How to grow cabbage in open ground - 7 rules for a good harvest

White cabbage is one of the most common vegetable plants. It has been grown and used since ancient times. Growing cabbage is not at all difficult. Cabbage is valued for its variety of species, the possibility of long-term use both in fresh and processed forms while preserving all the nutrients it contains, and for its medicinal and dietary properties.

It comes from the coastal regions of Western Europe and the Mediterranean coast from wild bush cabbage.

Description of white cabbage

• Biennial plant of the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae).
• In the first year of life, a head of cabbage forms, an overgrown apical bud on the stem. The shape of the heads of cabbage can be round, cone-shaped, flattened. The density of heads of cabbage varies.
• The stem reaches a height of 15-20 cm, thickens in the middle part (up to 3.5-6 cm), forming a stump.
• The lower leaves form a basal rosette, entire, lyre-shaped, sessile or on short petioles. Leaf color varies from light green to dark green.
• In the second year of life, a powerful, erect main stem up to 1.7 m high is formed with numerous lateral branches, on which medium and large flowers (1.5-2.8 cm in diameter) appear.
• The fruit is a pod 6-15 cm long. The seeds are round, dark brown to black, up to 2 mm in diameter.

Plants of the cabbage family have been cultivated for thousands of years. Scientists have found evidence that the builders of the Branch Wall of China ate pickled cabbage as early as 200 BC. e. Cabbage was popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans for its healing and nutritional properties. The round cabbage we know today was used in the Middle Ages in fireside pot dishes, often mixed with leeks. onions and herbs.

Characteristics of white cabbage

White cabbage is not only the most important, but also the most useful vegetable crop in the garden. White cabbage has been cultivated for a long time, and it originated in Western Europe and North Africa.

White cabbage is a biennial plant. In the first year, a head, or modified stem, is formed, which is used for food. In the second year, flowering shoots and seeds are formed. Heads of cabbage can have different shapes, colors, sizes and densities, depending on the variety. On average, the weight of a head of cabbage can vary from 300 g to 10 kg.

White cabbage has excellent taste, and also contains almost all the vitamins, organic acids, mineral salts, anthocyanins and phytoncides necessary for humans.

The main feature and advantage of this vegetable crop is that it is very cold-resistant and has a well-developed root system. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +3°C, but for active growth a higher temperature is needed - from +18°C. At low temperatures, seedlings will appear in a week, and at higher temperatures - after three days. White cabbage grows at a temperature of +5°C, but for the rapid development of seedlings, a temperature of +12°C is needed.

Cabbage does not like too high temperatures. If the thermometer is above +25°C, the emerging heads of cabbage will begin to crack and the harvest can be forgotten.

A sufficient amount of light is one of the main conditions when growing white cabbage. This vegetable especially needs light during the seedling period. If there is little light, the seedlings begin to stretch out, become susceptible to fungal diseases, and the heads of cabbage become loose or do not form at all.

White cabbage is moisture-loving. The high need for moisture of this plant is easily explained: the leaves have a large evaporating surface, and the root system is shallow. White cabbage needs the greatest amount of moisture during the formation of heads of cabbage.

The optimal air humidity for cabbage is 70-80%. If the humidity is too high or low, the plants will become sick and the yield will be significantly reduced.

Another feature of white cabbage is its high demands on soil. This vegetable crop prefers fertile and cultivated soils and responds well to the application of lime, as well as large amounts of mineral and organic fertilizers. You should not grow white cabbage in highly acidic, waterlogged or heavy loamy soils.

Useful properties of cabbage

In terms of nutritional content, cabbage is superior to many vegetables and fruits. • Contains a large amount of vitamins, macro- and microelements that ensure human life: C, A, B, B1, B2, B6, lactic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. • In terms of protein content, it surpasses most traditional vegetables: carrots, rutabaga, beets, etc. • Cabbage contains anti-ulcer vitamin U, which is practically not found in other types of plant foods. • Very rich in fiber, good for digestion.

The protein in cabbage is rich in essential amino acids. which regulate the functioning of the digestive organs and circulatory system. Vitamin U prevents the appearance of stomach and duodenal ulcers.

Soils and fertilizers

Cabbage grows best in fertile, fertilized loamy soils. Peaty, sandy and sandy loam soils are suitable for it only after enriching them with macro- and microelements, and clay soils - after structuring by adding organic fertilizers.

All types of cabbage are prone to the accumulation of nitrates and heavy metals. When growing them, you should reduce the use of mineral fertilizers and abandon pesticides.

When preparing the site, the soil is dug up and filled with organic fertilizers (4 kg of manure per 1 m2). Cabbage especially needs a high content of phosphorus and potassium, but it reacts very poorly to chlorine, so it is better to replace mineral potassium fertilizers with extracts from potassium-rich plants or wood ash. As a last resort, it is necessary to use potassium mineral fertilizers that do not contain chlorine.

It is better to “take” phosphorus from superphosphate using the water extraction method: pour 100 g of fertilizer into 10 liters of hot water and leave for 24 hours. Then drain and use to water the soil, and discard the sediment.

Additives such as chopped green mass of legumes, marigolds, comfrey, plant residues of lettuce, beets, spinach, arugula, and salad mustard also enrich the soil with nutrients. They will be processed by soil bacteria, and by spring the soil will be ready to accept seedlings.

Soil acidity

White cabbage is demanding not only on soil fertility, but also on its reaction; neutral or very slightly acidic is suitable for it. If liming has not been carried out since the fall, then 2 handfuls of humus and 2 tbsp. must be placed in the planting holes. spoons of wood ash.

Cabbage is demanding on soil moisture, since its plants consist of 80-95% water. She needs to ensure uninterrupted watering, especially during the period of formation and growth of heads of cabbage. The lack of moisture is not compensated by precipitation; the heads of cabbage are formed small, with rough leaves.

The area allocated for this crop must be well lit throughout the day, otherwise you will not get a high yield. It is equally important to constantly change the “place of deployment”. It is believed that cabbage can be returned to its original place after 3-4 years. Bad predecessors for it are all plants of the cabbage family. Celery can be used as compaction crops.

When to sow seeds for seedlings?

The calculation is simple. From the date of possible planting of seedlings in beds, the optimal age of plants is subtracted - 45-50 days (5-6 true leaves) - and the time for sowing seeds for seedlings is obtained. To get tight heads of cabbage, cabbage varieties are sown as seedlings no later than April 20. Later plantings always lead to weight loss.

Medicinal properties of cabbage

• Improves digestion.
• Used in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis with low acidity.
• Promotes the separation of bile.
• Has a mild laxative effect.
• Helps normalize weight.
• Relieves swelling.
• Due to the presence of a large amount of potassium, cabbage helps remove excess fluid from the body.
• Used as an expectorant for coughs.
• Fresh cabbage juice with sugar 1 tsp. several times a day.
• Used for the prevention of atherosclerosis. Cabbage fiber helps remove cholesterol from the body.
• Used in cosmetic masks to moisturize and whiten facial skin.

Sauerkraut contains a large amount of vitamin C, which, unlike fresh cabbage, is not destroyed. The simplest pishatan mask - cabbage and carrots, pureed in a meat grinder, are squeezed out, honey and a spoonful of yogurt are added to the resulting pulp. The mask is applied for 10 minutes to well-washed skin, without affecting the area around the eyes. Then rinse off with cool water.

Checking seeds for germination

1. To prevent diseases, seeds are soaked in hot water +50 °C for 15 minutes.
2. Then place it in cold water for 1 minute.
3. Then soak in a nutrient solution for 12 hours (1 tsp nitrophoska, or nitroammofoska, or other complex fertilizer per 1 liter of water).
4. After this, the cabbage seeds are washed with clean water, wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in the refrigerator (-1-2 °C) for 1-2 days. This process increases the cold resistance of seeds.
5. After hardening, dry the wet seeds so that they do not stick to the fingers, and begin sowing seedlings.

To extend the harvest of early cabbage, seeds are sown at intervals of 2-3 days until the end of March. Sowing seeds of mid-late and late varieties of cabbage is carried out from April 10. At the end of April, you can sow directly into open ground under film.

Growing seedlings

Deadlines

Sowing white cabbage begins with early varieties. Early cabbage seedlings are planted in a garden bed at the age of 45-60 days, which means sowing is carried out in the first ten days of March in the middle zone, in early February in the southern regions, in the northern regions in mid-April.

The age of seedlings of mid-ripening white cabbage when planted in the ground should be 35-40 days, late-ripening - 45-50 days. Adding to this the time for seed germination (4-7 days) and knowing the timing of planting seedlings in the garden bed, it is not difficult to calculate the sowing time.

Sowing

Before sowing, it is advisable to disinfect the seeds by heating them in hot water at a temperature of 45-50 degrees for 30 minutes. Then cool in cold water for 1 minute. The next step is to soak the seeds in a growth stimulant, such as Epin. After treatment, rinse with water and put in the refrigerator for 1 day for hardening, on the shelf where the temperature is +1+2 degrees. Hardening will increase the cold resistance of plants and speed up seed germination.

The soil mixture for seedlings is prepared from 1 part peat, 1 part turf soil and 0.5 sand. The mixture must be steamed or disinfected in another way to avoid the seedlings becoming infected with “black leg” or “clout”. Add 1 cup of wood ash and 1 tbsp to a bucket of the finished mixture. a spoonful of superphosphate. Sprinkle the mixture into shallow drawers or boxes. Seeds are sown at a distance of 1-3 cm from each other to a depth of 1 cm, covered with film and placed on the windowsill. At the optimal temperature for seed germination (+18+20 degrees), seedlings appear on the 4-5th day. If the temperature is below optimal, seedlings will appear in 7-10 days. This must be taken into account when calculating sowing dates.

When shoots appear, the boxes need to be removed to a cooler place, the temperature should be maintained at +14+16 degrees during the day, +10+12 degrees at night. At higher temperatures, the seedlings will stretch and may die.

I grow early cabbage seedlings on the windowsill, hanging regular greenhouse film on the window instead of tulle, just below the window sill in length. The film allows you to regulate the temperature by opening the window. The seedlings in such a “greenhouse” do not stretch; they turn out strong and hardened.

I grow seedlings of mid-season and late varieties in a glass greenhouse. I sow directly into the ground, having first spilled the bed with a hot 1% manganese solution. I make grooves 3-5 cm apart. I spread the seeds every 2-3 cm, to a depth of 1 cm. I cover them with earth, pour warm water from a watering can again and cover them with non-woven material in 2 layers. After the shoots emerge, I remove one layer. I remove the second layer when there is no danger of severe frost.

Picking

As soon as the seedlings have fully opened cotyledons, they need to be picked out. Picking is carried out in pots measuring 8x8 cm or 10x10 cm, using the same soil mixture as for sowing.

Before picking, water the seedlings well, using a manganese solution. When planting, plants are buried down to the cotyledon leaves. Roots that are too long can be pinched to 1/3 of their length. For picking, you should use only strong seedlings; you will not get a decent harvest from weak ones.

When growing seedlings in a greenhouse bed, the seedlings must be thinned out so that the distance between the seedlings is at least 10 cm. Carefully removing the “extra” seedlings with a lump of earth with a spoon, I plant them in pots.

Seedlings left in the garden grow faster than those transplanted and are larger. But when planting in the ground, no matter how hard you try to take the seedling with a lump of earth, the roots are slightly damaged and the seedlings “sick” for some time. While those grown in pots practically do not need adaptation, they quickly begin to grow. Over time, they level out and do not differ in yield.

Watering

Water the seedlings as needed, preventing the soil from drying out. The water temperature should be +18+20 degrees. Overwatering should also be avoided; excess moisture will lead to seedlings becoming infected with blackleg and causing death. When the first signs of the disease appear, it is necessary to pour calcined sand into pots or boxes in a layer of 1-1.5 cm.

Pots with seedlings should be spaced out sparser as the seedlings grow, which will help avoid the plants being stretched out.

During the first 10-12 days, white cabbage seedlings grow slowly, then growth accelerates and after 20-25 days, 2-3 true leaves grow on the seedlings.

Feeding

During the growth process, seedlings need feeding. The first feeding is carried out with the appearance of the second true leaf. To prepare a solution for feeding, take 30 grams of urea per 10 liters of water. Before fertilizing, the seedlings must be watered and then rinsed with clean water to wash off the fertilizer from the leaves and petioles.

The second feeding is done 2 weeks before planting the seedlings in open ground. For 10 liters of water, take 10-20 grams of potassium sulfate and urea. Solution consumption - 1 liter per 5 plants.

If cabbage seedlings are grown in a greenhouse or greenhouse, then you can use an infusion of mullein or bird droppings for feeding.

The seedlings are ready for planting when they have formed a well-developed root system and have grown 5-6 true leaves.

Hardening

2-3 weeks before planting in open ground, as soon as the air temperature is not lower than +7+8 degrees, the seedlings need to begin to be hardened. Plants need to get used not only to low temperatures, but also to direct sunlight. Seedlings grown at home begin to be taken out onto the balcony; those growing in a greenhouse begin to be hardened off by opening the windows. First for 20-30 minutes, gradually increasing the time. Over time, if the weather permits, you can leave it on the balcony or outside overnight.

Preparing the soil for cabbage seedlings

1. A soil mixture of sand and turf soil is mixed in equal proportions.
2. Add 2 tbsp to the mixture bucket. wood ash and 1 tbsp. superphosphate. Or add 1 tbsp per bucket of soil mixture. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. granulated "Agricola-1".
3. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and filled into shallow boxes 5-6 cm high.
4. Spill the soil with Hom solution (1 g per 1 liter of water).

Another option for preparing the soil mixture is garden soil mixed with humus (ratio II). with the addition of sand, peat or peat compost. You can simply purchase ready-made cabbage soil.

Planting seeds

For early varieties of cabbage, the seedling planting scheme is: at a distance of approximately 3-4 cm from each other, leaving 8-10 cm between rows, or according to a 5×5 cm pattern. For late-ripening varieties, sparse sowing according to the 8×8 cm or 10× pattern is recommended 10 cm. In late cabbage varieties, the leaf petioles are longer and the leaves themselves are larger.

• The grooves with seeds are sprinkled with soil mixture and lightly compacted. The sowing depth is 1-2 cm. The box is placed on the windowsill, where the air temperature is +15-20 °C. On the 5-6th day, cabbage seedlings should appear.
• Water the cabbage seedlings with warm water +18-20 °C as the soil dries, with mandatory ventilation of the room.
• After emergence of seedlings, the temperature must be reduced to +12-14 °C. This is not easy to do on a windowsill, so it is better to move the boxes from a warm room to a glazed loggia, veranda or balcony.
• When the first true leaf appears (10-15 days after sowing), the seedlings are planted in separate containers or planted in the same box (the distance between rows is 12-15 cm, and between plants 8-10 cm). When picking, cabbage seedlings are buried in the soil mixture up to the cotyledon leaves.
• After picking, the temperature in the room during the first 2-3 days should be +17-18 °C and as soon as the seedlings take root, it must be reduced during the day to +13-14 °C, at night to +10-12 °C.
• 22-25 days after picking, the plants form 2-3 true leaves. Before planting in a permanent place, standard seedlings should have 4-6 leaves, a height of 16-20 cm, and a stem thickness of 5 mm.

The optimal daytime temperature for growing seedlings is + 15-18 °C. At higher temperatures, especially in cases where it is accompanied by high humidity, seedlings may be affected by blackleg. After seed germination, it is necessary to slightly reduce the ambient temperature, otherwise the sprouts will be too thin and weak. quickly stretch out and may die. Pots or cups are filled with the same soil mixture as for sowing seeds.

Features of growing cabbage without seedlings

In most regions of our country, white cabbage is grown from seedlings. The seedless method can be used in the southern regions of Russia, where it is possible to extend the growing season of the crop due to a long summer. The main advantages of this method are:

1. There is no need for transplanting and picking plants. All that needs to be done is to thin out the seedlings.
2. High yield of cabbage.
3. Accelerated ripening of crops.
4. Minimum human labor required to care for vegetables.

The disadvantages of the seedless method are the increased consumption of seeds per unit area, correct selection and careful preparation of the site, and the need for enhanced care at the initial stage of crop development.

Preparing seeds and soil is no different from the seedling method of growing cabbage. Sowing of grains is carried out when stable warm weather sets in from mid-April, while the grains are buried in the soil to a depth of 2-4 centimeters. The distances between adjacent rows should be multiples of 50 centimeters.

A few days after the emergence of seedlings, the first thinning is carried out, leaving two sprouts per hole. After another week, the crops are thinned out again. The purpose of this operation is to remove weakened plants. Excess plants are used as seedlings for unfilled areas. All other measures for caring for cabbage are similar to the seedling method.

Feeding and preventing diseases of cabbage seedlings

• The first feeding in the phase of the appearance of the second true leaf is with a solution: 10 liters of water, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 20-30 g of superphosphate and 20-40 g of potassium chloride.
• Second feeding during the hardening of seedlings in the open air: 1 tbsp. potassium chloride per bucket of water or 1 tbsp. urea and potassium sulfate per bucket of water with an approximate consumption of 70 g per 1 plant.
• To prevent blackleg disease and to form additional roots, add 1-2 cm of peat soil or humus to the pots.
• 4-5 days before planting in the ground, seedlings are watered with a lime solution (800 g of lime per 10 liters of water). This will protect her from clubroot disease.

scooping leg

Scooping foot
The disease manifests itself very early in separate foci. It affects seed sprouts and young cabbage seedlings. Symptoms: the stem of a burned plant at the root collar becomes thinner and darker, forming a characteristic constriction. Subsequently, rotting of the root collar occurs. The root system of diseased plants develops poorly, the roots of the second and third orders die off, and plants are easily pulled out of the soil.

Disease Control

Most often, white cabbage is susceptible to the following types of diseases.

Mucous bacteriosis

This disease greatly harms cabbage. It attacks the plant as soon as the heads begin to set. The leaves turn yellow, mucus appears on them, and the cabbage gives off a putrid smell. This is a contagious bacterial infection. To combat it, it is necessary to pollinate the plants with wood ash, and after a day, spray them with a pink solution of manganese sulfate.

Downy mildew

Another dangerous cabbage disease. This is a fungal infection that severely affects cabbage leaf blades. You cannot water cabbage with cold water or water at all if the air is too damp, because in such conditions the disease develops most actively. At the first symptoms, immediately spray the plants with colloidal sulfur, at the rate of 40 g of the substance per bucket of water. There is also a very effective drug called Energen on sale. They also need to treat cabbage affected by mildew. Usually 3 caps of the drug is enough for a bucket of water.

Kila

Another common and very dangerous cabbage disease. It affects the root system of the plant, forming growths of different sizes on it, consisting of hypertrophied tissue. The roots cease to perform their function, and the cabbage may die. Clubroot is a fungal soil infection. To get rid of it, it is necessary to lime acidic soils and take into account crop rotation. You can treat the soil with 2% copper sulfate.

Rot

Various rots, in particular white and gray, also pose a danger to the normal development of cabbage. For prevention and treatment, be sure to pollinate plants with chalk, especially during the period of active formation of heads of cabbage. Don't forget to inspect cabbage rosettes often.

Preparing cabbage seedlings for planting in open ground

Early varieties of cabbage are planted from April 25 to May 5. Late varieties are planted from May 10 to June 1.

• 2 weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, it is recommended to carry out hardening with low temperatures (+5-6 °C) and natural sunlight. To do this, the pots are taken out onto the balcony.
• 5-6 days before planting seedlings in the ground, watering is completely stopped.
• 1 day before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly so that as much soil as possible remains on the roots of the plant.
• Experienced gardeners recommend soaking the plants in a 0.1% solution of karbofos before planting to protect against cabbage flies.

Once planted in the ground, pumped seedlings tolerate frosts down to -5 °C. Adult plants can withstand frosts down to -9 °C.

Diseases and pests

One of the most dangerous diseases, black leg can occur at the stage of growing seedlings. The disease manifests itself on the plant in the form of thinning of the lower part of the stem and is black in color. The disease occurs when crop seeds are sown in untreated soil under high humidity conditions. To prevent this disease, you need to disinfect the soil and seedling containers, and follow the crop watering regime.

Another dangerous clubroot disease affects the roots of seedlings and adult plants in open ground. This leads to a slowdown in the absorption of nutrients, the affected plants are stunted in growth, and heads of cabbage do not form on them. Feeding plants with organic matter, for example, mullein solution, as well as disinfecting the soil with sulfur, will help defeat the disease.

Pests affecting cabbage plants include cruciferous flea beetles, cabbage caterpillars and cabbage moths. All these parasites chew the leaves of the plant and suck out the juices, which can lead to its death. If some pests can be repelled by wood ash destroyed in the area or marigolds growing in the rows, then to destroy the cabbage caterpillar it is necessary to use insecticides, for example, the chemical preparation Karate or Actellik.

It is not difficult to grow white cabbage on your own plot, the main thing is to follow the rules described in the article. Put the knowledge you have gained into practice and you will be able to get a rich harvest.

Preparing a place in the garden for planting cabbage seedlings

This should be an open, sunny piece of land with fertile soil • Early white cabbage is grown in well-warmed, quickly drying, elevated areas. It works well on cultivated light loamy and sandy loam soils. • For mid-season cabbage, drained peat soils and low areas with medium loamy soil are suitable. • Soddy-podzolic, medium loamy, loamy and lowland peat soils are suitable late cabbage

To prevent soil stones from falling off the roots, the seedlings are dipped in mullein or “chatter” clay diluted with water. If the soil has an acidic environment, then in the fall, dig up the area with the addition of dolomite flour or fluff lime, or powdered sword (1-2 cups per 1 m2). Cabbage is very demanding on fertility and soil structure. The best soils for it are loamy soils with a high content of organic matter (humus), with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction, and good water-holding capacity.

Growing queen cells

Seed production of vegetable crops is one of the most labor-intensive types of agricultural production; labor costs for growing cabbage queen cells and seed plants on an area of ​​1 hectare exceed the costs for the production of grain crops by 14 and 30 times, respectively, and potatoes by 2.4 and 5 times. Plants that have reached the stage of full head formation are called mother plants, and stem plants are plants that are underdeveloped and harvested entirely with roots. Growing cabbage mother plants consists of 45 operations, and seed plants - 61.

The white cabbage seed production technology includes four main stages: growing seedlings, growing queen cells (plantings), storing queen cells in the winter, growing seed plants in the second year. The technology for growing mother plants from open ground seedlings, seedlings from cassettes and using the seedless method is similar to the technology for cultivating cabbage for food purposes. The only difference is in the timing of sowing and planting, so that by the time of harvesting the plants have fully formed, but not overripe, heads of cabbage.

It should be remembered that queen plants grown on soils with a high potassium content form very dense heads of cabbage, which delays the process of growth of the apical bud cone. A high nitrogen background, on the contrary, accelerates differentiation. Therefore, when growing mother plants of late maturing cabbage, it is necessary to reduce the doses of potassium rather than nitrogen fertilizers in comparison with those used in the production of commercial products. Approximate fertilizer rates are given in table. 5.

Table 5. Doses of fertilizer application for mother plants of white cabbage, depending on the planned yield and nutrient supply of the soil, kg/ha a.i.

When growing cabbage mother plants, a differentiated irrigation regime is created in the first period of the plant growing season (rosette growth) - moderate at 70% NV; in the second (growth of heads of cabbage) - increased at 80% NV, in the third (ripening of heads of cabbage) - moderate at 70% NV. Approximate irrigation rates: in the 1st and 3rd periods of the growing season 200–250 m3/ha, 3–4 weeks before harvesting the queen cells, watering is stopped.

Heavy clay, sandy and acidic soils are unsuitable for cultivation.

The best precursors for cabbage are legumes and grains, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, beets, tomatoes and perennial herbs. In the fall, manure is applied to the cabbage bed: • 5-6 kg per 1 m2 is applied to poorly cultivated soil, • 4-5 kg ​​to floodplain soil • 2-2.5 kg to low-lying soil. Dig to a depth of 20-30 cm. In spring, apply to the soil organic (manure humus or manure-peat compost (3-4 kg per 1 m2)) and mineral (1 tbsp powdered superphosphate or nitrophoska, 1 glass of wood ash and 1 tsp urea per 1 m2) fertilizers. After applying fertilizers, the soil is dug up to a depth of 15-20 cm and carefully leveled with a rake. After this, the prepared area is thoroughly watered and planting begins.

Cabbage can grow in one place for no more than 2-3 years. and it is recommended to plant it again in this place no earlier than after 4 years.

Storage and pre-planting preparation of queen cells

It is better to store queen cells in special storage facilities equipped with active ventilation: in stacks up to 2.0–2.2 m high or in containers. When storing, they are placed with the roots inward. Storage in containers is more efficient as it reduces the amount of manual work. Optimal storage temperature is +1…1.5 °C, relative air humidity 90–95%. Low air humidity leads to drying out of the roots and loss of turgor by the mother plants, which impairs their survival rate, increases damage by mucous bacteriosis and often causes vegetative growth of seed plants. During the storage period, if necessary, they are cleaned, removing rotting leaves, and keeping the queen cells dry and clean.

One and a half months before planting, the air temperature in the storage is increased to +4...5 °C, which accelerates the passage of vernalization and improves the regrowth of flowering shoots in the field. 3–4 weeks before planting in the field, the stumps are cut out, preserving the apical bud. Plants with heads of cabbage damaged by spot necrosis and diseased stalks are rejected. It is especially important not to damage the apical bud of the inner stump, since the most productive seed shoot develops from it. The cut stumps are placed in containers with their roots facing each other and carefully transported to the planting site, avoiding breakage of the apical bud.

Planting cabbage seedlings in open ground

Seedlings with 5-8 true leaves are planted in a permanent place: • Early cabbage varieties are planted according to the following scheme: the distance between rows is 40-45 cm, the distance between plants in a row is 20-25 cm. • For mid-season rows, the spacing is 70 cm, the distance between plants in a row 50-60 cm. • Late varieties of cabbage are planted according to the following scheme: the distance between plants should be 30-35 cm, between rows 55-60 cm.

If you don’t have enough fertilizers, you can add them directly to the hole before planting cabbage (0.5 kg of compost. I cm. l. wood ash and 0.5 tsp. nitrophoska, this whole composition is thoroughly mixed with the soil).

Growing cabbage in mixed plantings

Condensed plantings are those in which several crops are grown simultaneously in one area. Gardeners with small plots use compacted and repeated sowing or planting. This allows them to use the land more efficiently.

For example, when growing late-ripening cabbage (compaction crop), radishes and dill lettuce (compaction crops) are sown with it, since in the initial period of development cabbage grows very slowly and does not completely use the area allotted to it. In a small area you can grow white cabbage and cauliflower using the principle of compacted planting. It is important to choose the right varieties and hybrids of both crops. In the first half of May, early cauliflower seedlings are planted according to a pattern of 60-70 cm between rows and 35 cm between plants. And at the end of May, in the same rows, but according to the pattern of 60-70 cm between rows by 70 cm between plants, late-ripening cabbage seedlings are planted.

At the end of June - beginning of July, early cauliflower ripens and is completely removed by the roots, while the rosettes of late-ripening cabbage are just beginning to gain full strength. With further good care, late-ripening cabbage plants, somewhat oppressed in the first period of their growth, find themselves in favorable conditions, develop normally and produce the main harvest. From the same plot, an additional yield of cauliflower is obtained, approximately 1.2 kg/m2.

Many gardeners use the positive effects of joint planting of white cabbage and cauliflower with tomatoes and potatoes. An additional harvest of cabbage is obtained, and tomatoes and potatoes are less affected by late blight.

With repeated sowings, several crops are also grown on the same area, but at different times.
This method is used mainly in the southern regions, where the warm period of time is longer. The first crop to be sown is cold-resistant crops with a short growing season - radishes, Chinese cabbage, etc. The second crop is mid-season and late-season cabbage varieties. Or vice versa, the first crop is cold-resistant, with a long growing season - early white cabbage, cauliflower. And the second is cold-resistant, with a short growing season - autumn radishes, onions for greens from sets. In contact with

Seedlings are planted on cloudy days, and in sunny, hot weather in the afternoon.

First, each hole is watered generously with 0.5-1 liters of water. You can plant 2-3 sprouts in one hole, and then when thinning, leave the strongest plant. When planting, seedlings are buried down to the first true leaves. In order for the plants to quickly take root, it is necessary to spray them with water from a watering can 2 times a day for 5-6 days. In order to avoid sunburn, seedlings need to be shaded for the first 2 days.

You should not plant weak seedlings, much less those affected by diseases.

If seedlings are planted together with peat pots, they must be well moistened with water, after watering the holes. The top of the pots is covered with a 4-5 cm layer of soil.

Plant care

Early cabbage seedlings are planted in open ground, usually in early May according to a 50x50 cm pattern in well-watered holes and covered with 2-3 cm of soil on top. At least 1 liter of water is poured into each hole. Crops can be mulched with humus or peat in a layer of at least 5 cm.

Cabbage seedlings are planted in holes strictly along the line, leaving wide row spacing. This is important because to obtain a stable harvest of clean, undamaged heads or heads for approximately 30-40 days, the plants should be covered with non-woven material.

Cabbage is a cold-resistant crop, but is sensitive to cold during the period of seed germination and transplantation of seedlings, before they take root. The shelter maintains optimal temperature and retains soil and air moisture. In addition, the plant remains inaccessible to pests during the most important period of its life.

Shelter for cabbage

Cabbage is covered in different ways. You can make caps in the form of a triangular pyramid: a non-woven “clothing” is “put on” a frame made of slats.

Another option is to build a common shelter over a whole row. The basis of the “hut” is supports made of low metal arches or wooden tripods, onto which a long transverse strip is attached. The non-woven fabric will fit tightly if its lower edge is fixed to the frame.

After planting, the plants are watered abundantly and the soil around is mulched. Watering is subsequently carried out in grooves dug in the rows along the shelters. In addition, the non-woven material allows some rainwater to pass through.

When the time comes to remove the cover, the plants will already be large, strong and completely untouched by pests. The soil around them is again loosened, watered and in most cases hilled up. At this time, feeding

. With such agricultural technology, cabbage does not need special means of protection against pests and diseases. Of course, a certain number of caterpillars appear on its leaves, but there are so few of them that you can completely manage by collecting them by hand.

It is usually recommended to loosen the soil 5-7 times before the leaves close. However, mulching the soil with humus and mowed lawn grass eliminates the need for loosening, and weed control is not required. You can add sprigs of mint, dill, sage and other fragrant herbs to the top layer of mulch to repel pests

It is better to feed cabbage with a liquid infusion of green fertilizer or slurry diluted with water 1:10, as well as an extract from comfrey, nettle and wood ash. 2-3 feedings at the roots or along the leaves are enough.

Watering cabbage

Cabbage is very demanding of moisture. The greatest need for water is manifested in the phase of increased leaf growth after planting seedlings, as well as during the formation of a head of cabbage. At the same time, cabbage does not tolerate waterlogging (if flooded, the roots begin to die after 12 hours). Please note that cabbage should be watered in the morning or evening. The water temperature should not be lower than +10'°C. After planting, the cabbage is thoroughly watered every 3-4 days for two weeks at the rate of 6-8 liters per 1 m2. Then the cabbage is watered once a week, 10-12 liters per 1 m2. To maintain moisture in the soil, you need to loosen it after each watering or rain. a bed with cabbage to a depth of 5-8 cm. In case of insufficient rainfall, as well as on light soils, they are loosened shallower, with sufficient moisture and on heavy soils, deeper.

Early cabbage is watered more abundantly in June, and late cabbage during August. when the forks are being tied. Late cabbage is more moisture-loving. therefore, its watering rate is 2.5 times higher than that of other varieties. During the period of seedling growth, one plant receives an average of 1-5 liters of water. An adult plant during the formation of a head of cabbage consumes an average of 15-20 liters per watering (for comparison, the water consumption for evaporation by an adult plant in the summer reaches 10 liters per day, and to grow a head of cabbage weighing 2 kg, the plant must receive a total of 200 l water).

How to choose cabbage seeds for planting

The choice of seed material should be given special attention, because the volume and quality of the future harvest directly depends on it. Let's take a closer look at what criteria need to be taken into account when selecting seeds:

1. Cultivation region. There are many varieties of cabbage that are bred for specific regions, which is always indicated on the seed package. If such information is not available, then a sign is provided that can be used to determine when sowing and harvesting take place. The longer the cabbage growing period, the warmer the region needed for its cultivation.
2. Soil characteristics. Depending on the chosen variety, you need to take into account the type of soil on which the crop gives the best yield.
3. Terms of ripening. Cabbage is divided into several groups according to ripening: early (ripens within 50–120 days), middle (90–170 days) and late (160–270 days). When choosing seeds, you need to take this indicator into account, and not plant one type of crop.
4. Why is cabbage grown? The choice of variety also depends on what the vegetable will be used for: for salads, pickling, or for fresh storage. Such information must be provided on the label or packaging.
5. Resistance to diseases and pests. Each variety has its own characteristics. Thus, there are varieties that are endowed with resistance to diseases and pests, but they cannot boast of high yields, and there are productive varieties, but with less resistance. This indicator must be taken into account, since appropriate care will have to be provided.
6. Resistant to cracking. It is better to give preference to varieties that are not prone to cracking, since due to this nuance not only the appearance of the heads deteriorates, but also problems arise with storage: cracked heads of cabbage are not stored for a long time.
7. Local varieties. To grow cabbage on your own plot, it is better to purchase zoned varieties, i.e., local selection. After all, it is precisely this seed material that is best suited to your climatic conditions.

Video: how to choose cabbage seeds

How to get your own seeds

Gardeners think about getting their own cabbage seeds if they like a certain variety, but are not sure that they will be able to purchase it next season. Anyone can produce seed material. The main thing is not to use hybrid varieties for these purposes, since they do not retain varietal characteristics.

First you need to understand that cabbage is classified as follows to obtain seeds:

• The mother plant is a plant that is familiar to everyone in the first year of cultivation, which forms a head of cabbage;
• seed plants - queen cells planted in the second year, from which flowers and seeds are formed.

Plants with a large head of cabbage, a small stalk and a small number of leaves near the head are chosen as the mother liquor.

For mother plants, only high-quality planting material of the variety that needs to be propagated is selected. Mid-late and late varieties are best suited for these purposes. This is due to the fact that they are better preserved until planting next season. Cabbage that will be used as a mother plant should have as large a head as possible, and the stalk and green leaves should be as small as possible. For queen cells, low plants with a thin stalk and a small number of outer leaves at the head should be selected.

Next year, peduncles will develop from the cabbage stalk, from which seeds are subsequently collected.

The first year's plants are harvested before frost sets in. If they are slightly frozen, then you need to give them a little time to “move away”. For the purposes under consideration, it is better to sow cabbage directly into the ground. Such plants have a more powerful rhizome, a short stalk, and are better preserved. The queen cells are harvested together with the root and earthen ball, after which the root system is dipped in liquid clay and the rosette foliage is removed. Then they are stored in the basement, ensuring a temperature of +1–2˚С. If the temperature is less than 0˚C, the mother plants will freeze and will be susceptible to diseases when planted. When the temperature rises above +10˚С, only leaves will grow together with the flower stalks.

To plant queen cells, you need to choose an area where snow does not linger for a long time in the spring. Fertilizers are applied in the same quantities as for planting cabbage. Plants are planted at the end of April, having previously coated the rhizomes with a mixture of clay and mullein. The procedure is carried out with a distance between the queen cells of 60 cm, burying the plants in the holes up to the very head of cabbage. After planting, the bushes are watered and shaded in the first days, and also protected in case of return frosts by covering them with film. Care comes down to similar procedures as with regular cabbage: removing weeds, loosening, watering, fertilizing.

Plants of the second year form peduncles, which are tied to supports

After 2 weeks, when the mother plants have taken root, remove the remaining old leaves and petioles to avoid rotting. When flower stalks form, tie them to the supports. Shoots that do not bloom, as well as excess peduncles, are removed. The flowering period lasts about a month. After flowering, the seeds in the pods ripen in 1.5 months. They need to be removed without waiting for full ripening, since the very first ones will begin to spill out onto the ground from the opening pods. The seed material is dried and stored.

Video: collecting cabbage seeds

Feeding cabbage

2-3 feedings are carried out per season. The first feeding of cabbage must be carried out simultaneously with hilling, approximately 20 days after planting the seedlings. Before feeding, the plants are thoroughly watered. Use liquid mullein (0.5 l per 10 l of water) or a mixture of double superphosphate (60 g), ammonium sulfate (30 g), wood ash (200 g) per 10 l of water, consumption rate 0. 5 liters of solution per 1 plant. 10-20 days after the first feeding, the second is carried out. Fertilizer composition: liquid mullein (0.5 l) or chicken manure (0.5 kg), 30 g of azofoska, 15 g of a mixture of microfertilizers per 10 l of water, consumption rate of 1 l of solution per 1 plant. 10 days after the second feeding, liquid mullein (0.5 l) or chicken manure (0.5 kg), 30 g of superphosphate, 15 g of a mixture of microfertilizers per 10 l of water are added, the consumption rate is 6-8 l of solution per 1 m2

Late-ripening varieties and hybrids can be fed 4-5 times per season.

Also, for feeding and to prevent the appearance of pests (aphids, snails, slugs), the soil and plants are regularly sprinkled with wood ash at the rate of 1 cup per 1 m2. Remember that from an excess of nitrogen, nitrates accumulate, the heads of cabbage crack, and are poorly stored.

The optimal temperature for the growth and development of white cabbage is 15-20 °C. Temperatures above 25 °C have a negative effect on cabbage; the cracking of heads increases. At a temperature of 30 °C, growth and development are noticeably suppressed, and at temperatures above 30 °C, a head of cabbage does not form. At temperatures below 15 °C, a head of cabbage does not form; cabbage can bloom in the first year (especially early varieties and hybrids). Instead of mineral fertilizers, you can use slurry diluted with water (in a ratio of 1/3). mullein (1/4), bird droppings (1/8) 1-1.5 liters per plant.

Cabbage is a biennial plant

In the first year of life it forms a head of cabbage, and in the second year it produces peduncles and seeds. The agricultural technology of white cabbage is not much different from the agricultural technology of other vegetables, although it has its own characteristics. Cabbage is a cold-resistant plant, light- and moisture-loving, does not like hot weather.

Before buying seeds, you need to decide what you will do with the harvest:

• If cabbage is intended for fresh consumption in the summer season, then it is better to grow early varieties. The growth period of early varieties from germination to harvest is up to 120 days. The plants form small heads of cabbage, but are distinguished by the tenderness of the leaves. Heads of cabbage are not stored for long - 2-3 weeks at home.
• Cabbage intended for pickling is characterized by loose heads and a high sugar content. These are mainly mid-ripening (120-150 days from germination) and late-ripening varieties.
• Cabbage for storage is represented by medium-late and late (more than 150 days from germination to technical ripeness) varieties. The heads of cabbage are stored well until spring without losing their commercial qualities, but there is a drawback - slight bitterness and hardness of the leaves.

By growing different varieties of cabbage on your plot, you can provide yourself with fresh cabbage until next spring.

Temperature

Cabbage seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of +3+4 degrees, but the most favorable temperature for germination is +18+20 degrees. Depending on the temperature, the seeds will sprout in 5-9 days. The optimal temperature for cabbage growth is +16+18 degrees; at temperatures above +25+30 degrees, the formation of heads of cabbage stops, the lower leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, and the heads of cabbage begin to crack. Cabbage tolerates short-term frosts: adult plants up to -8 degrees, seedlings up to -5 degrees.

Moisture

White cabbage is very demanding of moisture due to the shallow location of the roots and the high evaporation capacity of the leaves. The need for water changes at different stages of plant development. White cabbage needs moisture most during seed germination, after planting seedlings in the ground (during the rooting period) and during the growth and development of the head of cabbage. The optimal soil moisture for cabbage is 80%, air moisture is 80-90%. If the humidity is low, the stem becomes thick, the leaves become covered with a bluish coating, and a head of poor quality is formed ahead of time.

Waterlogging of the soil is also undesirable, especially at low temperatures. Under such conditions, cabbage stops growing, heads of cabbage do not form, and it develops bacteriosis.

High air humidity provokes the appearance of fungal diseases such as blackleg.

Light

Cabbage is a long-day plant; with prolonged illumination, development processes occur faster. The optimal length of daylight for white cabbage is 16 hours. Lighting is especially important for seedlings. With a lack of light, the seedlings stretch out, and in adult plants, growth is delayed and the heads of cabbage grow small.

The soil

Cabbage grows well on sandy and light loamy soils with a high humus content. White cabbage actively consumes nutrients from the soil, so the soil must be fertile, well-seasoned with organic and mineral fertilizers, and retain moisture well. Early varieties of cabbage are especially picky about soil; the soil should be light and fertilized. Late cabbage grows well in moist, heavy and medium soils, with mandatory deep cultivation, seasoned with humus and mineral fertilizers. Soil acidity should be neutral or slightly acidic.

Cabbage cannot be planted after cruciferous vegetables - they have common diseases. Good predecessors for cabbage are cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.

It is better to start preparing beds for white cabbage in the fall. After harvesting plant residues and weeds, manure is applied to the ridge, 1 bucket per 1 sq. m. meter and dig up. In spring, 2 tbsp are scattered over the garden bed. spoons of complex fertilizer and 2 cups of wood ash per 1 sq. meter. Complex fertilizer can be replaced with 2 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate, 2 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska and 1 teaspoon of urea. Dig everything up.

If the acidity of the soil is high, then it is necessary to sprinkle fluff lime over the beds in the fall. You just need to take into account that lime is not added along with manure; in this case, it is better to use humus or compost when preparing the beds in the spring.

Fertilizers can be applied not only during digging, but also directly into the holes. For 1 hole you need: 0.5 kg. compost or humus, 2 tbsp. spoons of wood ash and 1 teaspoon of nitrophoska, mix everything with the soil.

Cabbage harvesting

1. Early varieties of white cabbage can be harvested in July – August. The heads of cabbage are cut with a sharp knife. Consumed fresh.

2.Medium late varieties are finished harvesting in September. 3. Late cabbage • intended for winter storage, is harvested in late October - early November, • intended for pickling, harvested in mid-October. Heads of cabbage for storage are cut with a long stump, with 2-3 loose green leaves, which will protect the head of cabbage from mechanical damage and fungal diseases.

Varieties and hybrids of white cabbage

When choosing a variety of vegetables, you need to pay special attention to the timing of their ripening. The commercial quality of the fruits, as well as the duration of their storage, depend on this.

Many gardeners do not know what to choose for planting on their own plot, a separate variety or a hybrid. Here it is necessary to take into account that the harvest of ordinary plants does not ripen evenly. Hybrids are characterized by uniform ripening of fruits.

According to the length of the growing season, white cabbage varieties can be divided into:

• Early ripening, 3-4 months pass from the emergence of seedlings to harvesting. The fruits are used for making salads and are not suitable for long-term storage.
• Mid-season varieties with a growing season of 4-5 months are used for preparing cabbage soup, salads and short-term storage. This cabbage can be fermented, but the product must be eaten immediately.
• Late varieties ripen 5-6 months after germination. The fruits are used for long-term storage.

Let's take a closer look at the most popular varieties of white cabbage:

Gribovsky 147. The variety has small heads of cabbage of average density. In the presence of prolonged cold weather in the spring, the crop forms flower stalks. The plant is severely affected by a disease such as clubroot.

Transfer . The high-yielding hybrid is resistant to cracking during ripening. Quivers of medium density weighing up to 1.5 kilograms. This is a moisture-loving type of white cabbage that requires fertile soils and abundant watering.

Parel. The hybrid differs from its analogues in its stable high yield. The fruits are not suitable for long-term storage; they are eaten shortly after collection. The culture exhibits high resistance to diseases such as fusarium wilt.

Slava 1305. Considered a mid-season variety of white cabbage. The fruits of this crop are distinguished by excellent taste; their weight ranges from 3 to 5 kilograms. Vegetables with an average shelf life are used for making salads and pickling.

Hope. The variety is resistant to fruit cracking. The heads of cabbage are flat-round in shape and can be stored for up to 4 months. Such vegetables are used for making salads and pickling.

Gift 2500. The mid-late variety is characterized by good yield and high resistance to major diseases and pests. The fruits have excellent taste, flat-round shape, weighing up to 3.5 kilograms.

Moscow late . The domestic variety is considered one of the best crops for pickling, but does not last long. The fruits are quite large, weighing up to 6 kilograms. The crop needs soil enriched with nutrients and does not tolerate waterlogging.

Harvesting cabbage for storage

Cabbage is harvested in dry weather after the first slight frost. If harvesting took place in wet weather, the cabbage must be dried. Cabbage is stored in basements or cellars at a temperature of 0-1 ° C and a relative humidity of 80-85%: • in lattice boxes, placing the stumps inside; • or in the same way on lattice racks; • you can hang the cabbage on poles, tying the heads of cabbage in pairs (this ensures good ventilation and a flow of fresh air). Premises for storing cabbage heads need to be prepared in the summer. • whitewash the walls with a solution of quicklime, • disinfect the room by fumigating with sulfur (30-40 g per 1 m7); • ventilate thoroughly.

Premature harvesting results in excessive wilting. You should not be late with harvesting, as unharvested heads of cabbage quickly burst and shoot. Heads of cabbage should not be frozen. If it was still not possible to protect the cabbage from frost, the heads of cabbage should thaw on the vine. The heads of cabbage will be better stored. if they are powdered with chalk before installation. If the temperature in the cellar or storage rises to +4 °C, the cabbage will begin to sprout and crack.

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Harvest and storage

Harvesting of late cabbage begins when the air temperature drops to -2 degrees. Do not delay harvesting, because severe frosts negatively affect the keeping quality of heads of cabbage. The fruits are dug up along with the roots, then the heads are sorted. Damaged fruits are put aside and must be eaten first. High-quality vegetables are kept for 24 hours under a canopy, then the head of cabbage and 2 centimeters of the stalk are cut off. This cabbage is stored in storage.

A cellar or basement is suitable for storing vegetables. In such rooms there is constantly humid air, and the temperature is at +5 degrees. Under ideal conditions, heads of cabbage are stored at a temperature of -1...+1 degrees with a humidity of about 95%. Before putting it into storage, the cellar or basement is put in order, the walls are whitewashed with lime, and exhaust ventilation is arranged. Store vegetables in wooden boxes or other containers, the main thing is that they are not on the floor.