White cauliflower seedlings are different. Tips for properly planting and growing cauliflower seedlings. Types of cabbage: Chinese, Chinese, mizuna

Happy Tasha more than a year ago

Cabbage seedlings available: white cabbage, cauliflower, kolirabi, savoy. How do you know which cabbage is which? How to distinguish by external signs? And also, to note: how to distinguish early cabbage from late cabbage (seedlings)?

dolfanika 7 months ago

For inexperienced summer residents, this is a question of backfilling, and when you buy seedlings at the market, they can very easily slip early cabbage seedlings instead of late ones. Not always, but still most often the color of early cabbage seedlings is greener, almost emerald. And the seedlings of early cabbage are not very tall, they are plump and squat. Late varieties of cabbage have a bluish color and are taller in height than early seedlings of early varieties.

The leaves of later varieties are less common on seedlings. Good seedlings can be distinguished this way. You need to shake the bush and if the soil remains on the roots, then the seedlings are strong and healthy. And these are kohlrabi cabbage seedlings.

1 Cauliflower: growing seedlings in the garden ^

Video on the topicVideo about the benefits of cauliflower Click on Play to view

Cauliflower is an annual plant, and growing its seedlings is not much different from the same process with white cabbage. Its inflorescences in the form of heads can be different colors: white, yellow and purple.

Its root system is less developed than that of its white cabbage sister, so sowing seeds for cauliflower seedlings must be done in a special way. To do this, the soil for planting in a common box is divided into 10x10 cm squares so that the seedlings have the opportunity to form branched root systems for better digestibility nutrients from the ground.

So that our cauliflower began to bloom early and prolifically, planting its seeds for seedlings should be done at a certain time on soil enriched with phosphorus, boron and potassium. If we increase the content of these elements in the soil and limit the amount of nitrogen, then our vegetable will grow and develop faster, and, consequently, the maturation of its inflorescences will occur much earlier than usual.

2 Cauliflower seedlings: when to plant? ^

Video on the topicVideo about planting and growing cauliflower seedlings Click on Play to view

Remember that cauliflower, like kohlrabi cabbage, is a rather capricious plant that requires special conditions for growing, so its seedlings for planting in the ground must be sufficiently formed root system, otherwise the plant will not take root and will die. Each variety of this vegetable has its own time for planting seeds:

• sowing of early varieties and hybrids begins from the beginning of March throughout all four weeks of the month; mid-early varieties are planted from April 10 to mid-May; late varieties are sown after May 15 to mid-June.

Age of seedlings before planting in the ground:

• early varieties – 2 months;

Growing Cabbage Varieties

Author: Valery | Category: cabbage | 2012-10-29

In addition to white cabbage, gardeners grow many more varieties and varieties of cabbage.

Red cabbage The heads of this cabbage, unlike white cabbage, are red-violet in color. Red cabbage strengthens blood vessels and improves blood composition.

The heads of cabbage are small in size, but quite dense and store well in winter. As food, red cabbage is mainly used in fresh, but also suitable for pickling.

They grow it in the same way as white cabbage, the difference is that the seedlings are planted in a permanent place more densely, i.e., there is a distance of 45 cm between the rows, and 25-30 cm plant from plant in the rows. Cauliflower Cauliflower has recently attracted the attention of gardeners increasingly for its high taste, dietary and valuable nutritional properties.

This cabbage contains many vitamins (B1, B2, PP, K, A), protein and mineral salts (potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium). To get an earlier harvest of cauliflower, it is better to grow it as seedlings in more early dates(March, April).

The following early varieties are suitable for these purposes: Rannyaya Gribovskaya, Snezhny glob, MOVIR-74, Skorospelka, Garantiya. Many gardeners get good harvests by sowing seeds under film directly into the garden bed in the third decade of April.

Seeds are sown on seedlings at a distance of 10 cm row from row. And in a row 5-6 cm. After sowing, the bed is covered with a covering material (lutrasil) or low arcs are installed and covered with plastic film.

On warm days, the film is slightly opened or removed completely so that the seedlings do not stretch. Seedlings are planted in a permanent location when at least 4 true leaves appear.

During the process of growing seedlings, they are fed with the following solution: add one tablespoon of urea or liquid sodium humate per 10 liters of water, water with 5 liters per 1 sq.m (this feeding is done two weeks after germination). If you want to get a cauliflower harvest later, you need to sow the seeds in the same way at a later date. late dates in May (I, II, III decades).

First, seedlings are grown in a small area of ​​the bed, and then in June they are transplanted to a permanent place. Seedlings are planted in beds 90-100 cm wide.

The beds are prepared as follows: after digging the beds, add a glass of wood ash, one tablespoon of nitrophoska and superphosphate, 2-3 kg of organic fertilizers; vegetable or manure humus for each sq.m. Then the bed is additionally dug to a depth of 10-12 cm. Seedlings are planted according to the following scheme: in a row of 25-30 cm and row from row of 50 cm. How to care for cauliflower in the beds.

Cauliflower is a light-loving crop. To get good heads, you need up to 10-12 leaves on the plant. Why, after planting seedlings, you need to monitor watering so that the soil is constantly moist.

Fertilizing is done after planting the seedlings 2 weeks later. Add a half-liter jar of mushy mullein and one tablespoon of complete fertilizer (containing microelements and phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen) to a bucket of water. They spend 5 liters per square meter.

6-7 days after the first, a second feeding is done. For each square meter, scatter one cup of wood ash, do a small hilling (5 cm) and water with the solution: add one tablespoon of nitrophoska to 10 liters of water, water up to one liter for each plant.

To make the heads white and dense, they are temporarily shaded, i.e., one sheet is broken above the head or 2-3 sheets are connected with a rubber ring (this operation is done when the head reaches the size of a walnut). There is no point in being late with harvesting, because the heads begin to crumble.

Cauliflower leaves are rich in many nutrients and can also be eaten. The leaves need to be washed, cut into large pieces (10-12 cm), boiled in salted water and added vegetable oil serve as a side dish.

Broccoli This type of cabbage is good for its tenderness, its extraordinary taste and aroma. Broccoli is best used as a side dish.

It, like cauliflower, contains many vitamins, but in terms of carotene and vitamin C content, broccoli is significantly superior to cauliflower. This cabbage is considered a healing vegetable, broccoli is recommended for diseases of the cardiovascular system, it is excellent dietary product nutrition.

This cabbage is early ripening. Its growing season from germination to harvesting is 50-65 days, and from planting seedlings - 30-35 days. Broccoli differs from cauliflower in the structure of its head, which consists of formed green or purple buds.

The head reaches a diameter of 10-12 cm. When the central head is cut off, the broccoli begins to branch, and each branch ends with a small head.

The main thing is to cut off the heads on time, otherwise after a few days they will disintegrate and bloom. yellow flowers and become inedible. This cabbage variety is less demanding and can grow in any soil.

Broccoli can be sown directly in open ground in early May; if you want to get the harvest earlier, you can also grow it with seedlings, like cauliflower. Broccoli is grown in the garden. The distance between rows is 50-60 cm, and between plants in a row is 30-35 cm.

They care for it in the same way as cauliflower. It is better to store broccoli in plastic bags in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2°C for no more than 10 days, because the cut heads quickly wither.

Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts are an unusual plant, on a long (60-70 cm high) stem of which small, dense heads of cabbage grow at the base of the leaves; they are eaten boiled. Brussels sprouts contain many vitamins, salts, and proteins, so they are considered dietary and medicinal.

Brussels sprouts are sown for seedlings in the early stages (this is the first or second decade of March), and seedlings are planted in the garden bed in May, from May 1 to 20. Fresh manure and humus are not applied to this variety of cabbage; it is better to apply compost. The distance between rows and plants is 50 cm.

When the stem grows 50-60 cm long, the top must be pinched. In October, the leaves turn brown and fall off - this is a signal that the heads of cabbage are ripe. Cut down the stem with the heads at the base at soil level.

Cauliflower growing experience

At home, the stems along with the heads of cabbage are placed in plastic bags and stored for two months in a cool place at a temperature of about 1°C. Kohlrabi cabbage Kohlrabi can rather be called a turnip or rutabaga; it is not at all like cabbage.

The overgrown stem tastes like a cabbage stalk, but kohlrabi is juicier and much tastier. The sucrose contained in kohlrabi gives it a sweet taste. In terms of vitamin C content, kohlrabi is superior to orange and lemon.

This cabbage is especially useful for children. Kohlrabi has ripened quite early and is ready for consumption after germination within 2 months. You can sow seeds and plant seedlings in open ground from April 25 to May.

Seedlings are planted in a permanent place at a distance of 30-40 cm between rows, and in a row - 20-25 cm from each other. The fruits are ready for consumption when they grow with a diameter of 8-10 cm and a weight of 90-120 g. When overripe, the stem fruits become coarse and lose their nutritional value.

Savoy cabbage This cabbage, unlike white cabbage, has bubbly, corrugated leaves. They contain twice as much protein, solids and vitamin C as white cabbage. Savoy cabbage leaves are tender and pleasant to the taste.

Gardeners, undeservedly, rarely grow this type of cabbage, because it has a low yield and is stored for no more than 2 months. But not many people know that Savoy cabbage can be left directly in the garden bed under the snow for the winter, rake away the snow in January-February and cut down the heads of cabbage.

They are dipped in cold water for a few minutes and used for food. Savoy cabbage is not suitable for pickling. It is used in salads, for filling pies, for preparing first and second courses.

Agricultural technology for growing is no different from growing white cabbage. Cabbage Basically, Chinese cabbage is suitable for fresh use in salads, but you can also prepare first courses from it.

Cook it for no more than 10 minutes, because it boils quickly. This cabbage is very early ripening and ripens to commercial maturity in 50-55 days. A plant with wrinkled, curly-edged leaves, heavily leafy, spreading.

In hot weather, Beijing cabbage very quickly forms a flower shoot. It should be sown in early spring in a bed under a film. Seeds are sown maintaining a distance between rows of 18-20 cm, and a plant from plant in a row - 10-12 cm.

Before sowing, the seeds are not soaked; they are sown in moist soil to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. Cabbage loves moisture, so it is watered often using sprinkling. Eating salads from Chinese cabbage very useful for anemia, disorders nervous system and headaches.

By following these simple techniques when growing cabbage, you will receive high, guaranteed yields of this tasty and healthy vegetable.

I wish you excellent, guaranteed harvests in any weather!

The general principle for preparing seeds, soil and growing cauliflower seedlings is the same as for white cabbage (see. Sowing white cabbage and caring for seedlings). Below, only the individual characteristics of cauliflower agricultural technology will be discussed in detail. The approximate age of cauliflower seedlings for middle zone Russia:

• for early varieties and hybrids - 25-60 days, for mid-early varieties - 35-40 days,
• early varieties and hybrids - from March 5 to 30, mid-early - from April 10 to May 10, late - from May 25 to June 10.

Timing for planting seedlings in open ground:

• early varieties and hybrids - from April 25 to May 15, mid-early - from May 20 to June 15, late - from July 1 to July 10.

This age “dispersion” when growing seedlings of early varieties and hybrids is not accidental. To receive the earliest finished products from the end of June or the first days of July in open ground The maximum possible age of seedlings is required - 50-60 days.

It is planted at the end of April, early May, often under temporary cover with film. For better survival, these seedlings are grown only in pots.

Then comes the time for 40-45 day old cabbage seedlings, which take root more easily and can potentially produce a higher yield. But achieving maximum productivity of early ripening varieties and hybrids is possible only when planting 20-25 day old seedlings; here the largest heads of high quality are obtained. Unlike white cabbage, cauliflower has a less developed root system.

This cabbage is even more moisture-loving and demanding of soil fertility. The bulk of the roots are located in a soil layer of 25-40 cm. To grow seedlings, it is better to use the potting method without picking.

However, it was noticed that in early spring and spring planting Seedlings grown with and without picking subsequently produce almost the same yield. But when planting seedlings in the summer, the pot method without picking has a significant advantage, especially during dry periods.

Plants take root better and develop a more powerful root that goes deep into the soil. For spring-summer and summer-autumn crops with growing by winter, you can use a potless method of growing seedlings. For the Moscow region, the optimal sowing time is from the end of April to June.

To grow for winter, crops are carried out in 2-3 stages from mid-June to July 10. For better survival, seedlings are planted at a younger age with 3-4 true leaves. In the northern regions, due to the shorter warm period, it is more advisable to grow cauliflower seedlings that are older, 50-60 days old.

In this case, the feeding area of ​​one plant must be slightly increased to 7x7 or 8x8 cm. During growing seedlings, there should be no stoppages in growth, otherwise there is a danger of bolting. This is especially common in early cabbage when planting adult seedlings.

A seedless growing method for the south

For arid regions, the less common seedless growing method can be used. In this case, the root system is not so branched, but penetrates more deeply into the soil.

Seeds are sown directly into the ground with a distance between rows of 45-60 cm, depending on the characteristics of the variety or hybrid and soil fertility. When the first two true leaves appear, thinning is carried out, leaving 10-15 cm between plants in the row.

The final thinning is done in the phase of 5-6 leaves, leaving 15-20 cm between plants on highly fertile soils, and 20-25 cm on less fertile soils. Thinning should be carried out with well-watered soil. If this activity is carried out carefully, the root system of the pulled out plants is quite well preserved and the best of them can be planted in the place of dead plants or in another plot.

Care during the growing period

Since cauliflower is a very moisture-loving plant, the optimal soil moisture throughout the entire growing period should be in the range of 70-85%. It is very important not to allow the soil to dry out during the seedling period, as this leads to the formation of a small head or even a complete loss of yield due to the rapid transition of plants to the flowering phase. An equally important factor is compliance with temperature conditions.

During the period of growing seedlings, the temperature should not be allowed to drop below +8°C for a long period of time, 10 or more days. Otherwise, a rapid transition of the plant to the flowering phase may occur, without the formation of a dense marketable head.

Temperatures above +20°C for 10 or more days, especially at night, provoke the elongation of seedlings and the formation of small, loose, rapidly disintegrating heads. The optimal temperature before emergence is +21+23°C, then for 5 days +10+12°C. After the seedlings get stronger and become stocky, the temperature is gradually increased to +16+18°C in sunny weather and +13+15°C in cloudy weather.

At night, the temperature is maintained within +10+12°C. As already mentioned, cauliflower is more demanding in terms of nutrition than white cabbage. This must be taken into account from the very beginning, i.e. at the stage of growing seedlings.

If there is a lack of microelements during the seedling period (especially when grown in pots without picking), regardless of further growing conditions, cabbage forms ugly heads or does not form them at all. It is especially sensitive to a lack of boron and molybdenum. With a lack of molybdenum, cabbage grows deformed leaves and does not proceed to the formation of a head. With a lack of boron, glassy spots form on the heads, which become brown in color.

Under these spots, voids soon form up to the stump, covered on the inside with a black crust. To avoid such troubles, during the period when the seedlings have their first true leaf, it is watered directly over the leaves with a complex fertilizer containing microelements. Some literary sources say that when feeding seedlings, colored cabbage, the dose of mineral fertilizers per feeding is increased by 1.5 times compared to the doses for white cabbage seedlings. During the growing period (depending on the age of the finished seedlings), it is given 2-3 feedings.

Here I will take the liberty to disagree. To obtain more uniformly developed seedlings and plant tissues, it is still better to carry out 1-2 additional fertilizing with a solution of normal concentration, simply shortening the period of time between fertilizing slightly.

For 30-day-old seedlings, 2 feedings are enough, 35-40-day-old - 3, 45-50-day-old - 4, for 55-60-day-old - 5. The first feeding is given 10 days after picking, or in the first phase two true leaves with a potless method of growing seedlings. The second and subsequent feedings are given at intervals of 10 days.

Regardless of the age of the seedlings, final fertilizing is given 3-4 days before planting in open ground. It is best to alternate organic and mineral supplements among themselves. In addition to the main fertilizing, cabbage is given 3 foliar fertilizing with microelements.

Cauliflower

The first - in the phase of 1-2 true leaves, the second - in the phase of 5-6 true leaves and the third - when the cabbage forms a head the size of Walnut. Dilute 0.5 tablets of microelements or 0.5 tsp/l of complete fertilizer with microelements into 1 liter of water and spray the plants leaf by leaf.

Depending on the age of the plants, the consumption of the working solution is 30-60 ml/m2 (3-6 l/area). You can use liquid microfertilizers for these purposes, for example, “Uniflor micro”, “MicroFe” or others. If complex fertilizers with microelements are used for basic feeding, then additional feeding with microelements need not be given.

First feeding.For 10 liters of water: 10 g ammonium nitrate, 20 g superphosphate, 10 g potash fertilizer. Consumption: 150-200 ml per pot, or 8-10 l/m2 with a potless growing method. Second and subsequent feedings any of the following solutions:

• For 10 liters of water: 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium fertilizer. For 10 liters of water: 0.5 liters of mullein or chicken droppings.

Consumption: 150-200 ml per pot, or 8-10 l/m2 with a potless growing method. In the absence of mullein and chicken droppings, you can purchase dry granulated chicken droppings, liquid extract of cow manure “Biud”, or liquid extract of horse manure “Biud”, “Bucephalus”, “Kaury”. Feeding before planting seedlings: per 10 liters of water: 30 g ammonium nitrate, 80 g superphosphate, 20 g potassium fertilizer. If the seedlings are well developed, then you can give the following solution: per 10 liters of water 40 g superphosphate and 20 g potassium fertilizer. Consumption: 150-200 ml per pot or 8-10 l/m2 with a potless growing method. When growing seedlings using a potless method (for example, in seedling boxes without internal partitions between plants), the soil between plants is cut along and across the rows 3-5 days before planting.

This technique, in combination with the above “feeding before planting seedlings,” promotes the formation of a branched root system. 1. Cabbage. //Book series “Homestead farming”.

M. "Rural Nov", 1998.2. Matveev V.P., Rubtsov M.I. Vegetable growing. M.: Agropromizdat, 1985. 431 p.3.

Andreev Yu. M., Golik S. V. Growing cauliflower using growth regulators // Vegetable Grower Bulletin. 2011. No. 4. P. 13-20.

Many will not agree that cauliflower is an unpretentious vegetable: too often attempts to grow it end in disappointment - the heads turn out small and rough. But avoiding this is not so difficult.

What is the main secret to growing cauliflower?

The main principle: at the initial stage, help the plants quickly form healthy, powerful leaves.

The ripening of the crop depends on the nutrients supplied from them. You will have to “nurture” the foliage gently and reverently, because it will not be possible to delay the formation of cauliflower heads: they will begin to appear strictly in accordance with the biorhythms of the plants. If by this moment there is not enough leaf mass, do not expect a good harvest.

From the end of April, they are sown in open ground, both for seedlings and for a permanent place.

Seedling care

If there is an excess of nitrogen in the substrate and a lack of molybdenum, the seedlings experience the death of the growth point and the head does not form, therefore, starting from the first true leaf, foliar fertilizing is carried out with microfertilizers (molybdenum and boron at a concentration of 200 mg per liter of water).

Ideal cauliflower seedlings: which one are you?

Cassette seedlings ready for planting should have 5 true leaves, with an open root system - 3-4 leaves. As soon as she reaches these indicators, there is no delay in transplantation!

If you delay sowing late varieties, they will not have time to form heads before the autumn frosts. But such plants can be transplanted with a clod of soil into a greenhouse for growing. When the leaves are well developed, replanting will not harm: the heads will form. Growing will take 25 days at a temperature of +10°C and up to 40 days at +7°C.

Planting cauliflower seedlings in the ground

Cauliflower is planted in the ground from the end of April, in a greenhouse - starting from the first ten days of the month. Check the weather forecast before disembarking. If frosts are expected, you need to have time to plant 3-5 days before them or wait it out. The resistance of plants to frost is facilitated by lightly hilling the plants with soil; in case of significant cold snap, keep lutrasil on hand.

Cabbage care

The first time after planting, cauliflower needs fertilizing, watering and loosening.

Top dressing

Usually, two feedings with a solution of organic fertilizers or complex mineral fertilizer with microelements with an interval of 10-15 days are sufficient. Then feeding is stopped to avoid excess nitrates.\

Pest Control

Young plants can be damaged by cruciferous flea beetle, so they should be dusted with wood ash. And to combat the white butterfly, it is best to destroy egg laying in a timely manner - then you will not have to use pesticides.

Why cover the "head" of cabbage?

In early and mid-early varieties and hybrids, the heads that are not covered with leaves often turn yellow. This should not be allowed: at the beginning of the harvest, break off several leaves and cover the heads with them. sunlight or tie the tops of the outer leaves into a “tent.” When sowing late, the heads are better protected by foliage. In addition, in some hybrids they are covered with vertically growing leaves throughout the season.

Harvest dates

Cauliflower is harvested as soon as the heads reach the size appropriate for the variety. You can’t wait for them to start blooming and “crumble.” To store the crop better, cut off the heads along with two or three covering leaves.

A famous English proverb says: “The best of flowers are cabbage flowers.” This statement is not surprising, because cabbage flowers in this case mean the very tasty and no less healthy inflorescences of cauliflower.

Cauliflower is significantly superior to its white cabbage relative in terms of nutritional properties. For example, it contains a higher percentage of vitamins (primarily B vitamins and vitamin C), magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, as well as protein. In addition, cauliflower contains minimal fiber, making it easy to digest. This means that everyone can use it, including infants and those who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the taste of this cabbage is preserved during the freezing process, which allows you to use it in your diet all year round.

In the West, all these aspects have long been taken into account, and cauliflower is included in the list of the most actively consumed vegetables there. In our country, the popularity of this vegetable is also growing, at least now frozen cauliflower can be seen on the shelves of a variety of stores. At the same time, not all gardeners grow this valuable and tasty vegetable on their plot. And it’s completely in vain, because cauliflower is more profitable than white cabbage - it ripens more quickly and can be grown in compacted plantings. Therefore, this cabbage is of considerable interest to amateur gardeners, who, as they say, were ordered by God himself to provide themselves with this useful vegetable.

Cauliflower Preferences

Cauliflower (as opposed to white cabbage) is an annual plant. This cabbage is eaten by the dense and fleshy immature inflorescence (that is, the tip of the flowering shoot), which is most often snow-white or cream in color. Less common are varieties with inflorescences painted in other colors - yellow, greenish, orange, mauve and even purple.

Cauliflower is quite cold-resistant, but compared to other types of cabbage it is less resistant to low temperatures. Theoretically, its seeds can germinate at temperatures of +5...+8?C, but prolonged exposure to low temperatures (below +8?C) subsequently leads to the formation of small, undeveloped heads. The optimal temperature for the growth and development of cauliflower is considered to be +18…+20?C. Therefore, despite its cold resistance (for example, in the rosette phase, plants can even withstand frosts down to -5°C), it should under no circumstances be allowed to be exposed to low temperatures for a long time. This means that when planting plants early, it is necessary to provide appropriate shelters. Cauliflower also does not like high temperatures - at temperatures above +25°C the formation of the heads is delayed, they become small, loose and fleecy, and small green leaves may appear inside the inflorescences.

Like other types of cabbage, cauliflower is very light-loving - attempts to grow it in partial shade are completely futile. Lack of light during the period of growing seedlings is especially fraught with consequences. This plant is capable of producing high yields only on light, moisture-intensive, highly fertile soils with a deep arable horizon and a neutral reaction. However, even on poor soils, adding fresh manure to the soil in the spring is not recommended due to the danger of root rot (in the fall, when preparing beds, it is permissible), but compost will be just right. On acidic soils, plants become infected with clubroot and do not produce a harvest; on heavy clay soils, cauliflower can produce good yields, but only if the rows are regularly loosened. All cabbages are moisture-loving, and cauliflower is no exception. However, excess moisture, for example, when planting in low-lying areas, leads to a slowdown in plant development, and cabbage under such conditions often does not set flower heads at all.

Can't do without seedlings

Typically, cauliflower is grown through seedlings. It is extremely difficult to obtain high-quality seedlings at home due to too dry air, poor lighting and high temperatures. Under such conditions, the seedlings stretch out, which subsequently leads to the formation of small, undeveloped heads. Therefore, most often, seeds for seedlings are sown in biofuel-heated greenhouses or greenhouses, which can usually be done in mid-April. In industrial heated greenhouses, its seeds can be sown earlier. It is preferable to grow cauliflower seedlings in separate pots - preferably in cassettes, which allows you to obtain them with minimal labor costs. It is safer to sow 2-3 seeds in each container, subsequently removing weaker specimens.

To speed up the production of early produce, amateur gardeners can resort to soaking and germinating seeds in sawdust at home, followed by cutting the seedlings into greenhouses already heated with biofuel at the cotyledon stage or when the first true leaf appears. For germination, seeds are distributed on a layer of damp sawdust, moistened and containers with sawdust are placed in slightly opened plastic bags. If necessary, moisturize. After pecking the seeds, the sawdust is sprinkled with a layer of fertile soil - 3-4 millimeters. When seedlings appear, the containers are removed from the bags and moved to insulated glazed loggias, covered overnight (with strict temperature control), and they try to transplant the plants into the greenhouse in a short time. When pruning, the seedlings are slightly buried in the soil and thoroughly watered with warm water.

Crops and picked seedlings in greenhouses must be covered with a layer of thin covering material. In addition, arcs are installed on greenhouse beds inside the greenhouse and a film or thick covering material is thrown over them. Considering the fact that many varieties and hybrids of cauliflower are distinguished by uniform yield, in order to lengthen the time of consumption of fresh produce, it is usually sown at several times with an interval of 2-3 weeks.

Planting seedlings in the ground

Cauliflower seedlings usually begin to be planted around mid-May. By this time, the plants should have 4-6 true leaves and a well-developed root system. The landing technique does not present any difficulties. First, prepare the holes, guided by the required pattern (depending on the size of the plants) - early varieties are usually planted according to the pattern 70x25-30 cm, mid-season varieties - according to the pattern 70x30-35 cm. The holes should be made deep so that after planting the cabbage will be in small depressions, which will simplify process of watering and fertilizing. It is advisable to add two large handfuls of ash, 2-3 handfuls of humus and 2 tablespoons of complex fertilizer such as Kemira into the holes; mix the contents of the hole thoroughly. Instead of all the fertilizers mentioned above, you can put a packet of Apion fertilizer in each hole.

The seedlings are watered abundantly and then planted in shallow holes. When planting seedlings with an open root system, you should carefully straighten the root system, but if you grew it in cassettes, then place the seedlings directly in the cassette into the hole. After planting, one liter of water is poured into each hole, and the soil around the plants is loosened and mulched. Then immediately cover the beds with planted cabbage with a thin covering material, which will protect against frost, excessive sun at the time of plant establishment, cabbage pests, and will also reduce the number of waterings. You need to keep the covering material on the cabbage for as long as possible, opening the plants only for watering and fertilizing. Amateur gardeners can plant cauliflower together with white cabbage, alternating plants according to ripening time and bush size - so as to use the area with maximum efficiency.

Planting care

The technology for growing cauliflower differs little from the technology for white cabbage - watering, weeding, loosening and fertilizing. Immediately after planting the seedlings, watering is carried out daily (or every other day, depending on the situation), then about twice a week. It is necessary to ensure that the soil under the plants does not dry out under any circumstances, otherwise this will immediately affect the future harvest. Water the cabbage at the root; when watering, it is absolutely unacceptable for water to get on the knotted heads, which can rot.

Cauliflower is more demanding when it comes to feeding than other types of cabbage - it has to be fed at least three times. In this situation, the first feeding is carried out with mullein solution two weeks after planting the seedlings, the second with complex mineral fertilizer (two weeks after the first), the third with potassium sulfate (at the beginning of setting the heads). Additionally, if the complex fertilizer used does not contain molybdenum and boron, at the initial moment of head formation, spraying is carried out with a solution of ammonium molybdate and boric acid. If cabbage was planted on Apions, it does not need to be fed. Each time after watering and fertilizing, the soil between the plants is loosened, and the plants themselves are mounded. To minimize the amount of loosening, the soil is mulched with leaf litter, old sawdust, chopped reeds and similar materials. You cannot use hay and mown grass for mulching because they actively attract slugs, which cause a lot of trouble when growing cabbage.

To preserve the presentation of the inflorescences, they are protected from direct contact sun rays(so that the heads do not darken), shading them with leaves. For such shading, you can take leaves from freshly harvested cabbage specimens or use the leaves adjacent to the inflorescence, tying them together. It is worth noting that there are hybrids that do not need such a procedure at all, for example, F1 White Perfection - NK, since their heads are well covered with inner leaves. The pests and diseases of cauliflower are the same as those of white cabbage, so we will not dwell on this issue.

Harvest

Cauliflower is harvested selectively, without delay, as the heads quickly lose quality - they break up into inflorescences and become coarse. In hot weather, cutting can be done only in the morning, on cloudy, cool days - at any time of the day, the main thing is that the cut heads are dry. If necessary, dry the inflorescences for one to two hours in the shade in the wind. It should be borne in mind that the heads of cauliflower plants are not resistant to frost, and in the fall you need to cover the unharvested plants with covering material in advance.

Fresh cauliflower does not store well - usually no more than 7-10 days in refrigerators at 0°C. Further storage leads to a rapid deterioration in its taste. Therefore, it is most reasonable to immediately send the harvested crop for sale or processing by freezing. In the autumn, it is possible to grow cauliflower in storages, basements or greenhouses (in the dark) at a temperature of about +4...+6°C. The duration of the growing process depends on the quality of the plants and temperature. For example, at a temperature of +10°C it will take 25-30 days to form commercial heads, at a temperature of +4...+5°C – already two months. Therefore, when it gets cold, greenhouses are insulated with sawdust, leaves or other available materials with a layer of 20-25 cm. For growing, you can take plants that have not been frozen with well-developed leaves and heads with a diameter of at least 5 cm. Selected specimens are dug up with a large lump of earth and transferred to greenhouses and installed in pre-watered furrows (15 cm deep) close to each other. In this way, approximately 30-40 plants are placed per 1 m2.

Culinary tricks

Considering the fact that cauliflower is poorly stored and quickly loses its taste, it should be quickly processed, used for cooking or frozen in order to provide the family with a delicious vegetable for the whole year. There are no particular difficulties in the culinary processing of this cabbage; as a rule, it is first boiled (after having been disassembled into inflorescences), and then fried or baked, although other options are possible. To freeze cauliflower, its inflorescences must be disassembled in the usual way, rinsed well and placed in boiling salted water. Cook for two minutes. Then drain the water and place the cabbage in a colander. After cooling, it should be placed in bags in small portions (focus on the amount of cabbage that you usually need to prepare one dish) and put in the freezer. In winter, frozen cabbage after partial thawing is used in preparing the most different dishes, in particular, fried.

To prepare dishes from fresh cauliflower, it is also usually first disassembled into inflorescences. However, it is worth recognizing that a number of recipes indicate the option of boiling whole heads of cabbage. In fact, this is quite problematic if you do not take into account the purchased vegetable, since under normal conditions in the garden, cauliflower heads grow very large. In addition, if you follow this recommendation, the end result will be unevenly boiled cabbage, and, accordingly, a dish of mediocre taste. After disassembling the head of cabbage into inflorescences, they are thoroughly washed, dipped in boiling salted water and cooked until half cooked (about 6 minutes - the cooking time may vary depending on the dish and the size of the inflorescences). Then the water is drained and the cabbage is placed in a colander. The following steps are determined by the specific recipe. Here are some:

Cauliflower with semolina and mayonnaise

Boil cabbage in salted water until half cooked. Grease a frying pan with oil and place cabbage on it. Pour mayonnaise on top, sprinkle generously with semolina, stir and fry over low heat without covering the pan with a lid.

Cauliflower with butter and eggs

Cauliflower – 500 g, onion – 1 pc., butter – 70-100 g, egg – 2-3 pcs., herbs and salt to taste.

Boil the cabbage until half cooked in salted water. Place in a saucepan butter and very finely chopped onion. Simmer in oil until half cooked. Then add boiled cauliflower inflorescences to the onion, add the remaining butter, add salt, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then add finely chopped parsley and dill to the saucepan, mix the greens with cabbage and onions. Next, pour the pre-beaten eggs over the vegetables, mixed with finely chopped dill and salt, sprinkle with oil, cover with a lid and keep on the fire until the eggs are ready.

Svetlana Shlyakhtina, Ekaterinburg
Photo by the author

Spring comes and the time comes when you have to decide what and how much to plant in your garden. On their plots of land, gardeners grow a variety of vegetables, cereals, legumes and many other crops. Cabbage always occupies a significant place in this list, since it is difficult to imagine many delicious dishes without it. Therefore, when the warm period of spring arrives and it’s time to plant cabbage, but the gardener could not grow his own seedlings, the question arises of choosing high-quality planting material. Every gardener approaches this matter differently: some buy the cheapest one, some buy the first one they get, and some carefully inspect each plant. In all cases it is difficult to obtain good harvest from selected seedlings, since there is no guarantee of the quality of planting material. Therefore, in order to choose high-quality planting material, a gardener must know how to choose the right cabbage seedlings.

Selecting cabbage seedlings based on external characteristics

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:

1. Cabbage seedlings with lilac-green stems (legs) are of better quality than light green ones(a sign of excess nitrogen).
2. Cabbage seedlings with pure green color(a sign of excess nitrogen) in most cases has an unformed root system(takes root poorly) than with a purple hue, in which the root system is well developed.
3. Plants with round leaves will produce cabbage heads that are round, sometimes slightly flattened. Plants with oval-oblong leaves also produce oval, slightly oblong heads of cabbage.

How to determine which cabbage is early and which is late

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

1. The thin and short stem (leg) of the seedling from the root collar to the first leaves and small leaves indicate that this is an early cabbage. From such seedlings you can get small heads of cabbage with short stalks.
2. The thick and short stem (leg) of the seedling 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 obtain large heads of cabbage with short stalks.
3. A thick and fairly long stem (leg) of seedlings from the root collar to the first leaves and large leaves indicate that this is late cabbage. From such seedlings you can get large heads of cabbage with long stalks. In this case, the head of cabbage will be loose and not compact.
4. The thin and long stem (leg) of the seedling 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 heads of cabbage with long stalks.

Which seedlings are best to choose on the market?

In addition to defining quality external signs It is important to pay attention to the packaging and strength of the seedlings:

Listen to the radio broadcast:

Chinese and Beijing cabbage. (Mikhail VOROBYEV)

1. It is better to pack purchased seedlings in a damp cloth and strong paper. If you bought seedlings in plastic bag, then it is better to repack it immediately, that is, wrap it with a damp cloth and wrap it with strong paper on top.
2. There is no need to buy seedlings that are firmly tied into separate bunches of 10 pieces. In this way, the seller can hide the poor root system and fragility of the seedlings.
3. The seedlings do not need to be pressed tightly together, that is, the damp cloth should not be pulled too tightly around the bunch of seedlings.
4. Under no circumstances should purchased cabbage seedlings be placed in water, as this greatly affects the root system.

Choosing cabbage seedlings is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. With a wide 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, or better yet, 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 the seedlings, but this is impossible with the variety, so this parameter is based purely on trust in the seller. In most cases, resistant cabbage varieties are grown that are easy to care for and grow quickly. Therefore, there is no need to buy seemingly varietal, but expensive seedlings, which may turn out to be ordinary.

Unique information about cabbage. Read

As you know, cauliflower has a more subtle and delicate taste than white cabbage, but due to this, the process of growing it is more complex and painstaking.

Cauliflower is a popular food, but it takes some effort to grow.

It will be difficult for a beginner to cope with growing cauliflower, since good planting requires certain knowledge.

It is impossible to find cauliflower in nature. There is an opinion that it was obtained by breeding from broccoli, and then was brought to white, which makes it look like cabbage cabbage. Therefore, now, most people know how to distinguish cauliflower from white cabbage.

Botanical description

The root system of such cabbage is located in the top layer of soil, and if the plants are immediately planted in the garden bed, the roots of this vegetable will be much stronger than those that are planted using seeds.

The weight of each head of cauliflower can fluctuate and reach 2-3 kg. Cauliflower has different shapes. Usually this:

• round;
• flat;
• cone-shaped.

Cauliflower can be different in color, it all depends on the type of seeds and the sun, but most often it is either yellow or white, like white cabbage.

White is the most popular variety of cauliflower.

Features of a biological nature

If we compare cauliflower with other species, it is the most demanding in terms of planting and growing conditions. Therefore, when gardeners wonder how to grow cauliflower, they have to carry out numerous collections of information. After all, otherwise, if you do not follow the requirements that are necessary for the cabbage to grow good, beautiful, big and tasty, nothing will work, and the seeds will be wasted.

When choosing the best time for planting, it is necessary to take into account that cabbage does not like strong temperature fluctuations, and conditions of high humidity do not have a positive effect at all at each stage of its cultivation.

It is important to understand that cauliflower, just like any other plant, needs care.

Cauliflower is very demanding on growing conditions.

Growing process

First stage

Planting cauliflower requires certain preparations. First you need to prepare a mixture that will be nutritious for cauliflower seeds.

There are two options here: you can immediately purchase a ready-made nutritional mixture, then you definitely won’t have to doubt the quality, or you can prepare it yourself. When preparing the mixture yourself, you need to acquire a considerable amount of peat. Moreover, preparatory work needs to be done in the fall.

Peat is chosen because it helps provide proper care to the seeds, which will then grow into a beautiful harvest. Peat perfectly absorbs moisture, which cauliflower does not like so much. Here it is very similar to the white cabbage. Excess moisture is the enemy of a good harvest.

Proper preparation requires precision and care. The selected peat mixture must be steamed for several hours, and then add 20 grams of nitrogen fertilizers and fertilizers that contain microfertilizers.

The resulting mixture should be stored out of reach until spring. You can store it both in the country and at home.

There may be several periods when you can sow seeds:

• Period one. If you sow seedlings at this time, the harvest will be early: March 15-20.
• Period two. Seedlings are planted from March 30 to April 8.
• Period three. Sowing is carried out from April 25 to May 8.

In order to harvest in the fall, sowing must be done from early to mid-June.

Only the highest quality seeds should be selected for planting.

Deadlines are determined individually. As already mentioned, planting cauliflower is a painstaking, but worthwhile task. After all, later, you will have a tasty, juicy, beautiful harvest on your hands.

Cauliflower seedlings are selected so that their seeds are larger. Because they will give better results. They are equally well suited for landing in the Moscow region, Siberia, and the Urals.

The preparatory stage does not end with the nutrient mixture. It is necessary to prepare the seedlings for sowing in the same way. This can easily be done at home. Take the seeds of the desired variety and heat them in hot water for 20 minutes. After this, they must be cooled in cold water. Next, overnight, for 8 hours, you need to soak the seeds for sowing in a solution of potassium permanganate.

If all preparations are made in the fall, you will have to save the seedlings and nutrient mixture for the winter. There will be no problems with storing the mixture. It should be away from sight, especially if there are children in the house, and away from rodents if you live in a private house.

You need to make small grooves in the soil at your dacha, the depth of which will not exceed 2 cm.

The seeds are laid out in them according to a pattern of 3 cm by 3 cm. Properly planted seedlings will help you avoid many problems when the harvest begins to grow in the garden. Make the required number of strips for planting cauliflower. This way, by leaving space between the grooves, you provide room for each head of cauliflower to grow, just as you do with white cabbage.

It is not recommended to pick when landing. As usual, picking retards seed growth for several weeks. It will turn out that you wanted it or not, but the harvest will be late. And this will interfere with your plans if you expected the cabbage to arrive early.

Cauliflower seedlings do not require picking

Continuing to care for your future harvest, you need to allocate a nutritious square for each plant from the mixture that you prepared for storage for the winter.

You can also allocate a separate pot for each plant, this will make it more convenient to monitor the growth of the crop and care for it. This approach will allow you to store seedlings in comfortable conditions, which will only have a positive effect on the result.

While the seedlings have not yet begun to rise from the ground, they should be in optimal temperature conditions (about 22 degrees). Each cube or pot must be covered with film. This is necessary to ensure that the soil under the seedlings does not dry out.

Second phase

At the next stage, we will answer the question of how to grow cauliflower seedlings. After all the preparatory steps described above, it is necessary to lower the temperature to 10 degrees for a week. This will help ensure better crop growth and promote rapid development of its root system. It is important that the soil temperature is between 20-20 degrees.

Cauliflower seedlings do not tolerate a lot of moisture around. But at the same time, overdrying the soil is very harmful. It is necessary to ensure that air humidity when growing cauliflower remains within 80%.

If you do not maintain comfortable conditions for the plant, do not monitor the humidity and dryness of the soil, do not control changes in temperature and moisture, then the plant will violate all deadlines, grow, forming small empty heads, and move on to the next stage - the flowering stage.

If you do not adhere to growing conditions, the cabbage will bloom without forming a head.

Third stage

When the weather is already consistently warm, around the beginning of May, early seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place in the garden. The main thing is to choose the right time so that the seedlings do not stretch too much. The best age for cauliflower seedlings before they fall into the ground should be at least 50 days. Just like with temperature and moisture, it is important that the seedlings are not too early, but at the same time it is harmful for them to be overgrown.

If the seedlings are more than 50 days old, then the quality of the finished harvest will be very poor. The reason is that after planting such seedlings, they will lose several leaves, and in this case, a small head of cauliflower will form.

On a small head of cabbage, the leaves do not stick well and will fall off. It is important to choose the moment when four full leaves grow around the head of cabbage. Seedlings must be planted in a permanent place very carefully, without deepening the core too much. The final result will depend on how correctly the seedlings are planted.

While the seedlings are growing, you have enough time to prepare the beds in the garden. The best soil for cauliflower is fertile soil with a neutral reaction.

If you are the owner summer cottage, then it is best to plant and grow cauliflower in beds. This will help ensure proper care for her.

The seating scheme is extremely simple: all seedlings are planted in two rows, the distance between rows is half a meter/meter. This will allow the crop to grow without touching each other.

A cauliflower bed should be easy to care for

Proper care means that seedlings must be planted in optimal conditions. It should not be deeply buried so that you can care for the leaves and the plant itself.

In order for cabbage to grow in comfortable conditions, it is necessary that the soil from which it grows is warm. To preserve heat, each bed is “covered” with film. The film not only helps to retain heat, but also prevents weeds from getting out and spoiling the crop.

After you see small heads of cauliflower in the garden, you need to continue care and storage. It is necessary to water the crops in a timely manner, weed the beds and feed the plants.

Another important condition for high-quality cultivation of cabbage, both cauliflower and white cabbage, in principle, is the compliance of its variety and climatic conditions. For example, in the conditions of the south you cannot use varieties intended for the middle zone, etc., because then it will be difficult to care for a certain variety as required.

When the cabbage is ripe, it can be harvested, or selectively harvested. The harvested crop is stored in boxes. In addition, if there are few seedlings, then they can be stored in the house, in the refrigerator, on the balcony, in the basement, wherever it is convenient.

The main thing is that the storage conditions are as optimal as the conditions under which the cabbage grew.

Cauliflower can be harvested as it ripens

Varieties and hybrids of cauliflower

Cauliflower varieties can belong to both domestic and foreign selection. It can also belong to early, middle and late varieties.

Each variety of cauliflower has its own individual requirements for cultivation, care and storage. But remember that cauliflower is a perishable product that cannot withstand long-term storage (at the dacha, in the cellar or somewhere else). There are several ways to store this product (opened, fresh, it can be salted, pickled or frozen). Caring for cabbage at all stages of cultivation is very important if you intend to achieve the desired result.

Goodman cauliflower may have a yellowish tint.

Varieties of foreign selection:

• Visson. It is a Dutch hybrid that ripens quite early. This plant has a large head and looks quite powerful. The head of this representative of the Dutch selection is densely covered with leaves. Usually grown in spring and summer, sometimes in autumn.
• Goodman. Another representative of the Dutch selection. This variety of cauliflower has a yellowish head and a flat shape. The head of cabbage is only partially covered by leaves. It has a pronounced taste. Goodman cabbage is ideal for obtaining early production in open ground and film greenhouses at home.
• Opaal. It is the fastest growing variety of Dutch cauliflower. Can be grown in almost all areas and in various conditions. Suitable for growing in greenhouses and on the ground. It has a bright white head and a flat shape. It tastes great.
• Alpha. Very early ripening variety (from germination to harvest 85-95 days). Alfa variety cauliflower is suitable for the Urals and regions with similar weather conditions (Siberia). This variety has excellent taste. The heads of cauliflower of the Alpha variety are white in color, smooth, and of medium density. That is why it is so popular in the Urals and Siberia. This variety is successfully used at home for various processing methods: boiling, frying, salting and freezing.

Alpha cauliflower ripens quickly and is suitable for cold regions

Cauliflower varieties, in addition to the Dutch ones, may be of other selections. Although Dutch are the most common. Among them are:

• Domestic. This variety of cauliflower can rightfully be considered a veteran, since it has been grown since the 50s. It has a flat shape and a bright white head. Very tasty, does not lose its shape for a long time. It is intended for fresh consumption, pickling and canning, as well as storage. Domestic cabbage does not require special care.
• Early Gribovskaya. It has a white head, ripens quickly and has excellent taste. Usually grown in spring and summer. Cauliflower Gribovskaya 1355 is very popular in the Moscow region.
• Smilla. Quite a popular hybrid that can be grown almost anywhere. It has a flat shape, medium-sized bright white head, which is completely covered with leaves. The weight of one head can easily reach 3 kg.
• Snowball. A well-known domestic hybrid grown everywhere. It has a white head, round in shape, completely covered with leaves. Wonderful taste. It can grow and produce crops even under poor conditions. Designed for growing in film greenhouses and open ground. This variety is great for salads and pickling at home.

As you can see, cauliflower is not a very picky plant to grow, but it requires certain knowledge and preparation, as well as compliance with temperature conditions, climate and humidity. However, following all these rules allows you to get a good and tasty harvest.