White Cabbage

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 15:51

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Latin name: Brassica capitata Family: Cruciferous Categories: Vegetable crops

White cabbage (Latin Brassica capitata) - popular vegetable culture; biennial plant of the Cruciferous family. The plant is native to the Mediterranean regions of Western Europe and North Africa.

Characteristics of cultur

White cabbage is a plant that in the first year of life forms a compacted shortened stem (otherwise a poker) with large leaves collected in an oval, round, conical or flat-round head of cabbage. Leaves are simple, whole-edged, lyre-shaped, sessile or with petioles. Outer (covering) leaves are green, rarely with a purple tint; the inner ones are white or yellowish. The main vein is thick, sharply protruding.

In the second year, the plant forms a highly branched flowering stem with yellow or white flowers, reaching 1, 8-2 cm in diameter, and collected in corymbose or racemose inflorescences. The fruit is a pod, the seeds are spherical, black, 2 mm in diameter, remain germinating for 2-4 years.

Growing conditions

White cabbage is a light-loving plant, it prefers areas that are well lit and protected from northern winds. The culture has a negative attitude towards shade and thickening, the plants stretch out and are more often attacked by pests and affected by various fungal and viral diseases. When planting between plants of a certain variety, a certain distance should be observed, otherwise the cabbage will not please its owners with high-quality and large heads of cabbage.

Soils for growing white cabbage are desirable loamy, moisture-consuming, with a rich mineral composition, with a pH of 6, 2-7, 5. The culture grows poorly in areas with excessive nitrogen content. The best predecessors of the plant are tomatoes, onions, potatoes, annual legumes, winter crops and pumpkin seeds. It is not recommended to grow cabbage after plants of the Cruciferous family, as well as in areas infested with sow thistle and creeping wheatgrass. Such areas are treated with herbicides and fall plowing to a depth of 27-30 cm.

Growing seedlings

It's no secret that the quality of white cabbage seedlings depends to a large extent on the planting material, as well as the growing conditions and proper care. Before sowing, the seeds are treated in hot water, the temperature of which is 40-45C, and then placed in cold water. Immediately after treatment, the seeds are dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or the preparation "Fitosporin" for etching. These procedures avoid black leg damage to seedlings.

The soil mixture for white cabbage is prepared on the basis of sod land, peat and river sand. Instead of peat, experienced gardeners advise using rotted humus. When sowing, it is not recommended to apply fresh manure and mineral fertilizers to the soil. The first feeding is done in diving seedlings; for this purpose, wood ash and superphosphate are used.

Sowing seeds of early varieties for seedlings is carried out on March 15-25, mid-season varieties - April 10-20, late varieties - April 20-25. Seeds are sown in special seedling boxes. Crops are watered with a spray bottle, covered with glass or foil and transferred to a room with an air temperature of 20-25C. With the emergence of seedlings, the temperature is reduced to 10C, and after a week it is increased to 15-17C.

The dive of seedlings is carried out at the age of 14-15 days. Until the seedlings take root, the room temperature should be at least 20-21C. Approximately 2-2, 5 weeks before planting seedlings in the ground, it is hardened. Seedlings of early varieties of white cabbage are planted in the tenths of May, and late varieties - in late May - early June.

Soil preparation and planting seedlings in the groun

A plot for growing white cabbage is prepared in the fall: the soil is dug up, organic matter (manure or compost) is introduced. In the spring, the soil is harrowed and loosened, fed with superphosphate and potassium salt, and beds with shallow holes are formed.

Seedlings should be planted in cloudy weather, in which case it will take root better. The distance between the plants should be 20-30 cm, and between the rows - at least 40-50 cm. The seedlings are deepened to the first leaves. After planting, young plants are watered and shaded with scrap materials for a couple of days.

Care

Since white cabbage is moisture-loving, it needs regular and abundant watering. It is advisable to use warm and settled water for irrigation, this contributes to the better development of the root system of the culture. Increase the volume of water during irrigation during the formation of new leaves and, of course, during the formation of the head of cabbage.

In addition to watering, the plant requires timely weeding, loosening and hilling. During the season, two or three additional dressings are carried out: the first - a couple of weeks after planting the plants in open ground, the second - after a month, the third - during the formation of the head of cabbage. For feeding, you can use urea, superphosphate and potassium nitrate.

Very often, the culture is attacked by cretaceous flea beetles, caterpillars of the scoop and cabbage whites and aphids. If pests are detected, the plants are sprayed with insecticides, for example, Aktelik, Volaton, Karate, Intavir, etc.