in bundles and keep it shaded and moist.
Common mistakes when planting petsay
- Sowing too thick and never thinning, so the plants come out thin and weak.
- Watering at noon or letting water stand in the beds, which scorches leaves or brings soft rot.
- Planting pechay right after cabbage, mustard or other cabbage family crops on the same bed again and again, so club root and diamondback moth build up.
- Flat, low beds in the rainy months.
- Harvesting at midday in the heat, so the leaves wilt before they reach the market.
How to get a higher yield of petsay
The traditional way gets a crop, but small changes add up. These are the first things to change, one season at a time.
- Buy fresh seed of a variety suited to the season, with heat or rain tolerance for the wet months.
- Test the soil and lime acid soils. Feed by the result with compost plus balanced fertilizer.
- Use raised beds and a mulch of rice straw or plastic to keep the leaves clean and the weeds down.
- Rotate pechay with crops outside the cabbage family, such as beans, corn or squash.
- Scout twice a week and protect the seedbed with a fine net against leaf eating insects.
- Harvest in the cool hours and keep the bundles shaded and moist on the way to market.
anee.io helps with each of these. The NPK Plus calculator checks that your fertilizer plan feeds the yield you want, the pest and disease finders tell you what is on the leaves before you spray, and Anee, the smart farm technician answers your questions in Tagalog or English.
Members open this guide in the How to Plant tool and send every step to the Protocol Builder in one tap, each on its own day. There you can change the seed, the spacing and the fertilizer, then turn it into a cropping calendar for your lots.
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Start freeQuestions about planting petsay
Paano magtanim ng pechay?
When do farmers plant petsay in the Philippines?
How far apart do you plant petsay?
How long before petsay can be harvested?
How often do you water petsay?
What do you plant to grow petsay?
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