Cabbage is one of the most important garden crops, which is grown in seedlings in many regions. The harvest of the crop, which, without exaggeration, will feed you all year, depends on how correctly the timing of planting cabbage seedlings was chosen and how the seedlings were cared for before planting them in the garden. We will tell you when to sow cabbage seedlings, how to grow cabbage seedlings at home and when to plant them in the garden.

When to plant cabbage seedlings in 2019

If you don’t know when to plant cabbage seedlings, it’s best to refer to the lunar sowing calendar.

Let's consider days favorable for sowing.

• January: 1, 5-7, 19-21, 24, 25, 28, 29;
• February: 8-10, 20-22, 25, 26;
• March: 10, 11, 15, 20, 21, 24, 25;
• April: 20, 21, 27, 28, 29;
• May: 18, 19, 24-28;
• June: 3-5, 10, 11, 15, 23, 24;
• July: 8, 9, 20-22, 25, 26, 30, 31.

Growing cabbage seedlings at home

Soil for cabbage seedlings

For seedlings of all varieties of cabbage, a loose and light substrate is needed, so its main component should be peat. Here are sample recipes for seedling substrates for cabbage:

• 75% peat, 20% turf soil and 5% sand;
• equal parts of peat, humus or compost and turf soil should be mixed with a small amount of sand;
• mix equal parts of turf soil and humus with wood ash and add one tablespoon of complex mineral fertilizer per 1 kg of soil mixture.

You can also use store-bought soil to grow cabbage seedlings.

Whatever substrate you prefer, it must be disinfected before sowing - warm it up for 5 minutes in a microwave turned on at full power, or bake it for 15 minutes in an oven at 200 ºC. After this, the soil should be cooled, placed in a container treated with a one percent potassium permanganate solution and allowed to stand in a warm place for a couple of weeks until bacteria beneficial to the seedlings multiply in the substrate.

In the photo: Cabbage seedlings

Preparing cabbage seeds for sowing

Cabbage seeds for seedlings of all varieties are prepared for sowing in the same way. First, the seed is sorted, selecting seeds no smaller than 1.5 mm, then they are wrapped in a triple layer of gauze and placed for 15 minutes in a thermos with water at a temperature of 45-50 ºC, and then immediately immersed in cold water for 2 minutes. After water procedures, the seeds are kept in damp gauze for a day at room temperature, placing them on a saucer, then they are stratified for a day in the refrigerator at a temperature of 1-2 ºC and, finally, dried to a free-flowing state and sown.

If you purchased seed in a store, carefully study the instructions on the package - it is likely that the seeds are already ready for sowing and do not need dressing or stratification. Painted in different colors The seeds are sown dry without any preparation.

Cabbage seedlings can be grown with or without picking. When growing with picking, sowing can be done in one total capacity- a box or container, and then the grown seedlings are planted in separate pots. But if you want to avoid picking, which damages the roots of the seedlings, you need to sow the seeds immediately in separate containers - cups, pots, in cassettes with large cells or in peat tablets.

Planting cabbage seeds for seedlings with picking

A layer of soil mixture 3-4 cm thick is placed in boxes 4-5 cm deep and watered with a solution of two Gamaira tablets and two Alirin-B tablets in 10 liters of water. It is better to do this a couple of days before sowing. On the day of sowing, grooves with a depth of 1 cm are made in the soil at a distance of 3 cm from each other, into which the seeds are laid at a distance of 1-1.5 cm, after which the grooves are sprinkled with soil. Then the surface is slightly compacted, the crops are placed on the windowsill and kept at a temperature of 18-20 ºC. Shoots usually appear after 4-5 days.

How to grow cabbage seedlings in tablets

If you do not want to injure the roots of cabbage seedlings by picking, grow them in peat tablets. The tablets consist of pressed peat with the addition of microelements necessary for plants and nutrients, so you don’t have to feed the seedlings until they are planted in the garden. The tablets are contained in a mesh impregnated with a fungicide that will protect your seedlings from fungal diseases.

In the photo: Cabbage seedlings planted in the ground

Cabbage seedlings are planted in tablets with a diameter of at least 4 cm, which are first placed in a deep container and filled with warm water until they are completely swollen. When the tablets have grown 7-8 times, the excess water must be drained, the seeds, 2 pieces at a time, should be placed in the depressions on the surface of the tablets and the holes should be filled with peat. After this, the container with the tablets is placed in a bright place and kept at a temperature of 18-20 ºC until germination. When the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow stronger, cut off a weak seedling at the root of each tablet, but under no circumstances pull it out so as not to damage the roots of a more developed seedling.

Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings in cassettes

You can avoid picking by sowing seeds in cabbage seedling cassettes.

Select a cassette with a depth of at least 7-8 cm with cells of the following sizes:

• for early varieties of cabbage - from 6x6 to 7x8 cm;
• for mid-season varieties – 5x6 cm;
• for later ones – 5x5 cm.

You can fill the cells with one of the substrates we offer and sow two seeds in each, or you can sow cabbage seeds in tablets, and then arrange the tablets in the cells. By the way, if roots begin to grow through the mesh of tablets, you need to transplant the seedlings into a pot along with the tablet. If the tablet is in a cassette cell, simply add substrate to the cell to fill the space.

Cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

Good cabbage seedlings are obtained when grown in a greenhouse, since the sun's rays penetrate well through its transparent coating without causing harm to the seedlings. And moisture from the soil in a greenhouse does not evaporate as quickly as in an apartment, where heating devices operate at full capacity at this time of year. Growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse also has the advantage of that an optimal microclimate for seedlings is created there.

In the photo: Planted cabbage seedlings

Seeds for sowing in a greenhouse must be dry. Early varieties are sown from late March to mid-April, mid-season and late varieties - from the beginning to the end of April.

Make several rows in the garden bed at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other and water them generously, then scatter the seeds into the grooves so that there are no more than 3 seeds per 1 cm². Plant the seeds to a depth of at least 1 and no more than 2 cm.

When the emerging seedlings acquire their first true leaves, it is advisable to treat them with an insecticide against cruciferous flea beetles, and at the stage of development of 4 leaves, in order for the seedlings to form an even stem, add a layer of soil 3-4 cm thick to the bed. Densely sprouted seedlings need to be thinned out, tearing out or cutting off the less developed seedlings at the root, after which the bed must be watered.

Is it worth it to buy cabbage seedlings?

Growing cabbage seedlings is not a Newton binomial, as they say, but if for some reason you could not or did not want to do this, you will have to buy seedlings.

How not to make a mistake in choosing seedlings? Listen to our advice and don't be fooled.

Seedlings are selected according to the following external characteristics:

• the stems of the seedlings should not be light green, as when overfed with nitrogen, but green with a purple tint;
• the root system of seedlings must be well developed;
• do not buy seedlings collected and tied into bunches.

Keep in mind that if the seedlings have round leaves, the heads of cabbage will subsequently also be round or slightly flattened. Seedlings with oval oblong leaves form oblong heads of cabbage. You also need to know that if the stem (the distance from the root collar to the lower leaves) of the seedlings is short, it is a seedling early cabbage, and seedlings of late varieties have a thick and long stem and large leaves.

In the photo: Cabbage seedlings

After purchasing seedlings, pack them in a damp cloth or strong paper, being careful not to squeeze the roots. And keep in mind that if the quality of seedlings can be determined by eye, then you can only find out what kind of variety you purchased from the words of the seller, so buy seedlings not at the market, but at fairs, and only from well-established manufacturers.

Caring for cabbage seedlings at home

Conditions for growing cabbage seedlings

As soon as seedlings appear in the common box, the crops are moved to the most illuminated place, and the temperature is lowered to 10-12 ºC, otherwise the seedlings will begin to stretch out. After a week, the temperature is raised to 15-17 ºC, and after another 3-4 days the seedlings are planted in separate cups or pots. As soon as the seedlings take root after picking, such a temperature regime: during the day – 13-14, and at night – 10-12 ºC. At first, cabbage seedlings grow very slowly, but gradually their growth picks up pace, and three weeks after picking, they will already have three leaves.

Keep in mind that cauliflower seedlings require a temperature 6-8 ºC higher than seedlings of white cabbage and other varieties.

Seedlings grown in tablets or cassettes are not planted; otherwise, the conditions for growing cabbage seedlings are the same as for seedlings grown in a common box. Don't forget to thin out the seedlings leaving one more developed seedling in each container.

Illuminating cabbage seedlings

For normal development, cabbage seedlings need good lighting, and at the end of winter and early spring it dawns late and gets dark early. How to grow cabbage seedlings in short daylight conditions and not allow them to stretch out? It is necessary to install an LED or fluorescent lamp or a phytolamp, which should work at least 12, and preferably 15 hours a day.

Do not use incandescent lamps for artificial lighting - they do not emit the light that plants need, and they also heat the air.

In the photo: Growing cabbage in a box

Watering cabbage seedlings

Cabbage seedlings at home need watering as the top layer of soil dries out. Both insufficient soil moisture and excessive soil moisture are dangerous for seedlings, and in order to avoid having to water the seedlings too often, do not neglect loosening the soil. To moisten the soil, use settled water at room temperature. Be sure to ventilate the room after each watering.

Feeding cabbage seedlings

The cabbage is fed for the first time a week after picking with a solution of 2 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of potassium fertilizer and 4 g of superphosphate in 1 liter of water. Two weeks after the first feeding, you can apply a second one, doubling the amount of fertilizer for the same amount of water. The third fertilizing is applied a day or two before planting on the bed, so it is called hardening: 4 g of superphosphate, 2 g of ammonium nitrate and 6-7 g of potassium fertilizer are dissolved in one liter of water. An increased dose of potassium promotes rapid establishment of seedlings in open ground.

Picking cabbage seedlings (transplantation)

As we have already written, they pick only the cabbage that was sown in a common box. A week and a half after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings are planted in separate pots, watered with a solution of one Alirin-B tablet and one Gamaira tablet in 10 liters of water and for 2-3 days, until the seedlings take root, the room temperature is maintained within 17-18 ºC . The seedlings are buried up to the cotyledon leaves, and the surface of the substrate after planting, in order to prevent blackleg, is covered with a layer of washed river sand 2 mm thick. As soon as the seedlings adapt to the new container, the daytime temperature is reduced to 13-14 ºC, and the night temperature to 10-12 ºC.

Diseases of cabbage seedlings and their treatment

Cabbage seedlings turn yellow

There may be several reasons for this phenomenon. For example, leaves may turn yellow due to a lack of certain elements in the soil: if the seedlings do not have enough phosphorus, the leaves turn yellow on the underside of the plate and may acquire a red-violet hue; from a lack of potassium, the tips of the leaves turn yellow, and if the plant lacks iron, the leaves turn yellow along the entire base.

Yellowness appears and from excess nutrition– seedlings suffer from poisoning from too large doses of fertilizers. To correct the situation, you need to spill the soil with a large amount of water, placing the container so that the water flows out of it freely. As a last resort, you can transplant the seedlings into new soil.

In the photo: Hatched cabbage seedlings

Sometimes yellowness on the leaves appears due to the fact that you added sea sand to the soil mixture, containing salt that poisons root system seedlings. It is necessary to transplant the seedlings into new soil, after first washing their roots with water.

Another reason for yellowing of leaves may be an infection that has entered the soil along with seeds that have not been disinfected before sowing.

Cabbage seedlings are rotting

Most often, rotting of seedlings occurs due to damage by blackleg - a fungal disease that develops against the background of increased acidity and high soil moisture and too high a nitrogen content in it. The causative agent of the disease may be in soil that was not disinfected before sowing. In a diseased seedling, the lower part of the stem first darkens and rots - it becomes watery and turns brown. Then a constriction forms at this place, the seedling dies and lies down. It is necessary to remove all diseased specimens, and spill the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate at the rate of 3-4 g per 10 liters of water, after which do not water the seedlings for a week.

Cabbage seedlings stretch

The main reasons for this phenomenon are lack of light and incorrect temperature conditions. Moreover, seedlings can stretch out even in good lighting, if the planting density is such that the plants literally have to make their way to the light. And this is another argument in favor of sowing seeds in separate containers.

And, of course, the most important factor in the normal development of seedlings is compliance with the recommended temperature regime.

Diseases of cabbage seedlings

In addition to the black leg, cabbage seedlings are affected by Phoma - fungal disease, which is carried by seeds. The development of the disease can be prevented by pre-sowing seed treatment hot water or in strong solution potassium permanganate. Phomosis manifests itself in the formation of black spots on the stems and leaves of growing seedlings, and since it is impossible to save affected plants, I'll have to replant the cabbage.

In the photo: Fake leaves of cabbage seedlings

It affects seedlings of clubroot cabbage - a disease of cruciferous and flower crops. The environment where the pathogen lives is heavy, acidified soil, which is why it is so important to disinfect and lim the soil before sowing. Clubroot affects the root system of plants, as a result of which the seedlings cannot feed on their own and die. Sick seedlings should be destroyed, and the holes that remain after them should be treated with ash or charcoal.

Pests of cabbage seedlings

Sometimes when growing seedlings in a greenhouse, they are affected by the cruciferous flea beetle - worst enemy all cabbage crops. To avoid the unpleasant consequences of a pest attack, carry out preventive treatment of seedlings with a solution of the drug Inta-vir, prepared in accordance with the instructions.

Planting cabbage seedlings

When to plant cabbage seedlings in the ground

A couple of weeks before planting cabbage seedlings in the garden, you need to begin hardening procedures: the seedlings are taken out to open air under the sun's rays - on the balcony, veranda or garden. At first they are kept there for no more than an hour, but the duration of the hardening procedure is increased every day, and by the time they are planted in the ground, the seedlings must spend in the air around the clock.

A week before transplanting to the garden bed, watering the seedlings is reduced, but the seedlings should not be allowed to wither. A day or two before planting, hardening fertilizing with a high potassium content is carried out. Seedlings planted in the garden should be stocky, strong, with 6-8 leaves and a well-developed root system. Early cabbage is planted from late April to early May, mid-season varieties are planted at the end of May or early June, and from mid to late May it is time for late varieties.

How to plant cabbage seedlings in the garden

The area allocated for cabbage should be well lit. The soil needs to be prepared in advance: cleared of weeds and plant debris, dug up, adding 6-8 kg of rotted manure or compost and 100-200 g of wood ash per m².

In the photo: Growing cabbage seedlings in an egg box

White and red cabbage are planted according to the following scheme:

• early varieties and hybrids – 30-35x40-45 cm;
• mid-season cabbage – 50-60x60 cm;
• late varieties - 60-70x70 cm.

After this article they usually read

Cabbage is a favorite tasty and healthy vegetable, which is very popular among gardeners. Cabbage takes important place in our diet, is successfully used in folk medicine. Everyone dreams of growing powerful green heads of cabbage on their land. Experienced gardeners know how to sow cabbage seedlings at home to get a rich harvest.

Each variety of cabbage has its own characteristics. Familiarization with the varietal characteristics will help you make the final choice. Before buying seeds, it is important to decide what kind of cabbage you need: for long-term winter storage, fermentation or just for salads.

Among the varieties of white cabbage, there are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties. Early varieties (Iyunskaya, Skorospelaya, Podarok, Ditmarskaya, Zolotoy hektar, Kazachok F1) have low yields, medium-density small heads weighing up to 1.5 kg.

Already in mid-summer you can enjoy fresh, tender salads made from early cabbage. Mid-season cabbage varieties are suitable for summer consumption and pickling: Amager, Slava, Belorusskaya, Nadezhda, Menza F1. The later ones (Geneva, Turkis, Kolobok, Amager, Zimovka 1474, Aros F1) are well stored fresh for a long time.

Buying quality seeds

The quality of seedlings and cabbage yield primarily depend on the seeds. Therefore, it is worth purchasing only high-quality seed material. Experienced gardeners recommend approaching the process of buying seeds wisely. Having made at least a rough list of what you are going to sow, you can go to the store.

You should only buy seeds from trusted specialized sales points. Only in this case can there be no doubt about the quality of the seed, which was stored in proper conditions and has not lost its germination.

Preparing the soil mixture

To grow strong cabbage seedlings, proper preparation of the soil mixture is required. Experienced gardeners prepare the soil for cabbage seedlings in the fall, but this can be done in early spring.

To prepare a nutritious soil mixture, it is recommended to mix 1 part of humus and turf soil and add 10 tablespoons of ash for every 10 kg of soil. The ash will serve not only as a source of macro- and microelements, but also as an excellent antiseptic that prevents the appearance of blackleg on cabbage seedlings.

A nutritious soil mixture can also be prepared based on peat, mixing it in equal parts with humus and turf soil and adding a small amount of sand.

Before sowing, any substrate must be disinfected. To do this, it is calcined in the oven at a temperature of 200°C for 15 minutes or heated for 5 minutes in a microwave turned on at full power. After cooling, the soil is placed in a container treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, and it is allowed to stand in a warm place for a couple of days so that bacteria beneficial to plants can multiply in the substrate.

To prepare a soil mixture for cabbage seedlings, you cannot use garden soil on which cruciferous crops previously grew: the likelihood of seedlings becoming sick in it increases many times over due to the presence of infections characteristic of cabbage.

How to choose the optimal time for sowing cabbage seedlings?

Determining the specific date for sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings can be difficult, but the approximate dates are known. Early varieties can be sown from the beginning until March 25-28.

The period from March 25 to April 25 is suitable for sowing medium varieties. Late varieties of cabbage are sown for seedlings from the beginning until the 20th of April.

Experienced gardeners give one more hint: To determine the time for sowing cabbage seedlings, it is important to know that about 10 days from the time of sowing passes until the emergence of seedlings and another 50-55 days after that until the time of planting. 60-65 days before the desired planting of seedlings in the ground, it is recommended to sow cabbage for seedlings.

Pre-sowing seed preparation

Before sowing, cabbage seeds are sorted, selecting those smaller than 1.5 mm. Wrapped in a triple layer of gauze, they are placed in a thermos with water (45-50°C) for 15 minutes, and immediately after that they are immersed in cold water for 2 minutes.

The seeds that have undergone water procedures are placed in damp gauze on a saucer and kept at room temperature for 24 hours. Then the seed is stratified at a temperature of 1-2°C in the refrigerator. After this, the cabbage seeds are dried and sown. Thanks to such simple manipulations, it is possible to increase the resistance of cabbage to fungal and other diseases.

You should carefully study the instructions on the packaging of store-bought seeds: often they are completely ready for sowing. Dried and encrusted seeds, painted in different colors, are sown dry without any preparation.

How to sow seeds for seedlings correctly?

Sowing seeds - important stage, which must be approached correctly. Trays or boxes with a depth of 7-10 cm are suitable for cabbage. Cabbage seeds require a lot of water to germinate, so the soil must be well watered with a specially prepared solution a couple of days before sowing: dissolve 2 tablets of Apirin-B and Gamaira in 10 liters of water.

On the day of sowing, grooves are made in a box or tray at a distance of 3 cm from each other and the seeds are placed in them at a distance of 1-1.5 cm, sprinkling the grooves with soil. Then the surface is lightly compacted, the crops are placed on the windowsill and kept at a temperature of 18-20°C. After 4-5 days, shoots usually appear.

The emerging seedlings need to be thinned out, leaving each plant an area of ​​approximately 2x2 cm for feeding. The seedlings sprout after 2 weeks, when they have grown a little.

Plants are planted in cassettes according to a 3x3 cm pattern. When picking, the stem of the seedlings is buried down to the cotyledons. After 2 weeks, the plants from the cassette are transplanted into 5x5 cm pots (plastic, paper or peat). To prevent fungal diseases, cups are treated with a weak solution before picking. copper sulfate light blue color.

Growing cabbage in peat tablets

To prevent the roots of cabbage seedlings from being damaged by picking, they are grown in peat tablets that contain all the nutrients and minerals. Until planting in the garden, cabbage does not require feeding. A mesh impregnated with fungicide protects seedlings from fungal diseases.

Cabbage is planted as seedlings in tablets with a diameter of at least 4 cm. First, they are placed in a deep container, filled with warm water and left to swell.

When the tablets increase in size by 7-8 times, drain the excess water, place 2 seeds in the depressions on the surface of the tablets and fill the holes with peat. A container with tablets placed in a bright place is kept at a temperature of 18-20°C until shoots appear.

After seed germination, the weak seedling in each tablet is cut off at the root, but not pulled out, so as not to damage the roots of the stronger one. If the roots of the plant begin to grow through the mesh of the tablet, it is recommended to transplant the seedlings along with the tablet into a pot.

How to get seedlings without picking?

To avoid picking, cabbage seeds are planted in cassettes with a depth of at least 7-8 cm, the cells of which should have the following dimensions:

• from 6x6 to 7x8 cm for early varieties;
• 5x6 cm for mid-season varieties;
• 5x5 cm - for later ones.

Having filled the cells with substrate, 2 seeds are sown in each of them. You can first sow the seeds into tablets, then placing them in cells. If roots begin to grow through the mesh of the tablet located in the cell of the cassette, simply add a substrate to it, filling the space.

It is better to initially sow cabbage in separate pots if you do not want to pick it. The root system of plants growing in separate pots has a large volume; they are planted on permanent place in a more gentle way.

Growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

Good cabbage seedlings can be grown in a greenhouse. The sun's rays penetrate through the transparent coating and do not harm the seedlings. In a greenhouse it is not as fast as in an apartment with working heating devices, moisture evaporates from the soil. Another advantage of growing seedlings in a greenhouse is that it creates a microclimate that is optimal for seedlings.

To sow in a greenhouse, the seeds must be dry. From the end of March until mid-April, the time for sowing early varieties begins; late and mid-season varieties are sown throughout April. Make several furrows in the garden bed at a distance of 15-20 cm and water them abundantly. Seeds are scattered into the grooves at the rate of no more than 3 pieces per 1 sq. cm. The depth of seeding is 1-2 cm.

To protect against cruciferous flea beetles, after the first true leaves appear on the seedlings, it is advisable to treat them with an insecticide. To ensure the formation of an even stem in seedlings, at the stage of development of 4 leaves, it is recommended to add a layer of soil 3-4 cm thick to the bed. It is recommended to thin out seedlings that have sprouted very densely, cutting off at the root or tearing out weaker seedlings. After this, the bed must be watered.

How to care?

Proper care - necessary condition for growing cabbage seedlings. This plant cannot be called capricious, but errors in care can cause slow growth, disease and even death of seedlings.

Lighting

At home, cabbage is not enough for ordinary cabbage daylight. In order for the seedlings to grow stocky and strong, it is necessary to supplement them with light. At a height of 20-25 cm above the seedlings, install a luminescent or LED lamp or phytolamp. They must work 12-15 hours a day. Incandescent lamps are not suitable for artificial lighting, as they heat the air, and the light emanating from them is not suitable for plants.

Watering

At home, cabbage seedlings are watered when they dry out. upper layer soil. Both insufficient and excessive moisture are dangerous for seedlings. To prevent seedlings from having to be watered too often, do not neglect loosening the soil. Moisten the soil with settled water at room temperature. After each watering, it is recommended to ventilate the room.

Temperature

When growing cabbage seedlings, it is important to control the air temperature in the room. Before emergence, the optimal temperature is 18-20°C. When shoots appear, the temperature is reduced to 15-17°C during the day and 8-10°C at night. Such differences in day and night temperatures help strengthen the seedlings and prevent them from stretching. For cauliflower seedlings, you need to maintain the temperature 5-7°C higher.

After a week, raise the temperature to 15-17°C. After 3-4 days, the seedlings are planted in separate pots or cups. For seedlings that have taken root after picking, it is recommended to set the following temperature regime: 13-14°C during the day and 10-12°C at night. Cabbage seedlings grow very slowly at first, but over time they pick up the pace and 3 weeks after picking they already form 3 leaves.

Top dressing

When growing cabbage seedlings, do not forget that young plants during the seedling period require a balanced set of nutrients supplied in the most easily accessible form. Approximately 7-9 days after picking, the first feeding should be carried out.

To prepare the fertilizer, it is recommended to dissolve 4 g of superphosphate and 2 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium fertilizers in 1 liter of water. To feed 5-6 dozen plants, 1 liter of nutrient solution will be enough. First, young seedlings need to be watered so as not to burn the roots, and only then fed.

After 2 weeks after the first feeding, the second is carried out. To prepare a nutrient solution, use the same fertilizers, doubling their amount per liter of water. If the cabbage seedlings have turned a little yellow, they are fed with fermented slurry.

A few days before planting cabbage in the ground, a third (hardening) fertilizing is carried out. To 1 liter of water add 5 g of superphosphate, 3 g of ammonium nitrate, 8 g of potassium fertilizers. An increased dose of potassium fertilizers helps seedlings to take root better in open ground. For feeding, you can use a ready-made complex liquid fertilizer"Kemira Lux".

Hardening

Hardening of seedlings promotes the development of the root system and ensures high survival rate. They begin to harden cabbage seedlings 10 days before planting in the ground. In the first few days in a room with seedlings, it is enough to open the window for a couple of hours.

Over the next few days, the seedlings are placed on a balcony, loggia or veranda in direct sunlight for 2-3 hours. To prevent young plants from being burned by the bright spring sun, shade them slightly with gauze.

On the sixth day of hardening, they begin to reduce watering, preventing the soil from drying out, and take the seedlings out to the balcony, where they will remain until they are planted in the ground. Before planting, the seedlings are thoroughly watered.

Planting cabbage seedlings in a garden bed

By the time of planting in the garden, the seedlings should be strong, stocky, have 4-5 leaves and a well-developed root. Early cabbage is planted in late April and early May, mid-season varieties are planted in late May or early July, and late varieties are planted throughout May.

The soil in the area allocated for cabbage is prepared in advance: it is cleared of plant debris and weeds, dug up and a mixture of 6-8 kg of rotted manure and 100-200 g of wood ash is added to each square meter.

For varieties and hybrids of white and red cabbage, the following planting scheme is recommended:

• early - 30-35 cm (distance between plants in a row) x 40-45 cm (row spacing);
• mid-season - 50-60x60;
• late ones - 60-70x70.

To ripen the main heads, broccoli is planted according to the scheme 20-30x50-60, and for the development of side shoots - 40-45x60. For Brussels sprouts seedlings, a 60-70x70 planting pattern is used. Cauliflower can be planted according to the pattern 20-30x50x60 or in a checkerboard pattern 30-40 cm apart.

It is recommended to plant cabbage on a cloudy day. Dig holes in the garden bed and pour at least 1 liter of water into each. Seedlings taken from the container with a lump of earth are laid out in the holes, buried down to the first true pair of leaves and watered. For the first few days, the seedlings will need to be protected from direct sunlight and sprayed with water after 17:00.

There are two ways to grow cabbage - by planting seeds directly in the garden and by seedlings, when seedlings first grow at home or in a greenhouse. But sowing immediately in open ground is possible only with the onset of warm weather, so this option is suitable only for varieties of early and medium ripening (late ones will not have time to form a harvest). However, early cabbage is often planted specifically to quickly produce heads of cabbage, so it is also grown in seedlings.

Growing cabbage seedlings

To navigate the planting and harvesting dates of cabbage, you need to know the ripening times of different varieties:

• early varieties ripen 45–60 days after planting seedlings in open ground, or 75–100 days after planting seeds;
• medium varieties ripen 120–150 days after sowing the seeds;
• Late varieties from the first germination of seeds to a fully marketable head of cabbage grow from 150 to 180 days.

The early cabbage harvest will be ready 75–100 days after sowing the seeds

Timing for planting seedlings

The timing of planting cabbage seeds for seedlings is calculated “from the reverse”, that is, from the approximate timing of planting in the garden. Seedlings from warm rooms can be moved to open ground when the temperature outside reaches 10–12 o C (at night - 5–8 o C). In the central regions this is the end of April - mid-May. Early cabbage seedlings can be planted at the age of 30–40 days, medium cabbage – 40–45 days, late cabbage – 45–55 days.

Newly planted but hardened seedlings can withstand short-term frosts down to -1°C. Seedlings that have taken root and started to grow can withstand short-term frosts down to -3°C. And an adult plant in the fall is not afraid of cold temperatures down to -8°C.

In the central regions, cabbage seedlings are planted in the garden at the end of April - mid-May

Capacities

There are two ways to grow seedlings:

• with a pick;
• without picking.

Picking is an additional transplant of seedlings into larger pots, usually with pinching of the roots. Initially, the seeds are planted densely, with a distance of 4–5 cm between rows and 1–2 cm between plants. To do this, use boxes or trays. This method allows you to significantly save scarce warm and bright space in the apartment. Then it gets warmer outside, and many people have the opportunity to plant seedlings and continue to grow them on unheated balconies, verandas, greenhouses or greenhouses.

Best to use wooden boxes. The tree allows air and excess moisture to pass through well, but at the same time it swells and prevents the soil from drying out quickly, providing a favorable regime for growth.

It is better to grow cabbage seedlings in wooden boxes

Sealed plastic boxes must have drainage and holes in the bottom for drainage excess moisture. You also need to carefully monitor the condition of the soil. Overwatering can lead to water stagnation and root rot; underwatering will inhibit growth.

When growing seedlings without picking, each seed is planted not in a common box, but in a separate container with a volume of soil from 100 to 300 g. A variety of containers are used:

• plastic cups;
• trimmed packs of dairy products;
• special cassette pallets with cells starting from 100 g.

If you decide to do without picking, then the seedlings are grown in a separate container with a soil volume of 100 to 300 g

Priming

There are dozens of recipes for making soil from different components:

• turf land;
• garden land;
• peat;
• manure or compost humus;
• forest humus;
• sand

The proportions can be very different. For example:

• 2 parts of garden land;
• 1 part of turf land;
• 0.5 parts peat;
• 0.1 part sand;

• 2 parts of garden land;
• 1 part forest, compost or manure humus.

Quarry (mountain) coarse-grained clean sand can make the soil a little looser. And silty river or clay, on the contrary, will stick the soil together. Sand in the soil should not be more than 10%. It has no nutritional value and merely serves as a neutral filler.

In any case, it is better to take garden soil as a basis - approximately the same soil in which the plant will grow. In principle, you can completely use only garden soil if it is loose chernozem, structural (crumbly) loam or humus-rich sandstone. Humus and peat are added to improve heavy and poor soils, as well as to make the soil more loose and breathable.

Stores also sell ready-made soil mixtures. There is only one requirement - the soil must be loose, free-flowing, and breathable. After watering, when drying, it should not become hard, which often happens due to excess clay. Fertility requirements are low; the plant does not stay in this soil for long. And it’s even better if in the garden it turns out to be more good conditions- then the cabbage can more easily withstand the stress of transplantation and immediately begins to grow. In addition, excessively fertile soil can lead to the fact that the seedlings begin to “fatten” (drive green mass), and after transplanting, the root system will immediately not be able to provide such a volume of greenery with nutrients, and part of the lower foliage will inevitably die.

You can buy soil for seedlings or make it yourself

The quality of any soil will be significantly improved by adding wood ash to the mixture at the rate of 0.5 liters per 10 liters of mixture. Ash does not contain nitrogen; it disintegrates when wood burns. But the full set of all nutrients accumulated by the tree over the years of growth is preserved.

Any soil can contain pathogens that are dangerous to cabbage. Therefore, to be on the safe side, the soil before planting can be disinfected in different ways:

• pour boiling water over the soil in the container;
• spill with a pink solution of potassium permanganate or a 0.3–1% solution of hydrogen peroxide;
• roasted in ovens.

There are no products that destroy only pathogenic microflora and do not affect beneficial ones. Any disinfectant and antiseptic does not selectively destroy all microflora. But there are preparations that can populate the cultivated land with colonies of microorganisms beneficial to plants (for example, Fitosporin, Baikal).

Seed preparation

Cabbage seeds germinate without problems; they do not need to be soaked before planting. But there is a risk of infection with pathogenic microflora, which can then damage the plant. Therefore, to eliminate this risk, seeds can be disinfected by immersing them in one of the solutions for 20–30 minutes:

• pink manganese solution;
• 3% hydrogen peroxide solution;
• hot water with an initial temperature of about 50 o C.

To increase the energy of seedlings, the seeds can be soaked in a biostimulant according to this folk recipe: three crushed cloves of garlic are poured hot water with a temperature not exceeding 50°C. The seeds are kept in the solution for about 30 minutes.

Among the stimulants industrial production the drugs Energia, Epin, HB 101 and others are known. They are used not only for soaking seeds, but also during the growth process (according to the instructions).

Store-bought seeds can be processed. Information about this can be read on the packaging or asked from the seller. Also they are always different bright color. Such seeds are planted immediately without preparation.

Treated seeds can be of different colors

Planting cabbage seeds

Algorithm of actions:

1. The soil is poured into the container so that it is at least 1 cm below the sides (otherwise water will leak out when watering). Plastic cassettes with cells are filled to the top, because they, as a rule, already have a small volume, and when watering, water spreads over adjacent cells.

   The soil is poured into the container so that it is at least 1 cm below the sides

2. In a separate container, holes are made in the ground with a depth of 1.5–2 cm. In the boxes, grooves are made of the same depth. If the seedlings become dense, plant them more densely - 2–3 cm between rows and 1–2 cm between plants. If the seedlings will grow in a box before planting in the garden, plant less often - 6–7 cm between rows and 5–6 cm between plants.
3. If the soil is too dry, moisten it.
4. After planting, sprinkle with loose soil so that the seeds are at a depth of about 1–1.5 cm.

   Cabbage seeds are sown to a depth of 1–1.5 cm

5. The earth is watered from a small watering can or plastic bottle, in the plug of which holes are made. Use warm water that has been left at room temperature to saturate it with oxygen for at least several hours. Watering with a direct, powerful stream can compact the soil and wash away the seeds.
6. After watering, the seedlings are covered until the first shoots different materials. Newsprint can be placed directly on the ground. It is light and will not be able to crush the seedlings. Heavier cardboard, plywood, plastic or glass are placed on the sides of the container. Under shelter, the soil and air retain moisture better, and this improves germination. The soil under newspaper dries out faster than under other materials, but it makes it easier to control soil moisture. If the newspaper is dry, water it directly over it 1-2 times a day (more often in the sun, less often in cloudy weather).
7. The soil must be constantly moist; when it dries out, watering is needed. At room temperature, seedlings appear on the 3rd–5th day.

   At room temperature, cabbage shoots will appear on the 3rd–5th day

Sometimes containers with seedlings are covered or covered with film. This creates greenhouse conditions (stable humidity and elevated temperature) and will speed up germination by 1–2 days. But a nursery covered with transparent glass and film can very quickly overheat under the sun, especially at room temperature. Therefore, transparent shelters should not be airtight; they leave gaps of 2–3 cm on both sides, and holes can be made in the film.

Video: cabbage seedlings on the windowsill

Sprout care

When the first shoots appear in the shape of a loop, any coverings are immediately removed. After the bulk of the seeds have sprouted, the seedlings need to be cooled.. When it is not possible to open the window, it is taken to a bright, colder room or outside, if the weather permits. At a temperature of 3–5 o C, the seedlings are cooled for 4–5 hours, at 10–14 o C - 8–10 hours.

Cool the seedlings once so that they do not stretch and receive the first hardening.

During the growth process, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Water the seedlings in the morning, evening or afternoon in cloudy weather when there is no sun.

Cabbage, unlike nightshades, can also be watered over the foliage.

Cabbage requires moisture, but excessive waterlogging can destroy it.. This is possible in sealed plastic boxes, where water collects at the bottom even when the top layer dries out. This is not a problem if the root system is shallow, but it will affect it when the roots reach the water at the bottom.

Overmoistening can be determined by the following signs:

• the plant suddenly and clearly stops growing;
• the leaves acquire a red-violet color.

Cabbage acquires the same color outdoors from light frosts and long cold spells. But in open ground with normal humidity, this can be considered a good sign that the seedlings have hardened and become resistant to cold.

Top dressing

There is no need to strive for the seedlings to grow a powerful green mass. Large leaves give a good presentation, but immediately after replanting, some of them will still dry out. Small seedlings take root easier.

The green mass of the plant grows rapidly in excessive heat and with abundant amounts of nitrogen. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizing may be required only if the soil for the seedlings was selected extremely poorly - too poor, which will manifest itself as a clear retardation in growth. For example, fresh sawdust take nitrogen from the soil.

If in seedling soil there is more than 10% fresh sawdust, then the plants will be pale and underdeveloped. The same can happen when using high-moor peat - its nitrogen content is about 3% (5 times lower than in low-lying peat).

In case of nitrogen deficiency, 3–4 g of ammonium nitrate or urea are diluted in 1 liter of water, and fed 1–2 times during the entire growth period. When makingin wood ash soil the plant is almost guaranteed to grow healthy and strong. If such an amount of ash (0.5 liters per 10 liters of soil) could not be found during soil preparation, you can get by with a small amount when fertilizing. 1 tbsp. l. The ashes are diluted in 1 liter of water and allowed to brew for 2–3 days. Carry out 2-3 feedings with a break of 7-9 days.

Temperature conditions

Ideal conditions for the growth of young cabbage seedlings are 18–20 o C. At this temperature, seedlings appear already on the 3rd–4th day. Although you need to know that the seeds will germinate at a temperature of only 1–3 o C, they will take longer to germinate. For mature seedlings (from the age of 3–4 weeks and older), cooler air is favorable - 15–18 o C.

Cabbage seedlings will grow both at 5 o C and at 25 o C. Therefore, growth can be controlled by temperature. If it grows too rapidly, forms fluffy, pampered leaves, and overgrows, development can be stopped by growing it in a cool place, for example, at 10–15 o C. Temperatures above 25 o C have a bad effect on plants both indoors and outdoors in summer. Excessive heat causes cabbage to wilt, slow down its development, and the lower leaves may fall off.

There are three ways to lower the temperature on the windowsill:

• cover the battery under the windowsill with a blanket;
• open the window;
• on a sunny day, cover the glass with paper or newspaper to avoid direct sunlight, overheating and drying out the soil.

When shading, we must not forget that cabbage is very demanding of light, especially at first. Due to its lack, the seedlings will begin to stretch, and this elongation will affect the growth period in the form of a stump that is too long or twisted. Therefore, shading should only be done in direct sunlight in clear weather. A piece of non-woven covering material or paper is best. Cabbage is a “cloudy sky” crop. She loves diffused light, grows well and produces heads of cabbage in cloudy weather, and noticeably worse on sunny, hot days.

Picking

Transplantation (picking) from boxes can be carried out approximately 18–20 days after germination, when the plant forms 3 or more true leaves and it becomes cramped in the boxes when planted tightly. There is no need to pick cabbage from a separate container. Picked seedlings are grown:

• on loggias and balconies;
• in the garden under the simplest shelters;
• in greenhouses;
• outside, if the night frosts have passed.

The simplest shelter is suitable for pickled seedlings and for planting seeds directly into the ground

Before picking, the soil is shed generously so that the roots come out easily and without damage. To pry off the spine, use any flat and thin object at hand - a knife, the handle of a spoon, or wood chips of a suitable size.

The planting interval when planting in boxes, greenhouses or racks is about 7 cm between rows and 5–6 cm between plants. You can also dive into a separate container with a volume of soil of about 300 g.

To carefully remove the plant from the ground, use a small spatula or other convenient object when picking.

Hardening

A greenhouse plant that didn't know street conditions, always very tender. Therefore, it is advisable to harden the cabbage before planting. The first hardening is carried out under close supervision. It is in the first hours and even minutes that a greenhouse plant outside can suffer from strong wind, cold and direct sun.

If a plant finds itself in too harsh conditions, it can take on the appearance of being burned before our eyes. Therefore, at the first signs of damage, the seedlings are immediately brought back, and hardening is repeated under milder conditions - in the shade, calm, or when it gets warmer.

Seedlings that have been hardened for several hours can already be considered significantly adapted. And they continue to harden without such close control. A quick inspection every few hours is sufficient.

Planting in open ground

It is not advisable to grow seedlings for more than 50–55 days. Plants older than this age find it difficult to take root. Transplantation may be delayed by weather conditions. But you need to remember that cabbage is a fairly cold-resistant plant.

There is no need to delay planting seedlings, 55 days is the deadline

It is better to plant in cloudy weather, and if in clear weather, then in the evening. Immediately after planting, the foliage may become sluggish and lie down, but if the central shoot soon begins to grow, it means that the seedlings have successfully taken root.

Cabbage is planted at different intervals depending on the variety:

• early - 50 x 50 cm or 70 x 30 cm;
• mid-season - 60 x 60 cm or 80 x 40 cm;
• late - 70 x 70 cm or 80 x 50 cm.

The predecessors of white cabbage can be almost any crop, except related ones from the cruciferous family - radishes, turnips, radishes, and other types of cabbage. After them, common pests and diseases may remain in the soil.

Care errors and diseases of cabbage seedlings

IN indoors plants cannot be damaged by frost, severe weather conditions, or pathogenic microflora. Therefore, problems with seedling growth can occur solely for the following reasons:

• lack of light;
• planting too thick;
• unsuitable temperature (above 25–28 o C);
• improper watering: rotting of roots due to stagnation of water or, conversely, constant drying out of the soil;
• absolutely unsuitable soil;
• inappropriate dosage or composition of feeding.

If these errors are absent, the seedlings develop fully. But if pathogenic microflora is in the seedling soil or transmitted with the seeds, it can harm the seedlings if they are constantly waterlogged. Therefore, at the first signs of growth disturbance, watering is stopped and the crops are dried in the sun, using a fan or an infrared lamp.

Sand that is dried and heated in a frying pan and scattered over the soil also dries and disinfects the soil well.

In addition to drying, pasthenia is dusted with wood ash or sprayed with a 0.3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. This general techniques, which can stop the development of the disease if it has not had time to develop deep into the plant tissues. If the disease progresses, use special means for fighting, for example, Previkur. To prevent diseases, use Fitosporin (according to instructions).

Window sill with sunny side- this is the most valuable and scarce area for growing seedlings in the early stages. It is quite possible to grow cabbage seedlings there, but it is often too warm there. And it is more rational to use this place for heat-loving crops - peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, which should be planted in February. And cabbage can be planted with seeds at the end of March - beginning of April in unheated greenhouses or simple shelters, under arcs made of glass reinforcement or wire, covered with a transparent film. In clear weather, the sun warms up such enclosed areas to 20 o C and higher, even if it is frosty outside. And at night, in case of prolonged cold weather, the shelters are covered with an additional layer of non-woven covering material, fabric or other warm material at hand.

Planting cabbage seedlings - it would seem, what could be simpler? But to grow good seedlings cabbage at home, and therefore to reap a high harvest, you need to know all the details and nuances of sowing and growing the crop.

Variety of cabbage types Requirements for growing conditions for seedlings It will not be possible to grow good cabbage seedlings in apartments, since the conditions here are not suitable for them. She needs a lot light, coolness and high humidity air. In residential premises, it will not be possible to fulfill any of these conditions, so seedlings grown in an apartment (or house) are frail, pale and thin. It is often affected by blackleg. Light. All types of cabbage are very light-loving. Seedlings should be planted in a bright, sunny place. Even in light partial shade, plants begin to stretch out and lie down. Warm. Cabbage needs coolness during the seedling period. For normal development, the desired temperature during the day is no more than 18°C ​​(optimal 13-15°C), at night - +5-8°C. Seedlings can withstand frosts down to -4°C (except for broccoli and cauliflower). When growing cabbage seedlings, high air humidity. In dry air, the seedling stem dries out under the cotyledon leaves, and this very often leads to blackleg disease. The soil. The crop is demanding on soil fertility. It does not tolerate acidic soils. It requires a neutral and slightly alkaline reaction environment (pH 6-7.5) (except for Brussels sprouts, which can also grow on soil with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 5.3-6.0)). The soil should be rich in organic matter or well fertilized. Watering. All species require abundant watering during the growing season. Plants are watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. Savoy cabbage seedlings at an older age can tolerate short-term drying out of the soil, although this is extremely undesirable. In cauliflower, if you allow the slightest drying out of the soil at an early age, very small heads will later form. Seedlings of different types of cabbage Cabbage happens: cabbage (white and red cabbage); Savoy; broccoli; colored; kohlrabi; Brussels sprouts; leafy; decorative All types of cabbage are grown through seedlings. It is not advisable to grow it without seedlings, although it is possible. When transplanted, plants develop a very powerful root system, which significantly increases the yield. There are white and red cabbage of all colors - from dark burgundy to purple. It is very cold-resistant - seedlings can withstand frosts down to -4°C. When planting cabbage seedlings, it needs to create cool conditions with plenty of light. Red cabbage is intended for fresh consumption. White cabbage, depending on the variety, can be used both for salads and for processing. Varieties of cabbage are early, medium and late. Early varieties. Ripening time is 85-100 days. Early varieties are mainly used fresh. They are unsuitable for long-term storage and fermentation. Early varieties are grown in the southern regions. Seeds are sown for seedlings in late February - early March, they ripen in June. In the middle zone and further north, growing early cabbage does not make sense. It can be sown for seedlings in these regions only at the end of March, or even at the beginning of April. It will ripen by the end of July, when mid-ripening varieties are ready. Therefore, here it is either not grown at all, or grown like mid-season cabbage. Mid-season varieties. It takes 110-130 days from germination to readiness. Universal cabbage: suitable for processing and fresh use. Shelf life: 3 to 5 months. The timing of sowing cabbage seedlings varies. In the south, sowing is carried out in early April, in the middle zone they are sown in two periods: in early April to obtain an early harvest, and in late April-early May, then the heads of cabbage will be ready by September. Late varieties. It takes 140-160 days until technical ripeness. The shelf life of these varieties is very high (6-9 months). Immediately after harvesting, it is unsuitable for fermentation, since the processes of accumulation of nutrients continue to proceed intensively. If you ferment it too early, it will be tasteless and soft. You can salt and ferment it 3-4 months after harvesting. IN northwestern region, in the north of Siberia, sowing of seedlings is carried out in early April. In the middle zone and to the south you can sow at the end of the month, it will grow until the end of October. Harvest the heads of cabbage after the first frost. This is also cabbage, but its leaves are delicate, corrugated, and very beautiful. The heads of cabbage are looser and lighter in color than those of the white cabbage. Cabbage has an excellent delicate taste. The ripening period is 100-120 days. This cabbage is planted for seedlings in early to mid-April. Late varieties can be planted in early May and left in the garden until frost. Savoy cabbage is as cold-resistant as white cabbage, can withstand frost and, unlike white cabbage, can tolerate short-term lack of watering. Broccoli It is the predecessor of cauliflower. During breeding work, cauliflower was obtained from it. Differs from the latter by green or purple heads of various shades. Most modern varieties the head is divided by leaves, while in the colored one it is dense, without leaves. Broccoli takes a long time to grow. The ripening period of early varieties is 110-120 days, medium - 130-140 days, late - more than 150 days. Therefore, of the late varieties in the middle zone and to the north, only the most early-growing varieties are grown, whose growing season does not exceed 150-155 days. In the southern regions, in the south of Siberia, the latest varieties do well; their growing period is 180-190 days. Seedlings are planted in April. Late varieties in the middle zone are planted at the beginning of the month, then early and middle ones at the end of April. In the southern regions, broccoli is sown in mid-March; the order is not so important here. The seedlings do not tolerate frost, so normal height the temperature should not be lower than 11-12°C. During prolonged cold weather during the seedling period (2-5°C), the head does not set during further growth. The most heat-loving of all cabbages. During the seedling period, it requires a temperature of at least 14-16°C during the day and at least 8°C at night. Now varieties have been bred with heads of different colors: from yellow to purple. Cauliflower seedlings are planted at the end of April. In the southern regions you can plant earlier - in mid-March. But if the temperature for seedlings is no higher than 5°C for 10-15 days, then when ripe the head quickly crumbles or becomes loose. Therefore, if necessary, cauliflower seedlings are additionally insulated. Early cabbage. The period from germination to readiness is 65-70 days. The plant is cold-resistant, tolerates frosts down to -4°C and prolonged low positive temperatures (2-4°C). This does not affect the quality of the harvest. Seedlings are planted in late March - early April, in the south at the beginning of March. You can plant at several times to get a harvest all summer long. Brussels Brussels sprouts, like cauliflower and broccoli, take a very long time to grow. Early varieties technical ripeness requires 130 days, late varieties require at least 170, which is why such varieties are grown only in the southern regions. In the center and to the north, early and mid-season varieties are cultivated. Cabbage is unpretentious. The seedlings can withstand light frosts. Sowing of seeds is carried out in early April. Kale The earliest ripening of all cabbages. The harvest is harvested after 50-60 days. This cabbage does not set heads and looks like a giant salad. Cold resistant and unpretentious plant. To grow seedlings, sowing is carried out at the end of March. Can be planted in several stages. This species is also grown through seedlings. It can even be eaten, but its leaves are tasteless and hard. Used in landscaping. It is unpretentious, cold-resistant, tolerates frosts down to -4°C, and can be replanted at any age. Seedlings are planted from early April to early May. Varieties and hybrids Hybrids more demanding to care for than varieties. The slightest deviation from growing conditions reduces the yield. Hybrids need slightly alkaline soil (pH 6.7-7.5) rather than neutral soil; they grow much better on it. In addition, they need soil rich in humus and constant fertilizing. Violation of the irrigation regime reduces product quality by 30-50%. Summer heat also reduces the quality of hybrids. But the hybrids ripen together, yield and taste at proper care noticeably higher than that of the varieties. Varieties not so picky about growing conditions. They can more easily tolerate minor errors in care. Intense heat with abundant watering does not have such a strong effect on the products. However, the ripening period of the varieties is quite extended and the taste of the products is not always at its best. How to grow cabbage seedlings Full-fledged cabbage seedlings can only be grown in a greenhouse or on a warm veranda, glazed on three sides. Home conditions are evil for plants. It's too dark, dry and hot for them. An insulated balcony facing south is more suitable. But it may be too cold there at night and the plants will have to be brought into the house, where it is quite hot and dry. Sharp fluctuations in temperature and humidity are very harmful to the crop. In apartment conditions, cabbage seedlings are severely affected by blackleg. A greenhouse is a different matter. It has all the conditions for normal growth. The polycarbonate greenhouse is already quite well heated in March, the ground has thawed, and the temperature in it will be 15-18°C. IN warm days it is left open, closing only at night. Humidity can also be easily adjusted by moistening the soil. In a greenhouse, plants are much less affected by blackleg. If there is no polycarbonate greenhouse, then you need to plant the crop for seedlings in a film greenhouse. Preparing soil for growing seedlings at home The soil for the crop should be rich in nutrients, loose with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. In a greenhouse, the soil, as a rule, meets these requirements; it is loose and well fertilized. In the fall, organic matter is usually added to the closed ground (semi-rotted manure, compost, leaf soil, etc.), so there is no need to additionally fertilize the soil before planting cabbage. The only thing is that if the soil is acidic, add ash, chalk, gypsum or any other lime fertilizer. It can be applied immediately before sowing the seeds, embedded in the soil, since the crop responds positively to lime. Fresh manure must not be introduced The crop does not like it; in addition, such fertilizer provokes an increase in the number of pests. Store-bought soils are not suitable for plants. The peat they contain gives an acidic reaction; moreover, it completely and quickly absorbs moisture from the ground, and the plants will suffer from a lack of water. When purchasing soils, you should always look at the composition of the soil mixture: its reaction should be neutral, and it should contain a minimum amount of peat. If there is no acceptable option, then ash or chalk is added to the purchased soil mixture. The reaction of the medium is checked using litmus paper. The best option is to prepare the soil mixture yourself. To do this, take equal parts of turf soil and humus. Any of the components can be replaced with garden soil taken from a greenhouse, from under carrots, onions, but not from beds where cruciferous vegetables grew (cabbage of any kind, radishes, radishes, turnips). If the soil at the dacha is acidic, then add ash; if it is alkaline, do not add ash. A complete complex fertilizer is added to the soil mixture. The finished soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin to destroy blackleg spores, and placed in a warm place for 2-3 days. Preparing seeds for sowing Cabbage sprouts very well and quickly, so there is no need to soak the seeds or treat them with growth stimulants. To prevent blackleg during the seedling period, the seeds are kept for 30 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. After this, they are dried and sowed. Sowing cabbage seeds In a greenhouse, the crop is sown in pre-diluted furrows to a depth of 2-3 cm with a distance between seeds of 3-4 cm, between furrows of 4-6 cm. If at night subzero temperature, then the crops are covered with film. Seeds are sown in boxes in the same way. Then the box is covered with film and put in a cool, dark place. If the temperature on the balcony at night is positive, then a box with crops can be placed there. Broccoli and cauliflower should be grown separately, since these varieties are more heat-loving and are not always comfortable where all other types grow well. At home, they are grown in a separate box; in a greenhouse, they are planted in the center, where there are no drafts and warmer than near the door. Shoots appear very quickly: at temperatures above 16°C already on the third day, at 8-12°C - after 5-6 days. Kale, unlike other species, does not tolerate transplantation well. Therefore, it is often planted directly into the ground. The crops are covered with film or lutarsil. The time for planting cabbage in this case is the end of April. The time for planting in the greenhouse is the end of March - beginning of April. Kale can be planted at the same time as lettuce (late April-early May); it can also be sown for seedlings in mid-May. Then this species will produce crops all summer. Caring for cabbage seedlings As soon as the first shoots appear, the seedlings are placed in a cool but bright place. If it grows indoors, then during the day the greenhouse door is opened so that the plants do not get too hot. On cold nights they are covered with film, but if light frosts are predicted, then if the greenhouse is covered, the crop need not be covered. The exception is broccoli and the colored variety. They are always covered with film or insulated. Watering Plants constantly need moist, but not waterlogged soil. Watering is carried out as the soil dries. If the soil is wet to the touch, but does not stick to your hands, you need watering; if it sticks, then there is enough moisture in the soil. Typically, plants in a greenhouse are watered 2-3 times a week, in apartments - 3-5 times. The lower the temperature, the less often watering is carried out. The crop does not tolerate dry soil very well during the seedling period. It is unacceptable for the lower part of the stem to dry out. If it has dried out, this is a sign of an incipient black leg. Such specimens are immediately removed, the remaining plants are hilled up, and the soil is spilled with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Temperature When grown, the crop prefers low temperatures(8-12°C), except for broccoli and cauliflower varieties, which require more heat for normal growth. If these species are exposed to low positive temperatures (4-6°C) for 10-14 days, there will be no harvest. At home, seedling boxes are placed next to the glass and, if possible, taken out to glass balcony. If the nights are warm, then the seedlings are left there, bringing them indoors only on cold nights. When grown in a greenhouse, it is regularly ventilated by opening doors and windows throughout the day. If broccoli and the colored variety are grown in the same greenhouse, then they are covered with lutarsil. Light There is enough light for plants in the greenhouse. There is often not enough light in the apartment, therefore, to increase illumination, a mirror or foil is placed on the windowsill behind the seedling boxes. This technique allows you to increase the illumination of plants in the apartment several times, thanks to which the seedlings develop well and do not lie down. Humidity The crop needs high humidity during the seedling period. In a greenhouse, you can increase the humidity by watering the seedlings and the soil around them. This is much more difficult to do indoors. To maintain sufficient moisture, plants are regularly sprayed. You can place a saucer of water on the windowsill and screen the plants from the surrounding room with blinds. Then a microclimate with humidity acceptable for the crop is created on the window. When the humidity in the room is low, the crop becomes infected with blackleg very easily. Feeding Cabbage needs feeding from the very beginning of cultivation. As soon as two true leaves appear, the plants begin to be fed. Most of all, seedlings need nitrogen and potassium, but you need to be careful with nitrogen. Excessive use of it leads to increased growth, as a result of which the plants become lodged and weakened. In addition, seedlings from the very early age begins to accumulate nitrates. Fertilizing is carried out once a week, combining it with watering. They use Uniflor-Bud, Agricola, and a special fertilizer “for cabbage.” Uniflor-Rost can be used in a greenhouse, but not often, since nitrogen predominates in it. Kemira of all types is not used for fertilizing on acidic soils, since it acidifies the soil, and this causes a slowdown in the growth of seedlings and leads to their disease. In regions where the soil is alkaline, it is used in greenhouses. Kemira cannot be used at home, since even alkaline soils quickly acidify under its influence. Broccoli and cauliflower seedlings additionally need microelements, so before planting in a permanent place they are fed 2 times with microfertilizers: Uniflor-Micro, Sizam, Oracle or ash infusion. Picking seedlings Any cabbage should be grown with a pick (except for leafy cabbage, which can be grown by planting it immediately in a permanent place, although it is better to pick it). When sowing directly into the ground, the plant root system does not develop enough, and the yield is significantly reduced. The culture is picked in the phase of 2 true leaves. The plants are planted in separate containers; in the greenhouse, planting is carried out at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other, burying the seedlings in the soil up to the cotyledon leaves. When picking, the cabbage's root system begins to develop strongly, which subsequently increases the feeding area and increases the yield. Seedlings take root easily and quickly. After picking, the plants are shaded for 1-2 days. When will it appear new leaf, this means that the seedlings have taken root and need to resume feeding. Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out when the plants have 4-5 true leaves. Kale The only one of all who does not tolerate picking well. After the seedlings have grown, they are planted in a permanent place, being careful not to damage the roots. If planting is unsuccessful, kale blooms almost immediately. The main problems when growing cabbage seedlings The culture is quite sensitive to growing conditions and problems always arise if not properly cared for. Growing good cabbage seedlings at home is difficult. It is much easier to do this in a greenhouse. Moreover, polycarbonate greenhouses allow you to create ideal conditions for cult

Cabbage seedlings at home

Many people want to grow early cabbage seedlings at home - after all, there is nothing more pleasant than your own early harvest. In the early stages, you can grow all types of cabbage - not only white cabbage, cauliflower, but also broccoli, etc. So it’s just a matter of your diligence and desire. Today I will tell you some important points in seedling business, this will help you avoid mistakes.

Conditions for growing cabbage seedlings

The most important conditions for growing high-quality healthy cabbage seedlings are: humidity, temperature and light. These three components are the basis of your early harvest.

To grow early cabbage, you need to sow the seeds no later than March 20th. It is best to start sowing the first batch of seeds on March 10th, and the next one 5 days later. You can plant three batches of seedlings this way. Then ripening will occur in stages - this will make it easier for you to harvest the crop.

Preparing cabbage seeds for sowing

In order for cabbage seedlings to be powerful, it is necessary to check the seeds for germination.

For better germination soak cabbage seeds in a special nutrient solution sodium humate (a teaspoon of fertilizer per liter of water). You will also need to disinfect the seeds - special solutions are suitable for this, for example, Fitosporin, Baktofit.

After these preparatory procedures, you can sow cabbage seeds for seedlings in the soil mixture. It should consist of sand, peat and turf soil.

Disinfection of the nutrient mixture

To avoid infection and diseases of seedlings, it is necessary to calcine the soil or at least disinfect it with boiling water (just thoroughly pour boiling water over the soil).

You can also use a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. I do not recommend adding humus from the site, otherwise your seedlings may get sick with “black leg” or some other infection that has taken root in the damp soil.

You can make the soil more fertile by adding ash, chalk, dolomite flour and superphosphate. Take a tablespoon of these substances per bucket of soil and mix thoroughly with the soil.

What containers are suitable for cabbage seedlings?

It is important not to take containers that are too deep. Containers deeper than 5 cm should not be used.

Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings

• Before sowing seeds, water the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate - about 1 gram per 10 liters of water.
• Make furrows to a depth of 1 cm in 3 cm increments. Seeds can be sown at a distance of 1 cm from each other.
• To retain moisture and speed up germination, it is best to cover the container with a transparent plastic film. Then you will see abundant shoots already on the 3-4th day. The container should be kept at a temperature of 20-25 degrees.
• When your seedlings produce two true leaves, you can add peat between the rows.

Very important! In order to prevent cabbage seedlings from stretching, it is necessary to immediately remove the container to a cool and bright place where the air temperature is no higher than 7-8 degrees after the seeds germinate.

You can arrange such a “cold greenhouse” on the window, just make sure that the seedlings do not freeze during possible frosts.

Picking cabbage seedlings

When your cabbage seedlings are 10 days old, you need to pick them. I advise you to plant the seedlings in separate cups with the same mixture that you used for sowing.

You can take peat pots, plastic cups or multi-section cassettes for seedlings. IN plastic dishes Be sure to make holes in the bottom for exit excess water during watering.

I do not recommend transplanting seedlings into boxes after picking.. Otherwise, when planting it in the ground, you will definitely damage the root system and it will be more difficult for the seedlings to take root.

The first time after picking the seedlings, it is necessary to create a temperature regime of 15-18 degrees. After the seedlings take root in the new place, the temperature should be reduced to 10-14 degrees.

Watering should be done as it dries with warm water at a temperature of about 20 degrees.

Approximately 5-7 days before transplanting into open ground, it is necessary to stop watering.

Hardening off cabbage seedlings

As soon as the seedlings have real leaves, they need to start hardening off. The hardening procedure consists of lowering the temperature to 4-5 degrees Celsius while simultaneously illuminating it with sunlight; for this, the containers are briefly placed outside or on the balcony. The first day is for 3 hours, the second is for 5 hours, and the third day is already for 7 hours.

Fertilizing cabbage seedlings should be done 2 times - 5-7 days after transplanting and a few days before planting in the ground.

How to protect seedlings from blackleg

First, let’s look at what affects seedling diseases with “black leg”. First of all, this is excessive watering, elevated temperatures, and a small amount of light. You can prevent this disease with the help of biological drugs Baktofit, Fitosporin, etc.

When your seedlings have 5-6 leaves and a height of 18-20 cm, you can start planting them in the ground. This can be done in Middle lane Russia from late April to early May.

Video - secrets of sowing cabbage for seedlings

Video - sowing early cabbage for seedlings

Cabbage seedlings grown at home will allow you to get much faster and best harvest. Your own vegetables from your own garden are much more valuable both in terms of nutritional value and energy!