Cabbage: when to plant seedlings in the middle zone, how to prepare the seeds

You can get a high yield of vegetables by sowing high-quality seeds and growing strong seedlings; it is the seedling growing method that vegetable growers prefer to use in most cases.
For example, in order to get good cabbage, you need to know when to plant seedlings in the middle zone, how to properly replant them in the ground and care for the plants.

Content:

• How to choose cabbage varieties
• Timing for sowing seeds for seedlings
• Seed preparation
• What soil mixture to use
• Timing for planting seedlings in open ground
• Sowing seeds, picking
• Rules for caring for seedlings: watering, lighting, temperature
• Useful tips for preparing beds
• Sowing cabbage in open ground

How to choose cabbage varieties

Before you go shopping for cabbage seeds, decide at what time you will need the harvest, what kind cabbage required. After all, there are many varieties of this vegetable, each recommended for consumption in a certain form: for preparing fresh salads, first and second courses, for pickling or storing fresh throughout the winter.

Early varieties of cabbage produce a small harvest, the density of the heads is low, the average weight of the head is about one and a half kilograms. The vegetable is used mainly for preparing salads; it has a short shelf life and is not suitable for preparing for the winter.

Mid-season varieties are consumed fresh, they are used to prepare salads that can be preserved for the winter.

If you want to provide your family with cabbage throughout the year, give preference to winter varieties; they store well and can be pickled.

Timing for sowing seeds for seedlings

The timing of sowing seeds should be calculated taking into account the timing of planting ready-made cabbage seedlings in the beds. Therefore, we will consider when to plant cabbage seedlings in the middle zone for different varieties and types of this healthy vegetable.

To get early ripening white cabbage, you need to sow the seeds in the second ten days of March. During the same period of time, hybrid and red-headed varieties are sown. The optimal time for sowing late and mid-season varieties is mid-April, approximately from the 10th to the 15th.

Broccoli is sown in several stages, the first sowing is done in the second ten days of March, then it is sown several more times, with an interval of 15-20 days, the final sowing is done on the 20th of May. Cauliflower is sown in the same way.

Let's watch a useful video about when to plant cabbage seedlings in the middle zone, and why you should not sow too early:

The best time to sow Brussels sprouts is the second half of April.

Kohlrabi cabbage is also sown in several stages, but the last sowing is done no later than June. If it is possible to adhere to the recommended agricultural cultivation techniques, then the seeds can be sown directly on the beds, having prepared the soil accordingly. To obtain an early harvest of kohlrabi, sowing is carried out from March 10 to March 20.

It is recommended to repeat sowings no later than the beginning of July. In June, seeds can be sown in open ground.

Early ripening Savoy cabbage is sown in the second ten days of March, medium varieties - on April 10-20, late varieties - in the first ten days of April.

Seed preparation

We select seed material of the best quality, otherwise strong, viable seedlings may not be obtained. To prevent the possibility of seedlings being damaged by fungal infections, it is recommended to immerse untreated seeds for 20 minutes in water heated to a temperature of + 50 C. Then the seeds are quickly immersed in cold water to cool.

To speed up germination, seeds can be soaked for several days. To stimulate the germination process, you can soak the seeds in Humate, Epin, Silka for several hours.

If the seeds are covered with a layer of colored glaze, they have already been processed by the manufacturers; in this case, soaking is not required.

What soil mixture to use

To make the seedlings comfortable, you will need to use a sufficiently nutritious substrate. It is prepared in the fall, but as a last resort, you can make the mixture before sowing the seeds. You will need to thoroughly grind and mix:

• 1 part humus;
• 1 part turf;
• 10 tablespoons of wood ash for every 10 kg of soil mixture.

If desired, you can create a mixture based on peat or other available components, but you should remember that it should be light, nutritious, and allow air and water to pass through well. You can also buy a ready-made substrate, it does not have to be intended specifically for cabbage, it can be a universal soil for seedlings.

It is undesirable to use soil taken from a garden bed where vegetables have been grown for many years; such soil is usually contaminated, which significantly increases the likelihood of seedlings becoming infected with infectious diseases.

It is recommended to add ash because it will fill the soil with the necessary elements, disinfect it and prevent the possibility of development black legs.

It is advisable to make sure that the acidity of the soil is neutral, or tends to neutral.

For the purpose of disinfection, the soil is spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Let's watch a useful video about preparing seeds and sowing cabbage for seedlings:

https://youtu.be/ph0NpSUd2XQ

Timing for planting seedlings in open ground

The timing of planting in open ground should be determined depending on the weather conditions inherent in the climatic zone in which you live, as well as on the type of vegetable. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the table containing information about at what age a particular variety of cabbage can be replanted.

Sowing seeds, picking

You can get cabbage seeds to sprout quickly only if the soil is sufficiently moist. Therefore, it is recommended to moisten it well before sowing. But after the seeds fall into the substrate, watering is not recommended; excessive humidity can cause plants to become infected with a fungal disease, the so-called. black leg. Watering is resumed only after germination.

Containers for sowing are prepared in advance; they must have holes for water drainage.

You can expect sprouts to appear within a week. Thinning of seedlings is carried out if the seeds are sown too densely; the recommended sowing pattern is 20x20 mm.After two weeks, the seedlings are plucked, for which the plants are transplanted into individual cells measuring at least 30x30 mm; the stem can be deepened to the level of the cotyledons.

After another two weeks, the seedlings are transplanted into cups; their diameter should be at least 50 mm and height 60 mm. Before planting, it is advisable to treat the cups with a solution of copper sulfate, this will prevent the possibility of developing fungal infections.

Peat cups can also be used for replanting.

If you decide to do without picking, then each seed should be sown immediately in a personal cup. This is the least traumatic method, allowing you to preserve the entire root system grown by the seedling.

Rules for caring for seedlings: watering, lighting, temperature

Cabbage is a moisture-loving plant, so watering is planned so that the soil surface does not dry out. At the same time, excess moisture can cause the spread of fungal diseases (blackleg) or rotting of the roots.

To prevent negative phenomena it is recommended:

• ensure the free flow of excess water from containers;
• ventilate the room after watering, and especially after irrigating seedlings.

It is important to adhere to the temperature regime, the recommended values ​​are from +18 C to +20 C, they must be adhered to until germination. Then the temperature can be lowered to +17 during the day and + 10 C at night. Temperature changes are not dangerous for plants; they will allow the seedlings to strengthen and harden and prevent them from being pulled upward.

Cauliflower will require a higher temperature:

• before emergence - +23 +25 C;
• for seedlings - + 23 C during the day and + 15 C at night.

In the case of cauliflower, lowering the temperature will negatively affect the yield; the inflorescences will be small.

If seedlings are grown indoors, the plants will most likely lack light. Daylight hours for cabbage seedlings should be from 12 to 15 hours. To illuminate the seedlings, you can use phytolamps or ordinary fluorescent lamps.

Useful tips for preparing beds

The seedless method of growing cabbage is acceptable only for the southern regions; in cool climates, it is recommended to use the option of growing seedlings. Even the earliest varieties require at least 4 months to develop.

The best predecessors of cabbage in the garden beds are:

• potatoes and carrots;
• cucumbers and beans.

Among the undesirable precursor plants we note:

• carrots and beets;
• radish, rutabaga and mustard.

After these crops, it is advisable to plant cabbage only after 4-5 years, because It will be difficult to avoid infection of seedlings.

The beds for the crop are laid out in well-lit areas, possibly on the south-eastern slopes. It is advisable to start preparing the soil in the fall, add organic fertilizers at the rate of 1 bucket of humus for each square meter of soil. You can also add ash, superphosphate, and urea.

Before digging, sand and peat are added to the soil. The soil is also spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. They dig up the weather, level the beds with a rake only in the spring, then cover them to retain moisture.

Slaked lime is added to highly acidic soil, which also prevents the development of fungal diseases.

You should apply certain fertilizers taking into account the varieties that you plan to grow; for example, early varieties respond very well to fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers; they can be applied in the fall.

Sowing cabbage in open ground

For the southern regions, the option of growing cabbage without seedlings is acceptable. Experienced vegetable growers recommend collecting two-liter plastic flasks from under water and cutting off the bottom. They will be needed to create microgreenhouses. A bottle is placed over each hole in which you sow a grain, which will speed up the process of seed germination and protect the seedlings from cold and wind.

You should start sowing after rain or moderate watering of the bed.

To form holes, you can use the neck of the same plastic bottle; it needs to be deepened by 2-3 cm, and the seeds are placed in the resulting depression. If you sow 3 seeds in each hole, you will be able to choose the strongest plant.

It is difficult to indicate the sowing dates; depending on the area of ​​residence and the particular climatic conditions, they can fluctuate between the third ten days of April and the first half of May.

In addition, the characteristics of the varieties should be taken into account; here is an example for the middle zone:

• early ones are sown in the first ten days of May;
• mid-late - in early May;
• late varieties - in the last days of April.

For areas with a cool climate, early varieties should be selected and sown in the second ten days of May.

The crops should not be thickened; the distance between the bushes in a row should be from 30 to 40 cm, the row spacing should be at least 50-60 cm. But if desired, you can use a 50x50 cm planting pattern.

The depth of seed placement is no more than 2-3 cm.

It is recommended to sprinkle the holes not with soil, but with humus, then it can be compacted a little. The hole should be immediately covered with a bottle with the bottom cut off. It should be deepened into the ground, otherwise the wind may knock down the light shelter. It is beneficial to use bottles, because they are quite functional: during the day the lids can be unscrewed, the plant will receive more fresh air. Screwing the lids on overnight will help keep the heat in.

Growing cabbage seedlings at home is somewhat troublesome, but only the seedling method will allow you to obtain high plant yields. In areas with a cool climate, this is the only way to obtain high-quality, formed forks.