How to grow broccoli outdoors

Broccoli began to be cultivated not so long ago, but the culture quickly gained popularity among gardeners. It is unpretentious, easy to grow, withstand prolonged drought and cold resistance. You can breed broccoli in greenhouses, on a windowsill, or outdoors. The article will tell you how to grow it in the country in the open field.

Growing broccoli in the open field

Seeds of asparagus cabbage outwardly resemble black peppercorns... They are rounded, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, red-brown or brown. When pre-sowing treatment seeds swell from water, increasing in size by 1.5-2 times, after which they release a short stem with the first leaves, while taking root. A few days after sowing, the first shoots appear.

After 2 weeks, the seedlings reach a height of 2-3 cm and already have the first leaves... During this period, a pick is carried out, trying not to damage the delicate roots. After 30-40 days from the moment of sowing, the seedlings have 4-5 full-fledged leaves, as well as a strong root system. It depends on the growing conditions, sometimes the terms can be delayed up to 40-50 days. After the onset of optimal weather conditions, the seedlings are planted in the ground.

Ripe broccoli inflorescences externally resemble cauliflower, however, they are not creamy, but deep green. Overripe inflorescences acquire a yellow color and are unsuitable for human consumption. Mature ones have a diameter of 12-15 cm, closed buds, heads, colored, depending on the variety, in various shades of green.

Reference! Yellowing buds indicate broccoli blooming. Such cabbage loses its taste characteristics and becomes unusable.

Details about the process of growing in your garden

The process of growing broccoli is not particularly difficult.... Cabbage is unpretentious in care and is capable of producing several harvests per season. Cabbage is grown in two ways: direct sowing into the ground and through seedlings.

Sowing seeds

Early maturing varieties are suitable for direct seeding... The optimal timing varies depending on the region and weather conditions of the current year. Most often, the dates fall at the end of April, but it is possible earlier with the obligatory covering of crops.

Reference! With direct sowing of seeds into the soil, the harvest is harvested later than with the seedling method.

When you can sow directly in the garden

Sowing seeds in the ground is carried out provided that the soil is well warmed up and there is no risk of frost... Most often, these dates fall on the end of March or beginning of April in warm regions and mid-end of April in colder regions. The daily temperature should be stable and be at least + 16 ° C, and the average daily temperature should be at least + 10 ° C during the week.

Reference! Experienced gardeners are guided by apple trees. If the buds on the trees have hatched, you can sow broccoli in the ground.

Seeding Algorithm

Before sowing, prepare and harden the seed:

1. The largest seeds are selected.
2. The seed is immersed in hot water + 45 ... 55 ° C for 20 minutes, then in cold water for a minute.
3. It is immersed in a solution of potassium permanganate and boric acid (1 g and 0.5 g, respectively, per 1 liter of boiled water at room temperature) and left for 12 hours.
4. Immersed in a solution of wood ash for 5-6 hours - 1 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water, leave for 2 days.
5. It is washed with clean water and placed in a refrigerator for a day.
6. Dry on gauze to a light moisture to the touch.

Prepare the broccoli bed in advance:

1. In the fall, at the proposed sowing site, 40 g of ammonium nitrate, 30 g of superphosphate and potassium chloride are introduced into the soil.
2. In the spring, 3 weeks before sowing, compost is added - 10 liters per 1 sq. m.
3. When preparing holes, add 300 g of wood ash and 1 tsp. urea.

The garden bed is arranged according to the following scheme: 35 cm between holes, 50 cm between rows. The depth of the holes is 20-25 cm. Immediately before sowing, they are well moistened, the seeds are sown "in the mud".

Reference! Sowing on beds without holes with subsequent thinning of the shoots is allowed.

Planting seedlings

Broccoli is grown more often in our country seedling method... This shortens the time to harvest and increases the survival rate of the shoots. Seeds for seedlings are sown in containers 20-25 cm high, then greenhouse conditions are created until shoots appear. They are dived into individual containers, hardened, and after 35-40 days from sowing, they are planted in open ground.

How to grow seedlings

Growing seedlings takes place in three stages:

1. Seed preparation.
2. Sowing.
3. Picking.

Sowing broccoli seedlings start in late February or early March.

Seed preparation is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. The largest specimens are selected.
2. Soak in water at + 50 ° C for 15-20 minutes.
3. Immerse in cold water + 10 ... 12 ° C for a minute.
4. Soak in a growth stimulant solution for 7-8 hours.
5. Rinse under running water.
6. Placed in the refrigerator for a day.
7. Dry on a napkin until flowing.

The seedling container is prepared by soaking in a slightly boron solution of potassium permanganate... A layer of expanded clay or small pebbles is laid on the bottom. The thickness of the drainage layer is 0.5-1 cm. The top is covered with a soil mixture of equal parts of humus, sod land, fine river sand and wood ash. The soil is moistened from a spray bottle with rain or melted snow water.

In wet soil, grooves are made with a depth of 1.2-1.5 cm. 2.5-3 cm are left between them. Seeds are spread into the prepared grooves at a distance of 1 cm from each other and sprinkled with soil, lightly tamping it.

A pick is carried out after the appearance of two leaves - usually 14-15 days after sowing... Individual containers for seedlings are filled with the same soil mixture in which the sowing was carried out. The soil is moistened from a spray bottle and a small depression is made in it. Each plant is taken out of the main box with a wooden stick, trying not to damage the roots, and placed in the hole of an individual pot. The soil around the transplanted plant is carefully compacted and watered with a spray bottle.

How to care for seedlings

After sowing broccoli seeds, you need to create greenhouse conditions for them.... The container is covered with glass or plastic wrap, opening it once a day to ventilate the soil. After the emergence of seedlings, the film is removed, and the boxes with seedlings are taken out to a room with a temperature of + 10 ... + 12 ° C for a week. After that, during the daytime, in sunny weather, the temperature is maintained at + 14… + 16 ° C, in cloudy weather - + 11… + 13 ° C. At night, containers with seedlings should be kept in a room where the temperature does not exceed + 10 ° C.

Reference! The optimum humidity is 85%, it is maintained using a spray bottle.

Watering the soil is carried out with thawed or rainwater at room temperaturespraying the soil with a spray bottle. The soil should not be poured, too wet soil contributes to the development of a black leg.

After diving, the seedlings are shaded from the sun's rays.to avoid scalding on young plants. The optimum temperature for storing seedlings is + 20 ... + 22 ° C in the first 2-3 days after picking. After the seedlings take root in new containers, top dressing is introduced under the root in the form of nitroammofoska (1 tbsp. L per 10 l of water) - 50 ml of solution for each plant. Then the temperature regime is maintained at + 16 ... + 18 ° C during the day and + 8 ... + 10 ° C at night.

2 weeks before planting in the ground, the seedlings are hardened on the balcony or loggia.Within 4-5 days, it is taken out for 2-3 hours, then for 8-10 hours for 2-3 days. After that, the seedlings are left for a day. A couple of days before disembarkation, the seedlings are left on the balcony overnight.

Open ground landing rules

For planting seedlings in open ground there are several rules to follow:

• seedlings are considered ready if they have 5-6 true leaves;
• planted in May - early June, if the soil is not warmed up enough;
• the landing site is as illuminated and protected from the winds as possible;
• planting broccoli after carrots, onions, potatoes or legumes;
• optimal pH - 6.5-7.5;
• landing in the ground is carried out in cloudy weather early in the morning;
• landing scheme - 35 * 50 cm;
• the wells are watered abundantly with water, adding 6-7 g of nitroammophos;
• in the early days in sunny weather, the planted seedlings are shaded.

If soil frosts are expected, the seedlings are covered with glass or plastic jars.

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Caring for broccoli in the garden

Caring for cabbage in the beds includes loosening, which is often combined with hilling, weeding, regular watering, feeding and pest control.

Watering

Watering is carried out once a week by sprinkling... In dry and hot weather, the frequency of watering is increased to 2-3 times a week. One of the irrigations can be replaced by spraying the foliage.

How to feed

The first feeding is carried out after 14 days. after landing into the ground mullein solution (250 g per 10 l) with the addition of 1 tsp. nitroammophoska or chicken manure solution (1:20). There is 1 liter of solution for 1 well.

The second feeding is carried out with nitrogenous fertilizers 18-21 days after the first. It is better to use a solution of ammonium nitrate (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) in a volume of 1 liter per well.

The third feeding is carried out in the 3rd decade of August potash-phosphorus fertilizers. The working solution is prepared from 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate. For 1 well, use 1.5 liters of solution.

After harvesting the central head, additional feeding is carried out nitroammophos (1 tbsp. l. per 10 l of water) at the rate of 1 l per well.

Loosening and weeding

Weeding is done regularly as weeds appear in the beds, preventing their outgrowth. Loosening and hilling is done after each fertilization.

Protection against diseases and pests

To protect against pests, broccoli crops are treated with a decoction of tomato tops (1 kg of greens per 3 liters of water), spraying the plants with them once a month. Siderates scare off pests. Dill crops will protect the beds from cabbage aphids, peppermint will help from cabbage. To combat the cruciferous flea, 20 days before the ovary of the inflorescences, the beds are treated with a working solution of Iskra or any other insecticide.

Conclusion

Growing and caring for broccoli in the open field is not difficult and does not require special devices and efforts. Subject to the recommended agricultural techniques, you will receive the first harvest 2-3 months after planting the cabbage.