Cauliflower "Alpha": description of the variety and subtleties of cultivation
Cauliflower has become widespread in many countries due to its beneficial properties and taste.Among the most popular ones, there are such varieties as “Alpha”, “Snowball”, “Movir 74”, “Guarantee”, “Otechestvennaya”, “Goodman”, “Goat-Dereza”, “Vinson”, which differ both in speed and ripening and taste. It is worth more to consider its description and features of cultivation.
Characteristic
Cauliflower called "Alpha" refers to the early varieties with high yields, and therefore has a lot of positive feedback. In addition, the harvest itself can be obtained first in spring and until late autumn. The Alpha variety has an excellent delicate flavor due to its higher sugar content compared to other cauliflower varieties. In addition, this variety is very useful for the body, as it is rich in ascorbic acid, vitamins and carotene.
The growing season has a duration of 70 to 85 days, and the average weight of the cabbage head is from 1 to 1.5 kg. Productivity from 1 square meter reaches up to 5 kg. Cauliflower varieties "Alpha" is ideal for eating raw, freezing or fermenting, as well as for frying. It is part of a variety of salads and hot dishes.
How to grow?
If you are going to grow cauliflower "Alpha", you should take into account that in order to get a good and early harvest, you need to grow strong and healthy seedlings, which are then planted in the ground. With appropriate warm weather conditions, the Alpha variety can also be grown by direct planting into the soil under the film.
In order to preserve the cabbage sprouts, the film is fixed on metal arcs. Growing seedlings produced in greenhouses with heating, and sow them in late February. For growing use special pots for seedlings, which put a mixture of soil, peat, humus. After that, they put several seeds in a pot for seedlings and water them regularly.
When the seeds germinate, remove the weakest of them, leaving the strongest one in the pot, and continue watering. Removing excess seedlings, it must be borne in mind that weak and crooked sprouts will not bring a good harvest. Seedlings should be flat and strong.
When it is watered, it is recommended to ensure that the soil is quite wet and that the water in it does not stagnate, since this can lead to rotting and damage to seedlings.
Usually in early April, cauliflower seedlings can be planted in the ground, but depending on the climatic and weather conditions in a particular region, the planting time may vary. Indicator of the need for planting in the ground is the presence of seedlings up to 3-4 leaves. If there are 7 or more leaves, such sprouts are already considered overgrown and will give a small crop.
For better growth in the open field before planting, seedlings of cabbage "Alpha" are pre-hardened. To do this, for some time open the glass roof of the greenhouse or lift the film, in the case of film coating options. At the same time it is necessary to gradually increase the time intervals. This will allow the seedlings to gradually adapt to the presence of a greater amount of UV light, temperature and humidity of the surrounding air.
After hardening the cabbage is planted in the ground and watered at the rate of 25 liters per 1 square meter in the first half of the growing season, and up to 40 liters in the second half.
To protect cabbage sprouts from pests, special treatment and feeding of cabbage is recommended, especially when grown in poor soil with trace elements.
The main pests for cabbage "Alpha", resistant to blackleg and keel, are cabbage fly, aphid, moth and scoop. To combat them, use special preparations that process sprouts. It should be noted that The first sub-feed should be carried out already 10 days after the cabbage seedlings are planted in the ground. The second - two weeks after the first, and the third - at the very beginning of the ripening of cabbage heads.
After ripening, the heads are cut off with 2–3 sheets and removed for storage.If the heads are over-exposed, they will begin to disintegrate into inflorescences. After harvesting it should be borne in mind that strong and healthy shoots give repeated shoots, from which the heads also grow. To do this, you must continue to water the cabbage after harvesting the first crop, watching them. 1–2 of the strongest and healthiest young shoots appear from the newly emerged shoots, and the rest are removed, continuing to water until the heads grow.
Under favorable weather conditions, the first harvest of Alpha cabbage will be possible in 60–90 days.
See how to grow cauliflower in the video below.
