White cabbage seedlings can be grown in two ways - with picking and without it. Choosing the first method for yourself, you need to take into account some of the subtleties of the procedure, without which there will not be a good harvest.
Why do I need a pick
Many gardeners grow white cabbage through seedlings. This is justified, since in most parts of our country the summer is relatively short, and in the spring frosts are frequent. Seedlings, when directly sown in the ground, often die from adverse weather conditions, and later varieties, even if they survive in the spring, may not have time to ripen by autumn.
Strong beautiful head of cabbage - the pride of a gardener
To grow healthy seedlings of cabbage, gardeners often use picking seedlings. This method allows you to:
- save space on window sills (seeds are densely sown in one box, and after diving, seedlings can be taken out to the greenhouse or greenhouse);
- reject weak or diseased seedlings;
- replace depleted soil with fertile soil;
- provide seedlings with optimal lighting and space for good growth;
- plant healthy, healthy seedlings in open ground at the right time, without rush and fuss.
When to dive cabbage
White cabbage seedlings are very sensitive to the timing of the dive. Adapting to new conditions, the sprouted seedlings will suspend their growth for about two weeks, and after that they will need time to grow and get stronger. Therefore, timely picking is the number one condition for obtaining a good harvest.
The optimal time for picking early and mid-ripening varieties of white cabbage is on the 7-8th day after germination, for later - on the 9-10th day. As a rule, by this time 1-2 seedlings appear in seedlings. It is important to pick up until the 14-16th day, since after these terms the effectiveness of the event disappears and, most likely, it will not be possible to get a good harvest.
The best time to pick white cabbage seedlings is the appearance of two real leaves
Many gardeners when working with seedlings are guided by the lunar calendar. According to experts, the phases of the moon affect all the vital processes of plants, therefore sowing, planting, picking and other work is best planned, knowing which days are favorable for the desired procedure and which are not.
Favorable days for diving seedlings in 2019 according to the lunar calendar:
- February: 6-8, 16-17, 20-21;
- March: 6-7, 15-16, 19-20;
- April: 2-3, 11-12, 16-17, 29-30;
- May: 1, 8-10, 13-14, 26-28.
How to dive cabbage seedlings
You can dive cabbage seedlings in cups or pots with a capacity of 160-200 ml. The container with seedlings should be well watered the day before the pick - this way the roots will practically not suffer during the operation.
Step-by-step process of picking white cabbage seedlings:
- Fill the pots with a nutrient mixture - ready soil for seedlings or soil of own preparation.
- With a wooden stick, make a recess in the soil.
- Use the other end of a teaspoon or wand to remove the seedling from the ground.
If the seedlings are planted very densely, it is better to take them out a few pieces with a lump of earth
- If the root is very long - shorten by 1/3.
- Gently lower the plant into the pot, immersing it to cotyledon leaves.
- Press the soil around the sprout.
Pickled cabbage must be very carefully, without damaging the tender sprouts
- Pour water at room temperature.
Video: picking white cabbage
In the first 2-3 days, the spreading seedlings must be covered from the sun and provide a daily temperature of 12-14 aboutC, night - 10-11 aboutFROM.
Many gardeners dive cabbage seedlings directly into the greenhouse - it is easier to provide a suitable temperature regime. If there is no greenhouse, then you can easily make a greenhouse in the garden. To do this, the prepared bed (fertilized and dug up from the fall) is covered with a plastic film stretched over the arcs. You need to do this 3-4 days before the dive, so that the land on the garden warms up. Before planting seedlings, the soil must be loosened. Then, just as in the case of cups, sticks make indentations in the soil and then according to the scheme already described.
You can dive cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse or a greenhouse, but the bed should be prepared in advance
When picking on a bed, they maintain a distance of 5-6 cm from each other and 10 cm between rows.
I have been growing cabbage seedlings in a greenhouse for many years. In the apartment it is very difficult to create suitable conditions for this cold-loving culture, but in the garden it is quite possible. I have one small bed with slate sides, which every spring turns into a greenhouse for growing cabbage seedlings of all kinds and some flowers. In April, I cover the garden bed with plastic wrap, let the soil warm up - from two to five days, depending on the weather. Then I sow the seeds in rows, while occupying a small part of the garden, the other - most - remains free. Cabbage rises quickly, and when real leaves appear, dive seedlings right there in the greenhouse, to an empty spot. If the weather is warm and sunny, I replace the film with spunbond - so the seedlings will not overheat and get enough light, and the humidity in this greenhouse is moderate, which is what my seedlings need. Watering and hardening young plants is also very convenient - I lift one edge of the spunbond and do everything I need. I have been using this method for a long time, and always cabbage seedlings are strong and healthy, and easily transfer the transplant to a permanent place. Frosts in such a greenhouse do no harm to either cabbage or flowers.
Properly performed picking of cabbage seedlings will increase the chances of getting a rich harvest. The main thing is not to miss the main points - the timing of the dive and compliance with the temperature regime for seedlings.
