2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 15:51
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Latin name: Brassica botrytis Family: Cruciferous Categories: Vegetable crops |
Cauliflower (Latin Brassica botrytis) - popular vegetable culture; an annual plant of the Cruciferous family.
Characteristics of culture
Cauliflower is a spring or winter plant with a fibrous root system located close to the soil surface. The stem is cylindrical, 15-70 cm high, with spirally curved, upward or straight leaves.
The lower leaves are whole, lyre-shaped or pinnately-separated, reach 5-40 cm in length, are located on petioles, can be light green or gray with pigmentation. The upper leaves are small, broad-linear or short-oval, serrated or even along the edge. The plates are truncated-oval, narrow, elliptical or ovoid, 15-90 cm long.
The heads are flat-round or spherical, green, white, purple or yellowish. Flower clusters are short or long (3-15 cm). The flowers are small, rarely large, and sit on thin pedicels. The petals are vesicular-wrinkled or corrugated, they can be white, pale yellow or yellow in color. The fruit is a polyspermous pod, short or medium in length, usually cylindrical, sometimes tuberous or flattened-cylindrical.
Growing conditions
Cauliflower is a demanding plant, though. in general, in terms of agricultural technology, it is similar to white cabbage. Any deviations significantly affect the yield of the crop and its quality. Cauliflower is photophilous, prefers well-lit areas protected from northern winds. Negatively refers to thickening and shade, in such conditions it stretches and is more often attacked by pests and affected by fungal and viral diseases.
The optimum temperature for growing a culture is 15-18C. Low and high temperatures have a detrimental effect on head formation. Cauliflower grows well in moist soils with slightly acidic or neutral pH and rich in mineral composition. The plant requires the presence of organic matter in the soil, macro and microelements, especially boron, copper and molybdenum. The best precursors for cauliflower are beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and legumes. It is not recommended to plant a crop after plants of the Cruciferous family (turnips, radishes, rutabagas, cabbage, etc.).
Growing seedlings and planting in open ground
Most often, cauliflower is grown through seedlings, but in the southern regions it is common to sow seeds in open ground. Sowing of cauliflower of early varieties for seedlings is produced on March 5-30, mid-early - April 10 - May 10, late - May 25 - June 10. Seeds are sown in special seedling boxes filled with a soil substrate consisting of sod land, river sand and peat in a 1: 1: 1 ratio. Before sowing, the soil is treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate in order to prevent damage to the seedlings with a black leg.
Immediately after sowing, the soil is watered with warm water using a spray bottle, covered with glass or foil and placed in a warm room with an air temperature of 20-25C. With the emergence of cauliflower shoots, the temperature in the room is reduced to 10C, and after a week, it is moved to well-lit windowsills and the temperature is maintained at 15-17C.
The picking of seedlings is carried out two weeks after the emergence of shoots. A week before planting the cauliflower in open ground, the seedlings are hardened, accustoming the seedlings to the wind and sunlight. Seedlings are planted in open ground in warm weather, but if the temperatures are low, it is better to postpone planting until a later date, otherwise the seedlings will give arrows with seeds.
The cauliflower site is prepared in the fall. They dig up the soil, add rotted compost, mineral fertilizers, and with increased acidity, also dolomite flour or lime. In early spring, the soil is carefully loosened and fertilized with wood ash. Immediately after planting, the seedlings are shaded for a couple of days. After 10-15 days, young plants are spud, and a liquid mullein infusion is introduced into the soil.
Care
Due to the fact that cauliflower has a special root system, it needs regular and abundant watering. With a lack of moisture, loose and tasteless heads are formed. To retain moisture for a longer period, the soil around the plants is mulched with peat. In order to avoid the flowering of the culture ahead of time, in hot weather, cabbage is shaded.
Fertilization is one of the most important steps in cauliflower care. During the season, three dressings are carried out: the first - a couple of weeks after planting the seedlings in open ground, the second - after another 2-3 weeks with nitrophosphate and wood ash, the third - during the formation of the head with superphosphate, ammonium nitrate or potassium fertilizers. It is also recommended to carry out fertilizing with microfertilizers.
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