Merlot Chinese Cabbage Seeds – F1 Hybrid Dark Red Napa Cabbage

Bring rich color and refined garden beauty to your cool-season harvest with Merlot Chinese Cabbage Seeds, a premium F1 hybrid red napa cabbage known for its full, bulky, dense heads and striking dark red to burgundy leaf color. This improved Red Dragon type produces attractive upright heads averaging 11–12 inches long, making it a beautiful and practical choice for home gardens, raised beds, Asian vegetable gardens, and market-style harvests.

Merlot Chinese Cabbage is prized for its dramatic color, crisp texture, and excellent use in fresh and cooked dishes. Its richly colored leaves bring a premium look to garden baskets and kitchen recipes, making it a standout variety for gardeners who want something more unique than traditional green napa cabbage.

Basic Product Information

Common Name: Merlot Chinese Cabbage, Red Napa Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage
Latin Name: Brassica rapa var. pekinensis
Scientific Name: Brassica rapa
Seed Type: F1 Hybrid
Hybrid Status: Hybrid (F1)
Plant Type: Annual vegetable
Growth Habit: Upright heading cabbage
Days to Maturity: Approximately 60 days from transplanting
Head Size: Average 11–12 inches long
Head Type: Full, bulky, dense napa-style heads
Color: Dark red to burgundy-red
Best Season: Late summer, fall, and cool spring planting
Best Uses: Fresh eating, stir-fry, soups, wraps, Asian cooking, kimchi-style recipes, and colorful harvest displays

Why Grow Merlot Chinese Cabbage?

Merlot is an eye-catching red Chinese cabbage variety designed for gardeners who want beauty, flavor, and performance in one crop. The heads are dense, full, and substantial, with a deep red color that creates a dramatic contrast in the garden and on the plate.

This variety is especially suitable for cool-season growing. Chinese cabbage performs best when temperatures are mild and day length is gradually decreasing, making late summer and fall an excellent planting window in many regions. It may also be grown in spring when young plants are protected from cold stress and sudden temperature swings.

Growing Information

Planting Depth: 1/4 inch
Transplant Age: 3–5 weeks
Plant Spacing: 12–18 inches apart
Row Spacing: 18–30 inches apart
Direct Seeding: Sow 3–4 seeds every 12–18 inches, then thin to one strong plant
Sunlight: Full sun to partial sun
Soil Type: Fertile, well-drained garden soil
Watering Needs: Moderate and consistent moisture
Best Temperature: Cool to mild growing conditions
Days to Harvest: About 60 days from transplanting
Harvest Stage: Cut when heads are very firm

How to Grow Merlot Chinese Cabbage

For spring planting, start seeds indoors in plug trays and sow about 1/4 inch deep. Keep soil warm for germination, then grow seedlings in bright, cool conditions. Transplant outdoors in about 3–5 weeks, around the last frost date, once plants are strong enough and outdoor conditions are suitable.

For summer and fall crops, start seedlings in mid-to-late June or direct seed from late May to mid-July, depending on your local climate. Direct sow 3–4 seeds every 12–18 inches and thin to one healthy plant per spacing. Keep rows about 18–30 inches apart to allow room for growth and airflow.

Chinese cabbage has a delicate root system, so handle seedlings carefully when transplanting. Water transplants well after planting and maintain steady moisture while plants are growing and forming heads.

Important Growing Notes

Merlot Chinese Cabbage is more prone to internal tipburn than green varieties, especially during hot weather or uneven growing conditions. Internal tipburn is damage or decay of inner leaves that may not be visible until the head is cut open.

This variety may also bolt under stress, especially if young plants are exposed to frost or more than one week of nighttime temperatures below 50°F after transplanting. For best results, avoid transplanting too early in cold spring weather and keep plants growing steadily with consistent moisture.

Pest & Disease Tips

Protect young plants from flea beetles and cabbage root maggots with floating row covers from the day of planting. Practice long crop rotation with non-brassica crops and use clean seed-starting mix to reduce disease pressure. Good garden sanitation, proper spacing, and steady moisture can help support healthier plants.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest Merlot Chinese Cabbage when the heads feel very firm and have reached full size. Cut the head at the base with a clean knife.

For short-term storage, keep harvested heads cool and humid. Properly trimmed heads may store for 1–2 months in a near-freezing humid cooler or root cellar when wrapped and handled carefully.

Best Uses in the Kitchen

Merlot Chinese Cabbage offers beautiful color and crisp texture for many fresh and cooked dishes. Its red napa-style leaves are excellent for:

Fresh salads
Asian-style wraps
Stir-fry
Soups and noodle dishes
Steaming
Kimchi-style recipes
Colorful slaws
Garden harvest baskets
Home cooking and meal prep

Planting Tips for Best Results

Grow during cool seasons for best head quality.
Avoid extreme heat when possible.
Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Protect young plants from cold stress after transplanting.
Use row covers early to reduce insect pressure.
Provide fertile soil and steady growth conditions.
Harvest when heads are firm and dense.

Important Note

This listing is for seeds only, not live plants. Germination, color development, head size, and harvest results may vary depending on temperature, soil quality, watering, planting time, pest pressure, and local growing conditions.

Mai’s Family LLC – Love Plants, Love Earth.