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Most people usually associate cabbage with preparations for the winter, fermentations, various pickles and other delicious dishes. But not everyone realizes that you can eat cabbage already in June, and not yet bought in a store, but grown with your own hands on the land. True, for this you will have to make some efforts, but they are worth it.
Indeed, there are so-called early varieties of white cabbage, in which about 90 days pass from the first shoots to the formation of heads. As a rule, these varieties do not differ in high yields, but this is not necessary in June. The main thing is the opportunity to enjoy fresh, tender, vitamin cabbage greens at a time when there are practically no vegetables from the garden yet. One of the most popular early varieties is June cabbage. When can June cabbage be sown for seedlings to enjoy an early harvest?
What are different landing times used for?
Of course, it is not for nothing that this cabbage is called June. The name itself suggests that it can be consumed at the very beginning of summer.
This means the number of days that elapses from the emergence of seedlings until the formation of heads. Thus, if you want to try this cabbage already in June, then you need to sow it for seedlings as early as possible in the spring, around the beginning of March.
In general, there is nothing wrong with this, given that it is during these periods that gardeners sow peppers and tomatoes for seedlings. But growing cabbage seedlings has its own characteristics and requires the creation of completely different conditions compared to tomatoes and peppers. In addition, when planting in the ground, it is desirable that the age of the seedlings does not exceed 45-50 days.
When sowing cabbage for seedlings in early March, you will need to plant it in a permanent place in the second half of April, otherwise the seedlings run the risk of overgrowing, which will negatively affect its fruiting. At least, early heads of cabbage can not wait. But in most regions of Our Country in the second half of April, very decent frosts are still possible, which even such a cold-resistant plant as cabbage cannot endure. This means that you will still need to take extra care of a thorough shelter of cabbage planted in the ground.
If you’re willing to go to the extra mile to get a super-early kale crop, then you’re all set.
Most gardeners often do not have the opportunity to provide cabbage with such conditions, especially since besides it, there are a thousand other things in the garden that require attention during this hot period.
“When to plant cabbage in this case?” – you ask.
In this case, seedlings can be planted in the ground already in early – mid-May. These dates are traditional for planting cabbage seedlings in open ground for most regions of Our Country. Moreover, in the old agricultural calendar, there are even two special dates dedicated to planting cabbage seedlings. In 2019, it will be May 8-12 and May 19-24. Cabbage seedlings will no longer require any additional measures to protect against cold weather. And under favorable conditions of care, you will still be able to try the first heads of cabbage in June, but only at the very end.
There is another category of gardeners who are not at all interested in the timing of sowing, and for them the question “when to plant cabbage for seedlings” does not really matter. For them, the main thing is to make as little effort as possible and at the same time get a quality harvest. In this case, the easiest way is to sow cabbage seeds in a greenhouse or under film shelters in April or even early May, where seedlings will develop in the most optimal way for themselves even without special care.
At the end of May, it is usually transplanted to a permanent place of residence in the beds and cared for in the traditional way: watering, fertilizing, pest control. True, the harvest in this case is obtained only by August, but without much effort.
Watch the video, which once again explains all the subtleties associated with the timing of planting cabbage for seedlings:
Seedling growing technology
As mentioned above, growing cabbage for seedlings has its own characteristics compared to other vegetable crops, since cabbage is not only a cold-resistant, but also a cold-loving vegetable.
Preparation for sowing
Since June cabbage, like all members of its family, is quite easily exposed to all kinds of diseases, it is imperative to disinfect the seeds before sowing. This can be omitted only if you have purchased seeds already prepared for sowing by the manufacturer.
The easiest way to disinfect seeds is to place them in hot water at a temperature of +45°C-+50°C for 15-20 minutes. After that, the seeds are poured for several minutes with cold water and dried to a crumbly state. An even more reliable way is to soak the seeds for 8-10 hours in a phytosporin solution.
You also need to prepare containers in which you will plant cabbage seeds. June cabbage, like any white cabbage, is quite easy to transplant, so it’s easiest to sow it immediately in boxes. But if you do not need a lot of seedlings, but timing is important, then it is better to plant the seeds immediately in separate cups. Seedlings in this case will develop faster and be accepted during transplants.
It is also important that the soil for sowing is loose, breathable, but at the same time fertile. A little vermiculite can be added to any ready-made mixture for these purposes.
Watch a detailed video on how to sow cabbage for seedlings at home.
Features of growing seedlings of cabbage
When cabbage crops are kept in warm conditions, seedlings may appear already on the second or third day. The lower the temperature at which the seeds are kept, the greater the delay in germination.
At home, it would be best to put it on the balcony for this time. If it is still too cold, then you can build an impromptu greenhouse for it. But keeping it indoors during this period is quite pointless – the seedlings will stretch out and die sooner or later.
After this period, seedlings of early cabbage can be brought into the house and picked in different pots, if it was sown before in boxes.
After transplanting, the seedlings can still be kept at a temperature of + 18 ° C + 20 ° for several days, but then it must again be placed in as cool conditions as possible. It is desirable that the temperature during the day does not exceed +16°С, and at night it drops to +10°С-+12°С.
Only under these conditions will cabbage seedlings feel good and are capable of a large and full-fledged harvest.
Below is a video that demonstrates in detail the planting of cabbage seedlings in open ground.
Cabbage seedlings in protected ground
But still, most experienced gardeners prefer to grow seedlings of cabbage, even early ones, right in the beds. Sometimes greenhouses and greenhouses are used for these purposes, but not everyone has them. To do this, traditionally disinfected cabbage seeds are sown in beds prepared in autumn with fertile and loose soil. This operation is usually performed in mid or late April. Before sowing, the land is spilled with hot water. Seeds are sown to a depth of about 1 cm in rows with a distance of 2-4 cm between plants. Later, excess seedlings can be carefully removed or even transplanted. Above the bed, arcs are installed from any material at hand and a thick non-woven material is thrown over them. From all edges of the beds, the material is pressed to the ground with bricks or stones.
Seedlings of cabbage with this method of cultivation will require minimal attention. Temperature and humidity are kept at an optimal level. Rains penetrate the material and do not allow the seedlings to dry out.
When a seedling has several true leaves, it can be thinned out. And in the beginning – mid-May, ready-made seedlings can be planted without shelter in a permanent place. Such seedlings will look very stocky, healthy, have a rich green color.
Conclusion
There are many ways to grow early seedlings of cabbage – choose according to your capabilities and tastes. Remember that any plant will thank you for proper care and attention to its needs with a good harvest.