2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Red cabbage (Latin Brassica oleracea convar.capitata rubra) - vegetable culture; biennial plant of the Cabbage family, or Cruciferous. It is a type of white cabbage, it differs only in red-violet or bluish-violet color, which is due to the content of the anthocyanin pigment. Red cabbage is native to Western Europe and North Africa.
Characteristics of culture
Botanical characteristics (morphological characteristics, features of growth and development) of red cabbage practically does not differ from white cabbage. This is a biennial plant, which in the first year of life forms a thickened stem 15-50 cm high and an oval, flat-round, round or cone-shaped head of cabbage. Head of cabbage weight from 0, 5 to 3, 2 kg. The stem and internodes are shortened. The root system is powerful, branched.
In the second year of life, the plant forms peduncles and flowers, and then fruits and, accordingly, seeds. The fruit is a pod, 8-12 cm long. The seeds are brownish-brown, rounded. There are no early ripening varieties of red cabbage. Heads of cabbage are distinguished by good density and transportability, they are well stored in the winter season. Red cabbage is often low-yielding. The culture is cold-resistant, young plants can withstand frosts down to -5C, and adults - up to -8C. The optimum growing temperature is 15-17C.
Growing conditions
Red cabbage is a light-loving plant, in the shade the development phases are largely delayed, the leaves darken, and the heads of cabbage are formed loose and 2-3 weeks later than usual. Red cabbage is demanding on soil moisture, especially at the moment of leaf rosette formation and at the initial stage of head formation.
Waterlogged areas, including low-lying areas with stagnant water, are not suitable for growing plants. Soils are preferable fertile, rich in humus with a neutral pH reaction. The last condition is the most important; if possible, it is better to invite a specialist who will analyze the soil for acidity.
The best predecessors of red cabbage are cucumbers, potatoes, onions, peas, tomatoes, legumes, pumpkin seeds. It is not recommended to grow crops after representatives of the Cruciferous family: turnip, turnip, radish, horseradish, mustard and watercress. Cabbage cannot be planted in these areas for at least 2-3 years, otherwise it will often hurt.
Soil preparation and sowing
The plot for growing red cabbage is prepared in the fall: deep plowing is carried out with the overturn of the earth layers, rotted manure, compost or humus (1 bucket per 1 sq. M), as well as superphosphate (40 g) and potassium salt (20 g) are added. In the spring, the ridges are loosened and fed with nitrogen fertilizers. Too acidic soils are preliminarily limed or gypsum. To alkalize the soil, fertilizers containing calcium should be used, they will also protect the cabbage from the keel.
Despite the fact that the culture is characterized by increased cold resistance, it is grown in seedlings, rarely by sowing seeds in the ground. To obtain an early harvest of cabbage, seeds are sown for seedlings in late January - early February, the next sowing is carried out in March-April. Before sowing, it is advisable to treat the seeds with the preparation "Fitosporin" or a solution of potassium permanganate.
Sow cabbage in seedling boxes filled with a mixture of turf, peat and washed river sand. Instead of peat, you can use rotted humus. Immediately after sowing, the soil of the nurseries is spilled abundantly, covered with polyethylene and taken out into a room with an air temperature of 20-25C. With the emergence of seedlings, the temperature is lowered to 10-11C, and after 7-10 days it is increased to 15-17C.
Seedlings dive two weeks after the emergence of seedlings, then the first feeding is carried out with wood ash and superphosphate. Seedlings of late-ripening varieties can not be dived, but only slightly thinned out. Planting seedlings of early varieties in open ground is carried out in early May under a film or in a greenhouse, late varieties - in late May - early June. Before planting, the seedlings are hardened. Seedlings are embedded in the soil up to the cotyledonous leaves. Urea, superphosphate and potassium salt are added to the soil that has not been fed since autumn. Seedling planting scheme 70 * 35 cm.
Care
Red cabbage is a moisture-loving plant, it needs systematic and abundant watering with warm and settled water. The soil should not be overmoistened, just like it should be allowed to dry out. The volume of water is increased during the formation of new leaves and the formation of a head of cabbage.
Red cabbage requires timely loosening of the soil in the near-stem zone, weeding and hilling. The culture responds positively to feeding. During the season, 2-3 dressings are enough: the first is carried out 2-3 weeks after planting the plants in open ground, the second - after 30-40 days, the third - during the period of head formation.
Often, the culture is attacked by pests. The most dangerous for cabbage are cruciferous fleas, scoop, cabbage whites and aphids. If they are found on plants, they are treated with insecticides, such as: Aktelik, Intavir, Volaton, Karate, etc.
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