Content
The use of folk remedies instead of chemical fertilizers is practiced by a fairly large number of summer residents. This feeding is suitable for any garden crop, and cabbage is no exception. Moreover, this is a “two-in-one” product for her: gardeners use wood ash in various forms to prevent pests of cabbage and to provide it with phosphorus and potassium, without which normal formation of heads of cabbage is impossible.
Is it possible to fertilize cabbage with ash?
Wood ash is one of the most suitable folk remedies for feeding cabbage. Firstly, it contains more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen, and secondly, it has the ability to neutralize excess acidity of the substrate. Cabbage reacts negatively both to an excess of this macronutrient in the soil and to overly acidified soil.
Feeding also helps reduce the risk of developing dangerous diseases such as clubroot and blackleg. Most varieties and hybrids are very susceptible to them; the gardener may lose the harvest even at the stage of growing seedlings.In addition, fertilizer for cabbage made from wood ash is also protection against slugs and some other pests.
The fact that fertilizing with wood ash has a positive effect on the volume and quality of cabbage harvest has been tested and proven
What are the benefits of ash for cabbage?
When deciding whether to feed cabbage with wood ash, you need to consider the following points:
- It has a rich chemical composition: it contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, sulfur, and molybdenum in varying proportions. Cabbage “loves” all these macro- and microelements; it needs them for normal development and formation of heads of cabbage.
- Plants provided with the necessary substances in sufficient quantities demonstrate better endurance and the ability to resist negative external influences. As a result, the gardener can count on a larger harvest, increased shelf life and transportability.
- The quality of the substrate improves. This is especially noticeable if the soil is “heavy”: it becomes looser, the roots receive enough oxygen, and water does not stagnate in the soil. Culture always reacts very negatively to the latter.
- The pH of the substrate is restored to neutral or close to it. It is impossible to grow cabbage in acidic soil. Firstly, the plants practically do not develop, and secondly, they are almost inevitably affected by clubroot.
- Fertilizing simultaneously protects plants from diseases and pest attacks.
Most often, wood ash is used for feeding, but ash from burning peat, coal, and straw is also suitable.
Advantages and disadvantages of ash
Gardeners choose fertilizing with ash, taking into account its many advantages:
- naturalness of the product, its complete safety for human health, pets, and the environment;
- accessibility and low cost;
- ease of use and preparation of fertilizers;
- possibility of use at any stage of plant development, including immediately before harvesting;
- the presence of the main macro- and microelements necessary for the plant;
- "multifunctionality".
There are also quite significant disadvantages:
- if we take into account the concentration of useful substances, wood ash obviously “loses” to store-bought fertilizers;
- if storage conditions are not observed, the potassium content drops significantly;
- it is not always possible to “trace” the completely organic origin of “raw materials”;
- it is not suitable for use on alkaline soils.
The use of ash when growing cabbage allows you to solve several problems at once
How to treat cabbage with ash in open ground
Ash can be used in its “pure form”. But decoctions, solutions, and infusions are also prepared from it - in this form, plants absorb nutrients faster and better.
Dry ash
The easiest way is to feed cabbage with dry ash. Preparation for the procedure is limited to sifting it to remove large “fractions”. It turns out something between powder and dust.In this form it is used for:
- “Dusting” leaves and stems. The purpose of this treatment is to protect plants from the cruciferous flea beetle, cabbage fly, aphids, and other insects. You can simply sprinkle the cabbage with ash from pests, but for a better effect, so that it “sticks” to the surface, they are first sprayed with water from a fine spray bottle.
- Applications to the surface layer of soil. Most often, this procedure is carried out before planting cabbage: the ash is scattered over the surface of the bed and incorporated into the soil during the loosening process. This helps protect seedlings from slugs and reduces the population of cabbage fly larvae.
- Applications into deep layers of soil. It is carried out during the autumn digging of the bed. Another option is to pour ash into each seedling hole. This way you can significantly reduce the risk of cabbage being attacked by mole crickets, wireworms, and the larvae of any butterflies.
Despite the apparent “harmlessness”, you should not overuse cabbage feeding with dry ash.
Ash solution
The freshly prepared solution is poured over the cabbage at the root. For 10 liters of water you will need about 300 sifted “raw materials”. Preparing the fertilizer is extremely simple: pour the ash with water and stir vigorously for several minutes.
During the process of processing the beds, active stirring or shaking of the liquid will have to be repeated frequently
Ash infusion
It takes up to two days to prepare the infusion, although sometimes gardeners leave it for 3-4 days. For 10 liters of water take 350-400 g of sifted wood ash.Pour boiling water over it, stir, cover the container tightly and put it in a warm place for 1-2 days.
Before use, filter the liquid. If the infusion is planned to be used to treat the above-ground parts of plants, add a little (10-15 g/l) small shavings of laundry or green potassium soap to it. This will increase the durability and effectiveness of protection against diseases and pests: the infusion will better “stick” to the cabbage leaves, and the soap itself destroys many pathogens.
The infusion of ash in terms of “concentration” is something between its solution and decoction
Decoction
The decoction, like the infusion, is suitable for both root and foliar feeding. In the second case, you can also add soap shavings to it.
The decoction is the most concentrated remedy. About 300 g of wood ash is poured with boiling water (1.5 l), kept on low heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The finished product should be allowed to cool, strain through cheesecloth and pour the resulting liquid into water, bringing the total volume to 10 liters.
Terms and schedules of application
Wood ash seems to be a folk remedy that cannot harm cabbage. However, there will be no great benefit from its “chaotic” application and excess dosages. The maximum effect is achieved if you feed the cabbage with wood ash in the open ground at certain stages of development and in combination with other means.
It is impossible to indicate specific dates for adding wood ash as a fertilizer for cabbage. It all depends on the characteristics of the local climate and the general characteristics of the species, as well as the specific variety or hybrid.
Fertilizing with wood ash will be useful for any type of cabbage, but the timing of application will have to be determined individually
Gardeners use the following diagram as a rough standard guide. Fertilizing cabbage with wood ash is carried out:
- Immediately after planting cabbage in open ground. Watering with fertilizer containing wood ash (0.2-0.3 liters per plant) or adding it to the hole helps the seedlings to withstand “stress” without damage and activates the process of formation of the root system. To enhance the effect, you can use it in combination with any biostimulant. Simultaneous dusting of leaves protects seedlings from pest attacks. The peak of cabbage fly activity, for example, occurs in May-June, when cabbage is transplanted into open ground. Tender leaves of seedlings suffer especially severely from it; the most seriously damaged plants die.
- 10-14 days after transplanting to the garden bed. The norm increases to approximately 0.5 liters. By this time, the seedlings should adapt to the new habitat. This is evidenced by the leaves appearing on the cabbage. At this stage of development, for the active growth of green mass, it needs nitrogen, which wood ash cannot provide cabbage with. Accordingly, it is combined with any mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizers (urea, ammonium sulfate) or with suitable folk remedies. Infusions of cow manure, bird droppings, and “green tea” from nettle leaves and dandelions are rich in nitrogen.
- After another 1.5-2 weeks and then at intervals of 25-30 days. They consume 1.5-2 liters per outlet. Fertilizing stops approximately two weeks before harvesting.Accordingly, their number varies from 1-2 for early and mid-early varieties and hybrids to 3-5 for late-ripening and mid-late ones. Here the plants no longer need nitrogen; they need phosphorus and potassium to form heads of cabbage. However, it must be taken into account that as the sockets grow, their needs increase, and wood ash is not able to “cover” them completely. Therefore, it is used in conjunction with complex store-bought fertilizers designed specifically for cabbage.
As the rosette of leaves grows, the rate of application of fertilizers based on wood ash also increases.
Conclusion
Wood ash against cabbage pests is a long-known and well-known remedy that has successfully proven its effectiveness. As a fertilizer, it is less effective, since the content of macro- and microelements is significantly inferior to specialized store-bought preparations.
Reviews from gardeners about the use of ash for cabbage
