Cabbage "Iceberg": properties and characteristics of growing

The key to good health is proper nutrition. It can not be provided without vegetables on the table, which are a source of vitamins and microelements.One of the most valuable products from which you can prepare a variety of dietary dishes is cabbage. There are many varieties of it. Delicious, healthy, not too demanding in the care - grade "Iceberg".

Cabbage "Iceberg" is very popular in Russia and many other regions. Outwardly, it looks like a common white stalk: it has the same round shape, and the leaves also gather in a tight head.

“Iceberg” is a late-ripening vegetable crop, the period of harvest comes about 140 days after the emergence of shoots. It has a semi-raised sprawling rosette with a diameter of up to 70 cm. Gray-green leaves are characterized by an average size and the presence of a strong wax coating, as well as an average size of the stump. The leaves fit tightly to each other, inside the head - a lighter color, almost white. They are crispy and very juicy.

Heads of cabbage have the correct rounded shape and can reach 4.5 kg. On 1 m2 you can get an average of 7.5 kg of product.

Cabbage "Iceberg" a lot of positives:

• excellent taste;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations;
• low susceptibility to disease;
• does not require a lot of care and creation of growing conditions;
• cabbage keeps its product properties at its root for a very long time, staying fresh;
• long stored;
• suitable not only for fresh consumption, but also for pickling;
• It has a high content of nutrients, has healing properties.

“Iceberg” is a real natural storage of vitamins and microelements.

• First of all, it contains a lot of vitamins A and C, which are necessary for maintaining immunity, keeping the skin in good condition. An interesting fact: when fermentation, the content of vitamin C is not only not reduced, but even, on the contrary, increases.
• A small amount contains vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties.
• Cabbage contains quite a few B vitamins that are responsible for the formation and normal functioning of the nervous system. Cabbage will be useful for depression, insomnia, imbalance, anxiety.

• Folic acid will have a beneficial effect on the female body.
• There are substances in the product that protect against bacteria and viruses, so it must be introduced into the diet of children who are often in the team.
• Another reason why this product is good for children is the phosphorus content. As it is known, phosphorus is necessary for brain activity. It will contribute to the memorization of educational material, concentration of attention among schoolchildren.
• Useful product for people with anemia, as in its composition there is iron. There is a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood, as the level of hemoglobin increases.
• Zinc is good for skin health. Improved skin condition with regular use of cabbage also contributes to selenium.

• Calcium is useful for the condition of bones and teeth. Cabbage is suitable for the prevention of osteoporosis.
• Elements such as potassium and manganese make cabbage an indispensable food for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
• Since the vegetable is juicy, it has a slight diuretic effect, helps to eliminate toxins and cholesterol.
• Need a cabbage in the diet of people with gallstone disease.
• Consumption of the product will prevent the formation of kidney stones, help maintain vision.
• The product will be very useful for those who care about maintaining their weight and are trying to stick to diets: only 20 kcal per 100 g in cabbage and a feeling of fullness will appear due to the abundance of fiber. Cabbage helps to increase metabolism, prevents the conversion of carbohydrates into fats.
• Due to the presence of fiber, regular cabbage consumption will help to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract, relieve heartburn.

Although the use of cabbage extracts is not widely used in the cosmetic industry, at home, women often make masks for her face and hair.

• The mask cleanses the pores, evens the complexion, enriches the skin with nutrients.
• Hair mask is useful in the presence of dandruff, seborrhea. It will strengthen and heal hair, will have a beneficial effect on them after dyeing.

But it is also often used in traditional medicine.

• Cabbage juice is used to treat gastritis, ulcers, and atherosclerosis.
• Juice with the addition of honey treat cough, bronchitis, colds.
• Juice, half diluted with water, gargle with angina.
• As an anesthetic compress apply leaves on the joints and soft tissue.
• It will be useful to chew sauerkraut several times a day when the gums are bleeding.

Due to the low quality of the variety, it is suitable for cultivation in summer cottages and personal plots. The novice gardener will cope with the task.

• You can grow cabbage with seedlings or seeds immediately in the ground.
• It is necessary to start preparing seedlings for a month and a half before transferring it to open ground. If you see deformations or damage on the seeds, they should be discarded.
• Seeds need to stand a day in the water, and then dried. Now they can be lowered into prepared containers with soil. Put a hole in the hole should be a couple of seeds, as the sprouts then can not transfer the transplant. But you should also not make deep holes, as the depth will reduce germination. The optimum depth is up to 1 cm.
• Boxes for seedlings can be made independently. However, today to help gardeners offered a variety of effective material. For example, peat tablets.
• They are ideal for seedlings cabbage "Iceberg." They are very easy to use, and the plants develop better in them. Peat tablets have a remarkable feature: they increase in size when water gets into them.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of minuses:

• they should not be allowed to dry out, it is necessary to monitor and constantly maintain the desired level of humidity;
• high price.

At first, containers or tablets can be placed at home on windowsills. In the event of warm weather, it is permissible to transfer them to greenhouses or beds, covered with foil.

Strengthened shoots are transplanted into the wells in the garden, the distance between them is about 40 cm from each other. Before the procedure, the wells need to be moistened and put some fertilizer in them.

“Iceberg” grows well on any soil, but it is better if it is loamy, neutral species. Young plants should be protected from the negative temperatures that occur and cover them.

Although the variety is resistant to diseases, it will be useful to scare off pests. Many gardeners prefer not to use chemicals. They can be replaced by decoctions of plants with a strong odor. For example, wormwood, tansy, celandine.

Plants will have to be watered regularly. It is wrong to miss a few days, and then plenty of moisturize. However, excessively moisten the soil with everyday watering is not worth it. To avoid decay of grown plants, watering should be reduced by half when forming heads.

Plants will help regular weeding and loosening, which is necessary for the flow of air to the roots.

And also need feeding. It should be held after three weeks of finding seedlings in the ground.

Cow manure dissolved in water or chicken manure is considered a good fertilizer for cabbage.For the solution take half a kilogram of fertilizer per 10 liters of water. When re-feeding after 2 weeks, the concentration should be increased.

Cut the leaves of cabbage is not necessary, even if they seem superfluous to you. This can only be done with damaged parts.

It happens that the timing of the start of preparation of seedlings missed. In this case, seed germination can be accelerated by germination.

For this purpose, suitable sawdust. They are scalded, placed in a box of shallow depth and covered with a cloth. Moisturized seeds are poured onto the cloth and covered with another piece of cloth on top, and sawdust is poured over the top. In about 10-12 days, shoots will appear.

If for any reason you do not want to grow seedlings, you can sow the seeds immediately on the bed. Landing dates depend on the climate of the area. It is necessary to wait for a stable positive temperature and the absence of the threat of night frosts.

Seeds are sown in prepared wells with fertilizers.

Before planting seeds should be prepared. To do this, they are placed in hot water for a few minutes, and then kept for a minute in cold water. Then the seeds can be dried, laying them on paper or gauze. Now the seeds can be lowered into the ground, but not deeper than one centimeter.

Sprinkling with earth, the beds are covered with cellophane. Before the emergence of seedlings film is not necessary to remove. In hot weather during the day, you need to lift the film on one side, and in the evening cover it again. After the emergence of seedlings they need to feed.

The greatest benefit comes from the use of fresh cabbage.

It is suitable as a separate dish with various sauces or olive oil. It is advisable to add it to the composition of salads with different ingredients and vegetable mixtures.

Although heat treatment reduces the amount of useful substances, nevertheless the cabbage can be stewed periodically, added to vegetable stews, and first courses. Low-calorie side dish with an abundance of fiber will be useful to all.

Do not go without it cabbage rolls. It is the basis of such traditional dishes in Russia as soup and borscht.

Since the product is well stored, you will long be provided with a natural source of vitamins and minerals. And after fermenting cabbage, you will provide yourself with them until spring.

About what are the properties and features of growing cabbage "Iceberg", see the following video.