Cabbage planting: sowing technology and cultivation rules

Cabbage is one of the most common vegetables in Russia. It is great for growing in a specific climate, unpretentious care, gives a rich harvest, just to take care of it. Moreover, cabbage is stored for quite a long time, so many people harvest it for the winter period in fresh or canned form. Well, the number of delicious and healthy cabbage dishes is simply huge. Consider all the features of the cultivation of cabbage, which will help you without problems to achieve good shoots.

Technology land preparation for planting cabbage may be different. It all depends on the characteristics of the region of residence, cabbage varieties, and how you want to plant it: seeds or seedlings. If you plant cabbage at the place where some plants were previously grown, it is also important to take this into account. So, the best saplings of white-vegetable will take root in the soil, which was previously intended for potatoes, tomatoes, various types of legumes, carrots or beets.

These plants have similar land requirements, so the cabbage harvest will be as good as possible. It should also be borne in mind that varieties of early ripe vegetables should be planted only in sufficiently heated soil. And for the middle and late cabbage the most fertile land is perfect.

When analyzing the composition of the soil should also pay attention to the presence of calcium, potassium and nitrogen: they must be in large quantities. If the soil has a small amount of humus, it is necessary to further enrich it with a large amount of fertilizer. In the same case, when there is a lot of humus, you should slightly reduce the number of applied supplements. We list the main types of fertilizers that are suitable for different types of white cabbage:

• peat compost;
• ammonium nitrate;
• superphosphate;
• humus;
• potassium chloride.

But this is still not a complete list of fertilizers for the soil under the cabbage. For example, if the acidity of the earth is increased, then crushed chalk or lime should be added to it. The proportions of this substance depend on the type of soil: 3 kg per m2 for sandy and light loamy, 4-5 kg ​​per m2 in medium and heavy loamy.

Inexperienced gardeners believe that organic fertilizers, superphosphate and potassium chloride should be put directly into the hole when planting a vegetable, however, this is a delusion. Nutrients must be distributed throughout the soil immediately after the previous harvest is harvested. Lime must be placed in the ground in the early autumn period.

During the spring, immediately after the ground thaws a little and dries, it is necessary to carefully dig the whole earth in the garden. This will help eliminate the amount of wet vapor from the bottom layer of soil. This type of preliminary action is called "moisture closure".

When the street is thoroughly warmer and the soil becomes sufficiently loose, it is necessary to dig up the ground, reaching a depth of at least 15 cm. Then re-drill and level the surface of the plot with a rake. Only after that you can begin to plan the location of seedlings on the site. This markup is easy to perform using an ordinary cord.

This preparatory work with the land ends. Will only properly water the soil for 1 day before planting.

Variety selection is the most important task when planting cabbage. After all, it depends on him the yield of plants, storage features, requirements for soil and fertilizer. And before you decide on a variety, it is important to understand what kind of vegetable you want to get. For example, if you want to enjoy fresh cabbage salad at the beginning of the summer season, then we recommend to make a choice in favor of early ripening varieties such as “Kazachok”, “Kazachok F1”, “Juneskaya”, “Dietmara”, “Gift” and others .

Mid-summer varieties that will delight you with a harvest in mid-summer include “Tuscany” and “Keil” kale. In general, this type of vegetable deserves special attention. Cabbage "Cale" has a very unusual appearance. It is also called curly kale, because its leaflets curl slightly at the edges. This plant is extremely rich in vitamins and microelements, and is also excellent for growing in Siberian regions.

Among the varieties of late-ripe cabbage, the variants “Wintering 1474”, “Kolobok”, “Geneva” and “Iceberg” have especially proven themselves. The latter variety is often confused with the salad of the same name. This is due to the fact that the vegetable has a similar appearance. However, in its taste and requirements for growing it differs from the salad.

Early cabbage varieties are great for fresh consumption. They make healthy salads, soups and pastries. While for salting and marinovka late-season types of vegetable are best suited for winter. These include the varieties "Amager", "Glory", "Belarusian".

Once you have decided on the variety of seeds and bought them, you should not immediately go to the garden. First you need to process the seeds and prepare them for planting, so they will be used as efficiently as possible.

If you first soak the cabbage seeds for about 15-20 minutes in warm water and then rinse with cold, you can significantly improve their quality. Through such manipulations, you make the future plant much more resistant to diseases, pests, temperature extremes, and other adverse conditions.

Another good seed treatment option is the following: Prepare a solution enriched with mineral fertilizers. It must be sufficiently saturated so that the seeds are completely saturated. It is necessary to keep the seeds in solution for at least 12 hours, and preferably a full day. After that, you need to put the workpiece for another day in the basement, refrigerator or any other dark cold place.

There are several ways to optimal cabbage planting. Someone used to calculate the date, based on the position of the moon. Such information is often presented in a special gardener's calendar, which indicates favorable and unfavorable days for planting seeds. It is also important to take into account the particularities of the climate, the approximate time of crop emergence, as well as the speed with which the seeds of the selected variety grow.

For example, in the southern regions can be planted cabbage in open ground after April 1, and sometimes in March. In the northern regions, it is important to understand for sure that there will be no more frosts after the landing, otherwise all works will be in vain. However, there are approximate terms on which you can navigate when choosing the time for planting such a vegetable:

• March 20-28 - for early cabbage;
• March 25 - April 20 - for mid-season cabbage;
• April 1-30 - for late ripening varieties.

If you plant a vegetable at the wrong time, the harvest may be low, unstable to diseases or not ripen at all. Also, it is impossible to drag a long time with deadlines, otherwise only the crop that appeared will ruin the first autumn frosts.

Pre-prepared and slightly dried seeds are planted in special grooves to a depth of about 1 centimeter. The distance between the seeds in the grooves must be at least 1 cm. And between the grooves themselves - 3-4 cm, so that the shoots have where to grow. After the seed is in the ground, it is necessary to sprinkle it with loose soil and ram a little. Already after about 7 days you will be able to see the first shoots.

Each variety of cabbage has its own characteristics of planting. Early ripe vegetables should be planted in rows, the distance between which should be at least 40 cm. And between cabbage itself - 20-25 cm. If you have planted the plants, but after germination, you see that they are cramped in this way, you can simply plant them over a longer distance . At the same time for mid-season cabbage the distance between heads should be about 30 cm, between rows - up to 60 cm.

Cabbage can be germinated in 2 ways: immediately by seed in open ground or seedlings.

The seedling, in turn, can be grown by different methods, we will analyze the main ones.

• The boxes. Ordinary wooden boxes are inexpensive, they are easy to move to another place, besides the rectangular shape helps to efficiently use the free space. In addition, you can make such a capacity on your own, according to the size of your window sill. If you decide to make a box with your own hands, choose any boards for this, you can use construction scraps.

• Peat tablets. Modern stores have a large amount of similar gardening material, which is in great demand because of its convenience and efficiency. The size of this material can be up to 5 cm, while tablets tend to increase significantly in size after contact with water. Using this technology is quite convenient and simple. The plant in such a system develops much faster and better. However, the cost of such tablets is very high. In addition, it is important to always closely monitor the level of humidity in them, avoiding drying out.

• Peat cartridges. Cassettes consist of a cardboard base and peat itself. The advantage of this material is that it does not have to remove seedlings, and therefore the risk of damaging their root system is excluded. In addition, this method saves your time and effort. You can grow a vegetable without land and get a large crop. However, such a plus may be a minus. Cardboard may deteriorate due to large amounts of water during watering seedlings.

• "Snails". So called a certain type of packaging, which requires the formation of a skill. But at the same time, the snail has quite a few advantages: it will not be necessary to dive the seedlings, the roots are well ventilated, shoots appear quickly, space and soil are saved.

• Polystyrene cassettes. Containers of this material do not contain harmful synthetic impurities, so you can grow vegetables in them without fear. The plant in such containers feels great and develops quickly. The design of the cassettes eliminates the accumulation of excess fluid and fertilizer in them, which means that rotting of seedlings is not allowed. Polystyrene containers have small weight, they are easy to carry from one place to another. In addition, seedlings are conveniently removed from the cassettes for further planting in the ground, without damaging the root system in the process. So, and the harvest will be great.

• Tanks with self-moistening function. Despite its name, this invention will cost you a mere penny. At the same time, it will be incredibly convenient and functional.To make such containers yourself, you will need a regular plastic bottle, a thread of wool, an awl, a cork.

To begin, divide the bottle into two equal parts by a cross-section. Then make a small hole in the cork with the help of awl and pass the wool thread there. It is necessary to do this in such a way that on each side of the cork the thread hangs down about 10 centimeters.

Now it only remains to pour a little water into the bottom of the plastic bottle, and put a cork with thread on the top. It is required to place the top of the bottle in the bottom. Then simply place the nutrient and the ground in a plastic container, and you can sow cabbage seeds. This option is perfect for those people who always forget about the seedlings or simply can not allocate much time to care for her.

For maximum efficiency, it is better to grow seedlings under cover material or in diapers. If you do not have the listed materials on hand, you can make containers from ordinary polyethylene, cardboard, foil, juice bags, paper cups and any other available tools. Some even manage to grow seedlings in an eggshell!

The scheme of planting cabbage seedlings is similar to the scheme of planting seeds. Experienced gardeners recommend planting sprouts in the evening, preferably in cloudy weather. The distance between the seedlings should be the same as between the seeds. Only for seedlings it is necessary to form not grooves, but holes.

It is important to thoroughly irrigate the well with water, at a rate of 1 / 2-1 liter per 1 well. Wait until the water is completely absorbed, then plant the seedling in the hole in such a way that the first leaves touch the soil only slightly. The first few days you need to keep the seedlings in the shade. And after about a week, you need to carefully inspect the planting and identify the dead and non-engrafted seedlings. They will need to be transplanted to new ones.

Grow seedlings usually at home on the balcony or on the windowsill. Then the cabbage needs to be grown at the cottage in the greenhouse or in the beds under the film or agrylom.

It is best to plant cabbage alongside, but not on the same garden bed, along with tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes, strawberries or beets. Some even plant cabbage among watermelons and get a wonderful harvest.

We list the main rules of care for cabbage, without which it is impossible to do, if you want to achieve the best possible harvest.

• Maintain optimum moisture levels. The most important thing here is regularity. You can not forget about the plant for a week, and then compensate for this abundant watering. It is necessary every day, sometimes even several times, to water the crops thoroughly.

• Timely removal of weeds. Of course, a pair of small extraneous sprouts will not bring great damage to seedlings. However, if you run the beds and do not weed them, all the nutrients from the soil will get to the weeds, and not your farms. This will adversely affect the yield of the vegetable.
• Provide disease prevention and protect against pests. To do this, you should regularly inspect the leaves of cabbage for the appearance of pests and extraneous specks and care for them. You can also sprinkle seedlings with wood ash, in the calculation of 1 cup per 1 m2. This will help prevent the occurrence of pests. It is also important to treat the cabbage with a keel agent, etc.
• Constantly conduct dressing. Already after 20 days after planting cabbage in open ground, it is necessary to make the first fertilizer. It is better to use for this purpose a solution from cow dung or chicken manure, diluted with water in a ratio of 0.5 to 10. Later, after another 10 days, it is necessary to fertilize the plantings with a large amount of additional feed.
• Keep cabbage from frost. If the forecast promises a decrease in air temperature, be sure to cover the seedlings with a special material.
• Do not cut cabbage leaves. Some believe that in this way they help the plant. However, one should not forget that the vegetable receives nutrients not only from the earth, but also from the leaves. Therefore, only the damaged parts of the cabbage should be cut off.

How to plant cabbage in open ground, see the following video.