High-yielding versatile variety of Blizzard cabbage
Blizzard is an unpretentious variety of white cabbage, which is suitable both for sourdough and for fresh consumption. Gardeners love the plant for its high yield, frost resistance, transportability of vegetables and excellent keeping quality.
The content of the article
Description of the variety of cabbage Blizzard
Bred in Siberia, the variety of white cabbage Blizzard is a universal, medium-late ripening variety intended for industrial and individual cultivation. Differs in unpretentiousness in care and high keeping quality, for which it is especially appreciated.
Breeding history
The variety was bred by Siberian breeders at the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing. It was received relatively long ago, in 1983, so it has already become very common. In 1989 the culture was included in the State Register of Russia.
Chemical composition and useful properties
White cabbage contains vitamins C and U, which have anti-inflammatory, healing and antioxidant properties. In addition to them, the chemical composition includes:
- vitamins K, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and B9, beta-carotene;
- macronutrients: potassium, calcium, silicon, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus;
- trace elements: boron, iodine, manganese, chromium and others.
The phytosterols campesterol and brassicasterol reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine by 10–20%.
Due to its high sugar content (about 5 g per 100 g of leaves), cabbage is excellent for pickling. The increased juiciness makes it indispensable for salads.
Application features
Blizzard is a universal variety of white cabbage, therefore it is widely used in cooking:
- for cooking, stewing and frying;
- for fresh salads;
- for canning and fermentation.
The most important and valuable quality of this cabbage is keeping quality. This is the best variety for winter storage. Under favorable conditions in a cool dry place, vegetables can lie for up to 7 months.
Specifications
The rosette is vertical, up to 45 cm high and 80–85 cm in diameter, but sometimes it reaches 100 cm. The rosette contains up to 15 leaves, approximately the same in length and width (about 40 cm).
Leaves are dense, gray-green, slightly concave, with uneven edges. Covered with a pronounced waxy coating. Head of cabbage is roundish, white-yellow on the cut. Weighs 1.8-3.3 kg on average. The taste is sweetish, juicy.
The full term of vegetative maturation is 135–160 days. Incomplete vegetation lasts 95–125 days.
Blizzard is a high-yielding variety: about 7 kg of cabbage are harvested from 1 m², and 508–673 centners per hectare. The plant is resistant to most common diseases and frost.
Which regions is best suited for
This cabbage was bred in Siberia and is positioned as a frost-resistant variety, therefore it is suitable for regions where temperatures are low in summer. If the summer is short, the Blizzard is grown in greenhouses.
The plant is zoned for the North-West, Central, Volgo-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, West, East Siberian and Far Eastern regions of Russia.
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Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the Vyuga variety are its resistance to damage during transportation and the possibility of long-term storage, excellent taste and high yield.
The culture does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil, this is its disadvantage.
Differences from other varieties and hybrids
Unlike plants similar in terms of ripening, Blizzard is resistant to all diseases at the same time, and its harvest is stored for up to 7 months.
So, the mid-late variety Podarok is affected by the keel, and the Ilona hybrid does not have good keeping quality.
Features of planting and growing
Each crop has its own requirements and cultivation characteristics. Even such an unpretentious and resistant to changes in the external environment, a variety like Blizzard, needs to follow the planting rules.
Preparing for landing
Before you start sowing your seeds, it is important to prepare them. If this step is skipped, the plants will be more susceptible to adverse conditions and more susceptible to disease.
Cabbage for seedlings is sown in late March - early April, and planted in the garden in late May - early June.
Seed preparation:
- Large and even specimens without defects are selected.
- They are treated with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
- Quenched with cold and hot water: first, quickly scalded with boiling water, and then placed in ice water for 3-4 hours.
Seedling preparation:
- Seedlings are examined, low-quality and weak plants are removed.
- When 2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, the seedlings are dived into separate containers about 12 cm high, deepening as much as possible. The main root is pinched. Pickling cabbage is an optional procedure, but it is preferable when planting in regions with short summers.
The optimum temperature for seedling growth is + 12… + 18 ° C.
How to make a seedless plant
The Blizzard variety does not need to be planted on seedlings in advance. In regions with a warm climate, it is allowed to sow seeds directly into open ground. Since the culture is medium late, they do it in the first half of May.
Ground requirements
The soil should be low acidity or neutral. Increased acidity provokes the appearance of diseases in plants.
Important! It is advisable to prepare the soil in the fall, dig up, fertilize, clear of debris and weeds.
Fertilize the soil in autumn with humus and sod in a ratio of 1: 1. Additionally disinfected with wood ash (1.5 st. Per 1 m²).
Predecessors
Cabbage grows well after onions, carrots, potatoes, beans, cucumbers, beets, peas.
Unsuitable predecessors are plants of the Cruciferous family, to which cabbage belongs. This is due to the fact that pests that are dangerous for this particular crop often settle in the soil from the previous time. The interval for planting cabbage in the same place is at least 3 years.
Timing, scheme and landing rules
The seedless method is suitable only for regions with a warm climate, therefore, the seeds of the Blizzard white cabbage are sown in open ground in early May, when the threat of night frosts has passed.
The holes should be at a distance of 30 cm from each other, about 2 cm deep. Each hole is treated with boiling water with potassium permanganate, fertilizer is added and 2-3 seeds are laid. Water, cover with foil.
After the emergence of seedlings, the holes are opened, the weak plant is pinched, and the healthy and strong plant is left.
The nuances of care
The blizzard likes abundant watering at least 2-3 times a week. More often in dry weather. Waterlogging of the soil is not allowed. Watering during the rainy period is not carried out.
It is imperative to huddle the cabbage every 3-4 weeks (for the first time - when heads of cabbage begin to form) and weed as weeds appear.
Top dressing
After the appearance of the ovary of the future head of cabbage, the culture is fertilized with chicken or cow droppings. They are diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1 and insisted for 2 weeks.The resulting solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 4 and used for irrigation. It is allowed to use complex fertilizers containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Advice! Before feeding, weeds are removed and the soil is loosened. This gives additional oxygen access to the roots.
Fertilize plants every 2-3 weeks.
Measures to increase the yield
Cabbage yield depends to a large extent on care and adherence to growing rules.
It is important to strictly observe the sowing time and plant seedlings in the garden on time (at the age of 60 days). For earlier varieties, the seedling period is reduced to 2–4 weeks.
Disease and pest control
The variety is resistant to many common diseases, but if the rules of care are violated, it becomes vulnerable to blackleg and powdery mildew.
These fungal diseases are caused by:
- waterlogging of the soil;
- low or high temperatures;
- increased acidity of the earth;
- excess nitrogen;
- too dense planting.
The affected specimens are destroyed in order to prevent the spread of the disease to other heads of cabbage, and the place where they grew is disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or colloidal sulfur (5 g per 1 m²). To avoid the appearance of diseases, heads of cabbage are treated with "Fitosporin".
The culture is attacked by insects: aphids, caterpillars, butterflies, slugs, cabbage flies. To scare off pests, strong-smelling plants are planted between the rows of cabbage: dill, celery, marigolds, marigolds. If this does not help, use chemicals ("Nemabakt", "Bicol", "Aktofit").
Growing difficulties
It is not for nothing that Blizzard cabbage has become popular and beloved by many gardeners - if you follow all the rules, difficulties in growing it are easy to avoid.
However, with insufficient watering, the cabbage will be poorly poured and wither, with excess water it will begin to grow moldy, and disease resistance will decrease. With improper or insufficient feeding, the heads of cabbage will be small.
Harvesting and storage
Vegetables ripen around the end of September. It is important not to be late with harvesting - the longer the cabbage stays in the garden, the less it will be stored. In addition, autumn pests will settle in it.
Heads of cabbage are harvested before severe frosts, in dry weather. The stump is left up to 10 cm long.
If the harvest is made on time, the shelf life of the crop will increase to 7 months. Vegetables are kept in a dry and cool cellar at a temperature of 0 ... + 2 ° С.
Advice and feedback from experienced gardeners
Summer residents share their experience in growing this variety:
Galina, Novosibirsk: “I have been growing a blizzard for many years. It is suitable for sourdough, delicious in salads. We keep the harvest in the cellar for a long time. We do not shorten the stump much. I wrap each head of cabbage separately in a newspaper, cover it with a blanket in severe frosts. "
Maria, Moscow: “Last year, this cabbage was grown in the country for the first time. There were no problems, the heads of cabbage were cut somewhere in October, and they were kept on the balcony for a long time. "
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Conclusion
The mid-late variety Blizzard has proven itself well over a long period of its existence. Vegetables are suitable for sourdough, fresh consumption, stewing, freezing and canning. In a dry, cool cellar or basement, the crop is stored for up to 7 months without loss of taste and presentation. The crop is suitable for growing in cold climates.