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Growing different varieties of cabbage in gardens and dachas is a common occurrence. But not everyone, even the most experienced gardeners, knows about the exotic cabbage with the unusual name Romanesco. It attracts not only with its beneficial properties, but also with its unusual shape and beauty.
Since Romanesco cabbage is a very rare guest in Russian gardens, many questions arise related to the peculiarities of cultivation and care. We will try to take into account all requests and present the exotic vegetable in all its glory.
What a miracle
It is not surprising that many Russians, and not only them, do not know about Romanesco cabbage. After all, this exotic cabbage began to be grown in Russia only at the end of the last century. The homeland of the vegetable is Italy. Although, according to historians, Romanesco cabbage was grown during the Roman Empire.
Romanesco is considered a hybrid broccoli and cauliflower. It is popularly called Romanesque broccoli or coral cabbage. In appearance, it resembles a magic flower or the shell of a long-defunct mollusk. But scientists see a certain pattern in it and believe that there is some kind of genetic code in the appearance of the Romanesco variety.
Mathematics and the Romanesco variety are connected:
Not without reason, because of its bizarre appearance, many believe that Romanesco cabbage “came” to Earth from space, that its seeds were scattered by aliens. A person who sees Romanesco cabbage for the first time does not immediately believe that such a beautiful flower can be edible.
Description of the variety
Now let's turn to the botanical properties of the plant.
Romanesco belongs to the Cruciferous Family. Cabbage is grown as an annual plant. Its size depends on compliance with care standards. Some lovers of the Romanesco variety received specimens almost a meter high, and the weight of each inflorescence was 500 grams. Inflorescences no wider than 10 cm are suitable for consumption.
Romanesco cauliflower consists of many inflorescences. If you look closely at them, they repeatedly repeat the shape of the mother plant.
The shape of each cabbage inflorescence is a spiral, and the buds also develop in a spiral manner. The pale green flowers are collected in intricately shaped pyramids, making the plant look unusual. The inflorescences are pressed very tightly against each other. Around the beautiful pyramid are the cover leaves of a contrasting dark green color.
The taste of cabbage, prepared according to different recipes, is distinguished by its tenderness and sweetish taste. The aroma is nutty.
Scientists have been studying the types of Romanesco cabbage for many years, but all its valuable qualities have not yet been fully elucidated. Although it can definitely be said that this is a very healthy vegetable.
Variety varieties
Romanesco cabbage is represented in the State Register of the Russian Federation by four types. They are recommended for cultivation on personal plots. Varieties of Romanesco cauliflower include the following varieties:
- Puntoverde is a medium-ripening cabbage variety with a large head up to one and a half kilograms.
- Veronica is also of medium age, but the head is larger, about 2 kg.
- Romanesco variety Pearl - medium-late ripening, weighing up to 800 grams.
- Emerald cup – medium early ripening, head approximately 500 grams.
The germination rate of seeds of the Romanesco variety, unfortunately, is not 100%. Therefore, when sowing, take one large seed and two small ones. Packages usually contain 25, 50 and 100 seeds.
One of the Romanesco cabbage hybrids:
The benefits of the Romanesco variety
As we have already mentioned, today scientists have not discovered all the beneficial properties of the vegetable. But it is already known for certain that he has:
- antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties;
- is an antioxidant and antidepressant;
- antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic and anticancer properties.
The presence of a large number of various vitamins, microelements, fiber, carotene, as well as rare earth elements selenium and fluorine, makes Romanesco cabbage attractive to nutritionists and doctors.
Using cabbage in the diet has a beneficial effect on blood vessels, improving their elasticity. The vegetable is useful for “thick” blood. Doctors have already established that the presence of isocyanates helps in the fight against the disease of the century - cancer. Doctors recommend introducing Romanesco hybrid into the diet of people with gastrointestinal problems, because it removes cholesterol, waste, and toxins.
The Romanesco hybrid is widely used in cooking. After all, it can be cooked like regular cabbage varieties.But exotic cabbage turns out to be more tender, with a slight nutty taste.
Along with the benefits, the vegetable can cause harm. It is undesirable for people with heart and thyroid diseases to consume dishes made from it. In raw (although only a few can eat it) or undercooked form, bloating is possible due to the formation of gases, as well as diarrhea.
Growing and care
According to gardeners who grow the Romanesco hybrid, agricultural technology is much more complicated due to the capriciousness of the plant. The slightest mistakes lead to negative results. Perhaps this is precisely what prevents this variety of cabbage from gaining popularity among gardeners.
What you need to know to ensure that growing and caring for Romanesco cabbage is successful:
- Changes in temperature and air humidity are extreme conditions, which negatively affect the formation of the head.
- Failure to comply with sowing dates leads to the fact that inflorescences are not formed.
- The formation of the head is promoted by temperatures up to +18 degrees. If you are working on late-ripening Romanesco cabbage, you need to calculate the timing of sowing the seeds so that the inflorescences form in early September, when it is already cool at night.
Preparing seedlings
Romanesco cabbage is usually grown in seedlings due to the climatic characteristics of the Russian regions. Only in the southern regions is it possible to sow seeds directly into the ground.
In order for the exotic cabbage seedlings to have time to grow by the time of planting, the seeds need to be sown 40-60 days before planting in the ground.
For seedlings, prepare a box with soil. Sow, as mentioned above, 2-3 seeds with a reserve. The distance between future cabbage sprouts should be at least 3-4 cm, and between the grooves about 4 cm.
The box with the seeds is placed in a warm place, and until they hatch, the temperature is maintained at +20-22 degrees. When the first shoots appear, the temperature during the day should be from 8 to 10 degrees, and at night 2 degrees lower.
During the growth of Romanesco cabbage seedlings, lighting should be good and watering should be moderate (drying out the earth clod is unacceptable while growing seedlings). These agrotechnical standards are necessary for the formation of a powerful root system. In addition, by the time the seedlings are planted in the ground, they should be squat.
Planting seedlings in the ground
When the air warms up to 12 degrees and the threat of a return of night frosts disappears, the Romanesco hybrid seedlings are planted in open ground. The beds are prepared in the fall. They add the necessary fertilizers, rotted manure or compost. To prevent soil acidity, you can add lime fluff or wood ash. Digging is required so that harmful insects and disease spores die during the winter under the influence of low temperatures.
It is not recommended to choose a place where cruciferous relatives grew, but after legumes, potatoes, cucumbers, and onions, you can safely plant the Romanesco hybrid.
Before planting seedlings, prepare holes at a distance of 45-50 cm. There is a little more space between the rows so that you can walk safely. The soil is spilled with hot water or a rich pink solution of potassium permanganate. Select seedlings carefully so as not to damage the roots, and sprinkle with soil up to the cotyledon leaves. The soil around the seedlings needs to be compressed for better adhesion of the roots to the soil, then watered.
Plant care
In the future, care comes down to the usual procedures:
- Water abundantly, preventing the soil surface from drying out. It is best to arrange a drip irrigation system, then the Romanesco variety will not need water.
- Loosening the soil after watering and removing weed should become the norm.
- Fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers at different periods of plant development. If you prefer organics, then use an infusion of mullein, chicken manure or green fertilizer (an infusion of cut grass without seeds). Among mineral fertilizers, gardeners use ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium chloride and others. As a rule, Romanesco cabbage is fed three times.
- The Romanesco variety is susceptible to the same diseases and is damaged by the same insects as regular cabbage. To notice the danger in a timely manner, you need to monitor the condition of the plants. If diseases or pests appear, treat the plantings with special preparations in accordance with the instructions.
Instead of a conclusion
You need to collect the inflorescences as they ripen; you cannot be late, as the vegetable will begin to rot. Cabbage should be cut early in the morning, in dry weather. Unfortunately, keeping the Romanesco variety fresh is problematic due to its short shelf life: it stays in the refrigerator for no more than a week. It is best to freeze cabbage or prepare various snacks, then you can eat this healthy vegetable all winter long.
