What is planted before winter in the garden - choose the right crops. Winter plantings in the country
Foreword
When the cold comes, and the site is covered with snow, no one will say that crops can be hidden under it, which are sometimes planted before winter in the garden. Let's find out which one planting material suitable for this purpose.
The townspeople, inexperienced in gardening and horticulture, coming to the dacha, are often perplexed when they see their neighbors in the area by the end of autumn, actively hilling the beds and sowing seeds. After all, frosts are about to hit, and all planting material will die. But no - after all, it is known how huge areas are sown with winter wheat, and onions and garlic are also planted at the end of autumn. Many vegetables can be planted before or even during the first snowfall in prepared holes.
Moreover, you can not be afraid that the seeds will freeze, since there are certain rules for sowing, and the snow will cover them from frost more than reliably.
Sowing seeds before winter
What will the winter planting of fruit and bulb crops, as well as greenery give? First of all, this is the hardening of plants, the weakest will undoubtedly die, but this will be a small percentage of inevitable losses. But those that will sprout during thaws will be much stronger than those planted in the spring. In addition, the fruits of such overwintered crops will be much larger and better, because shoots will appear much earlier than the awakening of all kinds of diseases and pests. And, of course, the 2 weeks won are of considerable importance, which would have to wait when sowing in the spring until the soil is completely warmed up. And the use of greenhouses at the beginning of snow melting will give a gain in another 2 weeks.
However, this type of sowing also has significant shortcomings. In particular, the same thaws in early spring can play a cruel joke with your vegetables and root crops. When, after the snow melts, the plants rapidly begin to grow, absorbing the moisture of melt water, frosts may return, especially in central Russia, and then the plantings will freeze. However, large losses can be avoided by using greenhouses, the advantages of which were mentioned above. There is another danger - if the heat comes to replace the cold too abruptly, the root crops can throw out flower arrows instead of tops, which will provide you with only seeds instead of a crop.
So, now you know that winter plantings are not only possible, but also have some advantages (for all their shortcomings) over spring ones. It remains only to find out what can be planted on a country plot before winter in the garden and in the garden. Many people know about garlic, but still we repeat, these are the most stable crops for autumn planting before the cold weather. In particular, garlic throws arrows the very first, as soon as the soil begins to warm up in the spring, sometimes ahead of the grass.
And already in March you will be provided with the first vitamins from the garden. Onions also tolerate winter well, especially if planted with seeds just before the cold weather. Stable plants include sorrel, spices (oregano, mint, lemon balm). As for other frost-resistant vegetables, beets are not the last among others, especially winter-hardy varieties for middle lane and more northern latitudes. The same can be said for carrots, which may take their time to sprout in the spring. But after the winter forced stratification, when the seeds are hardened by cold weather, the most viable ones will give friendly seedlings already when the soil warms up to the desired level (when it is time to start spring sowing).
Frost-resistant beet variety
And, of course, we should not forget about the radish, because it is also planted with seeds, which in some varieties tolerate cold very well. These are all medium stable crops. By the way, if you decide on the arrows, you can increase the number of sources of vitamins and also sow a variety of greens. In the spring, it sprouts almost at the same time as the grass, so the beds need to be prepared very carefully. Now let's find out what is better to plant from greenery in the winter in the garden. First of all, it is dill and spinach, as well as celery.
You can also sow salads, both head and leaf. And, of course, various varieties cabbage, mainly red and Beijing, as well as cauliflower. If you like to grow something atypical for a vegetable garden, sow arugula, parsnips, and borage.
A garden in a country house, as a rule, is not a separate plot; here, in a small area, both garden and garden beds often adjoin garden beds. berry crops. The fact that trees can be planted in winter is known to many, so we will not touch on them. Let's talk about others garden plants, which can be attributed to risky or unstable landings. In particular, these are corn and sunflower, which are closer to heat-loving ones, and therefore early shoots can be beaten by returning frosts. Of the vegetables, tomatoes and potatoes are risky.
Planting trees in winter
If plants with low stability of spring germination after winter sowing give an insignificant percentage of germination, the next year such an attempt can give very big harvest. The main thing is to regularly resort to this type of planting and experiment with sheltering and mulching. As for the berries, they are all medium stable, so they need shelter when planting in the winter.
However, red currants can be attributed to more or less stable crops (although it must be planted earlier than others), but the black one tolerates return frosts in the spring much worse, so working with it is more risky. Among the plants that are planted in the garden before winter, one can list crops such as raspberries and gooseberries (in October), and sometimes in the garden early autumn(no later than September) strawberries are planted. The main thing is that before the onset of cold weather, the berries have time to form root system, then they will be able to overwinter, next season they will shoot, and in another year they will begin to bear fruit.
Since onions and garlic are among the most stable winter plants, we will not mention them. As for the risk group, the varieties and hybrids of the crops included in it must be selected individually, based on geographical latitude where your site is located, and general climatic indicators. Therefore, let's talk about medium-stable plants that can be sown in beds.
Winter onions and garlic
First of all, it is beets, it is best to choose frost-resistant varieties, such as Podzimnyaya A-474 and Cold-resistant 19. Very good for growing with wintering even in latitudes close to northern, Polar flat K-249. Withstands quite severe frosts and flat Egyptian. All these varieties are united by such qualities as winter hardiness and resistance to the appearance of peduncles.
Carrots are also far from suitable, it is best to choose varieties such as Nantes 4 and Vitamin 6. Firstly, they tolerate winter well, and secondly, they are very tasty and have a very juicy structure. It is also recommended to plant the NIIOKh 336 variety suitable for the northern regions. All of them are quite resistant to the ejection of flowering shoots in spring. For radishes, another quality is more important - the development of the plant in low light conditions, the following varieties have it: Heat, Zarya and Pink-Red with a white tip.
It is very important to accurately determine the time for sowing a particular crop so that it does not begin to actively develop. above-ground part in the last warm days of the season, which will definitely freeze with the onset of cold weather. Ideally, when preparing the garden for winter, you need to focus on the numbers when average daily temperature will be equal to 0. But the return of heat is still quite possible, so it is better to play it safe and wait until the first frost grabs the ground.
Preparing the garden for winter
Usually such a moment is accompanied by a sharp temperature drop, that is, from +3 to -5. If the beds are prepared in advance, and the holes are waiting for the seeds to be lowered into them, they can be planted. In any case, it is recommended to start planting no earlier than October when it comes to seed crops. The fact is that prolonged warming up of the soil even in autumn can induce sprouts to hatch, and then they will definitely freeze already at the first sub-zero temperature in the soil.
And even if such prematurely awakened seeds do not die, they will be weakened by the fight against the cold. While planting material that has retained a whole shell all winter will receive good hardening by stratification, as mentioned earlier. Therefore, wait for the first frost - a messenger of stable cold weather that will come in a few days, and immediately start sowing.
How to properly prepare the land for winter planting?
In addition to choosing the timing, you need to know some features of winter sowing, that is, be able to create optimal conditions in the soil. And the first thing to do is to make sure that the planting material does not freeze, that is, to exclude access to cold air into the soil. Therefore, the earth must be loosened at least 2 weeks before planting, then the clods will have time to settle slightly, but will not prevent moisture from entering at the end of winter, when the heated snow mass turns into melt water.
The best solution would be to cover the rows with a film so that weed seeds do not get into the soil, and also so that the rains do not wash away the grooves or holes made in advance. Grooves about 5 centimeters deep are made long before sowing only if you are going to place the seeds in the soil when it freezes. You need to take care not only about the condition of the soil, but also about what you will sprinkle and cover your crops with.
For this purpose, prepare in advance dry loose soil mixed with sand and mineral fertilizers. For mulch, you will need compost or peat, they will protect the plantings from the cold if the snow layer is too thin, and at the same time keep them deep in the beds optimal level moisture. Seeds do not need to be soaked or even moistened before planting them in the ground, they should not germinate until spring. Therefore, evenly distribute them into the grooves (2 times more than with spring planting), sprinkle dry soil on top and cover the row with 3 centimeters of mulch. It is recommended to put spruce branches or dry leaves about 20 centimeters thick on top.
Winter wheat is a cereal crop valued for its high yield and low maintenance. Its grain is used to make cereals, pasta and baking, and wheat bran go to feed farm animals. Straw from this variety is also a huge nutritional value. In addition, it is added in the manufacture of paper and bedding for animals.
Characteristics of culture and stages of its development
This variety of wheat is called winter because the grains are sown immediately after harvesting the previous crop. When a culture enters the ground, it goes through several stages of development. The intensity of growth depends on the climate, soil composition and other conditions. Experts distinguish 6 phases of development of winter wheat:
- Seedling is the germination of seeds that occurs after sowing. General term period is from 15 to 25, then the plants enter the winter. If they were planted late, shoots continue in the spring after warming.
- Tillering is the process of formation of lateral shoots on stems and roots. The bushiness of plants can be affected by the number of seeds that were sown in the ground, as well as the depth of their laying.
- Tubering is the period that begins when the first node appears on the main stem. The process occurs in the spring, about a month after the resumption of vegetation.
- Heading - the appearance of spikelets on the shoots.
- Flowering begins 4-5 days after the appearance of spikelets and lasts about a week. In a separate spike, flowers appear first on the lower part, and then on the lateral and upper ones.
- Ripening is a long stage during which the grains are formed in spikelets and gradually lose moisture. In 2 weeks grains of milky ripeness (40-60% moisture) appear. Then comes the wax phase of ripeness, the percentage of water in the grains is from 20 to 40%. Full ripeness is the stage when the grain is 15-20% water and becomes hard.
The vegetation period of winter wheat can be from 275 to 350 days, including winter period. This period depends on the time of planting seeds in the ground and climatic conditions. In spring, the processes resume when the temperature reaches 5 ᴼС.
Landing and care technology
The technology of winter wheat cultivation is a long process. Yield increases significantly fertile soils in the presence of constant precipitation in the warm season, as well as in the absence of severe frosts.
Soil and climate requirements
Wheat will give good harvest on fertile soils, the acidity of which is in the range from 6 to 7.5. Sufficiently moistened chernozems or other types of soil that contain a large amount of nutrients. The amount of harvest depends on the relief. In low wetlands, plants grow and develop poorly.
Modern varieties of winter wheat are characterized by high frost resistance. In the presence of a good snow layer, these plants can withstand temperatures down to -20-30 ᴼС. However, in the absence of snow, plants can die even at -15 ᴼС.
For such wheat, temperature fluctuations in spring period. If frosts occur after the vegetation processes have resumed, they can completely destroy the crop.
fertilizers
It is important to fertilize various varieties of winter wheat on time and correctly, otherwise the harvest will turn out to be meager. There are two main ways to apply fertilizer: root dressing(in the ground) and foliar, or leafy. This culture can be fed several times depending on the phase of its vegetation:
- during planting - potassium, phosphorus,;
- nitrogen supplements - in the spring, as they are quickly washed out of the soil.
One of the main ways to improve the quality of the crop by adding fertilizers is foliar top dressing.
Leaf top dressing of winter wheat in spring with urea allows you to get large heavy grains and increase their number. Unlike other ammonia fertilizers (ammonia water and saltpeter), this substance does not burn plants.
Treatment for diseases and weeds
During the germination period, wheat does not develop well if weeds interfere with it. Winter wheat herbicides are chemical solutions that control weeds. Usually they are applied to the soil in April and May, when activity unwanted plants rises. Some combine nitrogen fertilization with herbicide treatment.
Diseases of winter wheat are various bacterial lesions (black, yellow, basal bacteriosis), putrefactive processes in the roots, fungal infections (fusarium) and others. For each disease, there are special preparations that are applied to the soil or sprayed with green mass.
Winter wheat is grown in temperate climates. This is high-yielding crop, grains and stems of which are used in the food industry and agriculture. However, the yield will not be high if all the rules for wheat cultivation are not followed. It will only grow well in certain types of soil with special treatment fertilizer and irrigation.
Treatment of wheat against weeds and pests - video
I'm sure everyone is talking about: winter wheat, winter barley, winter garlic and winter onions, even winter carrots - all these are agricultural crops, the seed material of which is sown or planted just before winter in order to get an early and full harvest as soon as possible, which should be beneficial in many respects. Including in the financial sense - early vegetables on the market are quite expensive, and the need for them in the first half of summer is very high.
In addition, the spring sowing and preparatory summer season takes a lot of time and effort, given the violent growth of awakened weeds. In autumn, despite a whole series of precisely, there is still time for winter sowing.
And if you approach it with full knowledge business, with curiosity and experimental enthusiasm, then it may turn out that success awaits you in the form of implementing plans for early harvest fresh greens (lettuces, salad mustard, celery, parsnips and borage), radishes, carrots, beets, cabbages (cauliflower, red and Beijing), not to mention onions, with which there are no problems at all with autumn sowing - they land, frankly, grandfatherly traditional ways successfully mastered even by novice gardeners.
Many novice gardeners at the very first failure, most often due to amateurism, or even simply out of ignorance, retreat, do not understand the nature of their mistakes. Instead of finding solutions to problems and working on mistakes, they completely refuse autumn sowing and impoverish themselves in the literal sense of the word. In the soul of a true gardener, however, the hope of mastering in all its subtleties this form of improving amateur gardening should not go out, because after all there are quite simple and feasible rules that have been successfully tested for a long time. All they have to do is follow and work.
First of all, we take into account the climatic features of your region in order to choose the moment for sowing or planting before winter, which is determined by the onset of persistent cold weather and the irreversibility of heat, which, if excessive moisture can provoke disastrous seed germination.
Correct preparation of beds for autumn sowing, which must be done 1-2 months before its due date. As a rule, this is a deep digging of the soil, cleaning the roots of weeds, applying the right fertilizers corresponding to the culture and quality of the soil.
It is archival to use seeds of any vegetable crops for autumn sowing only those varietal categories that are cold-resistant, not prone to seed bolting (flowering), leading to woody root crops.
Properly sown vegetable crops need protective shelter not so much from the cold as from erosion and weathering. These shelters for the winter period can be nonwovens, and a sufficient layer of mulch.
Terms of autumn sowing of vegetables
You can start the winter sowing already at zero temperature, making sure, according to the weather forecast, that the cold snap is stable - the return of warm and humid weather is likely to provoke unwanted germination seed material and its death during the return of frosts. You need to navigate along the ground frozen from above at sub-zero air temperatures, even if yesterday the weather was positive.
Choice seat under winter crops is extremely important. The bed should be on a natural or man-made elevation, with the expectation of spring snowmelt, which may linger, and the water stagnant under it from melting will create conditions for the seeds to get wet.
The soil on such beds should be light, given that heavy soils can become even more compacted during the winter. As you know, these beds are prepared for a long time, so that the soil, remaining soft, settles as much as possible and so that it does not settle already with the seeds, deepening them too much. Fertilizers, organic (compost or humus) or mineral - potassium-phosphorus series, are applied immediately at the first digging.
In dry positive weather, they stock up on soil mulch to cover seeds sown in frosty weather. This soil mulch should be free of clods and pebbles and even needs to be screened first. It should be stored as much and even with a slight excess as needed to mulch the furrows with sowing. In order for this mulch to remain dry and free-flowing on demand, it is advisable to store it in a plastic bag tied on top and under a canopy.
On a prepared, fully leveled bed, draw all the necessary grooves, 3-5 centimeters deep. But during the waiting period for direct sowing, it may rain in these furrows. To avoid erosion of the grooves made, the bed should be covered with protective material.
In no case should winter seeds be soaked before sowing, as recommended for spring sowing in spring, they must be dry and free-flowing. Seed material during winter sowing is consumed 1.5-2 times more than during spring sowing. After sowing, sprinkle the grooves on top with soil by 1.5-2 centimeters, and then with a layer of 2-3 centimeters stocked with dry soil mulch.
It is believed that such a mulch is able to prevent the formation of a soil crust with cracks, which will protect the delicate root system of plant seedlings. In addition to such mulching, it would be useful to cover the beds with crops with spruce spruce branches, fallen leaves with dry branches fixed on them from scattering by the wind. For places with severe winters, the thickness of the covering layer is desirable at least 15-20 centimeters, and with the onset of spring, the garden bed is completely freed from shelter.
It is important to know that winter crops of vegetables do not need watering and pre-soaking.
Varieties of seeds of winter vegetables
Such seeds must be impeccable in terms of external and internal data. They should look normal in size and weight and be stored in perfect conditions, even if they are homegrown. It is best to buy pelleted seeds for such a responsible winter sowing, which will reduce the loss of seedlings.
If you purchase certified seeds with an acceptable shelf life and use, then on the packaging you will read all their characteristics, including their ability to low temperatures ah not form flower stalks or this process is possible at the level of minimal shooting, it will become essential condition their choice for winter sowing. This is especially important for root crops - during spring shooting they should be removed immediately, and these are losses!
Varieties of winter beets
"Podzimnyaya A-474" The variety is medium early, ripening occurs on the 55-100th day from the emergence of seedlings. Resistant to flowering (peduncles formation) and cercosporosis; cold-resistant, with high taste data, with good performance keeping quality during storage.
"Cold-resistant 19" Mid-season variety - 65-75 days from germination to ripening. Differs in cold resistance, long-term preservation at proper storage, high taste data, not prone to color.
"Egyptian flat" Mid-season variety - 95-120 days to full technical ripeness. High taste data, consistently high yields, resistance to cold and flowering make this variety popular. Plus, it's ubiquitous.
"Polar flat" The variety is zoned specifically for the northern regions. Root crops of good taste quality have time to ripen in 50-90 days from germination. Differs in the increased cold resistance, is resistant to tsvetushnost and to wreckers (root beetle).
The main criteria for choosing such seeds, in addition to resistance to cold and flowering, should also include partial shade tolerance.
"Heat" Early ripe - 15-18 days after germination, ready for selective harvesting. The taste is mild. Resistant to cold, early flowering and partial light.
"Dawn" The variety is early ripening (18-25 days from germination), high-yielding, adapted to low light.
"Rose red with white tip" Excellent taste qualities, high yield, ripening in 25-30 days from shoots of rounded bright pink with a snow-white tip of root crops make this variety very popular.
Varieties of carrots for sowing before winter
When choosing winter seeds for, you should be guided primarily by your own taste preferences and resistance to unwanted coloration.
"Nantskaya" Widely zoned the most popular productive variety, which gardeners choose for high taste data, for varietal resistance to diseases and pests, as well as early ripening of root crops in 60-65 days from germination.
"Vitamin 6" Color resistant mid-season variety(85-110 days). Juicy bright orange, high in carotene, with sweet pulp, especially young root vegetables, become a favorite treat for children.
"NIIOKh 336" The variety is zoned for the northern regions - mid-season (98-110 days from germination), in its roots increased content carotene, but in order to increase productivity, it requires early thinning of seedlings.
Here is a far from complete list of winter seeds of the most popular early vegetables, without which garden beds impossible to imagine. The main thing in growing vegetables by sowing before winter is the appropriate simple agricultural technology and conditioned seeds with the knowledge of their correct choice, which is discussed here.
Vladimir Likhochvor
The seeding depth is one of the main indicators of the quality of winter wheat sowing. It largely determines the structure of the future seedling and the type of plant. This also affects the yield. How to sow winter crops correctly so that optimal humidity during its growth, glazing and absorption of nutrients.
Seeding depth
The sowing depth is justified by plant biology and depends on many factors. The most important of them are soil moisture, its mechanical composition, climatic conditions, biological characteristics of the variety, and seed quality.
Field germination, timeliness and friendliness of seedlings, the location of the tillering node, winter hardiness of plants, resistance to lodging, growth, development and productivity of winter wheat depend on the depth of seed placement.
According to numerous studies conducted in the 1970s, the sowing depth of winter wheat in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine is 3-5 cm. Late sowing dates require shallower incorporation than early ones. The introduction in the early 80s of the production of intensive technology for growing winter wheat changed the views on optimal value sowing depth. Instead of the concept of deep sowing by 4-10 cm and its justification, the theoretical and practical foundations for shallower seeding - no more than 2-3 cm have been developed.
Prior to the cultivation of cereals by primitive man, seeds were distributed by self-sowing in the fields without the slightest incorporation into the ground. For thousands of years, wheat has been sown by hand and planted with primitive tools to shallow depths. The plant, due to a long evolutionary process, has adapted its development to shallow sowing, no deeper than 2-3 cm. recently. Moreover, the first seeders were with anchor coulters and formed a compacted groove for seeds. Therefore, it can be assumed that the increase in yield to a large extent occurred as a result of better sowing, and not an increase in the depth of planting. The placement of all seeds with the help of a seeder at the same depth ensured the friendly and equal development of plants, reduced intraspecific competition, and significantly increased the yield (Fig. 1).
Seeders with disc coulters made it possible to get out of difficult situation in case of lack of moisture, since they allowed seeds to be placed much deeper (4-10 cm) in the moisture-absorbing soil layer. But again, the increase in yield was determined in this case not directly by the depth of sowing, but by the level of moisture supply. Indeed, in the presence of moisture in the upper soil layer, crops with a shallower sowing depth could be more productive.
No matter how deep the seeds are planted, the tillering node will form at a depth of 2-3 cm. From such a depth, the plant quickly sprouts. Having still enough nutrients in the endosperm, it begins to accumulate plastic substances already in the process of photosynthesis. With deep incorporation, the main part of the endosperm is spent on the growth of the underground part of the stem from the seed to the tillering node (ecotyl), the seedling comes to the surface weakened. Such a plant bushes poorly, due to the stretching of the tillering node, a weaker root system is formed, the plant is less productive, prone to lodging.
It is especially important not to exceed the optimal sowing depth in conditions where there is enough moisture and there are no harsh winters that would lead to damage to the tillering node (it dies at minus 17-19 ° C in the node zone). Therefore, it is necessary to sow according to resource-saving technology by 2-3 cm. The sowing depth also changes in the case of seed treatment chemicals. Some of them have an inhibitory effect and delay the germination of seeds, so the sowing depth should not exceed 2-3 cm.
Seeding rate
For normal growth and development of plants, an appropriate feeding area is needed, in which they will have enough nutrients and moisture to create the necessary vegetative mass and grain formation. The yield decreases both with sparse and thickened stems. On thickened crops, as a result of insufficient illumination at the 1Y-Y stages of organogenesis, a significant part of the shoots and whole plants die off, and in those that have survived, development slows down, a feeble grain is formed, and ultimately the yield decreases. In thickened crops, winter wheat plants stretch out, harden poorly, are more damaged by diseases and pests, and are prone to lodging. Crops are formed uneven in standing density: plants are either thickened or sparse in places where plants fall out. Moreover, the higher the seeding rate, the worse the uniformity of plant standing. Decreased productivity individual plants and their survival by the time of harvest. An unreasonable increase in the seeding rate reduces the realization of the potential productivity of cereals.
On sparse crops, the yield decreases due to the incomplete use of the feeding area and the greater infestation of crops. At low seeding rates, as a result of strong tillering and a lack of nutrients and water, the formation of a large number undercuts and undercuts that do not produce grain or form an underdeveloped grain.
The productivity of winter wheat is the highest at the optimal seeding rate, the value of which depends on climatic conditions, soil fertility, predecessor, fertilizer, biological features varieties, terms and methods of sowing, quality of seeds, etc.
On fertile soils, after best predecessors and at higher levels of fertilizer, the seeding rate must be reduced. Varieties that are more bushy are sown at lower rates compared to weakly bushy ones. It is believed that the seeding rate can be increased in the zone of sufficient moisture. On heavy soils, where there is a low field germination of seeds, more is sown, and on structural chernozems, which provide a higher field germination, it is advisable to slightly reduce the seeding rate.
The seeding rate is directly related to the timing of sowing. When sowing early, the plants bush well and form a normal stem at lower seeding rates. On the late crops to create the optimal number of productive stems per unit area, the seeding rate must be increased by 10-15%.
According to numerous recommendations, optimal rate sowing for most varieties is 4.0-5.0 million viable seeds per 1 ha, or 160-250 kg/ha. In the early years of mastering intensive technologies, one of the requirements of which is the presence of 500-700 productive stems per 1 m2, it was widely believed that the indicated density could be formed by increasing the seeding rate. This led to the fact that they began to sow 5.0-6.0 million/ha, or 300 kg/ha of grain, and even more. Such seeding rates often do not lead to crop growth, significantly worsen its quality, increase the amount of pesticides used and the cost of grain.
According to scientific research, the required density of productive stems can be obtained with a wide range of seeding rates from 2.0 to 6.0 million/ha. The yield depends less on the number of plants, and more on the number of productive shoots.
There are two ways to get 500-700 productive stems per 1 m2:
- increase in seeding rate;
- growth of tillering intensity.
In the case of an increase in the sowing rate, the indicators of all elements of the crop structure decrease - productive tillering, the number of grains and the mass of grain in the ear, the weight of 1000 grains.
According to the data of many years of research conducted on the experimental field of the Department of Plant Growing and Grassland of the Lviv State Agrarian University, the yield structure indicators were better at lower seeding rates (Table 1). Most high yield variety Mironovskaya 61 was on variants with a seeding rate of 3.0 and 3.5 million/ha, where it was 59.0 c/ha and 59.6 c/ha, respectively. A similar pattern was established in experiments with other varieties.
It should be noted that these data were obtained when growing according to the traditional intensive technology, designed for large seeding rates. The main part of nitrogen was introduced at the IV stage of organogenesis, when nitrogen could not affect the intensity of tillering.
It is clear that when using technology designed for low seeding rates (3-4 million/ha), the yield in these options should increase even more compared to seeding rates of 4.5-5.5 million/ha. But even with the same yield on variants with a seeding of 3-4 million/ha, grain is obtained significantly lower than the cost as a result of saving seed material (up to 1 centner/ha), and the best phytosanitary condition of crops helps save expensive pesticides and fuel.
So, the highest yield of winter wheat when grown using resource-saving technology was obtained on variants with a seeding rate of 3.0-4.0 million/ha, or 140-200 kg/ha. As studies show, with appropriate agricultural technology, even crops with a seeding rate of 80–100 kg/ha (2 million/ha) formed a higher yield than in variants where 5.0–6.0 million/ha of germinating seeds were sown.
Yield growth at lower seeding rates is explained by a decrease in lodging and intraspecific struggle between plants, an increase in the size of the root system, field germination, winter hardiness and survival, improvement individual development each plant and phytosanitary condition of crops.
It should be noted that it is impossible to switch to low seeding rates without following our recommendations regarding the quality of soil preparation, pre-sowing treatment and a set of requirements for the quality of sowing. With a low crop culture, a decrease in the seeding rate to 3.0 million/ha can lead to a rarefaction of crops.
Typically, the seeding rate of grain crops is determined by the following formula:
where H is the seeding rate, kg / ha; K - million seeds per 1 ha; B is the mass of 1000 grains, g; G - sowing or economic suitability,%; A - seed purity, %; B - seed germination, %.
To a large extent, the seeding rate depends on the cultivation technology and is related to the indicators of the crop structure.
For the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe, when growing cereals using resource-saving (adaptive) technologies, we have developed a formula that makes it possible to establish the real seeding rate with high accuracy:
where H, V, G - the same as in the previous formula, C - optimal amount productive stems per 1 m2 before harvesting, pcs.; X is the coefficient of productive tillering; M is the mass of grains from one ear, g; P - field germination,%; 3 - death of winter crops during wintering, or rarefaction of spring crops from harrowing,%; d - death during the spring-summer vegetation period, %.
Calculations of seeding rates using these formulas give different results.
This rate (137 kg/ha) was found to be the most optimal in field experiments on the study of winter wheat seeding rates.
Sowing dates
Numerous studies show that only when sowing in optimal timing plants can fully use all the necessary factors for their growth and development and ensure a high yield of winter wheat. At optimal sowing times, plants are “programmed” for high yield. Plant productivity decreases both at early and at later dates sowing.
In the first case, winter wheat develops a large vegetative mass and bushes strongly. As a result of overgrowth, plants begin to intensively use reserve substances and become less resistant to adverse conditions, and reduce winter hardiness.
In addition, plants of early sowing periods are more damaged by pests and diseases, crops are more heavily infested, and may rot. In the spring, when wheat is bushy, weeds are ahead of it in growth and shade, taking a significant part of the nutrients and moisture. All this leads to a slowdown in growth, thinning of crops and a decrease in yield.
Plants of late sowing dates take longer to germinate, do not have time to open up in the fall, develop a sufficient root system and above-ground mass. There is no consensus on the resistance of late sowing plants to unfavorable wintering conditions. Some authors note that the highest winter hardiness is formed in plants that form two to four shoots by the end of the autumn growing season, i.e. at early sowing dates.
Research recent years have shown in our country and abroad that when growing winter wheat using intensive technology, with high application rates mineral fertilizers, high winter hardiness is formed at optimal and admissibly late sowing dates.
Favorable conditions for sowing occur when the average daily air temperature is 14-15°C, and the autumn vegetation lasts 40-50 days. If previously it was thought that autumn period vegetation should develop at least four shoots, then with the introduction of intensive technologies, this figure has decreased to two. According to the requirements of some technologies, plants overwinter not open, and a productive stem is formed by synchronous spring tillering, the intensity of which is regulated by certain agromers.
In all zones of Western Ukraine, moisture reserves are sufficient for intensive spring tillering and have never been a limiting factor. Moderate temperatures in April provide a long period of spring tillering. 35-50 days pass from the time of the resumption of the spring vegetation to the beginning of the tube entry.
For the western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, most researchers consider September 10-25 to be the optimal calendar date for sowing. In the Polesie zone, the optimal sowing dates are September 5-20.
The timing of sowing depends on the fertility of the soil. On poor soils, it is necessary to sow earlier, on fertile soils - later, so that the plants do not outgrow by winter. The optimal sowing dates on fertilized fields are shifted 10-15 days later compared to sowing on a less fertilized background.
Sowing dates vary depending on the biological characteristics of the variety. For plastic varieties, the interval of optimal sowing dates is longer. The calendar dates for sowing varieties of the intensive type have noticeably shifted compared to previously grown varieties by the second half of the optimal dates. These varieties must be sown in 7-10 days.
At intensive technologies created Better conditions for seed germination, germination and autumn vegetation. Having sufficient nutrition, plants sown at shallow depths descend much faster. In autumn, they manage to develop well at later sowing dates, better development plants are preserved until harvest.
According to the Lviv State Agrarian University, the highest yield of winter wheat varieties was when sown on September 30th. The shift in sowing dates towards earlier or later led to a decrease in yield. It should be noted that in some cases, the sowing of winter wheat on October 10 gave top scores than September 10th. In particular, this applies to varieties Mironovskaya 61 and Mirleben, during the cultivation of which the autumn period differed relatively high temperature air.
So, based on the foregoing, the optimal sowing time for high-intensity varieties when grown using resource-saving technology is September 20-30.
Is it worth the risk? This question must be solved by each gardener personally. But it is worth paying attention to several clear advantages. winter sowing vegetables.
Let's highlight them:
It will allow you to get a crop 2-3 weeks earlier than spring, and if you cover the seedlings with a film, you can speed up the ripening by another 7-12 days. As a result, it turns out almost a month!
Seeds that spent the whole winter in the ground hardened well, passed natural selection(the weak died), which means that the plants will be stronger, healthier; when sowing in winter, you can forget about the anxiety about a dry spring: as soon as the snow begins to melt, the seeds swell and start growing together, using 100% spring moisture, at a time when spring crops are still being planned.
Resistance to frost, diseases and pests: young sprouts of vegetables and greens of winter sowing endure frost without loss (from personal experience I can say that a temperature of -3 ° C will not cause them the slightest harm), and early shoots are not attacked by carrot flies and cruciferous flea who are still asleep at this time.
Winter sowing - early vitamins from the garden
By spring, we had already used up the supply of vitamins accumulated during spring, summer and autumn, when fresh berries, vegetables and fruits were in abundance. Pledged on winter storage fruits and vegetables, no matter what ideal conditions they have created, by spring lose a significant part useful substances. How can we make up for this deficit? You can buy gifts of nature in a supermarket or in the market - of course, if you trust the decency of manufacturers. You can buy a complex of vitamins in tablets at the pharmacy (and here you should not forget about the quality).
But there is another way: to sow vegetables and herbs in your garden before winter. Leafy and head salads, arugula, dill, parsley, spinach, pickled onions, radishes, beets and carrots - how do you like the star composition for a spring vitamin salad? Do you remember that young leaves and petioles of carrots and beets are a storehouse of vitamins? They are also in the salad!
Before winter, you can also plant color, Beijing and red cabbage, salad mustard, celery (for greens), borage and parsnips. When to plant, and how to do it right?
Perhaps the timing of sowing is the most important issue. But the exact date no one will tell you, you will have to choose the time yourself. Here you need to catch the moment when stable colds are about to come: a thaw after winter sowing is highly undesirable, since the seeds can germinate and die with the advent of frost.
You can start sowing already at 0 ° C, but if there is a possibility of an increase in temperature, it is better to wait. The main criterion is the freezing topsoil. Even if yesterday it was + 5 ° С, and today it is immediately -5 ° С, you can safely sow.
It is also important to properly arrange the bed. For it, you need a place higher, where, with the advent of spring, the soil dries out faster and warms up well. Plots on which snow does not melt for a long time and water stagnates in spring are not suitable for winter crops. Please note: a bed for winter crops is prepared in advance. The soil is dug up, fertilizers are applied. Which ones - you decide, here the opinions of gardeners differ. Some prefer to make compost or humus, others - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. The main thing is that the soil for winter sowing is fertile and light - heavy soils become very compacted during the winter. In the garden, grooves are made 3-5 cm deep, covered with a covering material so that the precipitation does not wash out the grooves and weed seeds do not get into them. Dry soil and mulching material (sand, compost) are prepared in advance. Completely dry seeds are sown in furrows (for winter crops, seed consumption increases by 1.5-2 times!), Sprinkle 1.5-2 cm with dry soil on top, then 2-3 cm with a mulch layer. Mulch will prevent the appearance of a crust on the soil surface in the spring and protect the root system from sudden changes in temperature. Then the bed is covered with spruce branches, branches with dry foliage or dry leaf litter (lay small branches on the litter so that it is not blown away by the wind). The thickness of this shelter is 15-20 cm. There is no need to water the winter crops! Varieties of vegetables for winter sowing Given that when sowing before winter, the seeds are in harsh conditions, they must have good germination, be large, full-bodied. Therefore, it is better to buy high-quality varietal seeds than to use your own - this is not the case when the savings are justified. You can purchase pelleted seeds: additional protection will reduce the risk of their death. We choose varieties that, under the influence of low temperatures, do not form flower stalks or form, but a very low percentage of the total.
Varieties of beets for sowing before winter.
Podzimnaya A-474
Mid-early variety, ripens in 55-100 days after germination. It is valued for cold resistance, resistance to cercosporosis and tsvetushnosti (formation of peduncles), high palatability and keeping quality during storage.
Cold resistant 19
Mid-season variety, from germination to harvest will take 65-75 days. High palatability, resistant to cold, color, well stored.
Egyptian flat
Mid-season variety, 95-120 days from germination to technical maturity. It is valued for consistently high yields, excellent taste, resistance to the formation of peduncles. Zoned everywhere.
Polar flat K-249
The variety is zoned for the northern regions, root crops will form 50-90 days after germination. It is valued for its high resistance to cold, flowering, pests (root beetle).
Varieties of radish for sowing before winter
The main selection criteria: resistance to cold, shooting, low light.
An early ripe variety, it is possible to selectively collect root crops 15-18 days after germination. Valued for consistently high yields, delicate, slightly spicy taste.
high yielding early ripe variety(18-25 days). High resistance to low light. Rose red with white tip high yielding variety, excellent taste, one of the most popular among gardeners. Mid-early (25-30 days), with very beautiful rounded roots: bright pink with a snow-white tip.
Varieties of carrots for sowing before winter.
Nantes 4
Very popular problem-free variety, high-yielding, zoned almost everywhere. high palatability, early term ripening (60-65 days).
Vitamin 6
Mid-season variety (85-110 days), resistant to flowering. High palatability, very juicy pulp with a high content of carotene.
The variety is zoned for the northern regions, high-yielding, mid-season (98-110 days), with a high content of carotene. Requires early thinning seedlings.
Unfortunately, in one article it is impossible to describe the varieties of all vegetables and green crops suitable for winter sowing. Therefore, once again I recall the qualities that a variety selected for sowing before winter should have: resistance to cold, the formation of peduncles, lack of lighting; short growing season. Based on these features, you can easily choose suitable varieties to your liking.