annual vegetable
Tokyo Bekana cabbage
A tender, quick Chinese cabbage type that can be cut young for salads or stir-fries.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-10b
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- Loam
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Occasionally damaged Use as a deer browsing cue, not a guarantee; heavy deer pressure can override resistance ratings.
- Black walnut
- Mixed or uncertain Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Set transplants at nursery depth or follow seed-packet depth for direct sowing.
- Container min
- 5+ gal (workable)
- Goals
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest & Use
- Window
- baby leaves or loose heads in cool weather
- Yield return
- 0.8-2 lb/plant/season
- First output
- 35-80 days
- Best for
- Vegetables & herbs
Harvest window: baby leaves or loose heads in cool weather. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 0.8-2 lb/plant/season with a harvest window of 6-12 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Cultivar appearance, fruit color, bloom timing, and growth habit can vary by site and season.
Photo sources: Ben Smegelsky (Public domain)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 0.8-2 lb/plant/season
- 10-year return
- 8-20 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- This season
- Mature size
- 0.8-2 ft H x 0.8-1.5 ft W
- Spacing
- 0.8-1.5 ft in-row x 1-2.5 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Set transplants at nursery depth or follow seed-packet depth for direct sowing.
- Container min
- 5+ gal (workable)
- Productive life
- 1 yrs
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Reliability
- 4/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, Medium yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Seed-starting trays
Propagation / Pre-seasonStart annual vegetables, herbs, and flowers ahead of transplant season.
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Floating row cover
Protection / At plantingProtect young crops from wind, light frost, and early pest pressure while still letting light and water through.
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Insect netting
Protection / At plantingExclude common chewing and flying pests from vulnerable vegetables, herbs, and young fruit plantings.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Low tunnel hoops
Protection / At plantingHold frost cloth or insect netting above seedlings so covers protect plants without rubbing leaves.
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Seedling grow light
Propagation / Pre-seasonKeep indoor seedlings compact and sturdy before they move outside.
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Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for Tokyo Bekana cabbage.
- Year 1
- 0.8-2 lb First-year estimate from the sourced curve.
- Year 5
- 0.8-2 lb
- Year 10
- 0.8-2 lb
- 10-year total
- 8-20 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Set transplants at nursery depth or follow seed-packet depth for direct sowing.
- Container minimum: 5+ gal (workable). Use 5+ gal for most single vegetable plants; smaller leafy/root crops can use less.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
- Use the pairing map below to choose nearby companions or compatible varieties.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam soil, and medium water.
- Use 0.8-1.5 ft in-row x 1-2.5 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 0.8-2 ft H x 0.8-1.5 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "baby leaves or loose heads in cool weather" and 0.8-2 lb/plant/season as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Local drainage, pests, chill hours, wildlife pressure, and microclimates can change the result.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Companion Plants & Pairings
Plant Nearby
Small-flowered herbs and annuals near brassicas can support beneficial insects while the brassicas fill out.
Use it: Keep insectary flowers at the sunny edge of the bed so brassicas still get airflow and full leaf expansion.
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: UGA Extension - Growing Vegetables OrganicallyCornell Cooperative Extension - Recommended Spacing and Expected Yield for Garden VegetablesUniversity of Maine Extension - Planting Chart for the Home Vegetable GardenUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing VegetablesIllinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in Containers
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.