Growing cabbage carries too many subtleties, so for a long time you just don’t know if the effort can lead to a good harvest. But with a variety like Valentina F1 there are almost no misfires, and the result can be seen long before the harvest. This late-season cabbage variety is a hybrid and has already rightfully gained a well-deserved popularity among gardeners. The description and characteristics of this variety can be found below.
Contents
- description and characterization of varieties of cabbage Valentine
- Sowing seeds to seedlings
- A pick seedlings and planting seedlings in the ground
- Care
- cabbage harvesting and storage
description and characterization of varieties of cabbage Cabbage
Valentina Valentina F1 was launched into breeding station named after N.N. Timiryazeva, breeders A. V. Kryuchkov, G. F. Monakhos and D. V. Patsuriya. The very first tests of this hybrid confirmed the high productivity of the variety and its suitability for cultivation in various climatic zones.
White cabbage variety Valentine f1 From the shoot shoots to the maturation of the Valentine F1 hybrid, it takes 140-180 days, and it can be grown both in open ground and in the greenhouse. A head of cabbage has a flat oval shape, rather dense, weighing 3-5 kg. Outside, it is covered with dark green leaves with a bluish wax coating, which is a varietal feature of the Valentine's hybrid. On the cut forks has a white color.
Matures Valentine F1 to steady frosts and easily tolerates short-term freezing during a sudden cold snap, that does not affect further storage. If adult plants easily tolerate frosts down to -5 -8 C °, then seedlings - up to -3 C °.
Initially, cabbage has a slight bitterness taste, which completely disappears during storage. Therefore, it is recommended to eat this hybrid no earlier than 3 months after harvesting. During this period, the forks will become tender, juicy and sweet, without coarse streaks.
Like any other plant, Valentine F1 has its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages include:
- good frost resistance ;
- high yield ;
- long-term shelf life, during which the taste of the cabbages only improves;
- fruits are resistant to cracking ;
- cabbages well tolerate transportation ;
- resistance to many diseases of , including fusarium;
- good stability of the plug thanks to the low foot ;
- the ability to use it in different types of - fresh, pickled, salted, pickled, fried.
During long-term storage, cabbage Valentina variety does not deteriorate, on the contrary, after 5-7 months, saturation appears. But besides the positive qualities of the variety, it is also endowed with disadvantages:
- is demanding on the soil , grows best on loam and peat;
- does not tolerate frequent soil moisture ;
- sunning ;
- needs a large amount of moisture at the stage of forming the plug;
- at a temperature over 30 C ° forks "leaves" the leaves;
- during the entire growing season ; Valentine’s variety needs watering and feeding;
- long term of obtaining the crop .
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Forks of later varieties are always grown through seedlings. But before embarking on planting, it is necessary to choose the right seeds. If they are purchased in a store from trusted suppliers, such seeds do not need prior preparation, which includes the following steps:
- hardening;
- disinfection;
- warming up;
- soaking.
The Valentine f1 cabbage seeds are sown in the prepared soil substrate . Most often, the shelf life of seeds is 3-4 years, during which the crop will retain all the varietal qualities of the hybrid.
The time of sowing seed for seedlings directly depends on the expected time of its planting. Considering that it is planted in the ground at the beginning of June, the optimal time for sowing seeds is 6 in May, , but this can be done in April.
The deadline for sowing seeds for cultivation is May 21, which is St. Nicholas Day.
After the seeds are selected, you need to prepare the ground for their sowing. For these purposes, a loose and nutritious earthen substrate is needed, the acidity of which does not exceed 6 pH. You can purchase ready-made earthen mixture in a specialized shop or prepare the substrate yourself:
- Mix equal parts of humus and earth and add 5–6 kg of the mixture to an glass of sand.
- Mix the 1 part of the turfy land with the 3 parts of the peat and pour 1.5 cups of sand for every 3-4 kg of the mixture.
After the earthen substrate for sowing is ready, it is worthwhile to evenly distribute the seeds over the surface of the moistened soil. On top of the seeds should be poured a layer of prepared substrate 1 cm thick, and then gently pour from the spray.
The container with sown seeds is covered and placed in a dark, but warm place, with an air temperature of 15 ° C. In this case, one should not forget to control the emergence of seedlings, which hatch after 3-7 days. When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to move the container with seedlings to a bright place so that the plants do not stretch out.
Picking up seedlings and planting seedlings in the ground
After the seedlings have 2 true leaves, the seedling should be swooped. So called transplanting seedlings in a separate container and pinching the roots, which allows to enhance the growth of the plant.
To this end, it is recommended to perform the following actions:
- Abundantly pour saplings, wait until moisture is absorbed, and then gently pull out the seedling along with the lump of earth stuck to the roots.
- Trim about a third of the root system.
- Place the roots in the recess in the ground to the cotyledon leaves, and then cover them with earth.
- The composition of the earth mixture should be the same as that used for sowing seedlings.
When a third pair of leaflets appears on the plants, , then cabbage seedlings, which have reached a height of 13-16 cm, can be planted on the garden bed. But before doing this, you must first prepare the ground for planting. Cabbage Valentine F1 prefers loamy soil, which is well preserved moisture. The bed with plants should be well lit by the sun, as this variety does not tolerate excessive shading.
After the appearance of two true leaves( usually 15 days later), the seedlings of Valentine's cabbage dive It is best to prepare a place to plant the seedlings right from the fall, while observing crop rotation. Best of all cabbage grows after onions, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, legumes, and cereals, that enrich the soil with the nutrients needed for cruciferous plants. If you plant a Valentine F1 hybrid after your “relatives”( swede, radish and radish), it will grow poorly and bear fruit, since there will not be enough trace elements in the ground.
Autumn preparatory work for planting seedlings are as follows:
- The bed we dig to the maximum depth.
- We necessarily fertilize the land with , for which compost is introduced in the fall, at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 meter of bed.
- In the spring, in addition to the , 2 is added to the ground with a spoon of superphosphate per 1 square meter and a glass of clean ash.
The Valentine f1 cabbage is planted in the open ground after the four main leaves appear on the seedlings. When the Valentine F1 variety is planted in a permanent place, it follows that the air temperature does not fall below 3 ° C at night. It is better to do work in the evening, after sunset, or to choose a cloudy day for planting cabbage.
Valentine F1 seedling plan - 65-70 cm between rows and 40 cm between plants. When more dense planting cabbies can develop poorly and lose their weight. After transplanting, it is important to water each plant abundantly.
Care for cabbage
In order to get a good harvest from Valentine, you should make some efforts. These include watering, loosening, weeding, hilling and feeding.
After planting, daily watering is essential. Also, a high need for copious amounts of moisture occurs during the period of setting and growth of heads. If at this time there will be a lack of water, then the whole cabbage can go to the leaves. Also, the lack of moisture can lead to ripening loose and not juicy heads.
The seedlings of Valentine cabbage in the period of active growth need frequent watering. Watering the forks is best early in the morning or late in the evening, and the water flow should be about 5 liters per plant. After the water is fully absorbed, has to penetrate the earth to a depth of 6 cm, since excess water for Valentine F1 is destructive - its roots quickly rot and the plant dies.
Completely stop watering is 3-4 weeks before harvest. During this period, the cabbages will have time to acquire sugar content, retain their product form and will be stored better.
An important role is played by the destruction of weeds, because they quickly deprive the forks of sunlight and are often the source of various diseases. Coping with weeds will help loosen the soil, which will only benefit cabbage.
Another measure of care is hilling, which helps the stalk to hold a good head well. Hilling is performed approximately 2 times per season:
- Hilling is done for the first time 7-10 days after the transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place, when it will take root well.
- The second hilling is performed after 1-1,5 of the month when the head starts to form. By hilling, it is possible to protect the head from excessive moisture and prevent the plant from rolling over on its side in strong winds.
To help a cabbage stump to hold a heavy head, hilling helps Hilling depth - no more than 6 cm, the diameter of the ground is about 1 plant - 30 cm. It is best to do hilling after a heavy rain or heavy watering.
Additional feeding is carried out 4 times during the growing season. They need nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and potassium to form well-headed cabbages. Since all these elements are present in cow dung, it is possible to alternate the application of mineral and organic fertilizers under the cabbage.
Harvesting and storing the crop.
. Harvesting can be started in late September or early October. Store cabbages best in the basement, at a temperature not lower than +1 C ° and not higher than +5 C ° . Otherwise, the cabbage can either freeze or start to rot.
Valentine's cabbage is very well preserved, hung from the stalk The main storage methods:
- on the rack;
- in limbo;
- in boxes.
Some housewives each head out wrapped in paper or cling film, which will preserve the richness of the forks. Before storing it, you should carefully check all cabbages and select discarded ones. Also, all surface leaves are removed from each of them, leaving 2-3 of them on each fork.
The Valentina F1 variety is stored for 7 months, , and due to its good taste and beneficial properties of the head, this hybrid is attractive for cultivation in both industrial and private farms.
