Cauliflower "Snowball": features of the variety and cultivation

Cauliflower is a tasty and healthy vegetable. It got its name for a special form, consisting of large inflorescences. It is them that are eaten, not the leaves of the plant."Snowball 123" - one of the most famous varieties of cauliflower. It is obtained as a result of breeding conducted by French scientists. The head of cab is distinguished by its rounded shape, sometimes slightly flattened and with small tubercles.

"Snowball" has a good survival rate and grows in many European countries, as well as in different regions of our country. This variety of cabbage retains its snow-white color until the end of ripening, so she deserved such a name that can be translated from English as “snowball”. It ripens quite quickly, in 80-110 days, the duration of this process depends on the climate in a particular area and weather conditions. Usually from each square meter it is possible to collect from 2 to 4 kilograms, which indicates a high yield of the variety.

Visually, the following features of this variety can be noted:

• the sheets have a bluish-green color, adjacent to the fruit tightly enough;
• white inflorescences without yellowness, forks can reach weight from 0.5 to 1 kilogram;
• the structure of the head makes it possible not to hold the top sheets, it is reliably protected from negative external influences.

"Snowball" is stored for a long time, while maintaining freshness and high taste. Also, the variety has a dense texture and good shape, even after various methods of heat treatment. Thanks to these qualities, cabbage is often frozen for the winter in order to prepare healthy dishes from it all year round. Forks look aesthetically pleasing and have an attractive appearance, tolerate transportation and do not crack, so they are often grown on an industrial scale for sale. If there is a dry period or heavy rains during growth, the Snowball is well tolerated by these temporary weather phenomena.

For the most part, the advantages of the Snowball 123 variety outweigh its minor flaws. Cabbage is boiled, fried, steamed, added to soups and casseroles, and marinated. Whatever method of cooking you choose, the structure of the vegetable remains fairly dense, and the taste is excellent. It is well kept, but if you are not going to cook it in the next week or two, then divide the forks into small pieces and freeze them.

This variety is rich in nutrients, such as phytoncides that help fight inflammatory processes. Antioxidants in the composition of the vegetable prevent aging. Cauliflower also contains proteins, fiber, pectins, polyunsaturated acids, starch, amino acids, carbohydrates, natural sugars and purine compounds. A lot can be said about the benefits of this vegetable. Regular use helps:

• Maintain normal weight - the caloric content of cauliflower is only 29 kcal per 100 g, and, on the contrary, there are a lot of useful fibers that are easily removed from the body. To get rid of the "beer" belly, you need every day to eat a hundred grams of vegetable evening hours.
• Avoid the appearance of tumorsincluding malignant. For this property of cauliflower, substances such as glucosinolates are responsible.
• Adjust the hormonal systemthat is especially important for women during the period of PMS, menopause, as well as during pregnancy and childbirth. This is the merit of B vitamins, which are found in abundance in this vegetable. They have a positive effect on the female body.
• Improve male health, namely to prevent prostate disease. In order to reduce the risk of their occurrence by 2-3 times, it is enough to eat 150 grams of vegetable per day.
• Adjust the work of the digestive system with some malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, while side effects in the form of gas, like white cabbage, are excluded. Moreover, its juice helps cure gastric and duodenal ulcers. If you often eat vegetables, then you can forget about constipation and diarrhea.
• Prevent the development of heart disease. As you know, they are more susceptible to men. Potassium prevents abnormalities in the work of the heart muscle and keeps the blood vessels healthy.

"Snowball 123" loves heat, which means that when it is grown it is necessary to ensure a comfortable temperature. They are planted in a rassadny way, sprouts are prepared in a bright cool room. It may be a balcony that should have glazing. For a private house or cottage a good place will be a veranda or a greenhouse.

If you grow cabbage on the windowsill, the shoots can turn out too thin and weak. After planting it will be difficult for them to take root in the open field. The place that you give cauliflower on the plot itself must meet simple requirements - the rays must penetrate this section freely.

Separately, it is worthwhile to dwell on the preparation of seeds. Usually the process of preparing for sowing begins in April. They are pre-soaked in potassium permanganate or a specialized composition from the agro shop, after which they are kept for a day in a cool place where the temperature does not exceed 5 degrees. This is the pre-hardening of seeds. Now you can proceed to planting seeds.

Cabbage loves moisturized loose soil rich in nutrients. When sowing it is best to allocate for every two or three seeds a separate plastic cup or peat pot. They are placed at a depth of half a centimeter, after which the glass is covered with a film. The roots of the plant are quite tender, so after germination you should not loosen the surrounding soil. When a couple of strong leaves come, you can fertilize them with dissolved urea.

When five leaves appear above the ground, it is time to harden the plants. To do this, they are transferred to a cooler place. In a week, the seedlings will be ready for diving. Sprouts are planted in half a meter from each other, and between the beds to make the distance even more. Karbofos contribute to the soil for the prevention of insect reproduction. When the pick is complete, sprouts are watered and covered with plastic bottle halves.

Since the plant loves heat, the air temperature in the area should not fall below +10 degrees. It also does not like strong heat, so if the air warms up above 25 degrees, the sprouts need frequent watering - once every three days. Water should not only fall on the sheets, but also on the root zone. Fertilizer with manure and green grass perfectly nourishes the plants after watering.

Most gardeners and gardeners appreciate the taste and other characteristics of this variety. They confirm that the cabbage "Snowball" corresponds to the majority of the stated properties: it has firm inflorescences, snow-white color and rich taste. It tolerates boiling, stewing, baking and other types of cooking.

There are some comments that consumers made based on their experience. Despite the fact that the variety is middle-ripening, under adverse weather conditions, the aging period can reach not 110, but 150 days.

In addition, the "Snowball" forks rarely gain the weight indicated on the package. Most often gardeners can grow plugs weighing a maximum of 800 grams.Another feature that may not appeal to everyone is the painstaking care of seedlings in the process of growing them.

So, if you decide to try growing the cauliflower yourself, then the “Snowball” variety is perfect for this purpose. With proper care and respect for the root system of sprouts, you will get beautiful and strong forks that will be a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.

In the next video, see the rules for growing cauliflower from seed to harvest.