Content
Breeders try to annually offer farmers new cabbage hybrids with improved qualities, but most farmers trust only proven varieties that have been tested by time. In particular, these include cabbage “Valentina f1”. This hybrid was bred in 2004 and has already become a favorite of many gardeners. The variety is late-ripening, has good external and taste qualities, is perfectly stored and is suitable for pickling. In general, it meets all the requirements and, probably, that is why it is popular. For those who are still unfamiliar with the culture, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the description and photo of the cabbage variety “Valentina f1”.
Detailed description of the variety
If you need to grow cabbage in your garden quickly, then the “Valentina f1” variety will not work. It is late ripening. It takes approximately 170 days from the moment the seed germinates for its heads to ripen. You can speed up the growing process by propagating seedlings. This cultivation method is used by farmers in the central and northern regions of the country.
During the growth period, the “Valentina f1” variety forms a dense, medium-sized head. The average weight of a mature vegetable varies from 2 to 4 kg. The round heads of cabbage are light in cross section, with a short white stalk. The leaves of the "Valentina f1" cabbage are small in size and have a slightly wavy edge.A waxy coating can be observed on their surface.
Good taste is the hallmark of the variety. The leaves of the vegetable are juicy and crispy. They have a lot of sugar and virtually no bitterness. The presence of a large amount of vitamins makes “Valentina f1” cabbage not only tasty, but also very healthy. The product has a characteristic, pronounced fresh aroma. With such good characteristics, it is worth noting that as the cabbage “Valentina f1” ripens and is stored, the taste becomes better.
The variety "Valentina f1" is characterized by high yield. With a relatively small size of heads of cabbage, cabbage can yield 7-8 kg/m2. This is achieved due to high planting density. The root system of plants of the “Valentina f1” variety is compact and allows planting for every 1 m2 soil about 3 seedlings.
Cabbage "Valentina f1" is excellently stored throughout the winter. Thus, a harvest harvested in October can remain in a cool place until June. If special storage conditions are created, this period can be extended for several more months. You can store Valentina f1 cabbage in processed form. Heads of cabbage are perfect for pickling and preparing winter preparations. Even after processing, vegetables retain their original taste, aroma and freshness. You can find out detailed information about the method of winter storage of cabbage and the advantages of the “Valentina f1” variety from the video:
Cabbage variety "Valentina f1" is resistant to cracking and retains its excellent appearance and high commercial quality in any conditions. Heads of cabbage are suitable for long-term transportation. These properties, combined with high productivity, make Valentina f1 cabbage an ideal option for commercial activities.
Variety resistance to diseases and pests
Cabbage by its nature is very delicate and vulnerable to various misfortunes. When breeding the “Valentina f1” hybrid, breeders tried to build some stability into the genetic code, and they partially succeeded. Thus, cabbage “Valentina f1” has excellent resistance to blackleg, Alternaria, white and gray rot, vascular bacteriosis and some other ailments. Of all the possible diseases, only clubroot, blossom end rot and spot necrosis pose a threat to the variety. You can fight these diseases with the help of special drugs and folk remedies:
- The presence of blossom end rot is indicated by the death of the edges on the outer leaves of the head of cabbage. This disease is spread by the cabbage fly larva. You can fight it by using tobacco dust and phosphate rock.
- Spot necrosis appears as dark spots on the outer and inner leaves of cabbage. The development of this non-infectious disease can be stopped by adding potassium fertilizers to the soil.
- Clubroot consists of numerous growths on the roots of cabbage. They interfere with the movement of liquids, as a result of which the plant slows down its growth and then completely dies. The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that can be spread by air flow or seeds. There is no point in treating affected plants; if symptoms are detected, cabbage should be removed from the garden bed to prevent soil contamination. After removing the plants, the soil should be disinfected with slaked lime and special antifungal preparations such as “Fundazol” and “Cumulus”.
These diseases can be avoided by reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizing and regulating soil moisture.With proper care, Valentina f1 cabbage will withstand the effects of all possible viruses and fungi.
"Valentina f1" has good disease resistance, but, unfortunately, it cannot resist pests. Therefore, to prevent parasitism of the cruciferous flea beetle, cabbage fly, white butterfly and other insects, it is worth using preventive plant protection measures. Timely use of tobacco dust, wood ash and all kinds of traps will certainly protect cabbage without harming the quality of the vegetables.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Having carefully studied the description of the “Valentina f1” cabbage, we can talk about its advantages and disadvantages. So, the positive qualities of the variety include:
- high productivity;
- excellent taste of cabbage, lasting for a long time even after processing;
- excellent shelf life and universal purpose of the product;
- crack resistance;
- good transportability and high commercial quality;
- high resistance to most common diseases.
Among the disadvantages of the variety, some cultivation features should be highlighted:
- cabbage "Valentina f1" is very light-loving;
- vegetables cannot grow fully with excessive watering;
- The long ripening period allows cabbage to be grown only in seedlings.
It is thanks to this combination of qualities that Valentina f1 cabbage has become a people's favorite. It is grown in almost every garden. The high yield of the variety allows you to prepare pickled, fresh and canned vegetables in the required quantities for the whole family for the whole season.
Features of cultivation
As a rule, seeds from the manufacturer have already been pre-treated and do not require additional measures before sowing. Such seeds are often covered with multi-colored glaze. If the seeds were prepared at home or the manufacturer did not take care of their appropriate preparation, then the farmer must process the grains independently:
- Soaking in a 1% manganese solution will help get rid of possible pests.
- Hardening should be carried out during the day at a temperature of +10C to provide future seedlings of the “Valentina f1” variety with increased resistance to weather disasters.
- A solution of potassium humate will allow the seeds to store nutrients and speed up their germination. Cabbage grains should be soaked in this fertilizer for 12 hours immediately before sowing seedlings.
The soil for sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings should be prepared by mixing peat, garden soil and sand. To destroy viruses, fungi and pest larvae, the soil must be heated at a temperature of +150-+1700WITH.
Seeds of the “Valentina f1” variety should be sown for seedlings 35-45 days before the seedlings are supposed to be planted in the ground. The container for growing seedlings must be drained. You need to sow grains in 2-3 pieces. to a depth of 1 cm. After 5-7 days in a warm place, the seedlings will begin to germinate. At this time, they need to be provided with maximum illumination.
If the grains were sown in a common container, then seedlings of the “Valentina f1” variety should be planted in separate containers at the age of 15 days. 2-3 days before picking, it is recommended to feed the plants with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
To grow cabbage in the garden, choose a sunny area protected from strong winds, add chalk or dolomite flour, organic matter and minerals to the soil. At the time of planting, cabbage seedlings should have 5-6 true leaves more than 15 cm long. Plants should be planted in 2-3 pieces. at 1 m2 land.
You need to carefully care for the “Valentina f1” variety; the plants are especially afraid of excessive watering. So, in hot weather it is recommended to pour 20 liters of warm water per 1 m2 soil. In cloudy weather, the volume of liquid should be reduced to 15 liters. After watering, the soil must be loosened 5-6 cm deep. A month before harvesting, watering should be stopped completely.
Conclusion
Cabbage "Valentina f1" is a wonderful late-ripening variety that can give a good harvest to both experienced and novice gardeners. Tight heads of cabbage have high external and taste quality. They can be fermented and stored fresh for a long time. Delicious cabbage will become a real storehouse of vitamins and will support human immunity during the cold period of the spread of viral and infectious diseases. Thus, cabbage is not just a food product, it is a low-calorie, healthy and tasty vegetable.
This year I planted this vaunted cabbage VALETINA, I was not impressed! Under the same conditions, the varieties SLAVA and MOSCOVSKAYA PODZIMNYAYA grew as always, beautifully, but VALENTINA’s heads are small, up to 1 kilogram. No ice! One plus is that for some reason neither slugs nor caterpillars eat it!
I didn't like it either. Hard leaves and not at all juicy.