How to care for cabbage outdoors

All varieties and varieties of cabbage love sun and moisture, but these two conditions are not enough for a good harvest. Plants need to be planted on time, properly fertilized, loosened and hilled, treated against pests and diseases. We will tell you about the general rules for growing crops and caring for it in the open field, as well as the differences in agricultural technology for different varieties.

Secrets of growing cabbage in the garden

The productivity of plants largely depends on the correct choice of varieties. For colder areas, hardy cabbage is suitable. In regions with dry climates, attention is paid to adaptation to heat, drought and shooting. In conditions of high humidity, varieties are chosen that are resistant to diseases and head cracking.

How to grow good cabbage, depending on the timing of its ripening:

1. Early varieties are not suitable for storage. They have small, loose forks and low yields. Vegetables are good in salads and cooked.
2. Mid-season varieties have higher yields, but short shelf life. Heads of cabbage are suitable for salads, pickling, pickling and preservation.
3. Late cabbage gives large yields of large heads of cabbage. These varieties are stored or processed for a long time.

Cabbage is planted only in sunny areas - in the shade, the leaves stretch out, and the forks are not tied. Early and mid-season varieties grow well on sandy loam and light loamy soil, late ones - on sod-podzolic soil with a neutral pH. Liming will help reduce acidity and improve the taste of vegetables.

Favorable predecessors:

• cucumber;
• potatoes;
• onion;
• garlic.

Do not plant cabbage after cruciferous plants. The culture is returned to its original place after 3 years.

Cabbage loves organics. The beds are prepared in the fall: fertilized with fresh manure (5 kg / m²) or compost (6-8 kg / m²) and dug to the depth of the bayonet. In the spring, they deeply loosen and add a complex of mineral fertilizers.

Advice! To increase the yield, add "Mag-Bor" (1 tbsp. L. Per 1 m²).

Features of dressings:

• early varieties - more nitrogen and moderate phosphorus-potassium nutrition;
• mid-season - emphasis on nitrogen-potash mixtures;
• late - a moderate amount of nitrogen with an increased diet of potassium and phosphorus.

Early and mid-season varieties are fed 2-3 times per season, late - 3-4 times.

How to care for cabbage outdoors

The timing of transferring seedlings to open ground depends on the variety and varietal characteristics of the cabbage.

General guidelines:

• stable air temperature - + 10 ... + 15 ° С;
• seedlings in the phase of 5-6 true leaves.

Plants are transplanted by transshipment, in holes under the size of an earthen coma. Small irrigation holes are formed around.

Reference! To protect against the bear, the first watering is carried out with a tar solution (1 tablespoon per bucket of water) so that the liquid does not get on the plants.

From the moment cabbage is planted in the open field, pest prevention begins. The beds are dusted with wood ash or tobacco dust. Marigolds and spring garlic are planted nearby. Sprinkling is carried out once a week with the addition of fir oil (10-13 drops per bucket of water).

From frequent and abundant watering, the earth is compacted, and a crust forms on the surface. To prevent this from happening, the root zone and aisles are loosened to improve soil aeration. To stimulate the growth of lateral roots, cabbage is spud 1-2 times.Loosening begins one week after planting, hilling - after 2 weeks. Continue until the leaves close.

Watering cabbage

The optimum soil moisture for the crop is about 80%. Water the plants in the morning or evening with warm water heated by the sun. In the first half of the growing season - every 3-4 days, from the second half - once a week, spending 2-4 liters for a young plant and 10-15 liters for an adult. In the heat, the culture is moistened as the soil dries up and watering is stopped 3 weeks before harvest. Watering at the root alternate with sprinkling.

Alternative ways:

1. Drip irrigation - water is supplied constantly, in small portions, through holes in pipes or hoses.
2. Subsoil watering - convenient for small beds. Plastic bottles with holes are dug into the ground between the plants and filled with water, which is dosed to the roots.

At what temperature does cabbage grow

The optimum temperature for seedlings in the open field is + 12 ... + 22 ° С. Ideal conditions for mature cabbage are + 16 ... + 25 ° С. With prolonged heat above + 30 ° C, the development of culture stops.

Weeding

Weeds not only impoverish the soil, but also spread insect pests. The beds are weeded systematically, after each watering. In the fight against weeds, it is undesirable to use chemistry so that the cabbage does not accumulate harmful substances. The best way is to mulch the soil with organic matter or needles, which will additionally protect the plantings from slugs.

Cabbage care in August

In August, late varieties form heads of cabbage, while mid-season varieties are already gaining weight. At this time, the dose of nitrogen fertilizers is reduced and the cabbage is transferred to an enhanced nutrition with phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Top dressing options:

• nitrophosphate, superphosphate, potassium sulfate (1 tbsp. l.) mixed and applied to wet loose soil with 1 m row spacing²;
• additional foliar feeding - 15 g of magnesium sulfate is dissolved in 10 l of water, used on 10 m²;
• ash fertilization by the end of August - 2 tbsp. ash is steamed for 6 hours in 1 liter of boiling water and diluted in 10 liters of water, add 2 l / m².

Large leaves impede water access, so it is more efficient to water the plants at the root. In hot weather, the frequency of watering is increased to 1 time in 2-3 days.

Technology of growing and cultivation of white cabbage

Seedless growing method is suitable for southern latitudes. Cabbage is sown in open ground from mid-March to late April. Before sowing, the ground is warmed up for a week under plastic wrap.

Advice! It is more efficient to grow cabbage in one row on a long bed, which is located from north to south.

The bottom of the glass bottle is pressed into holes 2–4 cm deep, with a step of 50–60 cm for early and mid-season varieties and 70 cm for late varieties. 3-4 seeds are spread in each. Seeds are powdered with wood ash, sprinkled with humus and watered. The well is closed with a plastic bottle cap with a cut-off bottom. Weak shoots are pinched. When the seedlings become crowded, the shelter is removed.

The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings depends on the ripening time of the cabbage:

• early varieties - from 10 to 25 March;
• mid-season - from March 25 to April 25;
• late - from 5 to 20 April.

Sow the culture into trays or cassettes. Use ready-made universal soil for seedlings. The seeding pattern is 2x2 cm with a depth of 0.5 cm.

Temperature range:

• until the moment of germination - + 18 ... + 22 ° С;
• after germination - + 15 ... + 17 ° С during the day and up to + 8 ... + 10 ° С at night.

Water so as to maintain a constant moderate soil moisture. Seedlings dive in the phase of 2 true leaves. 9 days after the pick, they are fed (2 g of ammonium nitrate, 2 g of potassium fertilizer, 4 g of superphosphate per 1 liter of water).

They are transferred to open ground in the phase of 6 true leaves:

• early - from late April to early May, planted in 50x50 cm increments;
• mid-season - from late May to mid-June, according to the 60x70 cm scheme;
• late - from mid to late May, planting pattern - 70x80 cm.

Top dressing calendar;

• the first - 20 days after planting (10 g of urea per bucket of water, 1 tbsp. Per plant);
• second and third - during the formation of heads of cabbage (20 g of potassium monophosphate per bucket of water, 1 tbsp. For each plant).

The culture is spud 2-3 times per season. Mulching the soil eliminates loosening and weeding of cabbage, prevents moisture evaporation.

Pickling of white cabbage seedlings

The classic picking option is an intermediate transplant with pinching 1/3 of the central root. As a result, cabbage develops a powerful network of lateral roots, more actively ties the forks, sits stably in the ground and does not fall to one side.

Modern organic farming methods exclude pinching. The task of the central root is to extract water in the deep layers of the soil. After pinching, it does not recover. Plants lose drought tolerance and require frequent feeding and watering. Such conditions are difficult to provide for summer residents who come to the garden once a week.

Pick targets:

• natural selection - only strong shoots are left during transplantation;
• disease prevention - changing soil reduces the risk of root disease;
• stress resistance - seedlings with experience of adaptation to new conditions will quickly take root in the open field;
• viability - a dive with a deepening of the stem stimulates the growth of lateral roots.

When to dive

Seedlings dive in the phase of 2 true leaves. Estimated terms:

• early and mid-season varieties - 7-8 days after germination;
• late - 9-10 days from germination.

Cabbage is transplanted no later than 14-16 days from the moment of germination, otherwise the roots will intertwine with each other, the seedlings will be more difficult to separate without damage. The picking efficiency will decrease due to the long period of plant recovery.

How to dive

Seedlings are distributed in individual pots or planted in groups in large containers. Holes are pierced in containers for water drainage.

The volume of the container (earthen coma) depends on the variety of cabbage:

• for early and mid-season - 0.2-0.3 liters;
• for medium late and late varieties - 0.3–0.5 liters.

The soil is the same as for sowing seeds: light and loose, with neutral acidity (pH 6.5–7). A mix of peat, compost and river sand (3: 5: 1) or ready-made soil for seedlings is suitable.

Reference! Seedlings are watered the day before transplanting - they will be easier to remove from moderately moist and pliable soil.

Work order:

1. The pots are filled with soil 1-2 cm below the edges. In the center, a hole is made 5–7 cm deep and up to 2 cm in diameter. If the seedlings are transplanted from cassettes by the transfer method, the size of the hole should be 1 cm wider than the earthen coma. The wells in the containers are staggered according to the 8x8 cm pattern.
2. The seedling is held by the leaves and a spatula or pulled out of the ground with a teaspoon. If desired, pinch 1/3 of the central root (it is the longest).
3. The plant is planted in the hole until the cotyledon leaves. The earth is compacted and abundantly watered with water at room temperature.
4. The cut seedlings are kept for 3 days in partial shade, at a temperature of + 18 ... + 20 ° C. Then they return to the usual regime: sun, long daylight hours, + 14 ... + 16 ° С during the day and + 10 ... + 12 ° С at night.

Agrotechnology of late cabbage

Features of late varieties of cabbage:

• growing season - from 120 to 150 days;
• large heads of cabbage and high yield;
• keeping quality - up to 6-7 months;
• does not accumulate nitrates;
• in a short summer, they are grown only through seedlings.

Seedlings are sown in April. Transfer to the garden bed at a steady temperature of + 12 ... + 15 ° C. Seedlings of late varieties are not cold-resistant, therefore, 2 weeks before planting, they are hardened in the fresh air.

Sowing in open ground is carried out only in well-heated ground. Seeding depth is 2-3 cm. Plants are thinned in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. During cold snaps, the beds are covered with foil.

The landing pattern is thin. Cabbage stays in the garden for a long time, its rosettes are large, so a lot of light is required for full ripening.If thickened, the leaves will grow and the forks will not tie.

Fertilizers are applied:

• in the 5-leaf phase;
• when the outlet is formed;
• at the stage of head formation;
• during the period of weight gain for the forks.

The crop is harvested in the phase of biological ripeness. It is advisable to do this before the first frost, but a slight frost is not terrible for the forks - you just need to wait until they thaw in the daytime.

Conclusion

Without sun and watering, cabbage will not tie the forks. Fertilizers are required for the rosette to form quickly and the heads of cabbage to gain maximum weight. The composition of the soil affects the taste of vegetables and the resistance of the crop to diseases. Under optimal development conditions and proper care, any variety will show high productivity.