Choose cabbage varieties for fresh storage in winter

The problem of winter avitaminosis in our time is much less relevant than thirty years ago, so the preservation and storage of vegetables for the winter is becoming a habit rather than a necessity. Nevertheless, it is pleasant for any housewife to have fresh vegetables on the table, for example, cabbage, even in the most severe frosts, and imported and greenhouse products are not always of high quality and value.

In this review, we will select cabbage varieties that are suitable for fresh storage in winter, and consider how best to store this tasty and healthy vegetable so that it retains all its properties as much as possible.

In Russia, cabbage was grown from ancient times, the first mention of it belong to the annals of the XI century. It can be used both fresh and as part of a variety of dishes, many of which, for example, cabbage soup, cabbage rolls and sauerkraut, are the basis of traditional Russian cuisine.

In addition to excellent taste and a variety of cooking options, cabbage is also very useful, since with a small caloric content (280 kcal / kg) it contains almost all the necessary vitamins, namely:

• A-group vitamins - A, beta-carotene;
• B-group vitamins - B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9;
• Vitamin C - both in pure form and in the form of ascorbigen, which during heat treatment is converted into vitamin C;
• vitamin E;
• vitamin H;
• Vitamin PP.

Useful and part of the cabbage more complex substances:

• tartronic acid regulates the rate of carbohydrate metabolism, which contributes to less fat deposition;
• glucose and fructose give the body the necessary energy;
• cellulose contributes to the proper functioning of the digestive system;
• Special antibacterial substances known as phytoncides help the body fight off harmful microorganisms.

Such a unique composition makes cabbage an ideal dietary dish, suitable for diabetics, for yazvennikov, and for obese people. Do not use it only to persons with diseases of the pancreas.

Healthy people eating cabbage, especially fresh, will allow you to replenish the necessary supply of vitamins, which is especially important in winter. And cabbage antibacterial substances will help to avoid infection with colds or, at least, it is easier to transfer them.

Among the variety of different types of this vegetable, various varieties of the most common white cabbage are best for long-term storage in winter. More exotic types of cabbage such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, Beijing, Savoy and cauliflowers are generally not amenable to long-term fresh storage - they can only be frozen. But this does not mean that any head of ordinary cabbage will quietly lie through the whole winter and will not lose its appearance, taste or benefit.

Choosing cabbage for winter storage, you need, if possible, to pay attention to its variety. The so-called early ripe varieties of this vegetable, which are usually planted at the end of March, and they ripen by June, are categorically inappropriate for stocks.

This kind of cabbage is usually served on the table in the coming days after it is harvested; if it is stored for a long time, it cakes quickly and loses both taste and benefit. Such varieties include, for example, the varieties “Junskaya”, “Kazachok”, “Dietmarskaya Rannaya”, “Golden hectar”, “Dumas”, “Transfer”, “Zarya” and “Malachite”.

Cabbage is much better preserved and belongs to the varieties of medium and medium late ripening, especially if it is a hybrid variety.It is usually planted at the end of March - mid-April, and seedlings are harvested after about 40 days, and the full maturation of the fruit takes about 150 days. Such a product can be stored for up to 4 months and only slightly lose its quality. Examples of mid-ripening varieties are “Glory 1305”, “Glory Gribovskaya 231”, “Kaporal F1”, “Volgogradskaya 1”, “Nadezhda”, “Krasnodar 1”, “Sibiryachka”.

But the undisputed leader in the ability to maintain marketability are late-ripe varieties. It is customary to plant such vegetables starting in the second half of April, and to collect seedlings no earlier than in a month. Full maturation of such varieties can take up to 190 days. Examples of late ripening varieties are “Kharkov Winter”, “Snow White”, “Amager 611”, “Geneva F1”, “Wintering 1474”, “Kolobok”, “Krümon” and “Miracle F1”.

In cases when you purchased cabbage in a store or on the market and do not know which variety it belongs to, it’s enough to remember that late-ripening varieties that are suitable for storage often have a rather thick head compared to other varieties with green or white leaves. The leaves in the head with a strong fit to each other and by themselves are quite dense and taut.

After ripening, late cabbage tastes bitter, it acquires the best taste after several months of storage at a relatively low temperature.

Consider the most popular classic late cabbage varieties, Well suited for long-term storage and fresh in winter.

• "Amager 611" - well known to many gardeners variety, well proven for more than 50 years. The weight of the head of this variety can reach 4 kg, it is resistant to many diseases and can be stored until the spring. The taste of cabbage of this variety is becoming more juicy as it is stored. The main disadvantage of this variety is poor tolerance to high temperatures, so it is not suitable for growing in hot sunny regions and should be kept in dark and cold. It is possible to store cabbage of this grade till 190 days.
• "Aros F1" It is immune to almost all diseases and is stored for up to 240 days. The main drawback is the small size of the head, the mass of which does not even reach 2 kg.

• "Snow White". A characteristic feature of this variety of vegetables is a combination of green outer and white inner leaves in a head of cabbage. For more than 40 years of its existence, “Snow White” has proven its suitability for long storage and even for transportation over long distances. The variety is resistant to diseases and has a tart and juicy taste. The weight of the head reaches 4 kg, and it can be stored for up to 210 days.

• Turquoise Plus - Late-ripening variety, has an excellent taste and a small mass of fruits, reaching only 2.5 kg. Easy to transport and stored over 180 days.
• Dowerweys - German variety, can be stored for more than 180 days. The average weight of the fetus does not even reach 2 kg. Relatively disease resistant.
• "Geneva F1" - can be stored up to 270 days. Very unpretentious and suitable for breeding in almost any climate. Its main drawback is the presence of solid veins inside the leaves, so this variety is rarely served fresh.
• Wintering 1474 - as its name implies, except for keeping quality, this variety is also very frost resistant. Fruit weight reaches 4 kg, and it can be stored for up to 240 days. It is easy to distinguish such cabbage from other late varieties on oval heads with blue-green leaves, covered with noticeable waxy bloom.
• "Stone Head" - The absolute record among the pure varieties of shelf life, which can reach 1 year. Cobs are characterized by high density, and their mass reaches 4 kg. Equally well tolerates heat, frost and drought.In this case, it is possible to harvest even not fully ripened fruits and their ripening during storage. The main disadvantage of this product is very hard leaves, so this kind of cabbage is almost never used fresh.

• "Glory". This variety is divided into two subspecies - "Glory 1305" and "Glory Gribovskaya 231", and belongs to the intermediate group of vegetables of middle-ripening. Such products can be stored for up to 100 days, but they have excellent yield, require watering less than 10 times per season and mature relatively quickly.
• "Turkis" - A variety of famous German quality, famous for its invulnerability to many dangerous diseases of vegetables. Its heads reach a mass of 3 kg, can last for 230 days and have an excellent taste, and the seedlings are resistant to lack of watering.

• Moscow Late - unpretentious late variety, which is characterized by a very dense head of cabbage and sweet leaves. The mass of such a fruit can reach a solid 7 kg. It has excellent keeping quality and can be stored for up to 150 days.

Of them distinguish the following varieties.

• "Aggressor F1" - one of the most popular in our days late hybrid varieties, bred in Holland. The weight of the head can reach 5 kg, and its shelf life is up to 180 days. Despite the hard heading, the fruit leaves are very juicy. Like most hybrids, "Aggressor" is unpretentious to soil and climatic conditions and resists well to most diseases.
• "Kolobok F1" can be stored for up to 210 days, and the weight of the head of this variety reaches 5 kg. Well tolerated transportation.
• "Dominant" - The fruits of this variety are characterized by a high content of vitamin C, and the weight of the head reaches 6 kg. The variety is resistant to major diseases, easily tolerates storage for 180 days.

• "Valentine F1" has very hard leaves, so they are recommended to be treated with warm water before serving. A head of this variety can be stored for up to 180 days, and its weight reaches 4 kg. A distinctive feature of this variety is the leaves of a gray-green shade, the edges of which are covered with a light wax coating.

• "Krümon F1" - variety bred by Moscow breeders, well adapted to Russian climatic conditions. The weight of the head is usually small and reaches only 2 kg. Can be stored for more than 180 days.
• F1 Orbit - the result of the joint work of Krasnodar and Moscow breeders, resistant to disease, the mass of the fetus reaches 3 kg. The recommended shelf life is up to 150 days. Differs in bluish-green leaves with a strong wax coating.

• "Kharkov Winter" - a hybrid of the Dauervays and Amager 611 varieties, the weight of the head reaches 3.5 kg, excellently resists diseases and pests, and easily tolerates transportation. Harvest can not be harvested from the beds until the onset of winter, the collected heads are stored for more than 180 days. It is well grown both through seedlings, and in a seedless way, from the moment of planting it ripens about 5 months.
• "Miracle F1" - This variety is divided into several sub-varieties, of which the “Miracle for storage” has the best fresh keeping quality. The mass of its fruits reaches 3.5 kg, they easily tolerate storage for 180 days. A distinctive feature of the variety is the high content of fructose and glucose, great juiciness.

In order to enjoy fresh cabbage and dishes based on it throughout the winter, it is not enough to choose the type of vegetables stored. It is also necessary to properly organize their storage.

The best stocks will be stored in the cellar, while in it it is necessary to ensure the following conditions:

• the temperature should not rise above + 2 ° C, but it is better to keep it constantly around 0 ° C;
• air humidity should be around 98%.

Before moving the harvest into the cellar, it is necessary to whiten its walls with lime and disinfect it, for example, by smoking with sulfur or having treated the walls and floor with an antiseptic.

Currently, the most popular methods of storing cabbage:

• in paper - Each head is wrapped in several layers with parchment paper or newspapers;
• pyramid - a wooden base with ventilation slots is installed on the cellar floor, the largest vegetables are staggered on it, the rest are layered on top of them in the form of a pyramid;
• in cling film - one of the most modern and optimal methods, in which each head is thoroughly pre-dried and wrapped in 3 layers of cling film, which will protect it from moisture and possible pests;
• in sand - cabbages are placed in boxes with ventilation holes and filled with sand "with the head";
• on the rope - Each head is wrapped with a rope behind the stalk and suspended from the ceiling. It is important to ensure that the fruits do not come into contact with each other during storage.

How to store cabbage in the winter, see the video below.