How to grow a good crop of white cabbage. Cultivation of cabbage: simple tricks for a big harvest. Preparing cabbage seeds for seedlings

Probably, there is not a single garden where such a native Russian vegetable crop as cabbage would not be grown. This vegetable was brought from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, but, despite the diversity of the Russian climate, it has perfectly taken root in our dachas and household plots. Growing a decent crop of cabbage is not difficult, but for this you need to figure out what diseases this crop is susceptible to and what pests are not averse to “crunching” on cabbage leaves.

In the previous article of the cycle "Organic farming: biological protection against pests and weeds", the site talked about what ecological methods of controlling diseases and pests are used in organic farming, and in the article "Diseases and pests of cucumber - we protect ourselves without chemistry" figured out how to care for cucumbers, without using harmful chemicals. Today we will talk about growing cabbage, consider the methods of biological control of pests and diseases of this crop.

There are many types of cabbage today. These are well-known white varieties that were grown back in the days of Ancient Russia. Cauliflower and red cabbage became widespread in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Cookbooks of this time also mention kohlrabi, called "repin cabbage". Varieties such as Brussels, Savoy and broccoli began to be grown in our country already in the second half of the last century.

It is not for nothing that cabbage has taken root in our lands with an unstable climate. A feature of this culture is that it calmly tolerates frosts down to minus 3 degrees, and Savoy from a temperature of minus 5 even becomes tastier.

Despite the variety of varieties, the agricultural technology for growing each of them is not particularly different. Cabbage loves water. With insufficient watering, it is almost impossible to grow a good crop, in addition, uniformity must be observed when watering, otherwise cracking of the head is possible.

It is best to grow cabbage on loamy soils rich in organic matter with neutral acidity, and if the soil is acidic, it is necessary to apply lime in the proportion of 4-5 kg per 10 sq.m in late autumn or early spring. Such tillage is an excellent prevention of most fungal diseases, including such a dangerous disease as cabbage keel, whose spores die in an alkaline environment.

The most suitable fertilizer for any variety of cabbage is rotted cow dung or well-ripened compost. The use of unripe compost or fresh manure makes the leaves watery, tasteless and unstable to various diseases. In order for a head of cabbage to grow big, it must receive a lot of food. Therefore, even on highly fertile lands, a sufficiently large amount of organic fertilizer must be applied for cabbage (8-10 buckets of manure or compost per 10 sq.m.). Any type of fermented nettle infusion, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5, responds well to top dressing. The first top dressing should be carried out 2-3 weeks after planting the seedlings, and then - with an interval of two weeks 5-6 times.

You can cook a large number of tasty and healthy dishes from cabbage, many varieties are remarkably stored all winter and are a source of essential vitamins and minerals. However, not only people love cabbage for its juicy crispy leaves. This culture in the garden has many pests that you need to learn how to resist.

cabbage pests

A variety of flying and jumping insects sometimes cause a lot of trouble to the gardener. The main dangerous pests of cabbage include: cabbage (cabbage white), cruciferous fleas and bedbugs, cabbage fly, and naked slugs.

cabbage white

This pest is widespread in almost the entire territory of Russia and neighboring countries. Belyanka eats not only cabbage, but also all other cultures of the cruciferous family (radish, turnip, radish, watercress and others).

Cabbage is a butterfly that has white wings with a black border. These butterflies feed on flower nectar, mate and lay their eggs on the underside of a cabbage leaf. The eggs hatch into yellowish-green caterpillars with black spots, which feed on cabbage leaves, leaving only the central veins of them.

A good effect in the fight against this pest is spraying the cabbage with a solution of wood ash at the rate of 2 cups of ash and a tablespoon of liquid soap per 10 liters of water.

If there are few caterpillars, they can be collected by hand. Some gardeners in cabbage beds arrange sticks with eggshells suspended on them. It is believed that the shell scares off the cabbage, which is about to lay eggs. The butterfly takes the shell for its own similar creatures and "thinks" that the territory is already occupied.

Spraying cabbage beds with an infusion of tomato tops or a decoction of onion peel will scare away the cabbage white with an unusual smell, and it will not multiply in your beds.

Cruciferous fleas and bed bugs

These pests cause significant damage to all cruciferous crops, and cabbage is especially affected by them. Cruciferous flea beetles are small black beetles up to 3 mm in size with hopping hind legs. Cruciferous bugs are an insect with bright colors - red, yellow or white stripes, spots or dashes on a black or green-metallic background.

Fleas and bugs scrape off the top layer of leaves and suck out plant juices, causing yellowing, wilting and drying of cabbage plants. These insects are especially dangerous for seedlings. A large number of pests in the garden can lead to the death of young plants.

A fairly effective means of combating during the period of the mass appearance of fleas and bedbugs is the dusting of cabbage beds with a mixture of tobacco dust with fluff lime or ash in a 1: 1 ratio. This procedure is carried out several times with an interval of 4-5 days. With a small number of bugs, you can collect manually, and to catch fleas, place cloth flags on the beds, smeared with non-drying glue.

cabbage fly

This dangerous pest is similar to the common house fly. She lays eggs in the ground at the base of the stem, from which white larvae about 8 mm long hatch. Larvae can move from one plant to another, gnawing on the stem and reaching the root along it. Damaged plants become bluish-lilac in color, grow poorly, wither and die.

The main enemy of the cabbage fly and its larvae are such predatory insects as ground beetles that feed on pest larvae. We talked about how to attract these beneficial insects to our land in the article "Biological protection against pests and weeds."

The main task in the fight against the cabbage fly is to prevent it from laying eggs. To do this, the ground around the plant can be sprinkled with ash or lime (the larvae die in an alkaline environment), you can also build a mechanical barrier in the form of a cardboard collar 10 cm in diameter, which is put on the base of the stem. Such a barrier prevents the larvae from reaching the cabbage. Well-mulched soil also serves as a defense against cabbage flies, but mulch is an excellent hiding place for slugs and is dangerous to use on cabbage beds.

naked slugs

Slugs are worm-like molluscs that have a sharp toothed tongue with which they bite into leaves and can eat them to the very ground. Slugs become active in rainy damp weather, feed at night, and during the day they hide under various shelters (boards, heaps of branches, grass). If there are a lot of pests on the site, then such shelters can be made artificially on the beds and used as traps, from under which slugs can be collected manually during the day.

To combat slugs, hot pepper infusion prepared according to the following recipe helps well: 1 kg of capsicum is crushed, poured with 10 liters of water and infused for two days. Then it is brought to a boil and insisted for another day, then the pepper is ground, the resulting mixture is squeezed and filtered. Such a concentrate can be used immediately, or it can be stored corked in a dark, cool place. To treat cabbage beds, 125 grams of the concentrate is diluted in 10 liters of water, 40 grams of laundry soap diluted in hot water is added, and the soil is sprayed in places where slugs accumulate and feed.

If you sprinkle the earth around the cabbage with mustard powder, then the slugs will not be able to get into your garden, freshly ground lime and a mixture of ash and bleach have the same effect.

A good protection against all the above pests will be various plants planted near the cabbage. If you plant garlic around the beds, then the cabbage fly will never fly to it. Basil, mint, dill, coriander will scare away fleas, bedbugs and cabbage whites. And borage grass with its rough leaves will not let slugs through to cabbage.

To date, many gardeners use covering non-woven materials such as lutrasil, spunbond and agril as a control against flying pests. Pests simply cannot get close to the plants covered by them.

Diseases of cabbage

No less than pests, cabbage can suffer from various diseases caused by fungi and other soil microorganisms. These diseases occur during prolonged rainy weather, or due to improper cultivation practices. The most dangerous diseases of cabbage are: clubroot, yellowness (fusarium wilt), black leg and white rot.

Kila cabbage

The most dangerous fungal disease, most often affecting white and cauliflower. The first signs of the disease are: growth retardation, yellowing and wilting, growths on the roots of various shapes (spherical, vesicular, spindle-shaped). Kila most often infects cabbages growing in waterlogged, acidic soil with insufficient nutrients.

Kila cabbage is an insidious disease that is easier to prevent than to treat (damaged plants cannot be saved). Once in your garden, the spores of this fungus can remain there for 6-8 years, and it will be extremely problematic to remove them. You can bring the keel into the soil by planting the purchased diseased seedlings. Therefore, when buying, you must carefully consider the roots of young plants and try not to purchase seedlings from random people in the market.

To prevent the disease, in case of increased acidity of the soil, it is necessary to carry out its liming in autumn or spring at the rate of 200-300 grams of fluff lime per 1 sq.m. earth. For these purposes, you can use dolomite flour in the same quantities.

Planting seedlings early will help prevent the disease, since cold ground is less dangerous - keel does not develop at low temperatures. In order to avoid infection, fresh manure or compost should not be poured into the holes; wood ash applied to the soil during planting helps to prevent the disease.

It is important that if the cabbage was affected by clubroot, then cruciferous plants should not be planted at the place of its growth for 6 years. Sick plants should not be put on the compost heap, they must be collected and burned.

Blackleg

A fungal disease that affects seed sprouts and young seedlings. The presence of the disease can be determined by the thinning and blackening of the base of the stem with the formation of a characteristic constriction. The stem rots and is easily pulled out of the ground.

High humidity and sharp fluctuations in air temperature, as well as dense plantings and poor ventilation can provoke the development of the disease. It should be noted that the black leg most often develops on seedlings of cabbage grown in greenhouses.

To prevent the onset of the disease, the soil before planting the seeds must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate of a raspberry-violet color. Dusting the earth with sifted ash, with a layer of 1-2 cm, will help to avoid waterlogging during watering seedlings. Seen diseased plants should be immediately removed from the garden.

Yellowness (fusarium wilt)

This very harmful disease is typical for early varieties of white cabbage and cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts and broccoli can also become infected. The causative agent of the disease is a soil microorganism that penetrates through the roots or damage to the plant into its ground part. This makes it difficult for water to move inside the crop and the cabbage wilts. This disease is especially dangerous in dry hot weather. At this time, Fusarium wilt can lead to the complete death of your garden. The optimum soil temperature for infection is 15-17 degrees, and the temperature and humidity of the air are not of particular importance for this pathogen. The main indicator of the development of the disease is the yellow-green color of the leaves and the loss of turgor by them. Then the diseased leaves fall off, the growth of the head slows down and bends.

If infected plants are found, they should be removed from the garden immediately. Unfortunately, today there are no reliable measures to combat this scourge, so scientists have developed varieties that are resistant to yellowness. If you know that an outbreak of this disease is possible in your garden, it is best to use them for cultivation. The most resistant varieties of white cabbage include: Kolobok, Extra, Triumph, Novator, Valentina and many others, among the color ones, Guarantee and Moscow Canning are particularly resistant.

white rot

A fairly common fungal disease that affects most varieties of cabbage. Plants planted on heavy loamy soils are especially affected.

White rot primarily affects the root neck and lower leaves of cabbage. Infected tissues become discolored, look watery, and a coating of cotton-like white mycelium forms on their surface. Over time, the mycelium thickens, turning into large black spots of various shapes. White rot is especially harmful during storage, this disease significantly reduces the "keeping quality" indicators - cabbage infected with this fungus is not stored for a long time.

White rot usually progresses in rainy weather or high humidity in greenhouses. Effective measures to combat this disease do not exist today, and so far it has not been possible to develop varieties resistant to this disease. Therefore, the main way to prevent the development of white rot is to observe crop rotation and proper agricultural practices when growing cabbage. Later planting of seeds and planting of seedlings intended for seed purposes will help reduce the vulnerability of plants. Harvesting cabbage before frost will protect the crop from the development of the disease during storage. If foci of infection are found, both in beds and in cellars, other vegetable stores, they should be immediately removed and destroyed by burning.

Description and characteristics of white cabbage

According to the scientific classification, garden or white cabbage (lat. Brássica olerácea) is a species of the genus Cabbage of the Cabbage (Cruciferous) family. Cabbage is a biennial herbaceous plant, as well as its fruits.

The plant has a low branched stem with a large number of leaves that form a rosette at the bottom. During the first year of vegetation, the leaves, tightly adjacent to each other and curling around the stem (stump), form a head of cabbage, which is eaten. Heads of cabbage can have a flat, round-flat, rounded, conical and oval shape. In the second year, tall (up to 1.5 m) flowering shoots grow, on which fruits are formed in the form of pods with seeds.

White cabbage - biennial herbaceous plant

In cooking, cabbage is used raw (salads), pickled and pickled, and various dishes are prepared (stewed cabbage, cabbage rolls, stuffings, casseroles, cabbage soup, borscht, etc.). The number of different recipes for cabbage dishes is simply incalculable.

The biochemical composition of cabbage is diverse, it contains: fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, organic acids and nitrogenous compounds. The amount of vitamin C (30–70 mg/100 g) is comparable to that found in lemons. There are also vitamins PP, E, A, U, a number of B vitamins and a wide variety of minerals.

Cabbage contains many useful substances and is widely used in cooking.

Cabbage as a source of vitamin U, which is an antiulcer factor, is used in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The juice from the leaves helps to lower blood sugar, remove cholesterol and excess fluid from the body. A well-known folk remedy for inflammatory processes is a cabbage leaf.

In some cases, cabbage can be harmful: with pancreatitis, acute enterocolitis, increased acidity of the stomach, a tendency to spasms of the intestines and bile ducts, it is contraindicated, as it can irritate the mucosa of the digestive tract and cause increased pain.

White cabbage has a great external resemblance to red and Savoy cabbage. It differs from other cabbage varieties not only in appearance, but also in a number of other properties.

In broccoli and cauliflower, the edible part is the inflorescence, in kohlrabi, the stem.
Kohlrabi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower are frozen for storage; these types of cabbage, unlike white cabbage, are not stored fresh for long.
All other types of cabbage have a higher content of protein, vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and also have a finer cellular structure (with the exception of red cabbage - its fiber, on the contrary, is coarser than that of white cabbage).

Despite the fact that other types of cabbage are superior in nutrient content, this does not reduce its value and popularity due to its relatively low cost, excellent keeping quality and other unique properties.

cabbage varieties

The State Register of Breeding Achievements of the Russian Federation contains more than 400 varieties and hybrids of white cabbage. According to the maturation period, the varieties are divided into the following groups: early-ripening, mid-ripening, medium-late, late-ripening.

Table: popular varieties of white cabbage by ripening time

Group of varieties and main representatives	Usage	Shelf life
Early ripening varieties (90–120 days): June, Zarya, Early Ditmar, Aurora F1, Express F1, Amazon F1	For fresh consumption	Not stored for a long time
Mid-season (130–150 days): Nadezhda, Slava 1305, Belorusskaya 455, Natasha F1, Rinda F1, New York F1	Used both fresh and for fermentation	1–4 months (depending on variety)
Mid-late (150–170 days): Gift, Blizzard, Mother-in-law, Dobrovodskaya, Megaton F1, Aggressor F1	For fermentation and short storage, can also be consumed fresh	2–5 months (depending on variety)
Late-ripening (160–180 days) are divided into two subgroups:
Universal: Kharkiv winter, Snow White, Extra F1, Orbit F1	Good for pickling and cooking	Up to 6 months
Intended for long-term storage: Wintering 1474, Lezhky F1, Amager 611, Kolobok F1, Atria F1	For long-term storage (some varieties can be used for fermentation)	6–8 months

Such a variety of varieties of white cabbage makes it possible to have fresh produce of this crop all year round.

Landing

Cabbage can be grown in seedlings and by sowing seeds in open ground. In the southern regions, for growing early cabbage in film greenhouses with heating, seeds for seedlings are sown in January-February. The deadline for planting seedlings of medium-late cabbage in open ground in central Russia and the northern regions is the end of May or the first days of June. Seedlings are grown at home or in a greenhouse. When planting seedlings of early varieties of cabbage in open ground, the scheme 35–40x50 is observed; for medium and late-ripening varieties, the distance between plants is increased to 45–50x70–80.

Pre-grown cabbage seedlings are planted in open ground

When sowing seeds in open ground, a planting scheme is observed that corresponds to the variety category. At first, crops are protected with a covering material or film.

How cabbage reproduces

If it seems to someone that it is possible to take seeds from a plant that accidentally released an arrow in the first year of the growing season, then this is a big mistake. Plants that grow from such seeds may not retain the properties of a particular variety and may not even form heads. To obtain high-quality cabbage seeds, there are rules.

How to get seeds

A full-fledged planting material can be obtained only in the second year of cabbage life. It is necessary to select the strongest heads of cabbage, without signs of disease, which are called mother liquors. Before the onset of frost, they are removed with roots and a clod of earth. Before laying in storage, 2-3 covering leaves are left on heads of cabbage. Cabbage is pollinated with wood ash, the root system is dipped in a clay mash and stored at a temperature of 1–2 ° C.

In March or April, the stumps are cut out in the shape of a cone so that the upper bud remains intact, and the petioles on the stalk are 2–3 centimeters long. Prepared stumps are placed in wet peat or humus. Planted queen cells in April or the first half of May. Stumps are placed at an angle and deepened to the base of the head of cabbage.

Stumps (mother liquors) are cut out in the shape of a cone and, when planted, are deepened to the base of the head of cabbage

The distance between seed plants of different varieties should be at least 500–600 meters, otherwise cross-pollination may occur. The beds are provided with standard care: watered, loosened, weeded, fed twice with nitrogen fertilizers. Seeds are harvested as the pods ripen and dry.

How to grow cabbage from a stalk

Is it possible to get not seeds, but another crop of cabbage from a stalk? It is possible, but not everywhere and not from any stalk. There is the experience of gardeners who received two crops in one season from the same plant, but this is only possible in regions with a warm climate where early cabbage is grown.

When harvesting early cabbage (for example, June) in the first days of July, after cutting the heads, the stalks are left in the ground. After a while, small heads will begin to form in the axils of the leaves. It is advised to thin them out and leave two sprouts on each stalk. The lower leaves from the previous heads are not cut off for better moisture retention. And then - watering, loosening, top dressing - everything is as usual. And by mid-September, a re-harvest of heads of cabbage weighing about 500–700 grams is obtained.

Outdoor cabbage care

On the one hand, there is nothing super complicated in the requirements for growing cabbage, but, on the other hand, failure to comply with at least one of them will necessarily negatively affect the crop. You just need not break the rules - and everything will work out.

Soil and crop rotation requirements

Cabbage can grow on different soils, except for very light sandy and gravel, which do not retain moisture well. The ideal soil for cabbage is fertile loam with a light structure and low-lying peat bogs. Such soils are able to retain moisture and at the same time be well permeable to air. The optimum acidity is pH6.4–7.0. Acidic soils should be limed every 5-6 years. To do this, in the fall, along with digging, dolomite flour or fluffy lime is added in the amount of 5 kg / 10 m 2.

Cabbage cannot be re-grown in one place, and also planted after other cruciferous plants earlier than 3-4 years later. Non-compliance with crop rotation and the cultivation of related crops next to cabbage leads to the spread of diseases characteristic of this plant species. Cabbage grows best after haze, lily, nightshade and legumes, and these are also its best neighbors.

Light and temperature

Cabbage is demanding of light and does not tolerate the slightest shading. The place for its cultivation should be completely open. With a lack of light, leaves begin to grow intensively, and heads of cabbage may not form at all. For the best development of plants, the length of daylight hours should be 16-18 hours.

A place for planting cabbage is chosen open and well lit.

Cabbage is known as a cold-resistant plant. The degree of its resistance to low temperatures depends on the variety and stage of development of the plant. Seed germination begins at a temperature of 2–3°C. The optimum temperature for rapid germination is 18–20°C. Seedlings grow best at 12-15°C. Seedlings that have been hardened and are well established outdoors can withstand temperatures as low as -7°C during short frosts. For mature plants, temperatures between 15-18 to 25°C are best suited for good development. In the south of Russia, non-heat-resistant ones wither at high temperatures. Ripe heads on the vine can withstand temperatures from -2°C to -8°C depending on the variety.

Moisture requirements, watering and hilling

The optimal soil moisture for growing cabbage is 80%, air - 50–75%. If cabbage is grown for long-term winter storage, then the relative humidity of the soil in the second half of the growing season should be 70–75%. With a lack of moisture, cabbage develops poorly and heads do not form.

Table: terms and norms of watering white cabbage

The frequency and rates of watering are adjusted depending on the amount of precipitation. It is recommended to maintain the soil in such a state when a lump of earth taken in hand, if rolled between the fingers, sticks together into a ball. If the soil crumbles, it needs to be watered. Despite the exactingness of moisture, cabbage does not like waterlogging. Excess moisture can lead to the spread of fungal diseases and cracking of heads.

To get a good harvest, cabbage is regularly watered.

After watering, the soil must be loosened, it is especially important to do this on heavy soils. Loosening is usually combined with hilling. The first hilling of early varieties is carried out 2 weeks after planting seedlings. Late cabbage begins to spud a little later - after 3 weeks. Then they continue to hill up every 2 weeks and do this until the leaves close.

top dressing

Cabbage takes out a lot of nutrients from the soil, therefore, it needs additional feeding, their amount depends on the growing season, and for early varieties it is reduced.

Table: terms and norms for feeding white cabbage

Feeding time	The composition of the nutrient mixture based on 10 liters of water	Dosage per plant
2-3 weeks after planting seedlings in the ground	One of the options: 10 g of ammonium nitrate; 1 liter of fermented cow dung infusion.	150–200 ml
The period of the beginning of the formation of heads	One of the options: 4 g urea, 5 g double superphosphate, 8 g potassium sulfate; 50 g nitrophoska.	500 ml
10-15 days after the second feeding (with the exception of early varieties - they are no longer fed)	2 tablespoons of superphosphate, 15 g of fertilizer with trace elements	1 liter
20 days before harvest (only for late varieties, so that the heads are better stored)	One of the options: 40 grams of potassium sulfate; 0.5 liters of infusion of ash.	1 liter

If complex fertilizers were applied during planting, then it is better not to do the first top dressing. Excess nitrogen fertilizers accumulate in heads in the form of nitrates and degrade product quality.

Video: growing white cabbage in the open field

Cabbage care in the greenhouse

Greenhouses are used to obtain an early crop of cabbage. When growing cabbage indoors, there are some features that need to be considered.

Greenhouse soil requirements

The soil for the greenhouse can be used both natural and bulk. The arable layer should be at least 25–30 cm thick. 12–13 kg / m 2 of humus are introduced into natural soil in autumn.

For the preparation of bulk soil, one of the following compositions (in%) can be recommended:

lowland peat - 40, sod land - 40, manure - 20 (horse with 50% sawdust content);
lowland peat - 60, sod land - 20, cattle manure - 20;
sod land - 80, humus - 20;
sod land - 50-60, composted sawdust - 20-10, humus - 30-40.

The structure of the soil should be light. Sawdust, chopped straw and so on are added to the composition of soil mixtures for their greater friability.

Light and temperature

During periods when the cabbage does not have enough sunlight, the plants in the greenhouse need to be illuminated. To do this, use lamps that have a full solar spectrum in their radiation. Immediately after germination, seedlings are illuminated for a week, and then they are illuminated for 7-10 hours a day.

When planting seeds for seedlings and before shoots appear, the optimum air temperature is 18–20 ° C. Within a week after germination, the night temperature is lowered to 6–8°C, and the daytime temperature is reduced to 8–10°C. Then, in sunny weather, the air temperature is maintained in the range of 15-18°C, on cloudy days - 14-16°C, at night - 12-14°C. Soil temperature should be between 15-17°C. In order to save energy during severe frosts, the beds can be temporarily insulated with covering material.

Video: sheltering early cabbage in a greenhouse from return frosts

Moisture requirements, watering and fertilizing

When watering cabbage in a greenhouse, as well as in open ground, neither waterlogging nor drying out of the soil is allowed. Relative air humidity in closed ground should be 75-80%. Soil moisture capacity is 80–85%. To increase humidity, sprinkler irrigation is used, and to reduce it, the greenhouse is ventilated.

Sprinkler irrigation is carried out to increase the humidity in the greenhouse.

After rooting seedlings in a permanent place, the plants are fed twice.

Table: terms and types of feeding cabbage when grown in a greenhouse

For top dressing, you can also use complex mineral fertilizers, such as nitroammophoska, azophoska, Crystalon, Ecoplant, Master. To stimulate the development of the root system and more efficient absorption of nutrients, root biostimulants Agriful, Tekamin, Rice and others are used.

Features of growing white cabbage in different regions

Since the climatic conditions in different latitudes differ from each other, in each region the cultivation of white cabbage has its own characteristics of agricultural technology.

Features of growing cabbage in the Moscow region

The climate of the Moscow region is characterized by the predominance of cloudy weather. There are not many sunny days. Even though cabbage is a cold-hardy crop, unsettled spring weather can create problems in early cultivation.

Cabbage in this region is grown mainly in seedlings. The possibility of growing it in open ground from seeds is also not excluded, but in this case, seedlings should be sheltered before the onset of stable warm weather. One of the options for growing cabbage in open ground is the use of warm beds. Since there is not much precipitation in the Moscow region in summer, special attention should be paid to watering.

In the Moscow region, warm beds are used to grow cabbage in open ground

Varieties are grown, as a rule, early, mid-season and mid-late, as late-ripening ones may not ripen. Of the proven varieties are popular, such as Slava, Slava Gribovskaya, Gift. And there is also a wide variety of hybrids that have performed well in this region.

Features of growing cabbage in Siberia

Severe climatic conditions do not allow growing white cabbage from seeds in open ground in Siberia. However, it can be quite successfully grown by seedlings. A short summer does not allow growing late-ripening varieties with a long growing season, so they choose zoned mid-ripening and mid-late varieties that give a good harvest in this region. At the West Siberian Vegetable Experimental Station, varieties adapted to the Siberian climate have been created that are resistant to diseases common in this region. The most popular of them are: Tochka, Sibiryachka 60, Nadezhda, Blizzard, Final, Talisman F1.

Seedlings are planted in open ground in the second half of May, 50–55 days after sowing the seeds. At first, given the climatic conditions, the beds are covered. In August, cabbage of such varieties is already being consumed fresh, and is also used for sauerkraut. In September, mid-late cabbage is harvested, which is stored for storage.

Features of growing cabbage in the Urals

The unstable climate of the Urals is characterized by sharp temperature changes and intensive movement of air masses. In May, large fluctuations in temperatures can be observed: from heat during the day to night frosts. Snow may fall in October.

Seedlings are grown at home, in greenhouses or on warm beds. In the first or second decade of May, it is planted in open ground. The beds are covered with a dense spunbond, which protects the plants from low night temperatures and pests. And also an effective technique is mulching the beds with a black film to protect the soil from low temperatures.

To protect against spring frosts, cabbage beds in the Urals are covered with spunbond

Siberian varieties of cabbage grow well in the Urals, such as Nadezhda and Vyuga, as well as many hybrids (Megaton, Atria, Aggressor, etc.). Mid-ripening cabbage Losinoostrovskaya is very popular, which is characterized by increased resistance to keel and is used fresh and for pickling.

Features of growing cabbage in central Russia

The temperate continental climate of central Russia with snowy, moderately frosty winters and warm, rather humid summers is most favorable for growing cabbage. In mid-latitudes, cabbage is usually grown in seedlings. However, at present, due to significant climate warming in central Russia, when seeds are sown in open ground, late hybrids ripen with a ripening period of 160–170 days.

Table: timing of sowing seeds and planting seedlings in central Russia

For early planting, it is necessary to use insulation with non-woven materials, since frosts occur in central Russia at such a time.

Separate varieties or hybrids of late and mid-ripening cabbage (for example, the mid-season variety Slava 1305, late hybrids Valentina, Kolobok, Garant) can be grown in a seedless way.

Features of growing cabbage in the Far East

The climate of the Far East is characterized by inconstancy. It is characterized by sharp temperature changes, frosty winters and cool summers. During the period of intensive growth and tying heads, an increased air temperature can be observed. In July-September, heavy rainfall occurs, which leads to waterlogging of the soil and, as a result, to the spread of bacterioses.

In this region, cold-hardy varieties with a short growing season, as well as resistant to disease and cracking, are chosen. In the Far East, the old tested varieties (Slava, Gift, Blizzard, June early and others) have proven themselves well. But zoned varieties and hybrids, such as Artost, Sugar Ball, Natasha, Cook, Aggressor, Hurricane, Primorochka, are more productive. Early-ripening and late-ripening cabbage in these territories is grown in seedlings.

In areas of high humidity, such an agricultural technique is used as growing cabbage on ridges or ridges. If the soil surface has a slight slope and good drainage, then it is better to plant cabbage on the ridges. If the site is in a lowland and can be temporarily flooded, then it is better to choose ridges, since excess moisture leaves them faster.

Recently, the practice of combined ridge-ridge technology has been widespread. In the first half of summer, when the weather is dry, cabbage is planted on ridges, which are more conducive to maintaining moisture. In the middle of summer, with the onset of the August typhoon season, two high ridges are formed from the ridge, from which excess moisture is better removed.

Other ways to grow cabbage

Gardeners and specialists are looking for and applying new ways of growing cabbages that help make plant care easier. They also find the possibility of growing a decent crop of this crop in conditions of limited water resources.

Is it possible to grow cabbage without watering

This question is asked by those gardeners who are faced with the problem of insufficient provision of land with moisture. In relation to the water regime, cabbage belongs to the group of plants that are most demanding on moisture.

In books on vegetable growing, you will find the following data: if growing one head of late-grade cabbage requires 200 liters of water (a barrel) per season, then for one potato bush 100 liters (half a barrel). So I am amazed at the ignorance of people who hope to get a crop without watering.

Pavel Trannua

Eksmo Golden School of Horticulture Moscow 2015

It is impossible to grow cabbage without watering. However, the use of agricultural practices that contribute to the conservation of moisture in the soil will significantly reduce water consumption when growing this crop. For this, the following measures are recommended:

They create conditions for snow retention by deep autumn tillage with the formation of high ridges.
In early spring, surface loosening of the soil is carried out. This treatment prevents moisture from being pulled up through the capillaries and its evaporation.
Avoid deep cultivation of the soil, surface loosening prevent the formation of soil crust.
Cabbage is grown in a seedless way, while a more powerful root system is formed, which absorbs water better.

The use of moisture-saving agricultural technology in combination with the choice of drought-resistant varieties of cabbage (Mozharskaya, Yuzhanka-31, Braunschweik, Amtrak, Bronco) will help reduce water consumption when growing this moisture-loving crop.

Growing under plastic bottles

When growing cabbage from seeds in open ground, plastic bottles can be used as an individual shelter for plants. This technique accelerates the emergence of seedlings, protects them from pests, and also helps to preserve moisture and heat.

For plastic bottles, cut off the bottom, and leave caps on the top. Seeds are sown in the usual way and covered in such a way that the cut edges are three centimeters deep into the soil. A little earth is poured around the bottles.

When the seedlings need to be watered, they do it through the neck of the bottles. Periodically, the plants are aired, for this they open the lids and leave the neck open for a while. When the cabbage leaves begin to touch the walls of the bottles, the shelters are removed.

Video: growing white cabbage under plastic bottles

Growing under mulching film

The use of plastic film for mulching beds with cabbage is one of the effective agrotechnical methods of protection. For mulching, both transparent and black film are used, depending on the season.

The black film helps to warm the soil and retain moisture in it, and weeds die under it. The film is laid on prepared cabbage beds 3-4 weeks before planting seedlings, during which time the soil will warm up. According to the planting scheme, round cuts or cross-shaped cuts are made in the film and seedlings are planted in these holes. Plants are taken care of in the same way as usual: watered under the root, fed, treated against diseases and pests.

Under the mulching film, the soil warms up, moisture is retained and weeds do not grow

In summer, a transparent film is used, which is pre-perforated. They lay it on a watered bed between rows of cabbage and fix it. This type of mulching protects against weeds and also retains moisture in the soil.

Siderates for cabbage

The essence of sideration is the cultivation of plants, the green mass of which is used as organic fertilizer. This agrotechnical method is used both in open ground and in greenhouses.

Siderates are cultivated or wild plant species that are grown to enrich the soil with humus and nitrogen.

The best siderates for cabbage are legumes (melilot, alfalfa, sochevnik, vetch, clover, annual lupine, peas, beans), cereals (oats), hydrophiles (phacelia), bruise and some others. Mixtures of green manure crops can be used, the most common of which is vetch-oat. And you can also mix phacelia, bruise and sweet clover in a ratio of 1: 1: 2.

It is impossible to grow cruciferous green manure before planting cabbage. Some cereals dry out the soil a lot and are therefore not suitable for cabbages as green manure crops. Rapeseed, white mustard, colza, oil radish, rye and others will be unsuitable green manure for cabbage.

Diseases and pests of cabbage

Having decided to grow white cabbage in your garden, you need to be prepared for the fact that under adverse conditions, the culture can be affected by diseases, and insect pests may also be interested in it.

Common diseases

One of the unfavorable factors for the development of diseases is the increased acidity of the soil. Cabbage is most susceptible to fungal diseases, since the moist environment, which is necessary for the development of plants, is favorable for the spread of pathogenic fungal microorganisms.

With increased acidity of the soil, a fungus spreads, which causes keel disease. The pathogen penetrates the soil and infects the roots, growths form on them. Plants stop growing, wither and are easily pulled out of the ground. Qila affects all cruciferous crops. It is impossible to save a sick cabbage with a keel. Infected plants are removed from the site and destroyed.

With a disease of keel on the roots of cabbage, growths form

Prevention of keel disease is reduced to the following activities:

compliance with crop rotation;
soil liming;
solanaceous, lily and haze crops destroy keel spores, they are grown in infected areas;
treatment of seedlings brought from outside, Fitosporin, sulfur preparations.

Blackleg

This disease affects seedlings. The root neck darkens, and the stem becomes thinner, as a result of which the plant breaks and dies. The disease appears on acidic soils in conditions of excess moisture in the soil, insufficient ventilation and sudden changes in temperature. The remains of infected plants in the soil contribute to the preservation of blackleg pathogens.

With a black leg disease, the cabbage seedlings become thinner and the stem breaks

Preventive measures include replacing the soil in greenhouses, maintaining a balance of humidity and temperature. To combat the black leg, Bordeaux liquid is used, which is used to treat the affected areas at the rate of 1 liter per 1 m 2.

Fusarium

This disease is also called Fusarium wilt of cabbage. The pathogen affects both seedlings and adult plants. The leaves of the seedling turn yellow and die, which leads to its death. In adult plants affected by Fusarium, after the leaves die off, a small naked head of cabbage remains. On the transverse section of the stem and leaf petioles, a light brown ring of vessels is clearly visible. The pathogen can be viable in the soil for several years.

Fusarium-affected cabbage leaves turn yellow and die

Affected plants are destroyed along with the roots. Prevention consists in observing crop rotation, using healthy seeds and liming the soil. Fusarium-resistant cabbage varieties and hybrids are grown on infected areas.

Gray rot

The disease often occurs during storage of heads of cabbage, and can also affect the entire plant on the vine. The spread of gray rot provokes harvesting in rainy weather, mechanical damage to heads of cabbage, their freezing, as well as non-compliance with conditions in cabbage storage areas. A gray powdery coating with pubescence appears on heads of cabbage, which consists of mycelium and spores of the pathogen. Later, black nodules form in these places.

When affected by gray rot, a gray coating appears on the heads of cabbage

Measures to combat gray rot include timely harvesting, destruction of post-harvest residues, timely disinfection of cabbage storage facilities, and compliance with storage conditions (temperature from 0 to 2 ° C).

The main preventive measures to prevent cabbage diseases come down to seed disinfection, compliance with crop rotation rules, and liming the soil. And also during the season, you need to carry out several treatments with fungicides, such as Fitosporin, Ridomil, Polikarbotsin and others.

Possible pests of cabbage

So that cabbage does not suffer from pests, you need to get acquainted with their main representatives and learn how to deal with them.

Aphid cabbage

A dangerous pest of small size (up to 2.2 mm), white or green. The aphid sucks the juice out of the cabbage and can do great harm, as it multiplies very intensively. To combat it, you can use decoctions of wormwood and tansy, tinctures of horseradish or hot capsicum, as well as insecticides.

Cabbage aphids are small in size (up to 2.2 mm), but can cause great harm by sucking the juice from cabbage leaves.

Small, about 3 mm, jumping shiny leaf-eating bugs are a cruciferous flea that infects all plants of the cruciferous family. The flea is a very harmful insect, if you do not fight it, then all cabbage seedlings planted in the ground may suffer. To scare away the pest, marigolds, dill, and carrots are planted on cabbage beds. Dusting plants with wood ash or tobacco dust (can be mixed with slaked lime in equal proportions) is an effective means of combating cruciferous flea.

The cruciferous flea is a very harmful leaf beetle.

Slugs

This pest is a mucus-covered mollusc that feeds on cabbage leaves. Slugs multiply intensively in conditions of high humidity. To control the pest around small beds, you can create a barrier in the form of scattered quicklime or crushed chalk. If the number of slugs is significant, then Thunderstorm is used. Its granules are scattered between the rows of cabbage at the rate of 3 grams per 1 m 2.

Slugs eat cabbage leaves

cabbage scoop

An inconspicuous butterfly of a dirty brownish color with a wingspan of less than 5 centimeters. The pest lays its eggs on the underside of the leaves. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which feed on the leaves and quickly destroy them. Cabbage cutworm eggs can be harvested by hand. Of the biological products, Lepidocide or Bitoxibacillin give good results.

Caterpillars of cabbage scoops feed on leaves, butterflies are inconspicuous gray-brown.

To prevent damage to cabbage by pests, as well as to combat them, there are many insecticides, such as Decis, Fitoverm, Fufanon, Iskra Double Effect, Zemlin, Diazonin and others. And also a good effect is the use of folk remedies in the form of various decoctions and infusions.

Video: processing cabbage from aphids and slugs

Harvest and storage

Early varieties of cabbage are harvested in June-July and consumed immediately. Mid-season ones are ready for harvesting at the end of summer, and late ones - in September or early October. Cabbage on the vine can tolerate frosts down to -5–7 ° C, cut heads will deteriorate at this temperature. If frosts come before the start of harvesting, then it is better not to cut the heads of cabbage, but to wait until the frozen leaves thaw. Heads harvested in dry weather at a temperature of +4–7°C have the best keeping quality.

Ripe heads of cabbage are cut with a knife, leaving the lower leaves and a stump 3-4 cm long.

The best storage conditions for cabbage are between 0 and 2°C and 90–98% relative humidity. Heads of cabbage are laid on wooden decks or gratings with the stumps up at some distance from each other. If conditions permit, pairwise connected heads of cabbage can be hung on the crossbars. If the cabbage is rolled in diluted clay and then dried, it will be stored longer than usual.

Cabbage is stored on wooden decks at a temperature of 0 to 2°C.

White cabbage has firmly taken its place in the life of a Russian person. It is grown everywhere, adapting to the climatic conditions of various regions. It cannot be said that this is a very capricious culture, but still there are certain requirements for the conditions for its cultivation, and without their fulfillment one should not count on a good harvest. With the right choice of variety and the use of appropriate agricultural technology, cabbage can be quite successfully grown in open ground and in a greenhouse.

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8 rules for choosing seeds!
Choose the best variety of cabbage

Choosing cabbage seeds is not so difficult if you know the basic criteria for choosing it. The most common seed selection criteria include:

growing region.

Cabbage varieties are bred specifically for growing in certain regions. On a bag of seeds, it is always indicated where you can grow this variety of cabbage. If the growing region is not indicated, then this can be understood from the plate, which indicates: when to sow, plant seedlings and after how many days to harvest. The longer it takes to grow cabbage, the warmer the region is needed to grow it.

Soil type.

Listen to the radio broadcast:

Cabbage Chinese and Beijing. (Mikhail Vorobyov)

Various varieties of cabbage designed for growing on different types of soil. Therefore, it is very important to find out on what type of soil the cabbage variety you have chosen gives the best yields. Some varieties grow better on black earth, and some on gray soils.

Ripening dates.

There are three groups of cabbage ripening: early (ripening period 50-120 days), medium (ripening period 90-170 days) and late (ripening period 160-270 days). When choosing seeds, taking into account this indicator, you need to choose seeds according to the required types of maturation, and not all of the same type. This is due to the fact that early, medium and late cabbage is needed for our own needs.

Appointment of grown cabbage.

You need to decide for what purpose you grow cabbage: for salads, for sauerkraut or for fresh storage. When buying seeds, this information must be indicated on the package or on the label if the seeds are not packaged.

Resistance to diseases and pests.

Different varieties have different characteristics, in particular there are varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests and there are varieties that are more productive but less resistant. Therefore, depending on how you are going to care for your cabbage in the future, you need to choose varieties with the appropriate characteristics.

Cabbage resistance to cracking.

It is advisable to choose varieties of cabbage that are resistant to cracking, so that later there will be no additional problems with growing this type of vegetable.

Cabbage varieties of local selection.

It is advisable to choose cabbage varieties that are bred in the same region where you live. Such varieties are most adapted to the conditions of your natural and climatic zone. Although we should not forget about the varieties of foreign selection, which are also characterized by good yield and stability.

Quality certificate.

Since you have decided on the variety, before buying, you need to ask for a quality certificate from the seller. This will allow you to get a real variety of cabbage, and not a fake. If you have been deceived, you can get compensation at licensed seed sales points.

The choice of cabbage seeds is very important for growing quality seedlings. Therefore, most gardeners pay great attention to this matter, since the quality of the future harvest depends on it. When choosing, it should be remembered that growing several varieties of cabbage is a big guarantee of success. The greater the variety, the more likely it is to get a good harvest from at least a few varieties. Experienced gardeners who have a list of varieties they trust buy new varieties anyway. This allows you to expand your capabilities in growing a quality crop of cabbage.

How to grow cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

Stages of growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

Obtaining high-quality seedlings in a greenhouse has its own characteristics that must be taken into account, given the main stages of growing these plants:

Careful selection of varieties and hybrids of cabbage

Not every variety or hybrid can produce good seedlings in a greenhouse, so you need to choose only those varieties that are specially bred for growing in such places. You need to choose:

high-quality seeds (cultivars are better suited for growing seedlings in a greenhouse, not hybrids);
seeds of early, middle and late varieties.

Soil preparation in a greenhouse

Ordinary fertile soil is quite suitable for growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse, but it is better to mix it with peat and ash in the calculation:

4 parts of fertile soil;
1 part peat;
1 kilogram of wood ash, for the entire area allotted for a greenhouse.

Choosing the optimal time for sowing cabbage seeds

For cabbage with different ripening periods, different sowing dates are needed:

seeds of early varieties can be sown from late March to mid-April;
seeds of medium varieties of cabbage can be sown from the beginning of April until the end of the month;
seeds of late varieties of cabbage can be sown from early April to early May.

Sowing cabbage seeds

Cabbage seeds before sowing in a greenhouse must be dry. Cabbage seeds should be sown in the following sequence:

First you need to make the required number of lines, the distance between which should be from 15 to 20 centimeters, and the depth should not exceed 3-5 centimeters.
After this, the lines must be watered abundantly.
High-quality seeds should not be sown thickly (there should be 3-5 per 1 square centimeter).
After sowing, the rows must be sprinkled with soil, only so that the seeds are immersed to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters and at least 1 centimeter.
Each line with a new variety must be marked with a flank with the appropriate inscription.

Caring for cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

After germination, young seedlings need careful care:

The greenhouse must be tightly insulated to ensure the optimum temperature both during the day (16-20) and at night (10-12).
Seedlings need to be watered in a timely manner so that the soil does not dry out.
When the first true leaves appear (and earlier, if necessary), you need to treat cabbage seedlings with an insecticide against cruciferous fleas.
When the seedlings have 4 true leaves in the greenhouse, you need to pour a 3-5 cm layer: soil, sand, peat or small sawdust. This is done so that the seedlings form an even stem.
If the seedlings in the greenhouse are too dense, they must be thinned out. For this, poorly developed seedlings break out or are cut off at the root. After thinning, seedlings should be watered abundantly.
If necessary, you can spray the seedlings after 1-2 weeks with a solution of biofertilizers. So the seedlings will develop better and faster.

Hardening off cabbage seedlings

Hardening is vital for seedlings of cabbage, which is grown in a greenhouse. It is carried out in 3 stages:

The first stage begins when the temperature per day is above 15 degrees. Then, on sunny days, seedlings should be opened first for 15 minutes, and then every week the time should be increased by 10-15 minutes, depending on the weather.
The second stage begins when the temperature does not drop below 8 degrees even at night. Then in the greenhouse you need to leave a small window for constant air ventilation all day and night. In addition, seedlings need, for 1-2 hours, to open completely.
The third stage begins 1-2 weeks before planting seedlings in open ground. Then most of the day the seedlings should be completely open.

Planting seedlings of cabbage in open ground

Growing seedlings in a greenhouse ends with its planting in open ground. You need to do this following the rules:

Pull out seedlings only with abundant watering of the rows.
It is advisable to transplant seedlings of cabbage on a cloudy day or in the afternoon, when the sun is already close to sunset.
For better survival, it is desirable to treat seedling roots with growth stimulants.
Pits should be watered abundantly.
It is desirable to mulch the earth at seedlings so that moisture does not quickly evaporate.

As some experience of gardeners shows, it is easier to get high-quality white cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse, even with minimal care and costs. H but at the same time, in no case should we forget about pests such as cruciferous fleas. It is imperative to protect the seedlings from them in a timely manner so that it is not too late, otherwise these pests can destroy young seedlings in a few days. All other procedures for growing cabbage seedlings are similar to growing any other seedlings.

How to grow cabbage seedlings at home

The sequence of growing seedlings of cabbage at home

Growing seedlings on a balcony or in an apartment is not difficult, the main thing is to follow the sequence of all procedures:

Selection and preparation of seeds

The first stage is one in which it is decided:

appearance of the future crop;
varieties or hybrids;
maturation time;
amount;
the level of seed quality and preparation for sowing.

Before sowing, the seeds must be prepared if the producers have not done so. They need to be sorted out, while selecting large and intact seeds. It is also desirable to decontaminate and soak in a solution of biostimulants, which are on the market in large numbers.

Rice. How to grow cabbage seedlings

Determining the timing of sowing seeds

After sowing cabbage seeds shoots may appear in 5-7 days her. At the same time, for cabbage of various ripening periods, there are different periods from the beginning of germination to planting in open ground:

early varieties - 42-52 days;
medium varieties - 32-42 days;
late varieties - 45-52 days.

Cabbage seeds of various sowing dates should be sown, taking into account the time when you are going to plant seedlings of cabbage in open ground (from the end of March to May).

Preparation of land mixtures

To grow seedlings in boxes or other containers, you need to buy ready-made earth mixtures or prepare your own:

soddy soil, peat and sand in an equal amount of all components;
biohumus, coconut fiber at the rate of 2:1;
ordinary fertile soil with the addition of biohumus or peat;
peat tablets;

Container preparation

It is important that the container in which cabbage seedlings will be grown is wide, but not deep (no more than 10 centimeters high). In addition, the container must be prepared accordingly:

at the bottom of all containers there should be the right number of drainage holes ( for an area of 20 square centimeters, at least 3 holes);
earthen mixtures should be poured only to fill half of the containers.

Sowing cabbage seeds

The process of sowing seeds is important and here you need to do everything right:

Before planting, the ground must be watered with a pink (weak) solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
For sowing, shallow grooves are made (0.7-1.7 cm), the distance between them is at least 3 centimeters.
The grooves should be plentifully watered with boiled water of normal temperature.
Seeds are sown at a distance of 1.7-2.5 centimeters from each other. 1-3 seeds are sown in small containers (cups).
The grooves are covered with a thin layer of earth and slightly compacted with a finger.
After that, all containers must be covered with cellophane and wait for the emergence of seedlings.
The first shoots should appear in 5-7 days, then the cellophane is removed. For cabbage seedlings, it is desirable that the temperature be between 15 and 20 degrees so that the plants do not quickly stretch.

Prevention of pests and diseases

In addition to the usual care (watering, feeding seedlings), it is necessary to carry out preventive measures to prevent the appearance of diseases and fleas:

soil disinfection when sowing seeds;
watering only between rows (special grooves are made) and at the side walls in small containers;
treatment of seedlings with insecticide from cruciferous fleas (for cabbage, this procedure is very important);
periodic loosening of the topsoil in containers;
feeding seedlings once every two weeks with bio-fertilizers (preferably every week, but fertilizers must be diluted in a proportion determined by the manufacturer with water and sprayed onto the leaves).

In principle, such preventive measures will prevent the occurrence of blackleg disease and pests. If the seedlings are sick, then the damaged plants should be pulled out, and a thin layer of ash should be poured into the container and the intensity of watering should be reduced.

picking

This procedure is important for growing quality seedlings, but it is not mandatory. Seedlings of medium quality can be obtained without picking. Picking cabbage seedlings is performed in the following sequence:

When 2-3 true leaves appear, the seedlings need to stop watering for 2-3 days.
Next, the seedlings are transplanted into large containers. In this case, you need to remove part of the root of the seedlings (one third of its length). Thus, the root system will develop better, which will increase the seedling's feeding area, and this, in turn, will lead to intensive growth.
Seedlings after picking should be well watered and fed and kept for 2-3 days at a temperature of 18-20 degrees.
After that, it is necessary to ensure the optimal temperature regime: during the day - 15-19 degrees, at night - 10-13 degrees. At this time, seedlings can already be taken out to a glazed balcony or to a greenhouse, where the temperature day and night will be optimal for the growth of cabbage.

hardening

This process is one of the most important and it is started when the opportunity arises. Usually the process of hardening cabbage takes place in 3 stages:

When the air temperature per day is more than 15 degrees. At this time, windows are opened for seedlings or they are taken out to sunny places for 15-20 minutes.
When the temperature does not drop below 9 degrees at night. At this time, you can leave the seedlings overnight with an open window or on an unglazed balcony.
1 week before planting, seedlings in containers should be taken to the site where they will be planted.

Planting seedlings on the prepared site

Cabbage seedlings take root very well if they have gone through all the stages of hardening, but when planting it, you need to follow some rules:

It is desirable to plant seedlings in the afternoon;
It is better to plant seedlings together with an earthen clod, if this is not possible, then the roots must be soaked in special nutrient solutions from growth stimulants.
If the weather is hot, then it is desirable to create an artificial shade for cabbage seedlings for the first 1-2 days.

Any gardener can handle growing cabbage seedlings at home. Growing seedlings will be successful if you carry out excellent preparation of all components. Therefore, considerable attention should be paid to this issue, since with proper preparation, the growing process itself will be without any surprises and any troubles.

How to choose good ready-made seedlings in the market

So, the choice of cabbage seedlings according to external signs ...

Cabbage seedlings are selected only by external signs, and this, in most cases, is quite enough. The main external signs of high-quality cabbage seedlings include:

Seedlings of cabbage with a lilac-green color of the stem (legs) are better than light green(a sign of excess nitrogen).
Pure green cabbage seedlings(a sign of excess nitrogen) in most cases has an unformed root system(does not fit well) than with a purple tint, in which the root system is well developed.
Plants with round leaves will produce heads of cabbage that are round, sometimes slightly flattened. Plants with oval-oblong leaves also produce oval heads of cabbage, slightly oblong.

How to determine where is early and where is late cabbage

It is easy to determine from the stems and leaves of seedlings whether it is early or late cabbage. These signs include:

A thin and short stem (leg) of seedlings from the root collar to the first leaves and small leaves indicate that this is an early cabbage. From such seedlings, it will be possible to obtain small heads of cabbage with short stalks.
A thick and short stem (leg) of seedlings from the root collar to the first leaves and rather large leaves indicate that this is an early cabbage. From such seedlings it will be possible to get large heads of cabbage with short stalks.
A thick and rather long stem (leg) of seedlings from the root collar to the first leaves and large leaves indicate that this is a late cabbage. From such seedlings it will be possible to get large heads of cabbage with long stalks. In this case, the head of cabbage will be loose and non-compact.
A thin and long stem (leg) of seedlings from the root collar to the first leaves and small leaves indicate that this is a late cabbage. From such seedlings, it will be possible to obtain small and compact cabbages with long stalks.

Which seedling is better to choose on the market

In addition to determining the qualitative external features, it is important to pay attention to the packaging and strength of the seedlings:

It is better to pack purchased seedlings in a damp cloth and strong paper. If you bought seedlings in a plastic bag, then it is better to immediately repack it, that is, wrap it with a damp cloth and wrap it with strong paper on top.
No need to buy seedlings that are firmly tied in separate bundles of 10 pieces. Thus, the seller can hide the poor root system and the fragility of the seedlings.
Seedlings do not need to be applied tightly to each other, that is, a damp cloth should not be tightly tightened around the bunch of seedlings.
In no case, acquired cabbage seedlings should not be put in water, as the root system suffers greatly from this.

Choosing cabbage seedlings is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. With a large variety of planting material on the market and unscrupulous sellers, you can often buy a "pig in a poke". Therefore, you need to buy seedlings from trusted sellers, and preferably from friends, neighbors or relatives. This will allow you to be more or less confident in the future harvest. In most cases, it is still possible to determine the quality of seedlings, but this is impossible with a variety, so this parameter is based purely on trust in the seller. In most cases, resistant varieties of cabbage are grown, which are not whimsical in care and grow quickly. Therefore, you do not need to buy seemingly varietal, but expensive seedlings, which may turn out to be ordinary.

Cabbage without seedlings

Somewhere at the end of April, when the snow melts, I dig holes, then put some manure in them and throw cabbage seeds in there, three or four things in one hole, and water it. Then I take five-liter bottles, cut off the bottom of them and put them on the holes so that all the seeds are inside. Then you can water outside without removing the bottles. After three or four days, the cabbage sprouts. When it grows up a little, I leave one root under each bottle, I throw out the rest - the frail ones, and transplant the good ones into other holes and also put the bottles. And when the seedlings are already large , I clean the bottles completely.

In total I plant twenty roots, and all summer and autumn I am with cabbage. In late June - early July, it is already possible to cut. After a cut head, many more small heads are formed, they also grow back later.

Planting seedlings of cabbage in the ground

Useful information:

Everyone knows that cabbage cannot be grown for more than 3 years in the same place, because cabbage is affected by many pests and diseases. Their pathogens will accumulate in the area where cabbage is grown. Therefore, caste can be grown in the same place for no more than 3 years, after which the site must rest for at least 4 years. The best precursor crops for growing cabbage are potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin crops, legumes, onions, and beets. Cabbage seedlings should not be planted after other cruciferous crops: radish, radish, nightshade, turnip, turnip. Without proper planting of cabbage seedlings, there can be unwanted losses that can be avoided if you plan all your actions well.

Selection and preparation of beds for planting seedlings of cabbage

The bed where cabbage will be grown is of great importance for obtaining a quality crop. Therefore, gardeners have been preparing a garden bed since autumn:

Planting seedlings of cabbage

On a pre-prepared bed, in the spring, when the night temperature returns to normal (at least 8 degrees Celsius), cabbage seedlings begin to be planted:

From the time when cabbage seedlings are planted, the gardener still needs to do a lot of work to get a good harvest. Despite this, without proper and timely planting of cabbage seedlings, it may not take root at all in a new place. Also, seedlings can be planted very densely or rarely, which will lead to plant shading or inefficient waste of land. Planting cabbage seedlings is an important transitional stage in the cultivation of this crop, so it is very important to do everything right and on time. This is the only way to get a decent crop of cabbage, which will be equivalent to the labor expended.

SECRETS OF HEALTHY CABBAGE

(these tips are from the Internet, the original source is not known)

Recipe: what to fill in the holes before seedlings

It is recommended to fall asleep in the holes humus and add 1 tablespoon of eggshell, 1 tablespoon of ash and 1 teaspoon of superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder. This is necessary in order to so that larvae that harm the roots do not start. Mix everything well and pour hot water with potassium permanganate. When the holes cool down, plant pre-watered seedlings. Mulch with humus, water every day for 3-4 days in a row, and then water after 3-4 days.

If there is a threat frost cover with five-liter water bottles, cutting off the bottom. After 2 weeks, pour nitrogen fertilizer: 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water - 0.3 liters per plant. After another 2 weeks, pour superphosphate: soak 2 tablespoons in hot water for a day, stirring occasionally so that the mixture does not thicken, then mix with 10 liters of water and pour 1 liter per plant. Water with mullein every 2 weeks.

To have a good ovary of heads

Also, pour 1 time with boron and molybdenum so that there is a good ovary of heads, and sprinkle with tobacco dust or ash near the roots.

From caterpillars

sprinkle with infusion of onion and garlic husks, hang tomato stepchildren. Spray with mustard solution: 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water + 1 teaspoon of black or red hot pepper + 1 tablespoon of liquid soap.

From the white

drive in pegs, then nail yogurt cups on them and stick emerald-colored self-adhesive paper on them.

HOW TO GET RID OF CATERPILLARS ON CABBAGE WITHOUT CHEMICALS.

(This advice is also from the Internet. But according to reviews, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. , so something like this)

We take a bucket (it is better not to take a galvanized one), pour hot (almost boiling water) water into it, add half a liter of ash, stir, cover with a lid and leave to infuse for a day.

The next day, right into this content, grate half a bar of laundry soap (remnants can be used). Mix and leave again for a day.

Now, after mixing well, you can use this infusion against caterpillars. We take a ladle and carefully pour this solution into the middle of the cabbage plant. The caterpillars burn out - the next day they will be gone, and the cabbage will remain healthy.

You can do this several times a season when caterpillars appear.

Warning: the recipe that doesn't work

VINEGAR FOR CABBAGE PEST CONTROL

(this tip is from the internet and he does not work!!! )

We spray the cabbage with 70% table vinegar: one spoon per 10 liters. water.

We immediately stirred the vinegar and processed the cabbage. Radish, horseradish, radish, sorrel, swede, turnip were sprayed with the same solution.

It is one of the main vegetable crops. It is valued for its variety of species, versatile use (fresh, pickled, canned, pickled, dried), long-term fresh storage with preservation of vitamin C, as well as for medicinal and dietary properties. The tartronic acid contained in cabbage prevents obesity, and the vitamin-like substance U (ulcus) prevents ulcers.

The best ultra-early and early-ripening varieties of cabbage that ripen in 90-120 days from sowing: June, Early .

Sowing seedlings. Seedlings of early white cabbage with a clod are planted at the age of 40 - 55 days on April 25 - May 5 with a feeding area of 50x50 cm. For this, a ready-made garden mixture is convenient, which is added 5 g (one teaspoon) to each well. Compost soil can be applied in a handful, and wood or peat ash - two matchboxes. The wells are well soaked before planting, pouring at least 1 liter of water into each, and if the soil is acidic, it is useful to add freshly slaked lime to the water (200 g per bucket of water).

To protect the plants from the cabbage fly, the wells are additionally watered with a solution of karbofos. If there is a 30% c.e. karbofos, it is enough 20 g per 10 liters of water. Also apply 10% k. e. karbofos or 10% sp, increasing the dosage to 60 g for the same amount of water. In all cases, add 0.5 liters of solution to each well. Diazinon (Bazudin) - 5% granular, also effective against cabbage fly. It is applied immediately after planting in loosened soil (in between rows, around plants superficially) at the rate of 20 g per 10 sq. m.

Seedlings of cabbage are planted so as not to fill up the apical bud - "heart". The earth around the plant is well compressed, watered again, and then the watered places are sprinkled with dry earth so that a crust does not form.

Noteworthy is the method of planting seedlings of early cabbage without watering. Seedlings grown in peat pots are planted in the ground on April 15-30, when there is a large supply of moisture in the soil. In a hole 10-12 cm deep, 300 g of compost or humus soil are added, a teaspoon of ammonium sulfate and potassium chloride (each), one and a half to two tablespoons of superphosphate and mixed well with the ground. The pot with seedlings is deepened into the hole so that its upper edge is 3–5 cm lower than the soil level. More moist soil is added to the pot from the sides and strongly compressed. Loose, dry earth is sprinkled on top with a layer of 3-5 cm. This will protect the soil from evaporation. This planting ensures 100% survival of seedlings. Having finished planting, the aisles are loosened, and if it rains, the loosening of the aisles is repeated.

Further care for cabbage during the first planting method: watering, fertilizing, loosening, hilling; at the second: the same techniques, excluding watering. In the first period, it is important to build up a powerful leaf outlet, which will ensure the harvest. This is facilitated by abundant watering - 1 - 2 times a week (2 - 3 liters per plant). Once every 10 days, watering is combined with top dressing with mullein (1: 10) or bird droppings (1 - 15). At the first top dressing, half a liter of solution is added under the plant, then 1 liter each. When 6-7 well-developed leaves are formed on the plants, they are spudded. If the color of the leaves is pale, then 15 g of urea can be added to 10 liters of mullein solution. Early ripening varieties are harvested in late June - early July.

The best mid-season varieties of cabbage : Slava Gribovskaya 231, Slava 1305, Belorusskaya 455, Losinoostrovskaya 8, Nadezhda, Taininskaya; mid-late varieties : Gift and Ladozhskaya 22; late varieties : Moskovskaya late 15, Zimnyaya Gribovskaya, Zimovka 1474, Amager 611 and new kilo-resistant varieties of cabbage Moskovskaya late 9 and Zimnyaya Gribovskaya 13.

The best predecessor of cabbage is tomatoes. Under the autumn tillage, carried out to a depth of 25 - 30 cm, 4 kg of manure and 20 g of potassium chloride per 1 sq. m, for spring treatment to a depth of 20-25 cm - 15 g of urea and 30 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. m.

Mid-season varieties of cabbage are planted at a distance of 60x60 cm, late - 70x70 cm, in holes abundantly watered with water. The compaction of late cabbage with green crops significantly increases the yield per unit area. This technique is especially suitable for collective gardens. At the same time, greens are sown earlier (April 25 - May 5) than cabbage is planted (May 15 - 25), with five-line ribbons, with a distance between the middle lines of 25 cm, extreme 20, between the ribbons of 50 cm. Before planting cabbage, green crops are marked across the rows 70 cm, cabbage is planted at the intersection of marked rows with green ones at a distance of 70 cm, in two directions. Such a compaction gives an additional increase in the yield of greens up to 2 kg or more per 1 sq. m.

After harvesting the green cabbage, it is plentifully watered, fed with slurry, diluted with water 1: 10, with the addition of 60 g of a garden fertilizer mixture per 10 liters of a solution. Under each plant, 2 liters of solution are added, then they are spudded. After rain or watering, the aisles are loosened. Late cabbage can also be compacted with cauliflower, planting it not in row spacing, but in rows between late cabbage plants.

Late cabbage, going for salting and fresh storage, is usually harvested in the first decade or in mid-October. If the heads of cabbage have begun to crack, and the harvesting time has not yet come, the roots of the plants must be torn. To do this, it is enough to turn the head of cabbage several times in one direction. Low temperatures and short-term frosts do not adversely affect the quality of cabbage.

The secrets of a good cabbage harvest lie in the selection of a suitable variety, observing the timing of planting seedlings in a prepared post, carefully planting in a suitable place and full care. This is a cold-resistant and light-loving culture that grows in almost all regions of Russia.

Soil acidity in the range from 6.5 to 7.5 and a temperature regime of 17-19 ° C are considered optimal for the growth of cabbage.

Care measures include abundant watering, thorough loosening, proper hilling, treatment from pests and diseases, timely application of feeding compounds.

For planting seedlings of cabbage, you should not take the soil from the beds. Spores and fungi that live in the soil can easily attack weak shoots. It is better to use purchased soil for seedlings or prepare the soil in advance. The earth is steamed and treated with a solution of 10 liters of water and 40 g of colloidal sulfur. Before planting seeds in the soil, they are hardened by immersion in hot, and then in cold water. Hot water temperature should not exceed 50 °C.

Requirements for light and heat

Cabbage is resistant to low temperatures. It is necessary to take into account the thermal regime when growing seedlings. The optimum temperature for preparing seedlings is 15-20°C. Under such conditions, at least 90% of seed spitting and seedling formation occur. Increasing the temperature to 25 °C worsens germination. Therefore, it is more expedient to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or room. Do not cover the soil with seeds with a film. This may cause overheating.

Favorable temperature conditions for the growth of seedlings:

head varieties - 12-15 ° C;
Beijing cabbage - 16-18 ° C;
cauliflower - 16-18 ° C.

At night, it is required to maintain a temperature limit of at least 8-10 ° C.

After transplanting seedlings of cabbage of any kind into open ground, the optimal temperature conditions for its growth and tying a head of cabbage are 18-22 ° C.

For planting cabbage, it is better to choose open air-blown places. Cabbage is a light-loving crop, so it should not be planted near buildings or tall plants. The longer the daylight hours, the more intensive the growth of cabbage will be.

Watering cabbage

Cabbage grows well with regular abundant watering. White cabbage is moisture-loving. If you live in a region with a dry climate and rare rains, it is better to give preference to kohlrabi and savoy cabbage. These species are not inferior to white cabbage in terms of taste and benefits and have a deep root system, which provides the plant with moisture from the deep layers of the soil.

When to water cabbage

At the stage of planting seedlings, it is undesirable to pour the soil into which the seeds are laid. The root system must independently develop in depth in order to subsequently nourish the vegetable from the depths. As the seedlings grow, the amount of watering should be increased. Young cabbage requires watering in a volume of at least two liters per plant.

At the stage of tying heads or the formation of a flower head, cabbage should be watered abundantly due to the high need for moisture. The volume of water should be at least 3-4 liters.

Watering in small quantities is fraught with insufficient development of the root system and a deficiency in the growth of cabbage. The optimal time for watering is morning and evening. It is better to water the vegetables before the hot midday sun sets in, so that the moisture from the plants and soil does not quickly evaporate. In the evening, you should wait for coolness. The volume of watering is reduced two weeks before harvesting. Otherwise, the heads will crack.

How to properly water cabbage

It is more expedient to water the cabbage from the edge of the hole in order to prevent the soil from washing out and the formation of holes. Do not use high pressure jet. It is better to use a sprayer mounted on the spout of a watering can or hose. This will ensure full watering and effective wetting of the soil.

What water is better to water the cabbage

Cabbage is undemanding to the quality of water. To obtain heads of cabbage without a threat to health, it is recommended to use running, settled water. The culture tolerates cold water well. Water from nearby natural bodies of water should not be used for irrigation due to the content of silt particles that can get between the leaves and contribute to decay.

To protect heads of cabbage in hot weather, cabbage is covered with a non-woven fabric. The material is not removed during watering, as the structure of the fabric does not prevent the penetration of water. The event not only effectively retains moisture and creates optimal conditions for growth, but also protects the plant from pests.

loosening cabbage

Another activity aimed at obtaining a good crop of cabbage in the open field is loosening. It is necessary to saturate the soil with oxygen and remove excess moisture from the soil. After watering, the earth is compacted and must be loosened and at the same time get rid of weeds. For these purposes, use a small garden tool with curved teeth.

The dates for loosening cabbage are as follows:

the first loosening - 3-5 days after transplanting cabbage seedlings into open ground. The soil around the plant is loosened to a depth of no more than 5-6 cm;
the second loosening - 10-12 days after the first. The soil is loosened to a depth of 10-12 cm;
subsequent loosening is carried out together with hilling.

The depth and frequency of loosening should be adjusted depending on the condition and type of soil. Clay heavy soils recommend loosening more often.

Cabbage hilling

Hilling is a procedure for lifting and loosening the soil around the plant to form a tubercle. The event contributes to:

development of adventitious roots;
weed control;
saturation of the soil with oxygen.

Hilling should be done when the soil is moist. The procedure begins with the appearance of new cabbage leaves after transplanting seedlings into open ground. The second hilling is carried out 10-12 days after the first hilling. The next hilling must be carried out during the formation of a head or the formation of a colored head.

On a note!

Cabbage with a short stalk does not need frequent hilling. One procedure is enough after planting seedlings at the stage of formation of new leaves.

Brussels sprouts during the hilling procedure are strengthened by tying the plant to a peg.

Feeding cabbage

To ensure a rich harvest of cabbage, it must be regularly fed. The time and composition of fertilizing depends on the type of crop, the type of soil for seedlings and the condition of the soil where the cabbage will be planted.

Particular attention should be paid to the period of intensive leaf growth and the phase of head or head formation. At this time, top dressing is necessary for potassium for any variety.

Low temperatures weaken the soil and slow down all biological processes. Therefore, care should be taken to apply nitrogen fertilizers in the spring before the onset of stable heat.

Cabbage

Headed cabbage of early varieties needs to be fed at least 2-3 times. Medium and late-ripening varieties of cabbage are fertilized 3-4 times per season. Top dressing should combine organic and mineral fertilizers.

When applying top dressing in the form of mineral dry fertilizers, they should be prevented from getting on the leaves.

The first dressing of cabbage

The first feeding is carried out 10-15 days after planting seedlings. It is necessary to enter:

the mineral composition for feeding cabbage should be at least 50-100 g per 10 sq.m. ammonium nitrate or a mixture of 100-150 g of carbamide, 70-100 g of superphosphate and 50-80 g of potassium salt.
organic top dressing can be arranged from weed infusion. To do this, you need to pour 5 parts of weeds with 1 part of water. You can add cow dung and bird droppings to the infusion at the rate of 1:10 and 1:20, respectively. For each plant there should be at least 0.5 liters of top dressing.

If the soil is sufficiently fertilized, then only nitrogen supplements are applied. To do this, you can use only ammonium nitrate or urea at the rate of 100-150 g per 10 square meters. m.

The second dressing of cabbage

The second top dressing is applied in the form of nitrogen fertilizer 10-15 days after the first top dressing. The composition used is the same as in the first feeding. At least 1 liter must be used per plant.

The third dressing of cabbage

Feeding is carried out 15 days after the second application of dressings. It is necessary to water the plants with the following infusion - add cow dung infusion (in a ratio of 1:5) and 30 g of superphosphate to 10 liters of water. The solution is thoroughly mixed and poured onto the plants at the rate of at least 1.5 liters each.

The fourth dressing of cabbage

The last fourth feeding is carried out 3-4 weeks before the expected harvest. The event is aimed at the long-term preservation of heads of cabbage after harvesting. The fourth feeding is the introduction of a solution of 10 liters and 40 g of potassium sulfate. Under each bush should be poured at least 2 liters.

Additional spraying

Spraying cabbage with a solution of trace elements helps to obtain a rich harvest of heads of cabbage. To do this, prepare a solution from:

10 liters of water;
10 g of manganese sulfate;
0.1 potassium iodide;
5 g of boron-dalite fertilizer;
2 g of molybdenum ammonium;
3 g of copper sulfate.

The solution is thoroughly mixed and the plants are sprayed with a sprayer.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower should be fed with a composition with a predominance of potash fertilizers. Organic top dressing consists of water 10 l, infusion of cow manure (1:5) and superphosphate 40 g. The mineral composition is 100-150 g of ammonium nitrate per 10 sq.m. Top dressing is applied every 15 days with alternating organic and mineral compositions.

During the period of tying a head or it is necessary to fertilize the cabbage with boron and molybdenum.

Cauliflower grows well in alkaline soils. Therefore, it is advisable to apply every 3 weeks under each bush at least 0.5 liters of a solution of 10 liters of water and 3 tbsp. spoons of calcium nitrate. The composition can be replaced with a solution of lime or dolomite in the ratio of 10 liters of water to 200 ml of the substance.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a capricious crop and demanding on soil fertility. To get a good crop of broccoli, it is required to apply dosed nitrogen fertilizers so as not to cause intensive leaf growth.

Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts should be fed weekly. For fertilizer, organic fertilizers are used in the form of a solution of cow manure in a ratio of 1: 5 and a mineral composition of 10 liters of water and 3 tbsp. spoons of azophoska.

leaf scrap

Cutting off the lower leaves of cabbage is not necessary due to the fact that they accumulate a supply of useful trace elements and substances. After cutting off the leaves, the plant will direct its growth to their re-growing.

Another function of the lower leaves is to protect the head from pests and a number of diseases. A wax coating and a dense sheet protects the head of cabbage from drying out and evaporation of moisture from the soil. A scrap of the lower leaves is advisable only before harvesting heads of cabbage. The torn leaves can be used to feed animals. They will contain a lot of vitamin C. If you cut off the lower leaves during the tying of the head, then the head itself will contain less ascorbic acid.

Only yellow or rotten leaves are subject to scrapping. You need to carefully remove the cabbage leaf, slightly retreating from the trunk and stalk. Cabbage juice may attract some pests. To prevent the invasion of aphids, dill, celery, calendula or marigolds are planted between rows. Smelly plants repel pests.

Disease protection

Cabbage in the process of growth is subject to a number of diseases. Some of the most common are:

Blackleg

The disease affects the root neck in the form of a black or brown plaque. As a result, the root becomes thinner and rots. The disease is favored by acidic and waterlogged soils. As a means of control, moderate watering and the introduction of a solution of 1 liter of water and 0.5 potassium manganese under the seedlings are used;

Mucous bacteriosis

A disease that affects the plant during the period of tying heads. It is manifested by yellowing of the leaves, the appearance of mucus on them, the appearance of an unpleasant putrefactive odor from the culture. The cause of the disease is putrefactive bacteria carried by flies. Dusting with wood ash and watering with a solution of manganese sulfate also effectively helps in the fight against mucous bacteriosis;

downy mildew

quila

The disease manifests itself in the form of root growths of various sizes. The plant gets to receive a sufficient amount of useful and nutritious substances with the help of the root system. The cause of the disease is a fungus in the soil. A measure to combat clubroot is the regular liming of acidic soils and the annual change of the cabbage planting site. It is also possible to carry out tillage with copper sulphate and special soil preparation for seedlings;

White and gray rot

Diseases are typical for already cut heads of cabbage. So that the crop does not rot, it is necessary to warm the seeds in hot water before planting the seedlings. Dusting growing heads of cabbage with chalk also contributes to the quality storage of the crop.

It is necessary to regularly inspect the plants in order to take timely measures to combat the disease.

Pest protection

Cabbage planted in open ground is subject to attacks by various insect pests. The most common are:

cabbage white

A butterfly with white wings and a black pattern on them lays its eggs on the outside of cabbage leaves. The hatched caterpillars feed on the plant. The fight against the whitefish consists in the form of spraying with a solution of 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l soap in liquid form and 2 glasses of wood ash;

cabbage fly

The insect lays its eggs next to the stem or on the stem itself. The hatched larvae infect the root system and eat the leaves. Pest protection is spraying with a filtered solution of 10 liters of water, 100 g of tobacco dust and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper. After the procedure and every 3 days, the soil is loosened at least 3 cm deep. An effective measure against the fly is also the ready-made Iskra-M. Plants are sprayed with a solution in accordance with the instructions;

Slugs and snails

Damage the leaves and root system of cabbage. The fight against them consists in sprinkling the soil with a mixture of 0.5 liters of wood ash, 1 tbsp. tablespoons ground black pepper, 1 tbsp. spoons of salt, 1 tbsp. spoons of mustard powder. After applying the mixture to the ground, loosen the ground to a depth of 5 cm;

cabbage scoop

Butterfly with gray wings, which leads an active life at night. The insect lays eggs on cabbage leaves. After hatching, the larvae grow into caterpillars that feed on cabbage. As a control measure, water with a solution of 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. spoons of soap in liquid form, 2 tbsp. spoons of salt, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of mustard or mustard powder.

Against butterflies, the ready-made tool "Iskra-M" is effective. Select a caterpillar solution and spray with a solution of 5 liters of water and 5 ml of product. The consumption of the solution should be at least 1 liter per 10 sq. m.

Aphid

Pests in the form of small insects that inhabit the outer side of cabbage leaves and feed on plant sap. Against aphids, spraying with a solution of 10 liters of water, 2 cups of wood ash and 1 tbsp is effective. spoons of liquid soap. The finished preparation "Fufanon" also acts against insects, which is diluted in the calculation of 10 liters of water and 10 ml of the product, and the culture is sprayed in the afternoon. 10 liters of solution should be enough for 100 square meters. m.

Cabbage is a useful and undemanding culture. Regular watering and pest control will ensure you have a rich harvest in the fall. If you use all the recommendations for growing cabbage, then it will not be difficult for you to collect strong juicy heads of cabbage in late September - early October.