Planting cauliflower seedlings. Plant nutrition and soil fertilization with cauliflower

Cauliflower (lat. Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis)- a common cultivated variety of the Botrytis group of the garden cabbage species. AT wild nature this plant is not found. There is an opinion that cauliflower was introduced into the culture by the Syrians, so for a long time it was called Syrian cabbage. Ibn Sina recommended it for food as a winter vitamin product. In the XII century, the Arabs brought cauliflower to Spain, and the Syrians to the island of Cyprus, and to XIV century some varieties of cauliflower were already grown in Italy, England, Holland and France. Today, culture is widely cultivated not only in Europe, but also in Asian countries as well as in North and South America.

Planting and caring for cauliflower (in a nutshell)

• Landing: sowing seedlings early varieties- at the end of February or at the beginning of March, transplanting seedlings into the ground - from April 25 to May 15. Sowing seeds for seedlings of mid-ripening varieties - in the second decade of April, and planting seedlings on the beds - from May 20 to June 15. Seeds of late varieties are sown a month after mid-season, and seedlings are planted in open ground a month after sowing.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: podzolic loams and chernozems with pH 6.7-7.4.
• Watering: regular and sufficient: on average once a week, but immediately after planting, the seedlings are watered twice as often. Water consumption - 6-8 liters per m², but with the growth of cabbage, the amount of water will increase.
• Top dressing: 3-4 times per season: 1st - 3 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground, with a solution of mullein, spending half a liter for each plant. 10 days after the first feeding, a second one is carried out, adding a tablespoon of Crystallin to 10 liters of mullein solution and spending a liter of fertilizer on each plant. The third top dressing is carried out with mineral fertilizer in another two weeks: 2 tablespoons of Nitrofoska are dissolved in 10 liters of water and 6-8 liters are spent on each m² of beds.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: cruciferous fleas, cabbage flies, cabbage aphids, cabbage moths, whites and scoops.
• Diseases: alternariosis, clubroot, downy mildew (peronosporosis), ring spot, slimy bacteriosis (wet rot), vascular bacteriosis, fusarium (jaundice), blackleg, viral mosaic.

Read more about growing cauliflower below.

Cauliflower - description

Cauliflower is an annual plant with a fibrous root system close to the soil surface. Its stem is cylindrical, from 15 to 70 cm high. Cauliflower leaves are located horizontally or obliquely upwards, often they are curved in a spiral. They can be either whole and sessile, or lyre-separate, on petioles from 5 to 40 cm long. Leaf color - different shades green up to bluish from a wax coating. The edible organ of cauliflower is the fleshy flower stalks, or heads. Cauliflower inflorescences are eaten in their infancy, they can be different color- well-known green cauliflower, snow white, cream and even purple. Cabbage reaches technical ripeness in an average of 90-120 days.

Cauliflower fruit is a multi-seeded pod 6 to 8.5 cm long, cylindrical or flattened-cylindrical. Cauliflower is grown by seed method - seedling and seedless.

From this article, you will learn when to sow cauliflower for seedlings, how to sow cauliflower for seedlings, how to grow cauliflower seedlings at home, when cauliflower is planted in open ground, how to grow cauliflower in open ground. In addition, we will describe to you the most popular outdoor cauliflower varieties that you can successfully grow in your garden.

Growing cauliflower from seeds

When to sow cauliflower seedlings

Planting cauliflower for seedlings is done in several steps: seeds of early varieties can be sown at the end of February, 40-50 days before planting seedlings in the garden, after two weeks, varieties of medium ripening are sown, and then, a month later, late varieties of cauliflower are sown.

Growing seedlings of cauliflower

Before sowing, cauliflower seeds are processed: first, they are placed in a thermos with water at a temperature of 50 ºC for 15 minutes, then they are dipped in cold water for a minute, after which they are soaked in a solution of trace elements for 12 hours, and then thoroughly washed and placed for a day in the lower refrigerator box. After such treatment, the seeds are dried and sown in several pieces in separate pots, so that later the seedlings are not subjected to picking, which they do not tolerate well. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pots, then a neutral reaction soil, which is made up of 4 parts of lowland peat, 1 part of mullein and one and a half parts of rotten sawdust. You can also use a substrate of 10 parts of humus, 1 part of sand and 1 part of lowland peat. Add a little ash to the wet substrate and mix it thoroughly. Sowing cauliflower into the soil is carried out to a depth of half a centimeter, after which the substrate is compacted.

The conditions for growing cauliflower are as follows: before germination, the room temperature should be between 18-20 ºC, and when the seeds germinate, it should be lowered to 6-8 ºC, placing the seedlings as close to the light as possible. Install after 5-7 days temperature regime in the daytime at the level of 15-18 ºC, and at night - 8-10 ºC. Cauliflower seedlings growing indoors with too much high temperature(above 22 ºC), subsequently may not form inflorescences at all.

Growing cauliflower and caring for it during the seedling period consists in moderate watering, regular loosening of the soil and preventive treatment of the substrate with a pink solution of potassium permanganate from the black leg and other fungi. When the seedlings develop 2-3 true leaves, they are sprayed with a solution of 2 g boric acid in 1 liter of water, and when another leaf or two is added to the seedlings, the seedlings will not interfere with treatment with a solution of 5 g of ammonium molybdate in a bucket of water.

Cauliflower pick

Growing cauliflower does not involve picking, as it is poorly tolerated by seedlings. But if you decide to sow the seeds not in separate containers, but in a common box, choose a deeper vessel, and place the seeds less often so as not to damage the root system of seedlings when transplanting into open ground.

For those who believe that it is necessary to dive cauliflower seedlings, we suggest doing this when the seedlings are two weeks old, planting them in separate containers, carefully cutting the root during transplantation. After picking, keep the seedlings at a temperature of 21 ºC until they take root, after which set the temperature to 17 ºC during the day and 9 ºC at night.

Planting cauliflower in open ground

When to plant cauliflower outdoors

Seedlings of early varieties of cauliflower, sown in late February or early March, are planted in open ground from about April 25 to May 15. Planting cauliflower of mid-ripening varieties, sown from the second decade of April to the second decade of May, is carried out in a month and a half - from May 20 to June 15. Late varieties of cauliflower grown through seedlings are planted in the garden about a month after sowing.

A week before planting in the ground, cauliflower from seeds needs to be fed with a solution of 3 g of superphosphate and 3 g of potassium chloride in one liter of water - this will increase its cold resistance. And, of course, within ten days before planting the seedlings in the ground, they are hardened, gradually accustoming them to the environment in which they are to grow.

soil for cauliflower

Transplantation of seedlings in open ground is carried out in warm cloudy weather. The site for growing cauliflower should be sunny, and the pH of the soil should be close to neutral - in the range of pH 6.7-7.4. Well, if last year carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, green manures, cereals or legumes. But after such garden plants like beets, tomatoes, radishes, radishes and all kinds of cabbages, cauliflower can only be planted after four years.

The soil on the site is dug up to the depth of the bayonet of a shovel since autumn, at the same time liming if the soil has an acidic reaction. In the spring, before planting, a bucket of humus or compost is added to each well, 2 cups each. wood ash, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and a teaspoon of urea. Do not forget to mix all these additives thoroughly with fertile soil.

How to plant cauliflower

The distance between the holes depends on the variety of cabbage, but on average, the gap between plants in a row should be about 35 cm, and the row spacing should be at least half a meter. Seedlings are buried in the ground by the first true leaves, the soil surface is compacted after planting and watered. If planting is done in April or early May, then at first it is better to cover the seedlings for a couple of days. plastic wrap or non-woven fabric - the coating will protect the seedlings from possible night frosts and from the cruciferous flea.

Readers are asking Is it possible to grow cauliflower immediately in open ground. Of course you can. In the southern regions of Ukraine and Russia, from mid-April, seeds are sown directly into the soil, since they germinate already at a temperature of 2-5 ºC, but in cooler regions it is still safer to use the seedling method of growing cauliflower.

How to grow cauliflower

Cauliflower Care

Since cauliflower is poorly adapted to the conditions of the middle lane, the quality and quantity of the crop depends entirely on how you take care of it. Caring for cauliflower in the open field is not much different from caring for white cabbage - watering, loosening the soil, hilling, weeding, fertilizing and treating pests and diseases, but all this must be done carefully and scrupulously.

The soil between plants and between rows is loosened to a depth of about 8 cm, while weeds are removed from the site. This is usually done after watering or rain, while the ground in the area is wet.

Watering the cauliflower

Outdoor cauliflower requires regular and sufficient watering. This crop is watered on average once a week, although the first time after planting, it will be necessary to moisten the area with seedlings twice as often. Water consumption during irrigation is approximately 6-8 liters per m², but with the growth of cabbage, the consumption will increase. In order not to overdo it with moistening the soil and not provoke the development of fungal diseases, be guided by weather conditions - with regular heavy rainfall, when the soil is saturated with moisture to a decent depth, you can do without watering. In order for the moisture in the plants to remain longer and the cauliflower inflorescences not to become covered with dark spots, cover the heads with their own leaves, breaking 2-3 of them up.

Cauliflower nutrition

During the growing season, cauliflower is fed 3-4 times, and the first feeding should take place no later than three weeks after planting the seedlings in the garden. The best fertilizer for cauliflower, a mullein solution is considered - half a liter of the composition is diluted in 10 liters of water. Solution consumption - half a liter jar per plant.

Re-feeding with mullein is carried out ten days after the first, adding a tablespoon of Kristalin to the solution and spending already one liter finished composition for one copy.

The third top dressing can be carried out with mineral fertilizers, for example, by dissolving 2 tablespoons of Nitrophoska in 10 liters of water and spending 6-8 liters per m² of land.

Cauliflower Processing

Since cauliflower is often affected by diseases and pests, you will have to protect it from them in every possible way. The advantage of this particular variety of cabbage is that its pests can be dealt with without the use of pesticides. The best remedy protecting cauliflower from insects and slugs - dusting plants with wood ash or tobacco. Spraying cauliflower with a solution of infusion of onion peel, burdock or tomato tops can be effective. As for diseases, the use of protective drugs can be avoided only with meticulous observance of the agricultural technology of the culture, but even in this case, success is not guaranteed.

Growing cauliflower in the Moscow region

In the conditions of the Moscow region, it makes sense to grow early and mid-season varieties cauliflower, but late varieties usually do not have time to ripen. Therefore, the most important thing is to choose the right plant variety and not be too lazy to grow seedlings - a seedling method of growing cauliflower in the middle lane is more reliable than seedlings. Those who categorically do not want to grow seedlings should know that it is possible to sow cauliflower seeds in the ground in the conditions of the Moscow Region not earlier than the end of March, since with more early sowing seeds can die in unheated ground, and no later than June - if you are late with sowing, the cauliflower may not have time to ripen.

Pests and diseases of cauliflower

Diseases of cauliflower

Outdoor cauliflower is exposed to all sorts of risks, such as being attacked harmful insects or infection with fungal, bacterial or viral diseases. In your appeals, there are often questions about why cauliflower turns yellow, dries or rots. The reason for everything is the diseases that affect it, which, like pests, cauliflower has a lot, and we will introduce you to most of them. Of the diseases, cabbage is most often affected by:

Alternariosis – fungal disease, manifested by black or dark brown spots and concentric circles on cabbage leaves. The leaves are dying. In humid environment at a temperature of 33-35 ºC, fungal spores spread faster.

Control measures: mandatory preliminary disinfection of seeds with Planriz, treatment of plants with copper-containing preparations - Bordeaux liquid, colloidal sulfur, copper sulfate, for example;

quila- with this disease, growths and swellings form on the roots of cauliflower, leading to rotting of the root system. As a result, plants stop receiving nutrients from the soil, turn yellow and dry out. On too wet and acidic soils, the keel spreads faster.

Control measures: good results gives the introduction of wood ash into the soil throughout the growing season of cauliflower. Do not plant cauliflower in the area where the clubweed was found, 5-7 years old. When planting seedlings, add a little fluff lime to the holes. From time to time, water the cabbage under the root with a solution of 1 cup dolomite flour in 10 liters of water;

ring spot- a fungal disease that manifests itself in the formation of small black dots on the leaves and stems of cauliflower. With the development of the disease, the points increase to 2.5 cm in diameter, forming concentric circles around themselves. As a result, the surface of the sheet turns yellow, its edges become uneven. Cool wet weather favors ring spot development.

Control measures: to combat the disease, cauliflower is treated with fungicides. After harvesting, remove plant debris from the site;

Mucous bacteriosis, or wet rot, occurs as a result of a violation of the water balance: small dark watery spots appear on the heads of cauliflower, and black oblong spots appear on the stems. Then, in these places, the plant tissue begins to rot, blacken and emit bad smell. The disease progresses in wet weather, and mechanical damage to the plant also contributes to infection.

Control measures: spots that appear must be cut out immediately, capturing healthy tissue. Severely affected specimens must be dug up and destroyed. In the spring, it is desirable to carry out preventive treatment of cabbage with a 0.4% suspension of colloidal sulfur. After harvesting, remove all plant debris from the site;

Vascular bacteriosis manifested by scattered chlorotic spots on the ground organs of cauliflower, in place of which necrosis develops. Leaves wither, and black rot appears in the heads. If the disease struck the plant at an early stage of development, then the cauliflower heads do not form at all. The disease progresses during heavy rains.

Control measures: observe crop rotation - do not grow cauliflower after cruciferous. Disinfect seed material and soil for seedlings, timely carry out preventive treatment of cauliflower against fungal diseases. In the fight against vascular bacteriosis, plant treatments with Trichodermin and Planriz are effective;

Fusarium, or jaundice, excited by a fungus that penetrates the vascular system of plants, as a result of which the leaves acquire a yellow-green color on one, and sometimes on both sides of the plate. Then dark spots appear on the leaves, and the veins darken slightly. The leaves fall off, and the cabbage head is deformed.

Control measures: A disease detected in time can be cured by treating the cauliflower with Fundazol (Benomyl). If you take rainwater or water from reservoirs for irrigation, add Fitosporin-M to it;

Blackleg- this disease affects cabbage even in the seedling stage. The root neck on the background too high humidity soil and air turns black and becomes soft, from which the seedling dies.

Control measures: seedlings should be purchased only from well-established companies, but if you bought it from a dubious seller, disinfect the seedlings with Previkur. The soil before sowing the seeds is sterilized with a formalin solution or steam, the seeds are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or Pseudo-bacterin-2. Sick plants should be removed and destroyed immediately;

peronosporosis, or downy mildew, develops on the ground parts of cauliflower, and often the manifestations of the disease can be detected already in the seedling period - slightly depressed spots form on the cotyledons and real leaves of the plant. Leaves of seedlings planted in the ground, if it is infected with downy mildew, under conditions favorable for the fungus high humidity covered with a whitish coating on the underside of the plate, which gradually turns gray. Necrosis develops in these places, the growth of seedlings slows down, chlorotic spots form on the leaves, they dry and fall off.

Control measures: at the first signs of damage to cauliflower by peronosporosis, it is necessary to treat the plants with a fungicide, for example, Ridomil Gold (0.05% suspension). As a preventive protection, it is recommended to treat the seeds and soil before sowing and observe the agricultural practices of the crop;

Mosaic- growing cauliflower in the open field is often accompanied by this viral disease typical of cruciferous crops, the first signs of which appear a month after planting the seedlings in the garden: the veins on the leaves brighten, and a dark border forms around them. The growth of the veins stops, as a result of which the leaves become wrinkled. Gradually on sheet plates necrotic spots are formed, the leaves die off and fall off, the heads form small, severely deformed.

Control measures: as a rule, sucking insects are the carrier of the causative agent of the disease - that is why it is necessary to wage a merciless fight against them. In addition, there is no cure for viral diseases. You can protect cauliflower from mosaic by strictly observing the mandatory agrotechnical measures, including the removal of cruciferous weeds from the site and the treatment of cauliflower from aphids.

Cauliflower pests

Of the permanent and most persistent pests of cauliflower, the following insects can be called:

cruciferous fleas – small bugs feeding on seedlings and leaves of cauliflower. To protect plants from this pest, seedlings are treated twice with an interval of 10 days with a solution of Trichlormetaphos. Since these insects do not tolerate the smell of garlic and tomatoes, it is recommended to compact cauliflower plantings with these plants;

cabbage fly lays eggs in the lower part of the cabbage stems, in clods of earth and cracks in the soil, and after 8-12 days the larvae that appear fill the root system of the cabbage, destroying it, causing the young plants to die, and the adults are gradually destroyed. In order to scare cabbage fly, cauliflower plantings are compacted with celery, the smell of which the insect does not tolerate. Water the soil around the cabbage with a 0.2% solution of Karbofos at the rate of a glass and a half per copy - you will need 2-3 such treatments at weekly intervals;

cabbage aphid- the most harmful insect that infects cabbage viral diseases and sucking juices out of it. Aphids overwinter on cruciferous weeds and plant remains unharvested after harvest. It is recommended to compact the bed with cabbage by planting tomatoes, the smell of which repels the pest. In the fight against aphids, an infusion of garlic, onion, hot capsicum, decoctions of wormwood, tansy, yarrow, tobacco dust, mustard, potato tops with the addition of grated laundry soap. In the event of a mass occupation of cauliflower, aphids will have to use insecticides - Aktar, Tanrek or Biotlin, for example;

Cabbage white, cabbage scoop and cabbage moth- caterpillars of these insects feed on cabbage leaves, sometimes leaving only veins from them, mine them, bite into heads. It is necessary to destroy masonry and caterpillars manually, good results are obtained by processing cauliflower with a 0.5% solution of the microbiological preparation Entobacterin-3.

Harvesting and storing cauliflower

They begin to harvest cauliflower heads when they reach technical ripeness, which is determined by the following signs:

• heads reach a diameter of 8-12 cm;
• head weight - from 300 to 1200 g.

Early varieties ripen from 60 to 100 days, medium-ripening varieties can be harvested after 100-135 days, while late varieties ripen for at least 4.5 months.

An overripe vegetable loses not only taste, but also useful qualities. Cut the cabbage very carefully, leaving 2-4 leaves on the head. If the cabbage has formed side shoots, leave a couple of the strongest of them, and new inflorescences will develop from them. Do not leave cut heads in the sun, otherwise they will turn yellow and become unusable.

Cauliflower heads are stored in the cellar, in plastic or plywood boxes covered with foil - such a storage period is up to two months.

If you do not have a cellar or basement, disassemble and rinse the inflorescences under running water, dry them and freeze them - you can fresh, can be lightly boiled (no more than 5 minutes). Shelf life 1 year.

You can store cauliflower in limbo, like white cabbage, but then do not cut the inflorescences, but dig up the plants from the garden, cut the roots, remove upper leaves, tie the cabbage by the stump with twine or rope and hang it so that the heads do not touch each other. Shelf life month.

Sometimes late varieties of cauliflower do not have time to ripen even to technical ripeness, and they have to be grown at home. Rather, it is better to do it in the cellar - it is stored there and ripens. Bring a couple of boxes of garden soil into the cellar. Water the cabbage well in the garden, and dig it out in two days, keeping a large clod of earth on the roots. Transplant the dug-up cabbage into boxes in the cellar, immersing them in the soil to the very leaves. The temperature in the room where the cauliflower will ripen should be from 0 to 4 ºC, and the air humidity should be at the level of 90-95%. Keep the room well ventilated and enjoy cauliflower all winter long.

Types and varieties of cauliflower

Cauliflower is a popular cultivated variety of the kale species. Today, there are many varieties and hybrids of this plant, among which everyone can choose samples according to their taste and adaptability to certain climatic conditions. We offer you an acquaintance with the best of these varieties.

early varieties of cauliflower

Early varieties of cauliflower include those that ripen within 100 days or earlier. For example:

• Snowdrift– average early harvest a new variety ripening in 90-100 days, with compact and dense snow-white heads weighing up to 1,200 kg, which are stored frozen for a long time without losing excellent palatability;
• Snowball 23- productive mid-early variety, ripening at about the same time as the previous one, with the same white heads weighing up to 1 kg. A variety of excellent taste that is not lost when frozen;
• Amethyst- medium-early variety, ripening in 80 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground with heads purple hue, approximately the same size, weighing up to 1 kg;
• Maliba- super-early and super-productive variety, adapted to areas with different climates, which begins to produce a crop in 55-65 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground. The heads of cabbage of this variety are dense, rounded, milky white color, weighing up to 5 kg;
• Fortados- A productive, stress-resistant variety that ripens a couple of months after planting seedlings in the garden. The heads are round, snow-white, dense, weighing up to 2 kg;

In addition to those described, such varieties as Fremont, Movir-74, Express, Snowball, Icing sugar, Regent, White Castle, Berdegrusse, Blue Diamond, Purple and others.

Medium varieties of cauliflower

This group of varieties includes those that ripen within 100-135 days. For example:

• purple ball- high-yielding, resistant to autumn frosts, a variety with heads medium density lilac weighing up to 1.5 kg. The heads of this variety keep well;
• Patriotic- productive variety with small white heads weighing 700-800 g. Vegetation period 100-120 days;
• Asterix F1- resistant to powdery mildew and adverse climatic conditions, a hybrid variety with small white heads weighing up to 1 kg, which are securely covered with leaves;
• Yako- high-yielding variety with a short ripening period and a hard head weighing up to 850 g. The variety is bred for summer and autumn cultivation;
• Flora Blanca- productive, winter-hardy, well-kept variety of Polish selection with dense white-yellow heads of high palatability weighing up to 1200 g, which ripen already 110 days after seed germination. The advantage of this variety is that the heads ripen almost simultaneously, so harvesting is quick and easy.

Also in demand are the mid-season varieties Belaya Krasavitsa, Moscow canning, Rushmore, Amazing, Parizhanka, Koza-dereza, Goodman and Dachnitsa.

Late varieties of cauliflower

This group of varieties includes those that ripen from 4.5 to 5 months or longer:

• Cortes F1- high-yielding hybrid, requiring fertile soil, resistant to frost, due to the "self-covering" of the head with leaves. The inflorescences of this variety are dense, white, weighing up to 3 kg;
• Amerigo F1– high-yielding and resistant to heat and frost hybrid variety with white color heads weighing up to 2.5 kg;
• Consista- one of the latest varieties, which perfectly tolerates autumn frosts, with large dense heads weighing up to 800 g;
• autumn giant- the growing season of this variety of cauliflower is from 200 to 220 days. The heads of this cabbage are dense, white, weighing up to 2.5 kg;
• Regent- the mass of the head of this late variety of cauliflower, which endures autumn frosts, is from 530 to 800 g.

Known in culture are such late-ripening varieties of cauliflower as Altamira, Adler winter, Incline, Amsterdam, Sochi and others.

Cauliflower for Siberia

In Siberia, only early varieties of cauliflower have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather, and they are grown exclusively seedling way. Popular in culture are varieties such as:

• Baldo- extra early high-yielding variety with round milky white heads of medium size;
• Candide charm F1- a hybrid variety with a snow-white head weighing up to 2 kg, well protected by leaves;
• Opal- productive early variety with uniform dense white heads weighing up to 1.5 kg, ripening almost simultaneously;
• Helsinki– a powerful hybrid variety for open ground with large heads snow white;
• whiteskel- a hybrid variety resistant to diseases and climatic conditions with uniform, dense, snow-white dome-shaped heads weighing up to 3 kg.

Suitable varieties for the Siberian climate are also Movir-74, Snowball, Lilac Ball and hybrids Amphora F1 and Cheddar F1.

Cauliflower for the Moscow region

Varieties of cauliflower for the middle lane should have the following qualities:

• resistance to sudden changes in temperature and humidity;
• undemanding to heat and light;
• ripening no later than mid-October.

Varieties that meet these requirements include the following:

• early ripening – early ripe variety relatively disease resistant. The heads are round, white, dense and juicy;
• Gribovskaya early- an early variety that is not harmed by slight shading. Heads of cabbage of this variety weighing up to 700 g, somewhat loose, but of excellent taste;
• Snowball- medium-early, disease-resistant and cold-resistant variety with snow-white large heads, reaching 1.2 kg in weight;
• Alpha- an early variety with very large heads weighing up to one and a half kilograms, which, unfortunately, are not stored for long;
• Warranty- an early variety, dense heads of which weighing up to 850 g do not decay for a long time.

Such varieties of cauliflower grow well in the Moscow region, such as Express, Moskvichka, Snezhinka, Broadleaf, Round head, Movir 74 and others.

Properties of cauliflower - harm and benefit

The taste and dietary qualities of cauliflower are more pronounced than in other varieties of garden cabbage, and it also surpasses them in nutritional value. There is more ascorbic acid and protein in it than, for example, in white cabbage, 2-3 times - 50 g of cauliflower contains the amount of vitamin C sufficient for the human body for a day. In addition, this culture is high in other vitamins - PP, H (biotin), K, D, A and B vitamins.

Cauliflower includes carbohydrates, fats, starches, sugars, fatty acid, macronutrients chlorine, sodium, potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus and magnesium, as well as trace elements copper, manganese, iron, zinc, cobalt and molybdenum, and iron in it is several times more than in lettuce, zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant. Vitamins and minerals contained in cauliflower strengthen the antioxidant defense of a person, and enzymes actively remove toxins and toxins from the body. Rich in cauliflower tartron, apple, citric acids and pectin.

Due to this composition, cauliflower is not only a valuable nutritious product, but is also included in the diet as remedy in many diseases - in diseases gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and urinary tract, endocrine system.

Since there is little coarse fiber in cauliflower, it is easier to digest and absorbed by the body than white or red cabbage Therefore, it is recommended by doctors even for patients with gastritis, as well as for patients with diseases of the liver and gallbladder. Shown cauliflower sick diabetes because it normalizes the level of cholesterol and glucose in the blood.

Substances found in cauliflower have beneficial effects on nervous system human and those that are excellent prevention against cancer: regular consumption of cauliflower reduces the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.

Cauliflower holds the record for the content of biotin, or vitamin H, which prevents inflammatory skin diseases, including seborrhea, so biotin is often included in skin and hair care products.

Fresh unsalted cauliflower juice, due to the presence of vitamin U in it, successfully helps to heal ulcers: acidity is normalized, and this contributes to the regeneration of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum. Freshly squeezed juice, due to the content of tartronic acid in it, helps to get rid of excess weight. Poorly healing wounds or burns are treated with a mixture of raw egg white and cauliflower pulp.

Cauliflower - contraindications

The danger of cauliflower is:

• for those who suffer hyperacidity stomach, intestinal spasms and acute enterocolitis - it will increase pain and can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of internal organs;
• for those who have recently undergone abdominal surgery;
• for patients with kidney diseases and those suffering from high blood pressure;
• for patients with gout, since cauliflower contains purines, and when they accumulate in the body, the concentration of uric acid increases, which can cause a relapse of the disease;
• for people with a weakened endocrine system, since abuse provokes the development of goiter;
• for those who are allergic to cauliflower.

For those who do not cause negative reactions to cauliflower, we recommend baking it in the oven, since with this cooking method it almost does not lose its beneficial qualities.

Cauliflower is a vitamin vegetable with excellent taste and dietary qualities, which is superior in nutritional value to other varieties of garden cabbage. Its rich mineral composition helps to strengthen the antioxidant defense of a person, and the enzymes contained in cauliflower remove toxins and toxins from the body.

Everyone dreams of growing a decent crop of cauliflower on their land. To do this, you need to know how and when to plant cauliflower for seedlings, how to grow healthy, high-quality seedlings, and determine the optimal time for planting seedlings in the garden. The advice of experienced gardeners will help you grow a tasty and healthy vegetable in any region of the country.

All varieties of cauliflower can be divided into early, medium and late.

Ripening within 100 days and earlier, varieties are classified as early:

1. Maliba is an ultra-early super-productive variety with dense rounded heads weighing up to 5 kg, yields a crop 55-65 days after planting in the ground.
2. Amethyst - ripening in 80 days from the moment of planting seedlings in the soil, a medium-early variety, differs in the same size of heads with a purple tint.
3. Fortados is a stress-resistant productive variety with dense rounded snow-white heads weighing up to 2 kg, it ripens in a few months.
4. Snowball 23, Snowball - mid-early productive varieties, ripen in 90-100 days, with white heads weighing 1-1.2 kg, do not lose their excellent taste when frozen.
5. Popular early varieties: Snowball, Regent, Fremont, Blue Diamond, Purple, White Castle, Sugar Icing, Movir-74, Berdegrusse.

Medium varieties of cauliflower include ripening within 100-135 days:

1. Yako is a high-yielding variety with small heads (about 850 g), suitable for summer and autumn cultivation due to its short ripening period.
2. Otechestvennaya is a productive variety with a growing season of 100-120 days and small (700-800 g) white heads.
3. Flora Blanca is a winter-hardy, high-yielding variety of Polish selection, the heads are dense, white-yellow, weighing up to 1200 g, they ripen almost simultaneously after 110 days, they are well stored.
4. Asterix F1 is a hybrid variety with high resistance to powdery mildew and adverse climate, small heads (up to 1 kg) are covered with leaves.
5. Lilac ball - resistant to autumn frosts, lilac heads of medium density weighing up to 1.5 kg, well stored.
6. Mid-season popular varieties: Parisian, Goodman, Belaya Krasavitsa, Summer Resident, Rushmore, Moscow Cannery, Goat Dereza, Amazing.

The group of late varieties includes ripening 4.5-5 months and longer:

1. Autumn giant - a growing season of 200-220 days, has white dense heads weighing up to 2.5 kg.
2. Amerigo F1 - high-yielding, resistant to frost and heat, snow-white heads weigh up to 2.5 kg.
3. Regent - endures autumn frosts, head weight 530-800 g.
4. Cortes F1 - hybrid with high yield, requires fertile soil, tolerates frost well due to the head covered with leaves, inflorescences are white, dense, weigh up to 3 kg.
5. Consista - very late, perfectly tolerates autumn frosts, dense heads weigh up to 800 g.
6. Popular late-ripening varieties: Amsterdam, Incline, Altamira, Sochi, Adler winter.

Varieties for different regions

Of the many varieties and hybrids of cauliflower, everyone can choose adapted to certain climatic conditions. In central Russia and the Moscow region, early and mid-ripening varieties of cauliflower can be grown, late ones usually do not have time to ripen.

The most important thing is to choose the right variety and grow cauliflower in seedlings.

Cauliflower varieties for the middle lane are undemanding to light and heat, resistant to sudden changes in humidity and air temperature, most of them ripen no later than mid-October:

1. Gribovskaya early - an early variety that tolerates slight shading, heads weighing up to 700 g are slightly loose, but have good taste.
2. Early ripening is a relatively disease-resistant early ripening variety with round, dense, juicy white heads.
3. Guarantee - an early variety with long non-decaying heads weighing up to 850 g.
4. Alpha is an early variety, the heads are large (up to 1.5 kg), but they are not stored for long.
5. Snowball is a medium-early variety resistant to diseases and cold, large snow-white heads reach a weight of 1.2 kg.

Cauliflower varieties Moskvichka, Shirokolistnaya, Express, Snezhinka, Movir-74, Round head grow well in the conditions of central Russia.

In Siberia and the Urals, only early varieties of cauliflower ripen before the onset of cold weather, and grown exclusively in seedlings.

The following varieties are popular with gardeners:

1. Opal is an early productive variety, the heads (up to 1.5 kg) are white, dense and uniform, they ripen almost simultaneously.
2. Baldo is an ultra-early, high-yielding variety with medium-sized milky-white rounded heads.
3. Helsinki - a hybrid variety, snow-white heads, large.
4. Whiteskel is a hybrid variety resistant to diseases and climatic conditions, dome-shaped heads, uniform, dense, weighing up to 3 kg.
5. Candide charm F1 is a hybrid variety with a head well protected by leaves weighing up to 2 kg.

Also suitable for the Siberian climate are the varieties of cauliflower Lilovy shar, Snezhny spher, Movir-74, hybrids Cheddar F1, Amphora F1.

When to plant cauliflower seedlings?

The timing of sowing cauliflower for seedlings depends on the timing of the maturation of varieties and hybrids. The laying of the head of cauliflower occurs at a temperature of 20-30°C.

If there is scorching heat when laying inflorescences, only leaves will grow, not inflorescences. If the temperature drops to 10°C during the head formation period, the quality and quantity of the crop will deteriorate significantly.

Depending on the varieties and the period of their ripening, cauliflower seeds are sown at the following times:

1. Early maturing (80-110 days): mid-late March.
2. Early (115-125 days): early March-early April.
3. Mid-season (126-135 days): the first decade of April-the first decade of May.
4. Late (145-170 days): late May-mid-June.

Seedlings planted at the age of 20-25 days give the best result.

Landing dates for different regions of Russia

The final fruits of the work of gardeners are highly dependent on the temperature regime in different regions. You can grow cauliflower almost everywhere, but the timing of sowing seedlings for different regions slightly shifted. In central Russia and the Moscow region, cauliflower is sown from mid-March to the end of May (intervals - 10-20 days).

Compared with central Russia, in Siberia and the Urals, early varieties are sown on April 10-15, middle and late - at the end of April. Sowing dates in the south of Russia are shifted to February. Early varieties of cabbage here can be sown for seedlings already in early February, and in April, ready-made seedlings are planted in the ground.

Seed preparation

Before germination, cauliflower seeds must be calibrated and tested for germination. First, they are examined and healthy and large in appearance are selected. Then incubated for 20 minutes in a container with water at a temperature of 50°C. The seeds that have sunk to the bottom are removed and lowered for a minute into cold water, and those floating on the surface are discarded.

Calibrated cauliflower seeds are soaked for 8 hours in a 1% potassium permanganate solution. For better germination of seed, special preparations with a disinfecting effect are used that stimulate seed growth, for example, Epin.

In a solution of 2 drops of the drug in 100 ml of water, the seeds are kept for 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Diluted 1:3 with water, garlic juice also serves as a good disinfectant for cauliflower seeds. After washing thoroughly, the treated seeds are placed in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator and kept for a day.

Soil preparation

Before sowing cauliflower seeds for seedlings, it is important to take care of the nutritious soil for growing it. You can buy it or cook it yourself by mixing 7 parts of peat, 2 parts of compost or humus, 1 part of soddy land and rotted mullein.

It should be borne in mind that the soil for cauliflower should be lighter in terms of mechanical composition, so it is advisable to add 1 liter jar of large river sand and rotted sawdust. The soil prepared for sowing cauliflower seedlings should not be acidified, but neutral.

To deoxidize 1 liter of earth, add 15 g of dolomite flour or 20 g of furnace ash. To disinfect the soil, it is pre-frozen for 1-2 months on a balcony or in an outdoor yard.

How to prepare a container?

To get an early harvest of cauliflower, the seeds are germinated in separate bulk or peat pots. Subsequently, the seedlings will not have to be picked, which they are hard to tolerate.

Also suitable for seed germination peat tablets, cassettes or cardboard egg trays. Thanks to this agricultural technology, seedlings are grown without picking. When used for sowing seeds for seedlings wooden boxes they must be disinfected with a dark solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water.

How to plant seeds?

Processed cauliflower seeds are dried and sown in individual cups or in seed boxes. Traditionally, 2 seeds are placed in each pot or hole, which are deepened by 1.5 cm.

After that, they are sprinkled with soil and mulched with steamed dry river sand. Then the container is covered with a film or glass and placed in a warm (18-20°C) dark place.

After seed germination, a weaker sprout is removed, cut off at the root. To prevent stretching, the seedlings are placed closer to the light, the temperature is lowered to 6-8 ° C. After 5-7 days in the daytime, increase the temperature to 15-18°C, at night - up to 8-10°C.

If cauliflower seedlings are grown in a room where the temperature exceeds 22 ° C, subsequently it may not form inflorescences at all.

How to dive seedlings?

Cauliflower seedlings do not tolerate picking. For those who decide to sow the seeds in a common box, and not in separate containers, it is recommended to choose the dishes deeper, and place the seeds in it less often so as not to damage the roots of the seedlings, transplanting them into open ground.

Gardeners who consider it necessary to dive cauliflower seedlings are recommended to plant them in separate containers at the age of 2 weeks, carefully cutting the roots during transplantation. While the seedlings take root after picking, they are kept at a temperature of 21 ° C, after which the temperature regime is set at 17 ° C during the day and 9 ° C at night.

Caring for cauliflower seedlings

During the seedling period, cauliflower care includes moderate watering, regular loosening of the soil and preventive soil treatment with a 0.5-1% solution of potassium permanganate to protect against black leg and other fungal diseases.

After the seedlings develop 2-3 true leaves, they are sprayed by dissolving 2 g of boric acid in 1 liter of water. When the seedlings grow another 1-2 leaves, it is recommended to process the seedlings by dissolving 5 g of ammonium molybdate in a bucket of water.

Cauliflower seedlings require periodic top dressing. The first top dressing is carried out after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the next - with an interval of 10 days.

For top dressing use:

• infusion of wood ash (glass 200g) per 10 liters of water;
• mullein infusion 1:10 with the addition of superphosphate (1 tablespoon).

cauliflower, like the white one, plant seedlings. Before planting, it is useful for beginners in this matter to familiarize themselves with the nuances of its cultivation. In one of the editions of the Encyclopedia country life' details the how to grow cauliflower seedlings at home. Let's review this information. I'm sure it will be useful not only for us 😉

Sowing cauliflower seedlings

In boxes and greenhouses for growing seedlings, the soil is prepared in the same way as for white cabbage. The beds on the site are prepared in the fall (dig up, fertilize, lime).

Seeds must be prepared for planting: disinfect and pickle. The handbook contains this seed preparation method:

• Dry seeds are taken from the bag and dipped for 15 minutes in hot water with a temperature of about 50 degrees.
• After 15 minutes, take out and place in cold water for 1 minute.
• Another option: hold the seeds in potassium permanganate. But many believe that this is the last century.
• After treatment in hot and cold water planting material immersed in a solution of trace elements for half a day.
• Then the seeds are washed in clean water and put in the refrigerator for another day.
• It remains to dry the seeds so that they do not stick to the fingers.
• Now you can sow.

Sow seeds for seedlings in rows. The distance between rows is recommended to be kept at 3 cm. The sowing depth is 1 cm. The distance between plants is approximately 1 cm.

When to plant cauliflower for seedlings?

Many summer residents in matters of landing are accustomed to relying on lunar or sowing calendar. They can be found in reference literature or the Internet.

It is also logical to use the data indicated on the package with seeds. Depending on the variety, recommendations, when to plant cauliflower seedlings, may differ.

As a rule, seeds for seedlings of early varieties of cauliflower are recommended to be sown from March 5 to March 10. Late - from March 10 to March 20 or in April directly into the ground, but under the film. At a temperature of already +2, +5 degrees, the seeds are able to germinate.

How will the seedlings appear? Special attention pay attention to air temperature: if it exceeds 20 degrees, there is a risk that the plant will form a dwarf head. A dwarf head will also appear ahead of time if the seedlings do not have enough moisture and light.

In the magazine "Dachny Klub" we came across such a plate of the timing of sowing cauliflower seeds for seedlings, depending on the variety:

picking

Seedlings are picked as needed, already on the 9th day after germination. Before picking, the plants are watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. Picked seedlings are buried in the soil up to cotyledon leaves in cubes 6 × 6 or 8 × 8 cm.

Seedling care: feeding, watering, hardening

For the first time foliar top dressing cauliflower seedlings are carried out in the phase of 2 true leaves. Prepare the solution as follows:

• in a liter of water dissolve half a tablet of trace elements or half a teaspoon complex fertilizers with micronutrients.

Seedlings are sprayed with the finished solution.

Water the sprouts with water at room temperature, regularly, as the soil dries. Enough 1 time in 2-3 days. Watering is stopped altogether 1 week before planting seedlings in open ground. But on the other hand, immediately before planting (2 hours before), cauliflower seedlings are watered abundantly.

Important! Excessive watering of seedlings can provoke a disease of young plants with a black leg.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, they are hardened and fed a second time. For hardening, seedlings are taken out to the balcony or the greenhouse is ventilated if it grows there.

Second foliar top dressing carry out as follows: urea (1 tablespoon) and potassium sulfate (also 1 tablespoon) are dissolved in 10 liters of water. Plants are sprayed with the resulting solution. Solution consumption: 1 cup per plant.

Landing in open ground

Early varieties of cauliflower begin to be planted in open ground in early May (until the 15th), later varieties - from May 10 to May 20.

Important! AT middle lane In Russia, as a rule, only early varieties ripen well. Weather conditions can adversely affect young seedlings planted in open ground. If the sun is small and cool, the cabbage may go into the arrow (after a month).

Landing pattern: 50x25 cm.

After planting, the plants are covered with a film.

Cauliflower, like its white sister, loves water, especially in the first period after planting in the ground. Without moisture, plants develop poorly, do not grow. The handbook recommends paying special attention to watering. There are no sharp differences in the cultivation of white and cauliflower. They are very similar.

Sowing cauliflower for seedlings: video

In one of the videos on Youtube, the author tells in detail and shows about sowing cauliflower for seedlings at home. We are also talking about tomatoes and eggplants. Specifically, about cauliflower, you need to watch from the 2nd minute (or rather, 2 minutes 14 seconds).

Video: planting seedlings in open ground

Another useful video about growing cauliflower. This time we are talking about planting seedlings, which were grown at home, in open ground.

Cauliflower: our photos

But such a cauliflower grew in our country house last summer:

Baba Lucy's favorite vegetable. The rest of the household, by the way, do not really like the taste of cauliflower. Apparently for an amateur

Have you tried growing suburban area cauliflower. Share your experience in the comments 😉 we will be glad!

Kira Stoletova

To obtain good harvest, planting cauliflower for seedlings should take place in certain deadlines. It is allowed to grow it in different periods.