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It is recommended to plant early cabbage in open ground after the night temperature is consistently above 4-5 degrees Celsius. The crop grows well in cool conditions, so growing it in open beds will benefit it. Before planting, it is important to prepare the seeds by dressing them in potassium permanganate or fungicide. They are also allowed to soak in a solution of a growth stimulant, and then hardened by keeping them in the refrigerator.
When to plant early cabbage seedlings in open ground
It is important to determine the timing of planting seedlings in open ground. At home, seedlings should grow within 50-60 days from the moment of planting (including 10 days before the appearance of mass shoots).
Therefore, early cabbage is usually sown in the first half of March, and planting in open ground is planned for the beginning of May. The crop grows well even in cool conditions, but there should be no return frosts on the soil. Several criteria need to be taken into account:
- The minimum night temperature in the squat layer of open ground is 4-5 degrees Celsius. If it drops to 0 or below, you need to wait a little while planting in open ground.
- The height of the seedlings is at least 10 cm.
- The weather is cloudy, without strong wind or rain. If it's sunny outside, it's better to work in the evening.
The specific timing of planting seedlings in open ground depends on the region. The earliest work starts is in the south - around mid-April. In the Moscow region and neighboring regions of the middle zone, planting is planned for the second half of the month or the beginning of May. In the Urals and Siberia, it is better to play it safe and plant early cabbage in the ground in the middle, and sometimes in the second half of May.
You can also rely on the lunar calendar. Choose favorable days. In fact, you can work at any time, with the exception of the full moon.
Then the seedlings of early cabbage are transferred at the end of April. This will allow you to get the harvest even faster.
When grown in a greenhouse, seed sowing can be planned for early May
When to plant early cabbage seeds in open ground
Early varieties quickly produce a harvest, so the seeds can be sown immediately in open ground, bypassing the seedling stage. To do this, they first need to not only be pickled, but also hardened by keeping them in a saucer of water in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
As for the timing of planting in open ground, they generally fall in the first half of May. It is necessary to wait until the temperature at night is consistently above 7-8 degrees Celsius, otherwise the seeds may not germinate. In the middle zone, work begins on the May holidays, in the south - at the end of April.
In the Urals and Siberia, the dates are shifted to the middle, second half of May. At the same time, a second crop rotation is possible - after harvesting, new seeds can be planted in the vacant space until the end of July.
How to plant early cabbage with seeds in open ground
Since they plan to plant in open beds, early cabbage seeds need to be well prepared. They are selected, disinfected and hardened. It is equally important to choose a suitable location. The main stages of work are described below.
Seed preparation
To properly grow early cabbage in open ground, you need to take care of preparing the seeds. This procedure consists of several stages:
- Before planting, lay out the seed material in one layer and carefully inspect it. Small grains and damaged specimens should be immediately discarded.
- Prepare a salt solution (a tablespoon per 1 liter) and put the seeds there. Before planting in open ground, they are immersed in a solution, waited for 15-20 minutes, and then those that float are removed.
- Dressing: the seeds are placed for a few minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 1 liter is enough for preparation).
- Then washed and dried at room temperature.
- On the eve of planting in open ground, early cabbage seeds are placed on a cloth lying in a saucer and water is poured in so that it lightly covers them. Add a few drops of a growth stimulator - Zircon, Epin or other agents.
- After four hours, change the water and let it sit for another 4-5 hours.
- Then the plate is put in the refrigerator for a day to harden the planting material before planting in open ground.
- After this, the seeds are ready - they can be sown in the holes.
For etching it is necessary to prepare a pink solution of potassium permanganate
Site selection and soil preparation
Cabbage grows well in fertile soils with a neutral pH of around 7.0. The landing site must meet several criteria:
- well lit (even a faint shadow can interfere);
- dry (lowlands in which rainwater accumulates should not be considered);
- protected from draft winds (preferably next to a fence or tall bushes).
Soil preparation should begin a month before planting, i.e. in the beginning of April. The area is cleaned, digging is done and compost or humus is added in an amount of 7-10 kg per 1 m2. If the soil is too dense or clayey, 1 kg of sawdust or sand is embedded into it for the same area.
Landing rules
Algorithm for planting early cabbage seeds in open ground:
- Carefully level the surface of the bed with a rake.
- Form several holes in a checkerboard pattern at intervals of 40 cm.
- Water each one. Let it sit for two hours.
- Make holes no more than 2 cm. Place 3-4 seeds in each hole.
- Sprinkle with soil and place the jars or stretch a thick, transparent film with pre-made holes.
Seedling care
Normally, the first sprouts of early cabbage will appear in 10-15 days. To ensure maximum germination when planting early cabbage seeds in open ground, it is important to regularly water them, monitor the shelter, and also apply fertilizing. Since 3-4 seeds are sown in each hole, weak shoots must be pinched, leaving only one strong one. You should not pull them out - otherwise you can damage the roots of another seedling.
Loosening
After the seedlings have become stronger, the soil should be loosened regularly. This is usually done the day after watering or heavy rain. Loosening is carried out manually to a shallow depth (up to 5 cm). If necessary, do weeding at the same time. These procedures will ensure the supply of oxygen to the roots and also protect the crop from weeds.
Watering
Watering is done regularly - daily during the first weeks.First, water is given from a sprayer, and when the seedlings become stronger, they are poured at the root. In the future, the frequency is reduced - one watering a week is enough (in hot weather - twice). The water is preliminarily settled at room temperature.
Seedlings need periodic watering
Top dressing
In the early stages of planting and growing cabbage, seedlings especially need feeding. Complex compounds are used as fertilizers, for example, “Ideal”, “Krepysh” and others. You can prepare the mixture yourself. Application schedule (the number of components is calculated for 10 liters of water):
- 3 weeks after germination, potassium chloride (10 g), ammonium nitrate (20 g) and superphosphate (20 g) are given.
- After the formation of the third leaf, fertilize with superphosphate (5 g), potassium chloride (15 g) and ammonium nitrate (20 g).
- After the fifth leaf appears, give a solution of potassium chloride (10 g), superphosphate (50 g) and ammonium nitrate (20 g).
- After another 7-10 days, they are fed with potassium chloride (20 g) and superphosphate (40 g).
The components are first diluted in a small volume of water, then brought to 10 liters. Seedlings need to be watered carefully, right at the root. The consumption rate for 1 plant is 150-200 ml.
Protection from diseases and pests
When planting early cabbage in open ground, you should take care to prevent diseases and pests. The greatest dangers are clubroot, blackleg and fusarium wilt.
The main method of prevention is to treat the seeds in potassium permanganate or a fungicide solution. When the third true leaf appears, it is necessary to treat it with special preparations:
- "Fitoverm";
- "Baktofit";
- "Cumulus";
- "HOM";
- "Mancozeb" and others.
Spraying is planned in the evening; the weather should be without rain or strong wind. Secondary treatment is carried out only when necessary - when the first signs of the disease appear. To combat pests, you can also use folk remedies (infusion of ash, tobacco dust, laundry soap and others).
Conclusion
You can plant early cabbage in open ground at the end of April. For the middle zone, the optimal time is the beginning of May, and for the Urals and Siberia - the middle or second half of the month. The main rule is to make sure that there will be no return frosts. After harvesting the first harvest, you can plan to replant until the last days of July.
