How to grow cabbage seedlings from seeds at home. Cabbage seedlings from seeds at home - the best and most proven planting methods Growing early cabbage seedlings on a windowsill
Cabbage has always been considered one of the most favorite vegetables, which is why it received the “title” of garden lady. It occupies one of the leading places in the diet; in addition, it is often used in folk medicine. Therefore, it is not surprising that gardeners rarely refuse to grow this vegetable on their site. And without quality seedlings get big harvest cabbage is very difficult, sometimes even impossible. For this reason, it is worth figuring out how to grow cabbage seedlings at home.
First we note that successful cultivation in this case, it is associated with compliance with several key conditions at once - correct sowing dates, suitable conditions(temperature, lighting), as well as mandatory disinfection of the soil mixture and seed material.
Before purchasing seed, you must decide what kind of cabbage you want to get, when and for what purpose you will use it. This is what primarily affects the sowing time. If you want to enjoy a salad with early cabbage, that’s one thing, but if you intend to use it for storage or fermentation, that’s another.
Regarding white cabbage, then it can be early-, mid- and late-ripening. Representatives of the first category are low-yielding, with an average density of heads, and the size of the fruits is small (weigh a maximum of 1.5 kg). As for mid-season cabbage, it is suitable for canning and summer use, but late species optimal for long-term fresh storage.
Pay attention! The timing of not only ripening, but also sowing of cabbage for seedlings differs. This should not be forgotten. Although these terms are interrelated.
Step 2. Decide on a deadline
Here are the approximate sowing dates for different varieties cabbage:
- March 10-25– white and red cabbage (early ripening species, as well as hybrids);
- April 5-15– mid- and late-ripening white cabbage;
- from March 15 to mid-April– Savoy;
- March 10-30– kohlrabi;
- from late March to early April– Brussels sprouts;
- March 15-25– cauliflower and broccoli.
It is worth noting that all these terms are conditional, since much depends on the specific growing region. But if you wish, you can determine your own favorable planting date. As a rule, cabbage seeds germinate approximately 8-10 days after planting. The seedlings are planted in the ground after about 50-55 days. And if you cannot keep containers with seedlings in a greenhouse or on glazed balcony with temperatures from +15°C to +17°C, then cultivation in warmer conditions will be required room conditions. In that case early varieties you will have to sow 14 days later, approximately in early April. The length of daylight will increase, the plants will not stretch out and turn yellow, and the chances of acquiring high-quality seedlings will be high even with excess heat.
Stage 3. Sowing seeds for seedlings
The process consists of several simple steps; let’s get acquainted with the features of each of them.
First prepare a suitable soil mixture. For this, take peat, sand and turf soil, mix in a 1:1:1 ratio and add a little ash (about 1⁄4 cup per 1 liter of mixture).
Sift the finished mixture, then steam for 60 minutes in a double boiler. Then you can add perlite - an excellent soil loosener that provides oxygen access. In addition, during watering, perlite absorbs excess liquid and then gradually releases it (this is extremely important for young plants).
Pay attention! If the soil mixture has not been steamed, be sure to water it before sowing with a solution of potassium permanganate (it should be pink)!
Now it’s time to start preparing the seed. Take the seeds and place them in the same solution of potassium permanganate (but its color this time should be dark pink) for about 20 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly with running water.
In addition, to prevent the development of mold, blackleg and other fungal diseases, it is recommended to treat with Fitosporin-M or its analogue.
After finishing processing, dry the seeds until they become loose, then spread them over the surface of the soil mixture according to a 1x1 cm pattern (the fact is that cabbage seedlings do not like thickening). If there are several varieties, put labels with their names.
Do not add seeds yet a large number soil (layer thickness should be approximately 1-1.5 cm).
If the seeds are not planted deeply enough, they may sprout in a shell, which, in turn, will be carried to the top along with the seedlings and interfere with the subsequent development of the seedlings. Moisturize top layer using a spray bottle.
Step 7 Place the container in a PET bag and hold until the first shoots appear, at a temperature of approximately +20°C.
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Fitosporin
Video - Proper sowing of cabbage for seedlings
Stage 4. Care for the seedlings
In 9-10 days the first shoots should appear. This is the most critical stage in growing cabbage seedlings. Reduce the temperature to somewhere around +10°C, and be sure to do this, since a suitable temperature regime is perhaps the most important condition. If the temperature is higher, the seedlings will most likely stretch out, get sick and die. By the way, it is for this reason that cabbage seedlings do not develop well at home. As for a city apartment, the most suitable place here is a glass balcony.
Temperature is important point in growing cabbage seedlings
After 7-14 days, raise the temperature to +16...+17°C, do not forget about regular ventilation, and also that the seedlings now benefit from temperature changes during the day/night. Watering should be moderate. It is important to let the soil dry out between waterings. And when the plants have 1-2 true leaves, proceed to the next stage - picking.
Stage 5. Plant seedlings into separate pots
First, prepare the soil mixture for diving. Mix peat, sand, turf soil and humus in a ratio of 2:0.5:2:1. Also add wood ash (a glass for every 5 liters of mixture). All components must be thoroughly mixed.
Take the prepared pots and fill them about 2/3 with soil mixture, then compact it. Make a hole in each pot of such depth that the root system of the seedling can freely fit there.
If you come across too big roots, pinch them by a third. Replant all seedlings, compact the soil around each of them. Water them carefully, starting from the edge of the container. When all the liquid is absorbed, add a little more soil mixture (as a result, the latter should reach the cotyledon leaves).
Pay attention! After picking is completed, place the containers with seedlings in a lighted place with a temperature of +15°C to +17°C.
Water the seedlings sparingly, using water exclusively for this purpose. room temperature. Of course, moisture deficiency is harmful to seedlings, as it inhibits their growth, but excess can also cause negative consequences– lodging of cabbage, development of blackleg or rotting of the root system. Do not forget about the same temperature changes and regular ventilation.
Seedling disease - black leg
How to feed seedlings?
Before the seedlings are transplanted into the ground, fertilizing should be done twice.
- First feeding do this when the plants have 2 true leaves. If you previously added ash, then you don’t have to use expensive fertilizer - you only need nitrogen fertilizers (for example, urea dissolved in water - 30 g per 10 l). At the same time, make sure that the solution does not get on the foliage. And if ash was not used at all, then use a complex seedling fertilizer that contains all the necessary microelements.
Urea prices
urea
Step 6. Transplant the seedlings into the soil
Start replanting when each plant has 5-6 true leaves. It’s okay if there are still frosts in the morning - cabbage seedlings tolerate short-term cold snaps well (down to about -5°C). But if it is cold enough throughout the day, it is better to wait until transplanting, since some early varieties may experience bolting when exposed to low temperatures for a long time.
Pay attention! The best predecessors of cabbage are potatoes, garlic, carrots, onions and almost all legumes. You cannot plant cabbage after representatives of the Cruciferous family.
A couple of hours before transplanting, water the seedlings generously; you can even keep them on a tray of water for half an hour, adding Epin-extra (0.5 ml per 1 liter).
Table. Master class on transplanting cabbage seedlings into the ground.
| Steps, photo | Description of actions |
|---|---|
| While the plants are saturated with water, you can begin preparing the holes. Add to each hole (more precisely, to the place where you plan to make it) a glass of wood ash, 1 teaspoon of urea (you can use other nitrogen fertilizer) and 1 tbsp. spoon of double superphosphate. After this, dig the soil thoroughly. |
| Next, dig holes. Their depth should be such that the plants fit there up to the first leaf. Then place an earthen cube with a seedling in each hole. |
| Next, fill each hole with water. |
| As soon as the liquid is absorbed by 1⁄2, you can fill the holes with soil. Typically, there is no need to compact the soil in this case. |
| Mulch the soil around the plants. Thanks to this, the water will remain in the ground longer, and after watering the characteristic crust will not form. |
| Together with cabbage, you can plant seedlings of tall tagetes. This way you will protect the crop from a number of pests, including cabbage whites. |
Pay attention! Directly during planting, you can apply complex fertilizers containing all the necessary nutrients. You can use, for example, “Floromix-K” - excellent remedy, which is balanced specifically for cabbage. In addition, you can use “Master” or “Vermisol”.
The images below show the process of planting cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse and applying fertilizer.
Video - How to grow cabbage seedlings
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Epin Extra
Disease Prevention
As noted above, cabbage is susceptible to diseases, which are mainly caused by fungi. In most cases, blackleg and root rot are observed.
It is quite difficult to cure cabbage from them; often treatment does not bring any results. Therefore, these diseases are easier to prevent.
Cabbage is one of the popular vegetable crops, which is grown by almost every gardener on his plot. It contains a large amount of minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, cabbage can be consumed in any form: raw, stewed, pickled. It can be grown in seedlings or without seedling method. In most regions of our country, cabbage is planted as seedlings. The main thing is to properly prepare for planting and provide the sprouts with the necessary care in the future.
Preparation for landing
To cultivate cabbage through seedlings, it is necessary to prepare containers, soil and seed material.
Preparing soil and containers
The selection and preparation of soil must be approached with special attention. The first land you come across is no good. If, for example, we look at soil from a garden, it may contain dangerous microorganisms and pest larvae. It is better to buy a mixture for growing seedlings ready-made or make it yourself. You can choose one of the recipes:
- turf soil, peat and humus in a ratio of 1:1:1;
- peat, turf soil and coarse sand - 1:3:1/4;
- wood ash, lime, coarse sand - 1:1/4:1/4.
To grow cabbage seedlings, buy a soil mixture or prepare it yourself
The main qualities that soil for seedlings must meet are fertility, water and breathability.
It is better to start preparing the soil in the fall and store it in a cool place until spring.
To sow and grow cabbage seedlings at home, you can use:
- cups,
- pots,
- boxes,
- cassettes.
The container is selected depending on the expected number of plants that will be grown. If the volumes are large, then it is more reasonable to use seedling boxes and cassettes with subsequent picking of seedlings. Regardless of what you will sow into, there must be holes in the bottom of the container so that water does not stagnate.
Cabbage seedlings can be grown both in seedling boxes and in separate containers
Seed preparation
Before sowing, seeds need to be prepared:
- select quality material,
- disinfect it
- increase germination.
Calibration
Cabbage seeds are calibrated in a 3% salt solution for 5 minutes. In salt water, light grains will float, and heavy grains will sink to the bottom: they should be used for planting. Then the seeds are washed in clean water and dried. For sowing, you can use not only large, but also medium-sized planting material.
Cabbage seeds must be calibrated before planting in order to select the highest quality seed material.
Germination test
To determine the germination of seed material, it is wrapped in a damp cloth, and it is better to take 100 pieces for more convenient calculation. Germination is carried out in a place where the temperature is maintained at +20–25 ˚С, while you need to monitor the condition of the tissue and not allow it to dry out. Every day the seeds are inspected, germinated ones are counted and removed. By the grains that sprouted in the first 3 days, you can determine how friendly the seedlings will be, and by those that hatched within 7 days, you can determine the germination of the seed material.
Disinfection
To disinfect seeds from pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases, in most cases they resort to treatment with a 1–2% solution of potassium permanganate, followed by rinsing in clean water. You can achieve a greater effect by heat treatment by placing the seeds in a gauze bag in water at a temperature of +48–50 °C for 20 minutes. The specified temperature should not be exceeded, since the seeds will lose their germination, and at a lower temperature such treatment will not produce any results.
To disinfect cabbage seeds, they are treated in a 1–2% solution of potassium permanganate.
How to speed up germination
To make the seeds germinate faster, they are soaked in water at room temperature and placed in a warm place, where they should remain for about 12 hours, while it is recommended to change the water every 4 hours. The amount of liquid should be such that it just covers the seeds. During the soaking process, the grains swell. If the time for sowing has not yet come, then they are wrapped in a damp cloth and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Soaking can also be done in special solutions (for example, in an infusion of wood ash). To prepare it:
- Add 2 tablespoons of ash to 1 liter of warm water.
- Leave for a day and then filter.
- Soak in this solution for 3 hours.
- Afterwards, the seeds are washed with clean water.
You can speed up the germination of cabbage seeds using ash infusion, in which they are soaked for 3 hours.
Hardening
Before sowing cabbage, it is recommended to harden the seeds to increase resistance to low temperatures. After all preparatory procedures, the seed material is placed in the lower part of the refrigerator (+1–2 ˚С) for a day. After this time, the grains are dried and sowing begins.
Planting seeds for seedlings
The timing of sowing cabbage seedlings depends on the crop variety, region and when the harvest is expected to be obtained.
Deadlines
When growing cabbage of early varieties in some regions, seedlings are open ground planted at the end of April, which indicates the need to sow seeds in mid-February or early March. Medium-ripening varieties for seedlings must be sown in early April, late-ripening varieties - at the end of the month. Plants of these varieties are planted in unprotected soil from mid-May to early June. As for more exact dates, then they will depend on weather conditions for a particular region. It is not difficult to calculate the timing of sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings: from sowing to germination it takes about 10 days, and from the first shoots to planting the plants in the ground - 50–55 days. This indicates the need to plant seeds for seedlings 60–65 days before transplanting into open ground.
How to sow
Sowing the crop in question is quite simple and comes down to the following steps:
Video: sowing cabbage for seedlings
Caring for cabbage seedlings at home
To grow healthy and strong seedlings, it needs to be provided proper care. Otherwise, it is possible not only to slow down growth, but also to cause diseases, and in the worst case, the death of seedlings.
Temperature
Cabbage shoots should appear on the 9–10th day after sowing. During this period, the temperature should be reduced to +10 ˚С. With more high rates young seedlings will stretch. In addition, there is a possibility of disease development and seedling death.
If seedlings are grown in an apartment, then the most suitable place would be a glazed loggia (balcony).
After 1–2 weeks, the temperature is raised to +16–17 ˚С, at night it is maintained at +7–10 ˚С, while ensuring regular ventilation.
When growing cabbage seedlings, it is important to observe the temperature regime depending on the stage of development
Top dressing
A mandatory step in caring for cabbage seedlings is fertilizing. Plants need additional nutrition, which ensures their active growth and development. Fertilizers are applied several times:
- 2 weeks after germination - used as batteries ammonium nitrate(2 g), superphosphate (4 g), potassium fertilizers (2 g), which are diluted in 1 liter of water. The resulting solution is watered at the root of the seedlings, after first moistening the soil with water.
- 2 weeks after the first feeding, use the same fertilizers and in the same proportions, but based on 0.5 liters of water.
- 2 weeks before planting on the site, use saltpeter (3 g), superphosphate (5 g) and potassium fertilizers (8 g) per 1 liter of water.
Lighting
For normal growth, cabbage requires 12–15 hours of daylight. Fluorescent, phyto- or led lamps. They are installed above the seedlings at a height of 20–25 cm.
Cabbage seedlings need 12–15 hours of daylight, for which additional lighting is used.
Picking
Only those seedlings that were sown in seedling boxes are picked. If seedlings are grown in separate containers, then they have enough space for normal development. Planting begins 10 days after emergence. You need to understand that this is a painful process for plants, since the root system is partially damaged. Let's look at how to properly transplant seedlings into separate containers (cups, pots):
Since when diving, pathogenic microorganisms may enter the root shoots, after removing the seedling from the seedling box, it is recommended to dip it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1 drop per 1 liter of water).
Video: picking cabbage using broccoli as an example
Hardening of seedlings
2 weeks before planting cabbage seedlings on the site, the plants must be hardened off. This is done so that they adapt to the surrounding conditions as much as possible. The seedlings are taken out to the veranda, balcony or garden, first for 1 hour, then gradually increasing the stay time. At the time of planting, the plants should be in outdoors around the clock. In addition, a week before transplanting, they begin to reduce watering, preventing the seedlings from withering.
In order for cabbage seedlings to adapt to external conditions, it must first be hardened
Landing in the ground
Choose a well-lit area for cabbage, and prepare it in advance:
- remove weeds and other plant debris;
- add 6–8 kg of compost or rotted manure and 100 g of wood ash per 1 m² for digging.
The planting scheme depends on the type and variety:
- early varieties - 35×45 cm;
- mid-season - 60×60 cm;
- later - 70×70 cm.
The optimal conditions for planting seedlings in open ground are cloudy weather. Planting containers must be watered beforehand. The process consists of the following steps:
For several days after planting, it is necessary to shade the plants from the sun and spray with water in the evening.
Methods for growing cabbage seedlings
Quite a lot garden crops grown by seedlings. Most usual option for gardeners - seedling boxes or separate containers. However, in an apartment it is not so easy to provide the necessary conditions for plants, especially with a large number of seedlings. Therefore in lately New methods of cultivating seedlings are increasingly being used, which can reduce labor costs and reduce the occupied area without any damage to the quality of the seedlings. Let's consider these methods in more detail.
In peat tablets
To prevent damage to the roots of cabbage seedlings during picking, seedlings can be grown in peat tablets, which contain all the necessary nutrients. Until the plants are planted on the site, they will not need additional nutrition. The sequence of actions when growing seedlings in tablets is as follows:
If the roots have grown through the tablet, the seedlings are transplanted into a planting container along with the tablet, freeing it from the material that holds its shape.
In the "snail"
The undoubted advantage of seedlings in a “snail” is the small footprint: about 15 seedlings can be grown in one roll, and its size is comparable to an average pot. Besides soil mixture This method will require much less than when planting using the standard method. The shoots in the “snail” are illuminated evenly and do not interfere with each other’s development. One of the common materials for this method of obtaining seedlings is a laminate substrate. The planting process consists of the following steps:
Video: growing seedlings in a “snail” using the example of pepper
In "diapers"
A fairly simple way to grow cabbage seedlings is in “diapers”. In this case you will need plastic bags 20x30 cm or pieces of film, as well as soil mixture. It is recommended to moisten the soil and add a small amount of sawdust for better formation. Then do the following:
Video: growing seedlings in “diapers” using the example of cucumbers
Growing seedlings without soil
Landless cultivation of cabbage seedlings, which is also called the Moscow method or “roll-your-own” method, greatly simplifies the production of seedlings and their picking. permanent place. With this method, planting containers and soil are not needed. The absence of contact between seedlings and the ground at the beginning of plant development eliminates the occurrence of diseases: such seedlings do not suffer from blackleg. Similar to other modern methods, the landless option allows you to save space and accommodate more landing tanks with plants that prefer warmth.
For this method you will need three-layer toilet paper, a tray for storing rolled cigarettes, cling film and seeds. The whole process boils down to the following steps:
When sowing several varieties of cabbage, mark them immediately, for example, by writing on the “roll-your-own” with a marker.
After the sprouts appear, remove the bag. When growing seedlings, you need to fertilize twice: during seed germination and when the first pair of true leaves are formed. For replenishment, it is better to use drugs such as Gumi-20, Ideal and the like. When picking, carefully unwind the roll-up paper, remove the seedlings along with the paper and plant them in containers filled with soil mixture.
Video: growing seedlings without soil
Diseases and pests of cabbage seedlings
Growing cabbage seedlings is almost impossible without any nuances associated with the appearance of diseases and pests. In order to respond to a particular problem in a timely manner, you need to be able to recognize it and take the right measures.
Diseases
The most common diseases of cabbage seedlings include blackleg, downy mildew, fusarium and others.
A fungal infection that affects the stem and root system of a plant. The main symptom is the blackened root collar of the seedling, its thinning, and then drying out. Favorable conditions for the development of this disease are:
- high humidity,
- warm soil,
- thickened plantings,
- acidic soil,
- lack of air flow between plants.
To determine soil acidity, use a special device or indicator strips (pH test). Cabbage requires an acidity level between pH 6–8.
To prevent the development of black leg, you must follow the rules for growing seedlings:
- prepare the soil with the right level acidity;
- do not over-moisten the soil;
- avoid dense plantings;
- treat seeds and soil before sowing.
Black leg is the most common disease of cabbage seedlings, in which darkening forms in the root zone of the stem
If the disease still affects the plants, you can resort to the following methods of combating it:
- remove the damaged sprout from the seedling box along with earthen lump;
- transplant healthy plantings into new disinfected soil, and throw away diseased ones along with the soil;
- treat healthy plants with a solution copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture or potassium permanganate;
- add soda to the soil (1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water).
Symptoms of seedling infection with powdery mildew are the appearance of white spots on seedlings. Although powdery mildew is not considered a serious disease, especially for mature plants, it can cause harm to young ones, so the plants should be treated. One of best options for these purposes Fitosporin-M is used.
Powdery mildew causes white spots to appear on plants, which can harm young cabbage seedlings.
Downy mildew
With downy mildew, the leaves are damaged and die prematurely. The disease also occurs when the conditions for growing seedlings are not met. To combat the disease, you can use a solution of copper sulfate, liquid soap, or fungicides like Topaz (1 tablespoon of any of the listed products per 10 water).
Downy mildew occurs when the conditions for growing cabbage seedlings are not met.
Alternaria blight
The fungal disease affects both adult and young plants and manifests itself in the form of black spots on the leaves. When the head of cabbage is formed, spots cover the outer leaves, on which you can observe a coating similar to soot - these are fungal spores. To prevent the disease, seeds are treated with Planriz before planting, and crop rotation rules are followed. If the seedlings are still affected by Alternaria, you should use drugs such as Skor, Quadris.
Alternaria cabbage appears in the form of black patches on the cotyledons, and then on the outer leaves
Fusarium wilt
Fusarium wilt affects not only cabbage, but also other cruciferous crops. You can determine that plants are affected by this fungal disease by yellow spots on the leaves with their subsequent drying out and death. On older plants, a small and deformed head of cabbage is formed. If an affected plant is found in the garden bed, it must be removed and disposed of, and the planting site must be treated with such products as Benomil, Tecto, Topsin-M.
With Fusarium wilt of cabbage, yellowing of the foliage is observed, followed by drying out and dying.
Kila
The following signs indicate the appearance of this disease on a plant:
- leaves dry and wither;
- Tuber-shaped growths form on the roots.
The affected seedling must be removed from the soil along with the roots and burned. The reason for the appearance of clubroot on cabbage is heavy and acidic soil, i.e., inappropriate soil for this crop.
Infection of cabbage with clubroot can be judged by yellowing and wilting of the leaves at the edges, a stop in the development of the head of cabbage
Pests of seedlings
Pests can cause no less harm to young plants, so timely and proper control is necessary.
Aphid
Cabbage aphid - small insects, which damage the leaves of the crop. You can judge whether a plant is affected by this pest by a white or brown coating on the leaves followed by their subsequent curling. You can fight aphids using different means:
- decoction of tobacco leaves,
- insecticidal soap,
- Deltamethrin.
Aphids on cabbage infect leaves, causing them to curl
Cabbage moth
The pest is a butterfly that feeds on plant sap. The greatest damage to seedlings is caused by caterpillars: they eat leaves, ovaries and stems. As a result of such damage, the metabolism of the leaves is disrupted, and in hot weather they get sunburned. After eating the ovaries, the future harvest is noticeably reduced. Among the chemical agents for pest control, you can use Decis, Actellik, Ripcord. You need to collect caterpillars and eggs from plants, weed weeds. There are also folk recipes, however, this processing must be repeated several times to achieve the effect:
- wood ash solution (2 cups of ash and 1 cup of crushed laundry soap per 10 liters of water) with which plants are sprayed;
- infusion of celandine or wormwood (crushed bushes are diluted with boiling water in a ratio of 1/5 and left for half an hour).
The cabbage moth caterpillar eats the leaves, ovaries and stems of cabbage, which leads to the death of the plant.
Cruciferous flea beetles
This is a small bug (2–4 mm), which has good jumping ability and eats leaves and stems of young plants, and insect larvae damage the roots of seedlings. If there are a large number of flea beetles, the plant may die within a few days. If the plantings can be saved from the bug, then appearance will be spoiled. That's why preventive measures It is recommended to take in advance:
- prevent the growth of cruciferous weeds (shepherd's purse, rapeseed, wild radish);
- carry out weeding, loosening and fertilizing in a timely manner;
- plant cabbage near phytoncidal plants.
Phytoncidal plants, which include calendula, marigolds, and nasturtium, emit an odor that repels the cruciferous flea beetle.
When a pest invades, they resort to the use of drugs such as Decis, Karbofos, Aktara.
The cruciferous flea beetle in large quantities can destroy cabbage by eating leaves
The female insect lays eggs in the heated soil near the plants, and the hatched larvae damage the roots of the seedlings, which leads to their withering and death. Used for fighting chemicals Topaz, Zemlin, Iskra, Karbofos or Rovikurt. You can also resort to traditional methods, for example, dilute 5 ml in a bucket of water ammonia and water the cabbage beds.
When cabbage sprouts are damaged by the cabbage fly, the plants wither and become sick.
Cabbage whites
This pest is known to everyone as the cabbage butterfly, but it is not the cabbage butterfly that poses the danger, but its caterpillars, which eat cabbage leaves. The caterpillars are easily recognized by their yellow-green color with transverse dots on the body. Most in an efficient way Pest control involves inspecting cabbage leaves, destroying eggs and caterpillars. It is also advisable to inspect the plants planted near the cabbage. Various insecticides can be used against whiteweed, but the most effective are Fitoverm and Kinmiks. You can prepare mustard infusion:
- Pour 100 g of dry powder into 10 liters of hot water and leave for several days.
- Before use, dilute the solution in a 1:1 ratio with water and spray the plants.
Cabbage white caterpillars eat cabbage leaves, often leaving only large veins
Problems during cultivation
Cabbage is quite sensitive to growing conditions, which can result in certain problems if not properly cared for.
The seedlings stretched out
Pulling seedlings is a common occurrence. There are usually several reasons for this problem:
To ensure normal lighting, it is necessary not only to install an additional source, but also to use reflective materials (white paper, foil). As for temperature, cabbage does not like heat, much less heat. Under unsuitable conditions, it not only stretches out, but even dies. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure appropriate temperature conditions.
If plants receive an excess amount of nitrogen, the leaves develop to the detriment of the root system. This indicates the need to stop fertilizing with nitrogen until the seedlings are planted in the ground.
Seedlings don't grow
The reason why cabbage seedlings do not grow at home lies, as a rule, in low humidity and high temperature. To provide normal conditions, seedlings are best placed in a greenhouse, where it is much easier to create the necessary microclimate.
The lower part of the stem dries out
The problem of the lower part of the stem drying out is caused by a lack of moisture in the soil, thickened plantings and too dry air. All these factors indicate the need to create and maintain optimal conditions for young plants. Cabbage is a moisture-loving crop that requires regular and moderate watering, and if planted too densely, the seedlings simply do not have enough moisture. In this case, the seedlings need to be thinned out and the stems lightly sprinkled with soil.
Cabbage is a moisture-loving crop
To increase humidity levels, plants need to be sprayed periodically.
The seedlings are withering
There are also situations when the leaves of young cabbage wither. The reason may be excessive watering and lack of loosening of the soil, which results in the formation of a soil crust through which the supply of oxygen to the roots is difficult. In this case, the roots of the plants rot and the leaves wither. In addition, it would be useful to inspect the drainage holes of the planting containers. If they are clogged, then the water simply has nowhere to drain. The cause of wilting can also be caused by inappropriate soil acidity.
The reason cabbage seedlings wilt can be caused by a lack of oxygen, too much moisture in the soil, or inappropriate acidity.
The seedlings turn yellow
If the seedlings turn yellow, the reason is a lack or excess of fertilizers. If complex fertilizers are used for fertilizing, then there is no need to use any other nutrients. If the soil is oversaturated with fertilizers, it must be washed with a large amount clean water with the possibility of free flow. As a last resort, the seedlings can be transplanted into another soil.
If there is a lack of fertilizer, seedlings may also turn yellow. You can find out which fertilizer is missing using the following signs:
- lack of phosphorus - yellowing of leaves on the underside;
- lack of potassium - yellowed tips of leaves;
- lack of iron - leaves turn yellow all over.
Cabbage seedlings may turn yellow due to lack or excess of fertilizers
The yellowness of seedlings may also be due to the appearance of an infection that was introduced along with the seeds. If the seed was processed in potassium permanganate, then this option can be excluded.
To grow healthy seedlings cabbage, it is necessary to create plants optimal conditions. Cultivation of the crop has its own nuances, but by following the necessary rules and recommendations, as well as taking measures to combat diseases and pests, almost every gardener can grow it.
Cabbage is a vegetable that has universal application, rich in useful minerals and vitamins. Therefore, even beginners always grow it with pleasure on their plots. The process of growing cabbage does not have any special subtleties. But, in order for cabbage seedlings to properly take root and develop effectively in the garden, it is important to follow all the main stages of its cultivation. How to grow cabbage seedlings at home? Step-by-step instructions will help you cope with the task perfectly.
How to grow cabbage seedlings at home?
Cabbage seedlings at home - instructions for beginners
The entire process of growing cabbage seedlings can be divided into several steps:
There are some subtleties here: seeds planted early have a chance of dying, but being late can lead to the fact that the seeds do not germinate or are not strong enough before planting. open ground. Although cabbage seeds germinate quickly, you will still need to wait at least five days from the moment of planting.
Depending on the cabbage variety, determine the time for optimal planting of seeds:
— early ripening variety: as a rule, planted for growing seedlings in mid-March;
- mid-season variety: requires planting in mid-April.
Cabbage grows well in soil that is neutral in composition; as a rule, it is enough to simply mix turf, peat and sand in equal proportions. Ordinary soil for planting cabbage seedlings is not suitable, since the content useful substances it will be low, in addition, it may contain pathogens of certain diseases. We should not forget about pre-plant disinfection of the soil, for which it is treated with a weak solution of manganese.
To obtain high-quality seedlings, you need to select seeds carefully, selecting only the largest ones if possible. Before planting directly, they need to be wrapped in gauze and placed in a container of water heated to a temperature of about fifty degrees. They must remain like this for at least four hours.
After this procedure, the seeds need to be unwrapped and placed on a saucer in the refrigerator for twelve hours. This technique helps not only to harden the future culture, but also to activate its growth.
To plant hardened seeds, you need to prepare special boxes filled with soil. Cabbage seeds are placed in pre-made furrows, deepened no more than one centimeter, and sprinkled with soil on top. These boxes must be covered with plastic wrap.
Typically, seedlings are planted using two methods:
- With picking, when the planted seeds are planted apart from each other in pots or cups after ten days. This procedure must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the delicate roots of the seedlings.
- Without picking, the seeds are immediately planted in pairs in separate containers and only if the seedlings of one of them are too weak, they are removed.
Caring for seedlings at home
- Before the shoots appear, you need to lightly (without removing the film completely) ventilate the boxes.
- After the sprouts hatch, the boxes need to be moved to a cool (no higher than twenty degrees) but well-lit place.
- Cabbage seedlings do not require excessive watering; it will be enough to water them as the soil dries out. Moreover, a week before planting in the garden, watering must be completely stopped.
Now you know how to grow cabbage seedlings at home? Step-by-step instructions and our recommendations will help you get good results. Cabbage seedlings can be planted in open ground only when the bush already has about five to six leaves. Growing cabbage seedlings is almost no different from similar processes for planting and growing other vegetables. It is important to comply with all requirements and good, strong seedlings will certainly please the owner.
See also video:
Planting and growing cabbage seedlings at home
Cabbage is a beloved tasty and healthy vegetable that is very popular among gardeners. Cabbage occupies an important place in our diet and 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. Do final choice Familiarization with varietal characteristics will help. 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, early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties are distinguished. Early varieties (Iyunskaya, Skorospelaya, Podarok, Ditmarskaya, Zolotoy hektar, Kazachok F1) have low yields, medium density small heads of cabbage weighing up to 1.5 kg.
Already in the middle of summer you can enjoy fresh, tender salads from early cabbage. Mid-season cabbage varieties are suitable for summer consumption and pickling: Amager, Slava, Belorusskaya, Nadezhda, Menza F1. Late ones (Geneva, Turkis, Kolobok, Amager, Zimovka 1474, Aros F1) are well stored long time fresh.
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 have been preparing the soil for cabbage seedlings since the fall, but this can be done 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 switched on full power microwave. 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 were previously grown: the likelihood of seedlings becoming sick in it increases many times 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. Cabbage late varieties sow 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, colored different colors, sow 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, before picking, cups are treated with a weak solution of light blue copper sulfate.
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 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 together 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 arranging 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. Root system Plants growing in separate pots have a large volume; they are planted in a 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 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 them off at the root or tearing out weaker seedlings. After this, the bed must be watered.
How to care?
Proper care is a 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, normal daylight is not enough for cabbage. 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 for artificial lighting are not suitable because they heat the air, and the light emanating from them is not suitable for plants.
Watering
At home, cabbage seedlings are watered when the top layer of soil dries out. 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 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 will be enough nutrient solution. 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 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 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 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 residues and weeds, dug up and applied to each square meter a mixture of 6-8 kg of rotted manure and 100-200 g of wood ash.
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 out of 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 is a deep meaning in the Russian folk proverb – what goes around comes around. But the meaning is not lost at all if we apply this saying to gardening work. So, for example, for growing on your own plot good harvest cabbage, about which we'll talk In our article, in the spring it is necessary to plant strong and healthy seedlings.
In order to grow healthy and strong cabbage seedlings on your own, you need to adhere to just a few basic rules. In addition, you must have general ideas about what this seemingly unpretentious vegetable likes, and what conditions of detention are destructive for it. So, where to start and when should you sow cabbage seedlings? Let's try to figure it out.
- We choose a variety.
Planting any garden crop begins with choosing a variety. Cabbage is no exception. But before you visit a specialty store to buy seeds, you need to decide why and when you need cabbage. The question seems strange only at first glance. But not only the choice of variety, but also the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings depends on the answer. So, if in the middle of summer you want to enjoy delicious tender salads from white cabbage, then it is better to plant early varieties, such as Iyunskaya, Podarok, Kazachok F1, Ditmarskaya. If cabbage is grown for the purpose of pickling, then the most suitable varieties are Slava, Amager, Belorusskaya. For those who want to enjoy themselves in winter delicious vegetable It is worth sowing such late-ripening varieties as Zimovka 1474, Kolobok, Geneva.
Planting any garden crop begins with choosing a variety
As you understand, each variety has its own characteristics. Therefore, the final choice must be made when you become familiar with the varietal characteristics and what you really want. For example, early cabbage is not characterized by keeping quality, and it is unlikely to be fermented for cabbage soup.
- We buy seeds.
Buying seeds is a simple and common thing at first glance. But experienced gardeners approach the acquisition process with feeling, sense, and arrangement. You should not make spontaneous purchases of seeds, be it root vegetables, vegetables or even flowers. It is necessary to make at least an approximate list of what you will sow and only then go to the store. In this case, it is best to choose a specialized, proven point of sale, otherwise the purchase is similar to the game of “Russian roulette”. The “maybe you’ll be lucky, maybe you won’t” method is not at all suitable for a gardener. It’s better to know for sure that you will be planting high-quality seeds that have been stored in proper conditions and have not lost their viability for one reason or another.
- We prepare the soil for planting.
It would seem that soil suitable for seedlings can be purchased in a store or simply dug up in the garden. But if the first option is still acceptable, then we advise you to refuse the second - you can’t just take soil from the garden, especially from those places where cruciferous crops (radishes, radishes, turnips) were previously grown and sow seed material in it, as it may contain infectious microorganisms characteristic of cabbage plants, which greatly increases the risk of infecting the plant with various diseases even at the seedling stage.
Most best option- prepare the soil mixture yourself
The best option is to prepare the soil mixture yourself, in the fall or early spring. To do this, you need to take one part each of turf soil and humus, add a little ash to this mixture (approximately 1 tablespoon per 1 kg of soil mixture), which is not only a source of necessary macro and microelements, but also acts as an antiseptic. The resulting substrate must be mixed well so that it is completely ready for use. Other options for preparing the soil mixture are also possible - the main thing is to ensure that the resulting substrate is breathable.
- We decide on the planting dates.
Video about sowing cabbage for seedlings
To be very scrupulous, planting dates need to be calculated based on many factors - the climatic features of the region, the timing of the harvest, the speed of seed germination, the position of the moon, etc. If you don’t go into such details, you can take the average values and plant:
- early cabbage - March 20-28;
- mid-season varieties – March 25 – April 20;
- late-ripening varieties - from the first days of April until the end of the month;
- preparing the seeds for planting.
In fact preliminary preparation seeds for planting is a whole science that not everyone, even an experienced gardener, is familiar with. But all the methods used in this case are suitable for untreated seeds, or seeds collected with one’s own hands in the garden. If you want to plant seeds that have been previously processed, then light preparation of the seed will be enough. To do this, soak the cabbage seeds in hot water(approximately 500C) for 20 minutes. After warming up, it is necessary to cool the seeds using cold water. Such simple manipulations will increase the resistance of cabbage to various diseases, primarily fungal. But be careful! Not all seeds that have been processed in production can be pre-soaked. When you have pelleted and encrusted seeds, as well as seeds in a gel shell, they should only be planted dry, otherwise the layer with nutrients will be damaged.
When the cabbage “hatches” and grows to at least 10-15mm, the seedlings need to be trimmed to improve the quality of the seedlings
This process should not be taken lightly. Each stage of growing good seedlings is important, so sowing seeds must be done correctly. Before sowing cabbage, prepare containers by filling them with prepared soil mixture. Trays with a depth of 70-100mm are ideal as such, where you can plant seeds in several rows to facilitate further care behind them. Before sowing, water the soil in the trays generously, since cabbage seeds require a lot of water to germinate. But after this, watering is not done (only if the house is too hot and the air dries out the soil). Refusal to water when normal temperature and humidity is an excellent prevention of many diseases, including “Black Leg” - a disease of young seedlings, which is a real disaster for many gardeners.
When the cabbage “hatches” and grows to at least 10-15mm, the seedlings need to be trimmed to improve the quality of the seedlings. The optimal step for thinning is 20x20mm, since it provides not only excellent nutrition for the cabbage, but also aeration of its root system, and subsequently will facilitate the transfer of seedlings into individual containers for further germination. By the way, you can immediately sow the seeds in individual containers or cassettes, and then you won’t have to go through the next stage, but in this case you should be prepared for the fact that by the time of planting there will be much fewer viable seedlings than the seeds were sown.
It is necessary to pick seedlings approximately 7-14 days after thinning, when the young plants are slightly stronger and can withstand transfer to an individual pot or cassette for seedlings (cassette scheme 3x3 seedlings with a step of 50 mm). It is best to use cardboard cups or peat pots. Diving is necessary to strengthen the root system of cabbage and ensure its survival in open ground.
It should be noted that treating the soil in individual pots or cassettes with antifungal solutions, although not strictly necessary, is highly desirable, since getting rid of fungal infections at an early stage will ensure the health of the plant for the entire growing period.
Diving is necessary to strengthen the root system of cabbage
To ensure high quality seedlings must follow four basic rules:
- light. Since during germination the daylight hours are not yet sufficient to ensure high photosynthesis, the seedlings are illuminated for up to 12-15 hours a day. For additional illumination, a conventional fluorescent lamp of any glow temperature is suitable;
- watering. It is necessary to water as the soil dries, but you should not overwater the cabbage, nor should you overdry it. is selected individually. After watering, loosening is strictly necessary;
- temperature regime. Initial stage before emergence - +18...+22С. White cabbage should be germinated at significant temperature changes - during the day +15...+17C, at night +8...+10C. Colored at higher temperatures (5-7 degrees);
- feeding
The feeding scheme is quite simple. The first fertilizers are applied before you are going to sow the cabbage seeds. Then the seedlings are fed only 7-10 days after picking. Potassium fertilizers, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate are used in the proportion of 2/4/2 grams per liter of water. A liter of fertilizing is enough for fifty seedlings. Fertilize only after watering. The second fertilizing is applied 14-16 days after the first, the fertilizers are the same, but in double quantity per 1 liter of water. The third feeding is the same fertilizers, but the proportion is already 8/5/3 per 1 liter.
The first fertilizers are applied before you are going to sow cabbage seeds.
Many experienced gardeners harden seedlings, for which, 7-10 days before planting in the ground, they first begin to place them under an open window for several hours, and 5 days before planting they take them out onto the balcony if the weather is sunny.
Video about planting cabbage seedlings
Seedlings can be considered ready for planting if they have 4-5 leaves. Unfortunately, for white cabbage - not the best suitable place. It is worth planting seedlings in open ground in good weather; first (1-2 hours before) they are watered abundantly. To prevent “temperature shock” when planting in the ground, seedlings are placed on the balcony for 20-30 minutes, which is enough to cool the root system.
