How to properly grow cabbage seedlings at home?

Cabbage has always been considered one of the most beloved vegetables, which is why it received the "title" of a garden lady. It occupies one of the leading places in the diet, in addition, it is often used in traditional medicine. Therefore, it is not surprising that gardeners rarely refuse to grow this vegetable on the site. And without high-quality seedlings, getting a large harvest of cabbage is very difficult, sometimes even impossible. For this reason, it is worth figuring out how to grow cabbage seedlings at home.

How to grow cabbage seedlings at home

Seedling cabbage

First, we note that successful cultivation in this case is associated with the observance of several key conditions at once - the correct sowing time, suitable conditions (temperature, lighting), as well as the mandatory disinfection of the soil mixture and seed.

Growing cabbage: infographics

Step 1. Choose the right variety

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 - this is one thing, but if you intend to use it for storage or sourdough - another.

Cabbage varieties. 1.Wild annual. 2. Cabbage. 3. Colored. 4. Kohlrabi. 5. Brussels. 6. Savoy.

As for white cabbage, it comes in 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 insignificant (weighing a maximum of 1.5 kg). As for mid-season cabbage, it is suitable for conservation and summer use, but late types are optimal for long-term fresh storage.

Note! The timing of not only ripening, but also the sowing of cabbage for seedlings differ. This should not be forgotten. Although these terms are interrelated.

Stage 2. Decide on a deadline

Here are the approximate sowing times for different varieties of cabbage:

• March 10-25 - white and red (early maturing species, as well as hybrids);
• April 5-15 - mid- and late-ripening white cabbage;
• from March 15th to mid-April - Savoyard;
• March 10-30 - kohlrabi;
• from late March to early April - Brussels;
• March 15-25 - colored and broccoli.

Table of the optimal sowing time for cabbage

It is worth noting that all these terms are conditional, since much depends on the specific growing region. But if you wish, you can yourself determine a favorable landing date. Typically, cabbage seeds sprout about 8-10 days after planting. Seedlings are planted in the ground somewhere in 50-55 days. And if you cannot keep containers with seedlings in a greenhouse or on a glazed balcony with a temperature of + 15 ° C to + 17 ° C, then growing in warmer room conditions will be required. In this case, the early varieties will have to be sown 14 days later, approximately in early April. The duration of daylight hours will increase, the plants will not stretch out so much and turn yellow, and the chances of acquiring high-quality seedlings will be high even with excessive heat.

Cabbage seeds

Step 3. Sow seeds for seedlings

The process consists of several simple steps, let's get acquainted with the features of each of them.

Step 1. Prepare a suitable potting mix first. Take peat, sand and turf soil for this, mix in a 1: 1: 1 ratio and add a little ash (about 1⁄4 cup per 1 liter of the mixture).

Preparation of soil mixture

Step 2. Sift the finished mixture, then steam for 60 minutes in a double boiler. Then you can add perlite, which is an excellent soil loosening agent that provides oxygen access. In addition, during watering, perlite absorbs excess liquid, and then gradually releases it (this is extremely important for young plants).

Note! If the soil mixture has not been steamed, be sure to water it with a solution of potassium permanganate before sowing (it should be pink)!

The soil mixture is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate

Step 3. Now it's time to start preparing the seed. Take the seeds and place them in the same potassium permanganate solution (but its color this time should be dark pink) for about 20 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly with running water.

Processing cabbage seeds before sowing

In addition, in order to prevent the development of mold, blackleg and other fungal diseases, it is recommended to treat with Fitosporin-M or its analogue.

"Fitosporin-M"

Step 4. After finishing processing, dry the seeds until they become free-flowing, then spread them over the surface of the soil mixture according to the 1x1 cm scheme (the fact is that cabbage seedlings do not like thickening). If there are several varieties, put labels with their names.

Sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings

Step 5. Cover the seeds with a little more soil (the layer should be about 1-1.5 cm thick).

Seeds are covered with soil mixture

Step 6. In the case of insufficiently deep seeding of seeds, they can grow in a shell, which, in turn, will be carried upward along with the seedlings and interfere with the subsequent development of seedlings. Moisten the top coat using a spray bottle.

Moistening the topsoil

Step 7. Place the container in a PET bag, hold until the first shoots appear, at a temperature of approximately + 20 ° C.

The container is placed in a plastic bag

Video - Correct sowing of cabbage for seedlings

Step 4. Take care of the seedlings

In 9-10 days the first shoots should appear. This is the most crucial stage in the cultivation of cabbage seedlings. Reduce the temperature to somewhere around + 10 ° C, and do this without fail, since a suitable temperature regime is perhaps the most important condition. If the temperature is higher, the seedlings are likely to 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, here the most suitable place is a glazed balcony.

Temperature is an important factor in growing cabbage seedlings.

After 7-14 days, raise the temperature to + 16 ... + 17 ° С, do not forget about regular ventilation, as well as the fact that temperature drops during the day / night are now useful for seedlings. Watering should be moderate. It is important that the soil dries out between waterings. And when the plants have 1-2 true leaves, proceed to the next stage - picking.

Seedling with two true leaves

Step 5. Dive the seedlings into separate pots

Step 1. First, prepare the soil mixture for the dive. For this, 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.

Preparation of soil mixture for picking cabbage seedlings

Step 2. Take prepared pots and fill them about 2/3 full with soil mixture, then compact it. Make a hole in each pot so deep that the root system of the seedling fits freely.

Pickling cabbage seedlings

Step 3. If you come across too large roots, pinch them by a third. Transplant all seedlings, compact the soil around each one. Pour gently, starting from the rim of the container. When all the liquid is absorbed, add some more soil mixture (as a result, the latter should reach the cotyledon leaves).

Watering transplanted cabbage seedlings

Note! After completing the pick, place the containers with seedlings in a lighted place with a temperature of + 15 ° С to + 17 ° С.

Water the seedlings in moderation using only room temperature water. Of course, a moisture deficit is harmful to seedlings, since it inhibits its growth, but an excess can also cause negative consequences - lodging of cabbage, development of a black leg or decay of the root system. Do not forget about the same temperature drops and regular ventilation.

Seedling disease - black leg

How to feed seedlings?

Before the seedlings are transplanted into the ground, fertilizing should be done twice.

1. First feeding do when the plants have 2 true leaves. If you previously applied ash, then you do not need to use an 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 the ash was not used at all, then use a complex seedling fertilizer that contains all the necessary trace elements.

   Urea (urea)

2. Second feeding do when the plants have 3-4 true leaves (about 14 days before transplanting). Prepare a solution of a complex mineral fertilizer designed specifically for seedlings. When it gets warmer, the plants can be taken outside more often. Great if you can put them in a greenhouse.

The best preparations for working with seedlings

Step 6. Transplant seedlings into soil

Start transplanting when each plant has 5-6 true leaves.It's okay if frosts are still observed in the morning - cabbage seedlings tolerate short-term cold snaps well (up to about -5 ° C). But if it is cold enough throughout the day, it is better to postpone the transplant, since a number of early varieties may show shooting with prolonged exposure to low temperatures.

Planting cabbage seedlings in the ground

Note! The best precursors to cabbage are potatoes, garlic, carrots, onions, and virtually all legumes. Do not plant cabbage after representatives of the Cruciferous family.

A couple of hours before transplanting, spill the seedlings abundantly, you can even hold it for half an hour on a tray with water, adding "Epin-extra" (0.5 ml per 1 liter) there.

"Epin-extra"

Table. Master class on transplanting cabbage seedlings into the ground.

Step 1	While the plants are saturated with water, you can start 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 another nitrogen fertilizer) and 1 tbsp. spoonful of double superphosphate. After that, dig up the soil well.
Step 2	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.
Step 3	Next, fill each well with water.
Step 4	As soon as the liquid is absorbed by 1⁄2, you can cover the holes with earth. Tellingly, there is no need to compact the earth in this case.
Step 5	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.
Step 6	Together with cabbage, you can plant seedlings of high tagetes. So you will protect the crop from a number of pests, including cabbage whites.

Note! Directly during planting, you can apply complex fertilizers containing all the necessary nutrients. You can use, for example, "Floromix-K" - an excellent product that is balanced specifically for cabbage. In addition, you can use "Master" or "Vermisol".

The images below show the process of planting cabbage seedlings in the greenhouse and fertilizing.

Video - How to grow cabbage seedlings

How to grow pepper seedlings at home

If you make a mistake with watering, allow sudden temperature changes, or simply incorrectly transplant, then the stems of the pepper seedlings will coarsen, and the potential yield will noticeably decrease. In a word, there are many nuances, so read the article on how to grow pepper seedlings at home.

Disease prevention

As noted above, cabbage is susceptible to diseases, which are mainly provoked by fungi. In most cases, black stalk and root rot are observed.

Black leg cabbage seedlings

It is quite difficult to cure cabbage from them, often the treatment does not bring any results. Therefore, these diseases are easier to prevent.

1. The soil mixture and seed should only be from trusted manufacturers.
2. Seedling pots / boxes, as well as the tools you use in your work, must be decontaminated and clean.
3. Immediately before sowing, the soil should be disinfected and the seeds etched.
4. It is important that the distance between the seedlings is sufficient.
5. Frequent watering is undesirable, since the soil must have time to dry out.

The distance between plants should be sufficient, because cabbage does not like thickening

But if the seedlings do get sick, take appropriate measures right away, before the disease spreads. Ideally, all diseased plants should be destroyed, but if we are talking about valuable specimens or most of the plantings, you can try to save the seedlings. First of all, transfer diseased plants to another place, and spill those plantings that remain with a solution of potassium permanganate, sprinkle with wood ash, and then loosen the soil to dry.

Wood ash

Note! You can also try to save diseased plants with such means as "Rizoplan" or "Trichodermin", created on the basis of a special mycelium that prevents the development of pathogens. This will heal the soil, and destroy the pathogens.

Now you know how to grow healthy cabbage seedlings with your own hands

Video - Diseases and pests of cabbage

A vegetable with character, popularly called "garden lady", tasty, healthy, fruitful - cabbage. She is one of the first in a healthy diet, in folk medicine, in cosmetology. Growing good cabbage for a gardener is a matter of honor. The best cabbage in our climate is grown from seedlings.

How to grow cabbage seedlings at home

Choosing a variety of cabbage

When choosing cabbage seeds, the luxurious forks of which will show off in your garden, first decide what you want to get. Cabbage cabbage strife. The sowing time of this vegetable for seedlings depends on the variety and ripening time. The early first kale for salads is one thing. Long-term storage winter varieties are quite different.

Important! The article is about white cabbage, but all the information applies to growing red cabbage.

Early ripe	This type of cabbage mainly includes low-yielding varieties that ripen the very first, starting in June. They have small heads of cabbage (no more than one and a half kilograms in weight). The density is loose. Such cabbage is not subject to long storage and is not suitable for sourdough.
Mid-season	Suitable for fresh consumption, but can also be used for fermentation. The maturation period is also average - it can lie in suitable conditions until the middle of winter. Heads of cabbage in mid-season cabbage are larger, 2-3 kilograms each, and more dense
Late ripening	This type is best suited for salting and all types of canning, as well as for storage. Heads of late-ripening cabbage are stored until spring. By weight, they can reach 6-7 kilograms (among record-breaking gardeners, and with proper care). Heads of cabbage are very dense, leaves are tough, poorly suitable for salads and raw consumption

If the area of ​​the garden allows, you can grow all three types of cabbage, or at least early and late.

The time of sowing cabbage for seedlings depends on the variety and ripening time

Purchase and preparation of seeds

Having decided on the variety, go for the seeds. You should not purchase many beautiful sachets (each should indicate the area for which the contents are intended). If you decide to grow early and late varieties, you can buy 2-3 sachets for a sample. In the next season, after harvesting and comparing the characteristics, it will be easier to decide on your preferences.

Read the information on the bag carefully before boarding

Seeds must be prepared for sowing if they have not been processed by the manufacturer. Please read all information on the packaging carefully. Processed seeds, coated with glaze, pelleted, should not be soaked before sowing. The rest before starting sowing, warm up in water with a temperature of about 50 ° C for 1/3 hour. Then soak in clean, cold water for five minutes. You can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate instead of water for cold soaking.

Disinfection will prevent future seedling problems

Pre-soaking will "awaken" the energy of the seed. And disinfection will prevent future problems with seedlings such as black leg, root rot and powdery mildew.

Sowing dates for cabbage seedlings

Early sowing of seeds is fraught with the fact that the seedlings will stretch out, outgrow, and when planted in open ground will have a small supply of vitality - all of them are spent on survival in difficult room conditions. Such seedlings adapt to open soil longer, get sick more, and have a low yield.

Late sowing has the same negative consequences - the seedlings are not strong enough and are more susceptible to diseases during the period of adaptation to the garden soil and open air conditions.

Sowing dates are indicated on the back of the package.

Early varieties cabbage is sown for seedlings in March. After International Women's Day, you can start (referring to the gardener's lunar calendar). It is desirable to complete the sowing of early varieties by the last decade of March.

Mid-season varieties sown during the month - from March 20 to April 20.

Late ripening cabbage sown in April - from the beginning of the month to the 20th and 25th.

If you wish, you can calculate the exact sowing time yourself. It takes 10-12 days from the immersion of the seeds in the soil to the emergence of the seedlings. After the seedlings have appeared, they will need 50-60 days of full development before planting the seedlings in the ground. This means that, depending on the variety and conditions of the seedlings, sowing should be started 60-70 days before the seedling planting date. Regardless of the variety (early or late), cabbage seedlings are not recommended to be moved to the garden soil until stable warm temperatures occur and there is no threat of recurrent frosts.

It takes 10-12 days to hatch seedlings

Soil preparation and sowing

To grow healthy cabbage seedlings, you need to prepare soil that meets certain requirements. Ideally, the seedling potting mix is ​​prepared in the fall. Or at least they collect the necessary components for it and send it to storage in a barn, cellar, on a balcony. If you do not have time to prepare before the onset of frost, you will have to do the mixing of fertile soil before planting.

The key to good seedlings is the right soil

The secret of fertile soil

For cabbage, you need a non-acidic, loose substrate. It is optimal to mix humus with turf soil (or peat) in a 1: 1 ratio. For each kilogram of the mixture obtained, add 1 tbsp. sifted ash.

Important! Wood ash is not only an excellent antiseptic, but also a concentrated source of important elements that seeds need for germination.

You do not need to add anything else to the soil for sowing seeds - you will increase fertility when transplanting sprouts into other containers during a pick.

Correct sowing

In order for cabbage seedlings to grow strong, healthy, stocky, they must be dived. This is the only way to achieve an increase in root volume sufficient for the normal nutrition of the seedling. Therefore, for sowing, large in area, but shallow containers are used. A tray or container works best. Do not forget to make drain holes in the bottom.

For sowing cabbage, large and shallow containers are used.

1. Before sowing, the soil in the tray is abundantly moistened - more, before the seeds emerge, it will not be watered, since otherwise there is a high probability of damage to the seedlings with a black leg. In order for cabbage seeds to germinate, they need a lot of moisture. Therefore, the soil under the seeds must be wet.
2. You can sow in rows, close to each other, when the seedlings hatch, they must be thinned out. As a result, the weekly seedlings are thinned to a distance of 2 cm² of feeding area for each sprout.
3. After three weeks, the seedlings are subject to picking. You can dive into peat or plastic pots, cardboard cups. Any container with a diameter of at least 6-8 cm is suitable.

After three weeks, the seedlings are subject to picking.

Caring for cabbage seedlings

Cabbage seedlings need proper care. This plant is not the most capricious, but errors in care can lead to growth retardation, disease and death of seedlings.

Supplementary lighting

One of the obligatory measures is its supplementary lighting. Saplings, immediately after germination, need a light period of at least 14-15 hours a day. Considering that the sowing is carried out in February - March, when there is still not enough sunlight, it is possible to organize an 8-hour supplementary illumination plus the daylight period.You can use an ordinary fluorescent lamp for illumination.

After germination, cabbage seedlings must be supplemented

Watering

The vegetable belongs to the great lovers of moisture. The only danger is the defeat of immature seedlings with a black leg. Therefore, all containers for growing cabbage seedlings at any stage must have large drainage holes.

After watering, you need to loosen the soil in the pot to prevent it from getting stuck.

Temperature

The optimal temperature for cabbage is:

• + 18 ... + 20 ° С - after sowing before germination;
• + 15 ... + 18 ° С - after seed germination before planting in the garden;
• + 8 ... + 10 ° С at night during the hardening period (up to two weeks before planting in the ground).

Temperature is an important factor in growing cabbage seedlings.

Top dressing of seedlings

Feeding cabbage seedlings is a must. She needs a balanced diet for active and good growth.

1. For the first time, you need to fertilize the soil two weeks after germination. Ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potash fertilizers are used. From the mixture - 2/4/2 g and a liter of water, a solution is prepared, with which the seedlings are watered at the root after the main watering procedure.
2. The next time feeding is carried out in two weeks. In this case, with the same amount and proportions of fertilizers, it is necessary to take ½ liter of water (that is, the concentration of the solution doubles). If the leaves of the seedlings are not intense green, but are pale or yellowish in color, the soil lacks nitrogen - additionally feed the seedlings with a 10% solution of slurry.
3. The third time feeding is done two weeks before planting in the ground. Here, saltpeter, superphosphate and potash fertilizers are taken in the amount of 3/5/8 g per liter of water.

Saltpeter for active growth of cabbage

Hardening and planting in the ground

Start hardening seedlings 14 days before the expected disembarkation. First, you just need to open the window at night (no drafts). After three days, you can start leaving the seedlings on the balcony for a couple of hours every night. In the last week, in the absence of frost, the seedlings can generally be moved to a balcony or loggia.

Seedlings ready for planting should have at least 5-6 leaves and a strong, well-developed stem. Before planting, the plants are watered. Moving seedlings from the pot should be carried out carefully, while maintaining an earthen coma.

Seedlings ready for planting should have at least 5-6 leaves and a good stem

Growing cabbage is an interesting and rewarding business. This vegetable, subject to proper and careful care, will thank the gardener with a bountiful harvest. In order to provide the whole family with healthy crispy cabbage, two beds are enough - with an early and late variety.

Video - All about growing cabbage

Cabbage is one of the popular vegetable crops that almost every gardener grows on his site. It contains a large amount of minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, cabbage can be used in any form: raw, stewed, sauerkraut. It can be grown in a seedling and seedless way. In most regions of our country, cabbage is planted with seedlings. The main thing is to properly prepare for planting and in the future to provide the sprouts with the necessary care.

Preparing for landing

To cultivate cabbage through seedlings, it is necessary to prepare containers, soil and seed material.

Preparation of soil and containers

The choice and preparation of the soil must be approached with special attention. The first land you come across is not good. If, for example, we consider the soil from the garden, then it may contain dangerous microorganisms and pest larvae. It is better to buy a ready-made mixture for growing seedlings or make it yourself. You can choose one of the recipes:

• sod land, peat and humus in a ratio of 1: 1: 1;
• peat, sod land and coarse sand - 1: 3: 1/4;
• wood ash, lime, coarse sand - 1: 1/4: 1/4.

To grow cabbage seedlings, the soil mixture is bought or prepared on their own

The main qualities that the seedling soil must meet are fertility, water and air permeability.

It is better to start preparing the soil in the fall and store it in a cool place until spring.

For sowing and growing cabbage seedlings at home, you can use:

• cups,
• pots,
• boxes,
• cassette.

The capacity 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 will be sown in, there should 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.

It is recommended to treat the container with a solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, dilute 5 g of potassium permanganate in a bucket of hot water (almost boiling). The containers and the tools used for planting are poured with the prepared solution.

Seed preparation

Before sowing, the seeds must be prepared:

• select quality material,
• disinfect it,
• to increase germination.

Calibration

Cabbage seeds are calibrated in 3% salt solution for 5 minutes. In salt water, light grains will float, and heavy ones 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 planting material.

Cabbage seeds must be calibrated before planting in order to select the highest quality seed

Germination test

To determine the germination capacity of seed, it is wrapped in a damp cloth, and it is better to take 100 pieces for more convenient counting. Germination is carried out in a place where the temperature is maintained at + 20-25 ˚С, while the condition of the tissue must be monitored and not allowed to dry out. Every day, the seeds are examined, sprouted are counted and removed. By the seeds that germinated in the first 3 days, you can determine how friendly the seedlings will be, and by those that hatch within 7 days, 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 washing in clean water. A greater effect can be achieved by heat treatment by placing the seeds in a gauze bag in water at a temperature of + 48-50 ˚С for 20 minutes. The specified temperature should not be exceeded, since the seeds will lose their germination, and at a lower temperature, there will be no result from such treatment.

To disinfect cabbage seeds, they are treated in a 1–2% solution of potassium permanganate

How to speed up germination

In order for the seeds to germinate faster, they are soaked in water at room temperature and placed in a warm place, where they should stay for about 12 hours, while it is recommended to change the water every 4 hours. The amount of liquid should be such that it only covers the seeds. In the process of soaking, the grains swell. If the sowing time 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 performed in special solutions (for example, in an infusion of wood ash). To prepare it:

1. 2 tablespoons of ash are poured into 1 liter of warm water.
2. Insist for a day, and then filter.
3. Soaking is carried out in such a solution for 3 hours.
4. Then the seeds are washed with clean water.

You can accelerate the germination of cabbage seeds using an ash infusion, in which they are soaked for 3 hours

Hardening

Before sowing cabbage, it is recommended to harden the seeds to increase their resistance to low temperatures. After all the preparatory procedures, the seed is placed in the lower part of the refrigerator (+ 1–2 ˚С) for a day.After this time, the grains are dried and sowed.

Planting seeds for seedlings

The timing of sowing cabbage for seedlings depends on the crop variety, region and when the harvest is expected to be obtained.

Timing

When growing cabbage of early varieties in some regions, seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of April, which indicates the need to sow seeds in mid-February or early March. The medium-ripening varieties for seedlings should be sown at the beginning of April, late-ripening at the end of the month. Plants of these varieties are planted in unprotected soil from mid-May to early June. As for the more exact dates, they will depend on the weather conditions for a particular region. It is not difficult to calculate the timing of sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings: it takes about 10 days from sowing to seedlings, and from the first sprouts to planting 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 culture in question is quite simple and boils down to the following actions:

1. The planting containers are filled with soil and small grooves are made 1 cm deep with a distance of 3 cm from each other.Planting containers are filled with soil mixture, after which grooves or small depressions are made, depending on the type of container
2. Spread the seeds at intervals of 3 cm and sprinkle with sand or peat to avoid the formation of a soil crust.Spread cabbage seeds at intervals of 3 cm, then sprinkle with peat, sand or soil mixture
3. The soil is well spilled with water, after which the container is covered with a transparent film and placed in a warm place (+20 ˚С).After sowing the seeds, the cups are covered with a plastic bag and placed in a warm place (+20 ˚С)

Video: sowing cabbage for seedlings

Caring for cabbage seedlings at home

To grow healthy and robust seedlings, it needs to be cared for properly. Otherwise, not only a slowdown in growth is possible, but also the occurrence of diseases, and in the worst case, the death of seedlings.

Temperature

Seedlings of cabbage should appear on the 9-10th day after sowing. During this period, the temperature must be reduced to +10 ˚С. At higher rates, young seedlings will stretch. In addition, there is a likelihood of developing diseases and death of seedlings.

If the seedlings are grown in an apartment, then a glazed loggia (balcony) will be the most suitable place.

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

An obligatory event in the care of cabbage seedlings is feeding. Plants need additional nutrition, which ensures their active growth and development. Fertilizers are applied several times:

1. 2 weeks after germination - ammonium nitrate (2 g), superphosphate (4 g), potassium fertilizers (2 g) are used as nutrients, which are diluted in 1 liter of water. The resulting solution is watered with seedlings under the root with preliminary moistening of the soil with water.
2. 2 weeks after the first feeding - use the same fertilizers and in the same proportions, but on the basis of 0.5 liters of water.
3. 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 needs 12-15 hours of daylight. As a source of additional lighting, fluorescent, phyto or LED lamps are used. They are installed above the seedlings at a height of 20-25 cm.

It is not recommended to use incandescent lamps as a backlight element, since they not only emit light, but also heat the air.

Cabbage seedlings need 12-15 hours of daylight hours, for which additional lighting is used

Picking

Only those seedlings that have been sown in seedling boxes are subjected to picking. If the seedlings are grown in separate containers, then they have enough space for normal development. Planting is started 10 days after germination. You need to understand that this is a painful process for plants, since the root system is partially damaged. Consider how to properly transplant seedlings into a separate container (cups, pots):

1. Pre-water the seedlings, moisturizing the soil well.Before picking, cabbage seedlings are well spilled with water.
2. We carefully remove the plants, holding them by the cotyledonous leaves.To extract a cabbage seedling, use a spatula, with the help of which the sprout is carefully separated with a lump of earth
3. Examine the roots and shorten the ones that are too long by 1/3 with scissors.
4. We fill the planting container with soil substrate (of the same composition as for sowing), in which we make a depression corresponding to the length of the root.The container for cabbage seedlings is filled with soil mixture, leaving a hole for the seedling in the center
5. We deepen the seedlings to the level of the cotyledonous leaves, sprinkle with soil and lightly tamp.When diving cabbage seedlings, the sprout must be deepened to the level of the cotyledon leaves
6. We make abundant watering and remove the plants in a dark place for 2 days.

Since when diving, pathogenic microorganisms can enter the root processes, after removing the seedling from the seedling box, it is recommended to dip it into 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 plant site, it is necessary to harden. This is done in order for them to adapt to their environment as much as possible. Saplings are taken out on the veranda, balcony or in the garden, first for 1 hour, then gradually increasing the residence time. By the time of planting, the plants should be outdoors around the clock. In addition, a week before transplanting, they begin to reduce watering, preventing the seedlings from wilting.

In order for cabbage seedlings to adapt to external conditions, they must first be hardened

Landing in the ground

A well-lit area is chosen for cabbage, and its preparation is done in advance:

• remove weeds and other plant debris;
• 6-8 kg of compost or rotted manure and 100 g of wood ash per 1 m² are brought under digging.

The planting scheme depends on the type and variety:

• early varieties - 35 × 45 cm;
• mid-season - 60 × 60 cm;
• late - 70 × 70 cm.

The optimal conditions for planting seedlings in open ground are cloudy weather. Planting containers must be watered first. The process consists of the following steps:

1. Shallow holes are made for seedlings and spilled with water (at least 1 liter).The holes for cabbage seedlings are made according to the size of the plant root system, taking into account the earthen coma
2. Plants are carefully removed from the cups along with an earthen lump and laid out on the prepared holes.Carefully take out the cabbage seedlings from the cups along with an earthen clod and lay out in the holes
3. The seedlings are deepened to the level of the first true leaves, sprinkled with earth and watered.The cabbage seedlings are deepened to the level of the first true leaves, sprinkled with earth and watered

For several days after planting, it is necessary to shade the plants from the sun and spray with water in the evening hours.

Methods for growing cabbage seedlings

Many garden crops are grown in seedlings. The most common option for gardeners is 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 recent years, new methods of growing seedlings have been increasingly used, which can reduce labor costs, reduce the occupied area without any damage to the quality of seedlings.Let's consider these methods in more detail.

In peat tablets

To exclude damage to the roots of cabbage seedlings during a pick, seedlings can be grown in peat tablets, which contain all the necessary nutrients. Until the moment 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:

1. Select tablets with a diameter of at least 4 cm, put them in a container of a suitable size and fill them with warm water (50 ° C) for swelling.For cabbage, choose peat tablets with a diameter of at least 4 cm and fill them with warm water in a suitable container
2. After increasing the volume of tablets by 7–8 times, all excess water is drained, and 2 seeds are placed in the recess, after which they are covered with peat.Cabbage seeds are laid out in swollen tablets and covered with peat
3. The container with tablets is transferred to a bright place with a temperature of + 18–20˚С and kept in such conditions until shoots appear.
4. After germination, the weaker sprout is removed by cutting at the root.After germination of cabbage seeds, the weaker sprout is removed by cutting it at the root

If the roots have sprouted through the tablet, the seedlings are transplanted into the planting container along with the tablet, freeing it from the material that holds its shape.

In the "snail"

The undoubted advantage of seedlings in the "snail" is the small footprint: one roll can grow about 15 seedlings, and its size is comparable to an average pot. In addition, the soil mixture for this method will require much less than when planting in the standard way. Seedlings in the "snail" are evenly illuminated and do not interfere with each other's development. One of the common materials for this method of obtaining seedlings is a substrate for a laminate. The planting process consists of the following steps:

1. The material is cut into strips 20 cm wide and about 1 m long.To make a "snail", the substrate under the laminate is cut into strips 20 cm wide and 1 m long
2. Wet soil is poured onto the substrate with a layer of 3 cm, 3 cm also recede from the edges and seeds are laid out in the upper part of the future "snail" with an interval of 10 cm.Wet soil is poured onto the substrate and seeds are laid out in the upper part of the future "snail"
3. Roll the material into a roll, using an elastic band for fastening, then cover it with a plastic bag and transfer it to heat (+ 20-25 ˚С) for germination.Roll the material into a roll, fasten it with an elastic band, then cover it with a plastic bag and transfer it to heat
4. The "snail" is regularly ventilated and moistened, and after the emergence of shoots, the bag is removed.
5. During planting of seedlings in the ground, the roll is unrolled and the seedlings are removed along with the ground.

Video: growing seedlings in a "snail" using the example of pepper

In "swaddling clothes"

Quite a simple way of growing cabbage seedlings is in "nappies". In this case, you will need plastic bags 20 × 30 cm or pieces of film, as well as a soil mixture. It is recommended to moisten the soil and add a small amount of sawdust for better shaping. Then do the following:

1. A lump of soil is laid out on polyethylene and a tube is formed.
2. After wrapping, a cup with wet soil without a bottom is obtained.
3. Such containers are placed in a pallet with sawdust.
4. In the cups with a toothpick, they make 1 cm depressions and lay out 2 seeds each in case one does not germinate.
5. A pallet with cups is covered with a plastic bag and placed in a dark and warm place for germination.
6. When sprouts appear, the package is removed and the box is placed on the windowsill, providing normal lighting.
7. When the cotyledon leaves appear, the seedlings are taken out to the greenhouse or to the loggia, since cabbage seedlings do not like heat and low humidity.Sowing cabbage seedlings in "nappies" saves space
8. As it dries, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle.
9. Landing in the ground is carried out in accordance with the terms for their region.

Video: growing seedlings in "nappies" using the example of cucumbers

Growing seedlings without land

Landless cultivation of cabbage seedlings, which is also called the Moscow method or "roll-up", greatly simplifies the receipt of seedlings and their picking to a permanent place. With this method, planting tanks and soil are not needed. The absence of contact between seedlings and the ground at the beginning of plant development excludes the occurrence of diseases: such seedlings do not get sick with a black leg. Similar to other modern methods, the landless option allows you to save space and place more planting containers with plants that prefer warmth.

For this method, you will need three-layer toilet paper, a roll-up tray, cling film and seeds. The whole process boils down to the following steps:

1. Cut the film into strips equal to the width of the toilet paper, while the length should be about 40-50 cm.
2. Lay out the film on a flat surface, place paper on top and moisten it with water.It is better to moisten the paper with water from a rubber bulb or a spray bottle so that it does not tear
3. We step back from the edge of 2 cm and lay out the seeds at intervals of 4-5 cm along the length of the paper. For convenience, tweezers can be used.
4. After sowing, cover the seeds with a layer of paper, moisten it, and put a strip of film on top.
5. We twist the resulting "sandwich", trying to make even edges, fasten it with an elastic band and put it in a tray (seeds up), adding a little water."Roll-ups" with seeds take up much less space than ordinary seedlings
6. We put a plastic bag on top and make holes for ventilation.We put a plastic bag on top of the "roll-up" and make holes for ventilation

When sowing cabbage of several varieties, mark them at once, for example, by making a marker on the "roll-up".

After the sprouts appear, the bag is removed. During the cultivation of seedlings, you need to feed them twice: during the germination of seeds and when the first pair of true leaves is formed. For replenishment, it is better to use drugs such as Gumi-20, Ideal and the like. When picking, carefully unwind the "roll-up", take out the seedlings together with paper and plant them in containers filled with soil mixture.

Video: growing seedlings without land

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 time, you need to be able to recognize it and take the right measures.

Diseases

The most common diseases of cabbage seedlings include black leg, peronosporosis, fusarium and others.

Blackleg

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 the acidity of the soil, use a special device or indicator strips (pH test). Cabbage needs an acidity level in the range of pH 6-8.

To prevent the development of a black leg, you must follow the rules for growing seedlings:

• prepare the soil with the desired acidity level;
• do not overmoisten the soil;
• avoid thickened landings;
• 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 dealing with it:

• remove the damaged sprout from the seedling box along with the earthen clod;
• transplant healthy plantings into a new disinfected soil, and discard the sick along with the ground;
• to process healthy plants with a solution of copper sulfate, Bordeaux liquid or potassium permanganate;
• add soda to the soil (1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water).

Powdery mildew

Symptoms of powdery mildew infection of seedlings are the appearance of white spots on seedlings. Powdery mildew, although not considered a serious disease, especially for adult plantings, can harm the young, so the plants should be treated. One of the best options for these purposes is Fitosporin-M.

With powdery mildew, white spots appear on the plants, which can harm young cabbage seedlings

Peronosporosis

With peronosporosis, the leaves are damaged and die off prematurely. The disease also occurs when the conditions for growing seedlings are not followed. 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 for 10 water).

Peronosporosis occurs when the conditions for growing cabbage seedlings are not followed

Alternaria

The fungal disease affects both adults and young plants, 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 a plaque similar to soot can be observed - these are the spores of the fungus. To prevent the disease, seeds are treated with Planriz before planting, the rules of crop rotation are observed. If the seedlings were nevertheless affected by Alternaria, drugs such as Skor, Quadris should be used.

Alternariosis of cabbage appears in the form of black patches on the cotyledons, and then on the outer leaves

Fusarium wilting

Fusarium wilt affects not only cabbage, but also other cruciferous crops. It is possible to determine that plants are affected by this fungal disease by the yellow spots on the leaves, followed by their subsequent drying out and dying off. On older plants, a small and deformed head of cabbage forms. If an infected plant was found in the garden, it must be removed and disposed of, and the planting site should be treated with such means as Benomil, Tekto, Topsin-M.

With fusarium wilting of cabbage, yellowing of the foliage is observed, followed by drying out and dying off.

Keela

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 root and burned. The reason for the appearance of keels on cabbage is heavy and acidic soil, that is, the inadequacy of the soil for this culture.

Infection of cabbage with keel can be judged by yellowing and wilting of leaves at the edges, a stop in the development of the head of cabbage

Seedling pests

Pests can cause no less harm to young plants, therefore, timely and correct control is necessary with them.

Aphid

Cabbage aphids are small insects that damage the leaves of a crop. It is possible to judge whether a plant is damaged by this pest by a white or brown coating on the leaves with their subsequent twisting. You can fight aphids using different means:

• decoction of tobacco leaves,
• insecticidal soap,
• Deltamethrin.

Aphids on cabbage infect the leaves, causing them to curl.

Cabbage moth

The pest is a butterfly that feeds on plant sap. Caterpillars cause the greatest harm to seedlings: they eat leaves, ovaries and stems. As a result of such damage, the metabolism of the leaves is disrupted, and in hot weather they receive sunburn. After eating the ovaries, the future harvest is noticeably reduced. Of the chemicals for pest control, you can use Decis, Actellik, Ripkord. It is necessary to collect caterpillars and eggs from plants, weed weeds. There are also folk recipes, but this treatment must be repeated several times to achieve the effect:

• a solution of wood ash (2 glasses of ash and 1 glass of crushed laundry soap per 10 liters of water), which is used for spraying plants;
• infusion of celandine or wormwood (chopped bushes are diluted with boiling water in a ratio of 1/5 and insisted for half an hour).

The caterpillar of the cabbage moth eats the leaves, ovaries and stalks of the cabbage, which leads to the death of the plant

Cruciferous fleas

This is a small beetle (2–4 mm), which has good jumping ability and eats leaves and stems of young plants, and insect larvae damage the roots of seedlings. With a large number of fleas, the plant can die in a few days. If the plantations can be saved from the bug, then the appearance will be spoiled. Therefore, it is recommended to take preventive measures in advance:

• prevent the growth of cruciferous weeds (shepherd's purse, rape, wild radish);
• carry out weeding, loosening and feeding in a timely manner;
• planting cabbage nearby with phytoncide plants.

Phytoncide plants, which include calendula, marigolds, nasturtium, emit a smell that repels the cruciferous flea.

With an invasion of a pest, they resort to the use of drugs such as Decis, Karbofos, Aktara.

Cruciferous flea in large quantities can destroy cabbage by eating leaves

Cabbage fly

The female insect lays eggs in the warm ground near the plants, and the hatched larvae damage the root of the seedlings, which leads to their wilting and death. To combat, use the chemicals Topaz, Zemlin, Iskra, Karbofos or Rovikurt. You can also resort to folk methods, for example, dilute 5 ml of ammonia in a bucket of water and water the cabbage beds.

When cabbage sprouts are damaged by cabbage sprouts, the plants wither and get sick

Cabbage white

This pest is known to everyone as a cabbage (butterfly), but the danger is not she, but her caterpillars, which eat the leaves of the cabbage. Caterpillars are easily recognizable by their yellow-green color with transverse dots on the body. The most effective way to control the pest is to inspect cabbage leaves, kill eggs and caterpillars. It is also advisable to inspect the plants planted nearby cabbage. Different insecticides can be used against the whites, but Fitoverm and Kinmiks are the most effective. You can prepare an infusion of mustard:

1. Pour 100 g of dry powder with 10 liters of hot water and leave for several days.
2. Before use, dilute the solution in a 1: 1 ratio with water and spray the plants.

Caterpillars of cabbage whites eat cabbage leaves, often leaving only large veins

Growing problems

Cabbage is quite sensitive to growing conditions, as a result of which, with improper care, certain problems arise.

Seedlings stretched out

Pulling seedlings is not uncommon. There are usually several reasons for this problem:

• lack of light;
• heat;
• excess nitrogen fertilizers in the soil.Cabbage seedlings are pulled out in low light

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 the temperature, cabbage does not like heat and even more so heat. Under inappropriate conditions, it not only stretches out, but dies altogether. Therefore, it is required to provide an appropriate temperature regime.

If the plants receive an excess amount of nitrogen, then the leaves develop to the detriment of the root system. This indicates the need to stop feeding with a nitrogen content until the seedlings are planted in the ground.

Seedlings do not grow

The reason why cabbage seedlings do not grow at home is usually due to low humidity and high temperatures. To ensure 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 up

The problem of drying out the lower part of the stem 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 with too dense plantings, the seedlings simply do not have enough moisture. In this case, the seedlings need to be thinned out, and the stems should be lightly sprinkled with soil.

Cabbage is a moisture-loving culture

To increase the moisture level, the plants need to be sprayed periodically.

Seedlings wither

There are also situations when the leaves of a young cabbage wither. The reason may be excessive watering and the lack of loosening of the soil, as a result of which a soil crust forms, 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 will be useful to inspect the drainage holes of the planting tanks. 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 for the wilting of cabbage seedlings can be caused by a lack of oxygen, a large amount of moisture in the soil, or inappropriate acidity.

Seedlings turn yellow

If the seedlings turn yellow, the reason is a lack or excess of fertilizers. If complex fertilizers are used for feeding, then there is no need to use any other nutrients. When the soil is oversaturated with fertilizers, it must be rinsed with a large amount of clean water with the possibility of its free flow. In extreme cases, the seedlings can be transplanted into another soil.

With a lack of fertilizer, seedlings can also turn yellow. You can find out what kind of fertilizer is missing by the following criteria:

• lack of phosphorus - yellowing of the leaves on the underside;
• lack of potassium - yellowed leaf tips;
• lack of iron - the leaves turn yellow all over the base.

Cabbage seedlings may turn yellow due to lack or excess of fertilizers

The yellowness of seedlings can 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 cabbage seedlings, you need to create optimal conditions for the plants. Cultivation of a crop has its own nuances, but, observing the necessary rules and recommendations, as well as taking measures to combat diseases and pests, almost every gardener can grow it.

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The cultivation of white cabbage usually begins with the preparation of the seedlings. It is almost unrealistic to grow strong seedlings in a city apartment, it is too hot there, but in greenhouses it is not at all difficult to do this. You just need to sow the seeds on time and put a little effort into caring for young plants.

Is it necessary to grow cabbage through seedlings

The question of the compulsory cultivation of cabbage seedlings is connected with two points: what kind of cabbage we are talking about, and in which region we live. The fact is that many late varieties of white cabbage have a life cycle of about six months, or even more. This means that even if the harvest is planned for mid-October, it is necessary to sow seeds in early April, which is difficult to do directly in the garden in the middle lane. Early varieties stay in the garden for a much shorter time, but if they are sown immediately to a permanent place, then the harvest can no longer be called early.

However, it turns out that even in the southern regions, where March sowing in the garden is quite possible, cabbage is often grown through seedlings; however, they do not do it at home. They just sow seeds in a garden bed, and then plant them, that is, they actually grow through seedlings. What for? The fact is that with a transplant, cabbage heads work better: a seemingly traumatic operation is only beneficial to the seedlings.

Is it possible not to bother and immediately sow seeds in the holes in a permanent place, and harvest in the fall? You can do that too. But often with such a simplified approach, plants are weaker (they do not develop roots so well), and as a result, the yield also decreases. Thus, it should be recognized that growing cabbage through the seedling stage is optional, but highly desirable.

When to sow: lunar calendar 2018

You should immediately decide on the order of sowing cabbage seeds of different ripening periods. Not everything is unambiguous here, although there is logic. Seedlings of any varieties are planted in a permanent place at the age of 40 to 50 days. If the cabbage is early, then you need to take all the benefits of this term and get vitamin products as early as possible. This cabbage will not be stored, the heads of cabbage are usually small, not very dense, they are happily eaten in the form of salads. Therefore, early varieties are sown first for seedlings. Usually in the middle lane this happens in mid-March, but if there is such an opportunity (southern region or greenhouse), it can be done in February.

Early cabbage has small heads of cabbage, but the meaning is not in size: the road is a spoon for dinner

Late varieties of cabbage are intended for long-term fresh storage in cellars. Its heads of cabbage reach ripeness in the autumn months, they even end up in the beds under light frosts, which does not bother them at all: they should be put into the cellar as late as possible. Therefore, sowing too early is unnecessary. However, based on the length of the growing season, it turns out that the approximate sowing dates for the late varieties are in mid-April.

Late varieties grow in dense heads of cabbage, stay in the garden for a long time, so they also have to be sown early.

Medium-ripening cabbage is grown for autumn consumption (it is stored worse late) and fermentation, which is usually done in autumn. Therefore, these varieties are harvested in September-October, and in order for it to ripen precisely by this time, the seeds can be sown a little later than in the case of late varieties. Sowing dates are around the end of April. It is obvious that all the above dates are approximate: in the south they move somewhat in one direction, and in the conditions of the Urals or Siberia - in the other.

At the end of the twentieth century, a boom began among gardeners, associated with the publication of various kinds of sowing calendars associated with the life cycle of heavenly bodies. The most popular was the Lunar calendar, which links the favorable and unfavorable days of gardening concerns with the constellation in which the Earth's satellite, the Moon, is located.

There is undeniable evidence that the growth of various crops is differently associated with the phases of the moon, but how serious this influence is is difficult to judge: as a rule, approximately the same harvest is obtained from those summer residents who strictly follow the calendars, and those who simply have no time to follow them ...

Counts, that the periods of new moon and full moon are forbidden for sowing, transplanting and any other operations with plants. These days the flora seems to freeze and prepare for the change of the lunar phase. If you strictly follow the Lunar calendar, then in 2018 the following days are allowed for sowing cabbage:

• in February - 21, 22, 25, 26;
• in March - 20, 21, 25, 26;
• in April - 18, 21;
• in May - 19, 24.

It would be sad to look at these dates (and they are given in many authoritative sources!). If you follow them strictly, then the most necessary time falls out of sowing: the beginning and middle of April. And if the gardener on the 18th and 21st should be at work ... Fortunately, other publications publish their versions of the calendar, less strict, and the April numbers in them look like this: 7, 8, 18, 20-21 April.

We will not argue that “calendars are lying”, but we will treat with restraint

Well, that’s better, there are days at the beginning of the month. All this would be funny, but after all, after looking at a dozen magazines and Internet sites, you come to the conclusion that many write the way they want, and if this is so, then there is not much point in strictly following such calendars. There is a time - we focus on a favorite, trustworthy source. No - we sow when we have free time, relying on scientific data and our experience.

Preliminary preparation

Preparation for sowing cabbage for seedlings consists in the purchase and processing of containers, seed material and soil.In terms of packaging, nothing special is required. Yes, it is very convenient to use peat tablets or pots. But cabbage is normally a transplant, so you can even grow it at home in shared boxes. And since picking is only good for her, it is best to prepare small boxes and any cups about 7 x 7 cm in size. In a greenhouse, nothing is needed: seeds are sown directly into the ground.

Seed preparation

There are many recipes to read about seed preparation. They include calibration, decontamination, soaking, hardening, etc. Let's ask ourselves a question: do we have time for all this? If the seeds are harvested in their own garden, then almost all of this, indeed, will have to be done. But how many summer residents prepare their cabbage seeds, which she gives only in the second year? After all, it is necessary to preserve a healthy stump until spring, plant it, take care of it ... The store now sells seeds for all tastes, and in the case of cabbage varieties, they are not so expensive.

Yes, until recently there were companies that could hardly be trusted, and instead of cabbage, you could buy, for example, turnips. Most of these organizations have now left the market. True, re-grading happens, and you can run into a completely different variety that you wanted, but, from the point of view of quality, the seeds, as a rule, are sold quite suitable, and they do not require any additional preparation. Cabbage seeds remain viable for 4–5 years, and fresher seeds are usually marketed.

Cabbage seeds are medium in size, easy to handle

Calibration is advised to be carried out by immersing the seeds in salt water. Well, this method is good for light seeds like peppers or tomatoes! In cabbage, almost all the seeds will drown, only chipped off will remain to swim, and there are very few of them. Do I need to disinfect purchased seeds? I haven't done this for years. But those who wish, fearing for the presence of infectious agents in the bag, can do this. The recipe is usual: 15–20 minutes in a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate at a temperature of about 48–50 ° C, followed by rinsing.

Many gardeners are advised to soak the seeds before sowing, including in micronutrient solutions. Of course, this will not harm at all, but it will not give much effect either. As, however, and hardening of soaked seeds in the refrigerator. Cabbage is so cold-resistant that such measures will only take your time, and in our fast age it can be spent on something more necessary.

High-quality cabbage seeds, if they have not been found on some cherished shelf and have not been stored there for many years, will sprout without any preparation, dry, and the difference of one or two days will not make us any better. Therefore, it is worth listening to all the advice, but letting it pass through yourself, deciding whether to carry out this or that stage.

Soil preparation

But careful preparation of the soil for sowing is already more serious, especially if the soil is taken from the garden. At least, it is absolutely impossible to take it from the garden where cruciferous plants (cabbage, radish, radish) grew. To grow a small amount of seedlings, you can buy soil in the store, but if you have something to cook from, you should not waste your money. Moreover, we are talking only about growing seedlings at home, and this is rarely done: cabbage seedlings are simply very hot at home.

So, if home sowing is supposed, then the best soil composition is sod land, peat and sand, taken in equal proportions. In addition, a half-liter can of wood ash must be added to a bucket of such a mixture. You can also have a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate, but you can do without it, it is better then to fill the lack of fertilizers with dressings.

For growing cabbage seedlings, it is not advised to use humus, even of good quality: while it grows more pampered.

Self-prepared soil must be disinfected. The choice of method is not for everybody.Freezing the soil is easy, but it does not kill all possible pathogens. Steaming in the oven at a temperature of about 100 ° C is safer, but at this time it will not be so pleasant to be in the kitchen. In addition, hot processing kills beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Probably the best way is, after all, spilling with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Unlike seed dressing, the concentration of the solution should be lower for the soil. It makes no sense to give numerical values: how does the average Russian man in the street take a sample of 0.5 g at home? It should be a pink solution. Not faintly pink, but such that the color is intense enough. But through the solution poured into a liter jar, it was possible to discern what was behind it. Here's a rough guide. It is better to spill the soil with a warm solution, but not hot. So that it becomes visibly wet. After that, she will have to dry out for a couple of days, otherwise it will not even be possible to make furrows for sowing.

For soil disinfection, a medium solution is suitable, and for seeds - the one on the left

Growing cucumber seedlings from the outside can seem like a daunting process. Do not give up! We have prepared a material where you will find the rules for preparing and sowing seeds, as well as care features for different methods:

How to grow early and late cabbage seedlings at home

Cabbage seedlings are simply grown in the open field, at least in late and mid-late varieties and in not too northern regions. At home, in a city apartment, this has to be done only for early production, but growing high-quality seedlings at home is daunting. The best option for most regions is a small greenhouse or unheated greenhouse.

On a windowsill in a house or apartment

If there is a need to grow seedlings on the windowsill, then this should be the coldest and most lighted windowsill in the house. And the owners will have to put up with constantly open windows: a comfortable temperature for a person for cabbage seedlings is destructive.

It makes no sense to immediately sow seeds in separate pots, unless these are peat tablets. Anyway, 10 days after germination, they will need to be transplanted with pinching off the tip of the main root: this is the only way to grow relatively strong seedlings at home. Therefore, sowing is carried out in a small box. Two weeks of seedlings stay wonderfully withstand rectangular cardboard boxes of milk, kefir, juice, etc. time. Moreover, in the sowing container, a soil layer of more than 4 cm is not needed. The sowing technique is simple, but care for the seedlings is not very:

1. We sow seeds in moist soil, in grooves, at a distance of about 3 cm from each other. The embedment depth is about 1 cm.

   For primary sowing, any container at hand will do.

2. We fall asleep with soil, compact. You can cover it with glass, but they will ascend like that. We have a few days of quiet life, as long as a box of crops can be at room temperature.
3. As soon as at least a couple of sprouts hatch, the box is exposed to the brightest light and in the cold: 10–12 ° C during the day and 6–8 ° C at night. If you miss at least one day, you can throw it away and sow again. For a day in the warmth, the seedlings stretch up to 5 cm, and they can no longer be saved.
4. If everything is fine with the temperature (only the owners are cold), care is simple: do not overheat for the first week, in the future it is possible to several degrees higher, but not more than 16 ° C. The night heat is especially terrible.
5. Water lightly, just so as not to dry out the soil. And as much light as possible! If the seedlings are too dense and are already shading themselves, do not wait, we thin out.
6. While there is time, we are preparing a new home.Individual cups are best, but a more spacious drawer with a depth of at least 7-8 cm will do.
7. Ten days later, the first true leaf will peck over the cotyledon leaves. This is a signal that it is time for the seedlings to dive.
8. The pick is usual: we carefully dig out the seedlings. If the root is small, you can hardly touch it, and pinch the middle and long ones, tearing off a few millimeters from the top. We plant in the hole, squeeze the soil with our fingers, water carefully. If we dive into a common box, the scheme is approximately 6 x 6 cm.

   You need to dive early: there should be a maximum of one real leaf

9. For the first few days we set it in partial shade, the temperature is 18–20 ° C. Then we return to the cold lighted windowsill.
10. In the phase of two true leaves, we feed with any complex fertilizer according to the instructions for it. A week before planting in the garden, we repeat the feeding.
11. Immediately after the second feeding, we accustom the seedlings to even more severe conditions, taking them out to the balcony for a while.

Seedlings ready for planting should have a stocky appearance, a thick stem and 5-6 succulent leaves.

Good seedlings, low but strong

The advantage of growing seedlings on the windowsill is only one: it is under supervision all the time. But it creates a lot of inconveniences.

Video: growing cabbage seedlings

In the greenhouse

If there is a small unheated greenhouse in the country, it is better to use this option. True, you will need to visit seedlings often: ideally, at least every other day. The greenhouse cultivation of early cabbage seedlings makes the greatest sense; varieties of a later ripening period in the middle lane and in the south can be sown already in open ground, under a temporary shelter.

Sowing early varieties of cabbage in the greenhouse can be carried out at any time, which is determined only by the climate of the region and the current weather: the seeds must germinate at a temperature inside the greenhouse of at least 10 ° C, otherwise their sprouting will take too long, and under unfavorable conditions, some of the seeds may die. You can sow both in a box (just like in an apartment), and directly into a prepared seedling bed.

The first method of growing seedlings is no different from growing on a windowsill: the same sowing, the same care, adherence to temperature, humidity and light conditions. But picking is possible both in cups or a large box, and directly in the garden, as it is more convenient for the gardener.

If the sowing of seeds is carried out in a garden bed, it is necessary to prepare the soil in it in the same way as for the box: to make it loose and safe. It is better to replace the soil in the planting bed altogether, preparing it in the same way as at home: from earth, sand, peat and ash. Before sowing, spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate, let it dry, loosen it and sow the seeds according to a convenient scheme.

The latter implies that seedlings can be grown in the garden without picking, if only the temperature is strictly observed. If, by the time of the formation of real leaves, the seedlings have not stretched out at all, the pick may not be carried out. Obviously, if it is supposed to do without picking, it is necessary to immediately sow the seeds less often, according to the 6 x 6 cm scheme (or thin out the seedlings after they rise and grow slightly).

In a greenhouse, seedlings can be grown both in pots and in a garden bed

Growing in a greenhouse involves systematically ventilating it by opening doors or windows. The risk of infection with a black leg is no lower than at home, and this sore attacks, first of all, with excessive soil and air moisture. Growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse is more convenient than at home, but these advantages appear only if the owner can systematically monitor its condition.

Video: cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse

Outdoor cultivation

In the garden, you can immediately sow cabbage seeds in a permanent place, as soon as the weather permits.To reduce the risk, several seeds are placed in each prepared well and for the first time the wells are covered with a cut plastic bottle. This approach saves time, as it does not require subsequent replanting, but, as a rule, in early spring it is still so difficult to work with the soil that it is easier to prepare a small seedling bed than a large bed for growing cabbage in the "inside and out" mode.

Video: growing cabbage in the ground without seedlings

Of course, the possibility of growing seedlings in the garden also depends on when it will be possible to get to the site: sometimes the roads dry out too late. But as a rule, sowing is already possible in central Russia in mid-April. It is better to prepare a small bed in the fall, having dug it well with the addition of a fair amount of wood ash. Then, on the very first spring arrival at the dacha, you can only slightly loosen the soil and, having made grooves, sow seeds in them.

By the way, cabbage rows can be alternated with rows of relatively cold-resistant annual flowers: asters, phloxes, godetia, etc. If you take a little risk, you can sow “Funny guys” dahlias, marigolds, and salvia.

After sowing, the bed must be covered with plastic wrap. But it is better to pull it at a height of 10-15 cm. Ideal for such a temporary shelter are window frames with opening sashes, which were thrown away in large quantities during the boom in the installation of plastic windows. Having nailed boards with a width of 10 cm and above around the perimeter of such a frame, we get a wonderful portable greenhouse.

Under such a shelter it will not be too hot, and one should not be afraid that the seedlings will stretch out. No, it is at home one day of delay with a decrease in temperature leads to the death of seedlings. Outdoors, when we arrive at the site next weekend, we may not see the seedlings yet, depending on the weather. Well, after another week, seedlings will appear necessarily; by that time it will be already warmer, the shelter can be removed.

For the first week, you can cover crops with any available material.

In the open field, watering of seedlings is almost never required: there is enough winter moisture in the soil. It is only necessary to periodically loosen the soil in the aisles and remove weeds. Top dressing is desirable: just like at home, in the phase of two true leaves and after another two weeks. It is not necessary to dive, but thinning is necessary: ​​in the rows it is necessary to leave 6–7 cm between the plants. It will be possible to plant seedlings in the garden at the usual time.

The advantage of open ground is colossal: the seedlings never stretch out. She has enough light and it's not hot yet. No need to mess with sowing containers, carry boxes back and forth ... Disadvantages? Actually, they are not.

Benefits of using cassettes

Let's go back to the apartment conditions. Speaking about individual pots, we completely forgot to discuss what they should be. But gone are the days when housewives themselves rolled the semblance of cups made of plastic wrap or paper. Now the most economical ones collect plastic cups from sour cream, cottage cheese, etc. all year round. It is important that they are not too small: a volume of at least 200 ml is needed.

Regular cassettes are a box divided into cells

But it is even more convenient to use the so-called cassettes: in them, individual cups are combined into a common matrix such as a box. They are easy to transport, but each bush in them lives in its own home, and the roots do not intertwine. And the most convenient, if they also have removable bottoms. Not completely removable, but easily pushed out by pressing the finger together with a lump of earth and a bush of seedlings. Seedlings can be easily removed from such cups without damaging the root system. The relative disadvantage (they cost money) is compensated by their durability: such cassettes serve for many years.

And this is how individual cups with an easily retractable bottom look like: they are also placed in a common tray

Using peat tablets

Peat tablets are compressed peat with the addition of fertilizers and, sometimes, growth stimulants. Available in various sizes: from 2.5 cm in diameter. Before use, the tablets are placed in a tray and gradually filled with plenty of water. The water is absorbed, the tablets grow up (from the sides they are limited by the braid) and turn into cylindrical peat containers for sowing seeds. A small depression is made for the seed in one of the ends.

Water tablets swell and turn into nutritious pots

For cabbage, it is necessary to use tablets with a diameter of 4 cm or more. Just in case, 2-3 seeds are sown in each tablet, and then the excess plants are cut off. The tray with tablets is kept at room temperature and in the light until shoots appear. Then the temperature is drastically reduced and the seedlings are grown under normal conditions.

The tablets are poured "from below" by pouring water into the tray; the right amount of moisture is absorbed into the peat.

There is no need for top dressing: the material of the tablets contains a sufficient amount of nutrients. A dive is not required when using tablets, but if the roots begin to sprout and intertwine with the roots of neighbors, the seedlings, along with the tablet, will have to be transplanted into a larger pot of potting soil. The convenience of using peat tablets is obvious. The only drawbacks are that the tablets are relatively expensive, and it makes sense to buy them only in small quantities.

Looking to grow healthy tomato seedlings? In our next article, you will find a detailed guide, as well as information on different methods:

Features of growing seedlings in different regions of Russia

The technology for growing cabbage seedlings does not depend on the region: the recipes are pretty standard. Naturally, the timing of sowing seeds and the place differ: in the south there is no point in sowing cabbage in apartment conditions, but in the north it often has to be done.

So, in the Moscow region, seeds of early cabbage are sown in late March or early April, and this can only be done at home or in a greenhouse. But late cabbage is sown in open ground as soon as the weather permits. In the Kuban, planting in the garden is possible already in March, and in Siberia or the Urals - not earlier than the end of April. If in the middle lane and in the south, before planting seedlings in open ground, hardening can be carried out (this is a desirable stage), but in the Siberian region it is mandatory.

In the southern regions (Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Astrakhan Region) in mid-March, you can even plant seedlings in open ground, so sowing seeds in an unheated greenhouse is possible in mid-February. In these regions, on the contrary, it is advisable to finish all business with cabbage in the spring: adult plants cannot stand extreme heat either. But in the conditions of, for example, the Leningrad region, late cabbage, sown for seedlings with a slight delay, may not have time to form properly, therefore, seeds are sown here in March or April, but greenhouse conditions are used for this.

Helpful hints

If you observe the temperature regime, give enough light and water in moderation, cabbage seedlings grow strong and healthy. Unless, of course, some kind of infection was introduced with the soil. We have already discussed the issue of stretching seedlings: if it has grown a few centimeters in the first day, it is better to throw it away. If the stretch is small, you can carefully pour clean soil to the roots, water lightly and immediately correct the blemishes with heat and light.

The main danger for cabbage seedlings is the black leg. Its first sign is blackening of the root collar, thinning of the stem, and then drying it out. At the first suspicion of a disease, diseased specimens should be carefully pulled out and thrown away, the soil should be watered with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, and clean river sand should be carefully added to the roots of the remaining plants.An even more reliable remedy would be to transplant healthy plants into clean soil.

Seedlings that are sick with a black leg cannot be saved, but you can try to save neighboring, still healthy plants

Sometimes the seedlings take on an unnatural blue-violet hue. If this is not a characteristic color for the variety, the color is most likely associated with deviations from the regime. Perhaps there is simply not enough nutrition, and liquid feeding is able to rectify the situation. Yellowing of seedlings can also be associated with a lack of any nutrients or irrigation errors.

Sometimes the leaves of cabbage seedlings are covered with small holes. There are several reasons, but only one serious one: it is possible that a cruciferous flea was brought with the soil. It can be destroyed in seedling boxes only by spraying with chemicals: for a start, you can try a relatively safe Bordeaux liquid or even an ash infusion. It is undesirable to use harsher chemicals on seedlings.

Other pests of cabbage plants rarely affect seedlings, and if they are found, it is necessary to study the relevant literature and apply specific chemicals. But if the seedlings are clearly dying, unfortunately nothing can be done. In most cases, the owner was to blame when he did something wrong. Well, sometimes - accidentally caught pests, which were not noticed in time. Most often, seedlings die from a black leg. But when grown outdoors, seedlings almost never die.

In our next material, you will learn about all the rules for planting bell peppers for seedlings and the features of caring for it:

Growing cabbage seedlings is not difficult, unless they do it in a warm city apartment. Comfortable conditions for seedlings and their owners are radically different. But if conditions of good light and coolness are created, cabbage seedlings grow strong and healthy: the rest of the operations do not require anything supernatural when caring for it.

Graduated from the Chemistry Department of Moscow State University in 1981. Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor. Rate the article:

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