The nuances of growing cauliflower for seedlings, in the open field and in the greenhouse

Cauliflower is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. And if earlier on the plots, she met quite rarely and bore the title of fastidious culture, now more and more gardeners are engaged in growing this wonderful vegetable on their own. All that is needed is to understand a number of nuances when growing cauliflower, and a rich harvest will not take long to wait.

From the article you will learn how to plant a seed in the ground to get a crop, how cabbage grows, plant it with what, what technology of sowing and further care, and whether it can be grown in a garden or a cottage in the open ground.

How to grow a vegetable?

Cauliflower rather thermophilic plant. Keep this in mind at all stages of cultivation, from planting seedlings to harvesting. Experienced gardeners disagree on the temperature of growing cauliflower seedlings.

Some say that it needs to be hardened so that the plants get used to low night temperatures and are ready for possible cooling in the spring and summer, while others argue that overcooling the seedlings will weaken it, and later on shooter or absence of the fruit head (inflorescences ).

Both are right. It all depends on the region of cultivation of this vegetable.The best still will be sowing cabbage for seedlings in the greenhouse, then the air warmed up during the day will protect the young plants from hypothermia, but will start the hardening mechanism. Mature plants feel good at a temperature of 15-25 ° C. This is the optimal range for bookmarking and growth of cabbage heads.

No less interesting, and all with watering. Cauliflower does not tolerate the drying of the soil, as it has a superficial fibrous root system, but also endures badly. Excessive humidity slows down the formation of the head and impairs the operation of the root system. It is recommended to water the plants once a week and to mulch the soil.

Cauliflower likes to grow in bright places., but in the period of tying the heads, attend to plant shading. Then the product heads will be more dense and large. Top dressing is carried out 3 times: a week after landing in the ground and twice more with an interval of two weeks.As soon as the heads began to be tied, the feeding should be stopped.

Seed selection

Choose the best seeds responsibly - this is the key to future harvest. You have 2 options:

1. buy from the manufacturer;
2. grow yourself.

The cost of a bag of seeds ranges from 15 to 20 rubles. for the varieties of past selections and reach up to 70 rubles and more for exclusive new items. You decide, but there is always the likelihood that the contents of the bag will not correspond to the grade stated on the package. Choose only reputable proven seed growers.

The second option is to grow the seeds of cauliflower yourself. There are pitfalls on this path:

• Protect against pollination with other varieties.
• Do not leave on the hybrid varieties of seeds - new plants will not repeat the qualities of the parents.
• Plants left before the seeds ripen should be fed with phosphate-potassium fertilizers at the beginning of budding.
• Pods with seeds ripen gradually. Collect them as they turn a brown color, and leave them to ripen suspended until the halves unfold. Matured before others are usually the best.

The shelf life of cauliflower seeds is 4-5 years, but remember that every year the quality of seeds decreases.

To seedlings

Cauliflower, especially early varieties are recommended to be grown through seedlings.

Selection of landing time

When to plant cabbage on the seedlings so that the heads of cabbages start? So, to get a crop, you need to know the exact month when you need to sow cabbage on seedlings. Early cauliflower varieties are sown throughout March, mid-late - from April 10 to May 10, and late varieties - from May 25 to June 10.

Preparation of tank and soil

Cauliflower does not like picking, seed sowing is done immediately in separate cups. If this is not possible, then ensure that the distance between the seedlings, so that when picking, it was possible to pick up a plant with an earthy bundle without disturbing the root system.

Nutrient soil is prepared from a mixture of lowland peat, humus and sand. Falls asleep in the tank for landing. Soil before planting should be slightly wet. Spill it with a solution of potassium permanganate to reduce the risk of seedling diseases.

Sowing

Seeds before planting are also treated in a solution of potassium permanganate.Sowing of seeds is carried out at a depth of 1-1.5 cm. In order to avoid damaging seedlings with a black leg, you can sprinkle the soil surface after planting with a thin layer of fine sand. On top of the container covered with film or glass and put on a well-lit window sill. If the windows face north, then the lighting is not enough and the seedlings will be drawn out. In order to avoid - organize the display of seedlings.

Care

Before the emergence of shoots can be kept at room temperature, but after that the seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature of 10 ° C, and a week later they are raised to 15 ° C. Cauliflower seedlings are very responsive to spraying in the phase of 2-3 true leaflets with a 0.2% solution of boric acid and a 0.5% solution of ammonium molybdate.

Moving to the ground

When a seedling is formed at the seedlings, and the average daily temperature will not fall below 12 ° C, plant the seedlings in open ground according to the 60 cm by 30 cm scheme, adding a handful of ash to the well.

Right away after planting cauliflower it is useful to cover nonwoven fabric for a couple of days. This will give additional protection to immature plants.

A photo

Then you can see photos of growing cauliflower in the open field and in the greenhouse:

Where to grow?

In the open ground

Cauliflower, unlike its white relative, is more demanding on growing conditions in a country house in open ground. Some gardeners complain that seemingly healthy and beautiful cauliflower plants in the garden do not have heads.

What is the reason? How to plant seedlings to get the crop? We will analyze in more detail. The temperature range favorable for the development of the plant and the setting of the head is relatively small from 10 to 25 ° C. In the open ground, seedlings are planted not earlier than the average daily temperature level of 12-15 ° C. Jumps and temperature fluctuations adversely affect the setting of the swings and their quality..

Watering once a week at the rate of 10 liters per 1 sq. M. During the hot period, additional moistening of the soil may be necessary, since the cauliflower does not tolerate drying of the upper soil layers. But remember that the "swamp" should not be. Experienced growers recommend using mulch.It will provide the necessary level of soil moisture and introduce additional nutrients.

Cauliflower responds well to fertilization. When grown in open ground, fertilizing is carried out 3-4 times per season with irrigation. Plants respond well to making a solution of bird droppings (1:15) or mullein (1:10).

It is useful to feed complex mineral fertilizers.enrich the soil with macro and microelements. After tying the heads (if the plants will not be used for harvesting seeds), feeding is stopped.

Loosening the soil around the plants is carried out very carefully, trying not to disturb the root system.

Remember the need to shred cauliflower head, so that the inflorescences are dense and white. To do this, tie a few leaves of the plant with ordinary twine so that they cover the head from direct sunlight. After 5-10 days, you can harvest.

In the greenhouse

If the cauliflower is grown in a greenhouse, then select the varieties that are best suited for this method. Pay attention to such varieties as:

1. "White Castle".
2. "Express".
3. "Movir-74".
4. "Regent".
5. "Yako."

One of the advantages of growing greens cauliflower is the possibility of obtaining two harvests per season. Planted in late summer, seedlings have time to tie heads before the onset of cold weather.

When growing cauliflower in a greenhouse, you can safely use the recommendations for farming in the open field, but comply with a number of additional conditions:

• Airing the greenhouse and preventing overheating of the air above 25 ° C.
• Watering plants is carried out early in the morning.
• When conducting dressings, use formulations containing a wide range of macro and micronutrients.

Using these simple guidelines, you are sure to get a good cauliflower crop.

Is it possible to do this at home?

Growing cauliflower at home is rather troublesome.

1. Carefully monitor the temperature and humidity in the room. The air should not be dry.
2. The cauliflower root system is superficial and not very developed. Carefully monitor the soil moisture.
3. Do not let the ground dry in the container, provide drainage.
4. Cauliflower for good growth needs a sunny place without drafts. It does not tolerate near higher or shading her culture.
5. Several times per season, fertilize with complex mineral fertilizers.

Cauliflower grown on the balcony will decorate your mini kitchen garden.

Diseases

When non-compliance with the cultivation of cauliflower plants, plants are easily affected by diseases.

1. White rot - A fungal disease in which the cabbage is covered with white bloom. The plant rots. In direct contact, spores are transferred to other plants.

   Prevention of the disease is the observance of crop rotation on the site (3-4 years). - Kila - affects the root system of cabbage. Plants stop growing and die. This disease is not treated - all the affected plants are immediately burned. And on the contaminated land do not grow cabbage for at least 5 years.

2. Blackleg - The seedlings are mainly affected by the disease. Externally expressed in the blackening and softening of the stem base.

   The cause is a violation of agrotechnology:

   • excessive moisture;
   • temperature drops;
   • thickening landings.

   For prevention, treat the ground with 1% solution of potassium permanganate, potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. Buy seedlings only from trusted vendors.

3. Mucous bacteriosis - begins with the appearance of watery spots on the surface of the head, eventually goes into rot with an unpleasant odor.

   If the lesion is only at the initial stage, then the affected area can be cut out, affecting healthy tissues. In the case of severe damage to the plant is better to tear and burn. The cause of the disease is excessive moisture. Prevention measures - treatment of plants with colloidal sulfur solution.

Pests

The most common pests of cauliflower are: cabbage fly, cross-shaped flea, aphid, cabbage scoop and whitefish.

Effective drugs for their destruction consider:

• "Malathion".
• Aktara.
• "Decis".
• "Entobacterin."
• Lepidocide.
• "Karate" their counterparts.

Those who want to minimize chemical exposure, use folk remedies. For example, pollination of cabbage with ashes, tobacco dust, leaf treatment with infusion of tomato tops and potatoes. As experienced gardeners say, a healthy plant is not affected by pests.

Strengthen cauliflower plants with anti-stress drugs that increase plant immunity and their resistance to diseases:

• Immunocytophyte.
• Immunofit.
• Sodium HUMATE

Cauliflower is a real gem among cropswhich can be found on our garden plots. And if a beginner may raise questions with its cultivation, experienced gardeners, having studied the recommendations of this article, will do an excellent job and will delight themselves and their loved ones with beautiful and healthy cauliflower dishes grown by their own hands. Now you know how to grow cabbage, so that the cabbages start and you get a good harvest.