Content
Gardeners growing various varieties of white vegetables focus on the ripening time and application features. Kolobok cabbage has long enjoyed well-deserved popularity. It is grown not only in summer cottages for personal consumption, but also in large farms for sale.
In this article we will talk about the features of the Kolobok variety, its advantages and cultivation rules.
A little history
The hybrid Kolobok was created by Moscow breeders. At the end of the 90s of the last century it was included in the State Register of the Russian Federation.
The popularity of Kolobok cabbage has not fallen over the years; on the contrary, it is growing every year. As proof - the huge production of grown products. You can judge productivity by the number of seeds sold - almost 40 tons in 20 years!
Description
The Kolobok cabbage variety is grown in all Russian regions. This is a first generation hybrid; it is impossible to obtain seeds from it, since the varietal qualities will not be preserved. Cabbage Kolobok is medium late ripening.Technical ripeness occurs 115-120 days after planting seedlings in the ground.
The Kolobok hybrid has dark green leaves with a whitish inner surface, smooth, rounded with wavy edges. Each leaflet is obovate in shape and covered with a waxy coating. There are veins on the cabbage, but they are not thick.
The heads of cabbage variety Kolobok are dense, round, weighing up to 4.3 kg. The inner stalk is medium-sized. When growing cabbage on a large scale and observing all agrotechnical standards, up to 1000 centners per hectare are obtained.
Since it is a universal-purpose hybrid, the uses of Kolobok cabbage are varied. It is not only salted, fermented, pickled, but also used for salads, stewing, making soups and borscht. After all, when cut, the vegetable is white.
The rosette of leaves is large and raised. Height is at least 34 cm. The diameter of the fork at technical ripeness is on average about 50 centimeters. The heads of cabbage are dense, round, weighing up to 4.3 kg. Kolobok cabbage, according to the description of the variety, the photos provided and reviews from gardeners, subject to all agrotechnical standards, produces up to 1000 centners per hectare.
Characteristics of the variety
To understand whether to grow this hybrid on a plot or not, a description is sometimes not enough. Therefore, we will present to our readers the characteristics of Kolobok F1 cabbage:
- The yield of the variety is stable; up to 15 kg are obtained on one square if the agrotechnical cultivation standards are fully followed.
- Excellent taste properties and wide culinary uses add popularity to the Kolobok variety.
- Long shelf life of 7-8 months, while the beneficial properties are not lost.
- Excellent transportability of heads of cabbage, excellent presentation.
- Even before ripening, Kolobok cabbage does not crack.
- It boasts resistance to cabbage diseases over its “relatives”.
The advantages of the Kolobok F1 variety make the white cabbage vegetable popular. Indeed, the only disadvantages that can be noted are the high demands of cabbage on watering and soil fertility.
Reproduction methods
Kolobok can be grown in different ways: without seedlings and seedlings. Let's look at each of them, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages.
Seedless method
Advantages:
- firstly, the seedlings turn out strong and hardened;
- secondly, the technical ripeness of a white vegetable occurs 10-12 days earlier;
- thirdly, the heads of cabbage turn out to be large.
The disadvantage of this method is the high consumption of seeds, because some of the sprouts will have to be removed.
Using the seedless method, you can grow Kolobok variety seedlings in open ground or in peat pots. 2-3 seeds are sown in a hole or separate container to a depth of one centimeter. The holes are made at a distance of 70 cm. Then they are covered with film to create a greenhouse effect.
When the seedlings grow and 4-5 true leaves appear, choose one strong seedling. All others are deleted. Water as the soil dries out.
Seedling method
When growing cabbage variety Kolobok F1 with seedlings, you will have to start sowing the seeds 50 days before planting in a permanent place: in mid-April. This is not surprising, because the variety has a late ripening period.
Soil preparation
Kolobok cabbage seeds are sown in prepared fertile soil. You can use ready-made balanced soil.But many gardeners prefer to prepare the soil themselves. It contains:
- peat – 7 parts;
- humus - 2 parts;
- turf soil and mullein, 1 part each.
Such fertile soil will allow the plants to sprout faster, and the technical ripeness of cabbage will occur 12-14 days earlier.
Before sowing, the soil and the nursery must be spilled with boiling water and potassium permanganate. The solution should be dark pink. After this, add wood ash and mix. This natural fertilizer will not only compensate for the lack of microelements, but will also protect future cabbage seedlings from blackleg.
Seed preparation
Cabbage seeds of the Kolobok F1 variety must be disinfected and hardened before sowing. To do this, heat the water to 50 degrees and immerse the seed in gauze for a third of an hour. After this, place it in cold water. Then lay it out on a dry napkin and dry it until it becomes free-flowing.
Water the planting carefully so as not to wash out the seeds. It is best to carry out this procedure with a spray bottle. To speed up the sprouting of cabbage, the nursery is covered with glass or film.
Further care of the seedlings consists of moderate watering with cool water. When the seedlings appear, it is necessary to provide the plants with excellent lighting, otherwise the quality of the seedlings will decrease due to stretching, and the heat will drop to 20 degrees.
Pick up cabbage seedlings Kolobok is needed at the age of 2-3 true leaves. You can plant them at a distance of 6 cm, but it is better in separate cups. In this case, when transplanting to a permanent place, the plants will be less injured. When the Kolobok cabbage seedlings are established, they are taken out into the open air for hardening.
Feeding seedlings
According to the description, Kolobok cabbage is demanding in terms of nutrition. Before planting in the ground, it needs to be fed at least twice:
- After 10 days, pickled cabbage seedlings are fed with a mixture of ammonium nitrate (10 g), superphosphate (20 g), and potassium sulfate (10 g). This is the composition for 10 liters of water.
- About 10 days before transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place, prepare the following composition: 25 g of superphosphate, 30 grams of potassium sulfate. If desired, the solution can be strengthened with copper sulfate and potassium permanganate, 0.2 g each. After feeding, the seedlings are spilled with clean water so that there are no burns on the leaves.
- If you do not want to use mineral fertilizers, before planting in the ground, Kolobok cabbage seedlings can be fed with mullein infusion. Add a tablespoon of infusion to a liter of water.
Outdoor care
Cabbage is planted in holes at a distance of 60x70 cm. It is best to use two-line plantings. This will make it easier to care for.
To successfully grow Kolobok cabbage, it does not require special knowledge; all agricultural technology is similar to other varieties of white vegetables. If the soil was fertile when planting, then all that remains is to water and feed the plants in a timely manner.
Features of watering
The Kolobok variety is demanding when it comes to watering. There must be at least 10 liters per square meter. You need to water based on weather conditions. It should be remembered that lack of moisture negatively affects the yield of cabbage.
At the initial stage, the plants are watered around the root. Later along the grooves or from above. In this case, pests and their larvae will be washed away. The Kolobok cabbage variety responds well to sprinkling.
Loosening and hilling
To ensure that enough oxygen reaches the roots of plants, the soil must be loosened after watering. Hilling cabbage is also a mandatory procedure. Thanks to it, the root system is strengthened due to the growth of lateral processes. The soil is lifted for the first time about three weeks after replanting. Then every 10 days.
Sustained immunity
In the description and characteristics, as well as, according to reviews from gardeners, it was indicated that the variety is resistant to many diseases of cruciferous crops, in particular fusarium, white and gray rot. Cabbage heads are also not damaged by bacterial, fungal and viral diseases.
Harvesting
Harvesting cabbage any varieties are practiced in dry sunny weather. First, the side leaves are cut off, then the heads of cabbage are cut down. They are laid out on boards or mats to dry, and then put away for storage.
When the time comes to prepare white cabbage Kolobok for the winter, the forks are salted, fermented, pickled, depending on preferences. The remaining heads of cabbage are put into a cellar or basement, where the cabbage is stored for a long time without loss of taste and presentation.
