Cabbage is grown in two main ways: by planting seeds directly on the garden bed and by seedlings, when the bushes are first driven out in a greenhouse or at home. But it is possible to plant immediately in the ground only after stable warm weather has been established, so this method is only suitable for early ripening varieties. Most summer residents use seedlings, especially when planting late-ripening varieties.
Preliminary preparation
Preparation consists in processing containers, soil and seed. It is most convenient to use peat pots or tablets. But cabbage tolerates transplanting well, so extra spending is not necessary. I grow seedlings in boxes or cups. If you have a greenhouse, then nothing is needed: the seeds are simply sown in the ground.
Seed preparation
If the seed was purchased from a store, it does not need to be processed. If the seeds are collected on their own or bought from hand, it will be necessary to carry out disinfection, soaking, hardening, etc.
The first thing I do is decontaminate. To do this, the seeds are soaked in hot water (about 50 degrees) for 20 minutes. After that, I lay them out on a plate and cover with a napkin. Then I send it to the refrigerator for 12 hours for hardening. The seeds are now ready for sowing.
Soil preparation
The most suitable soil composition for cabbage will be a mixture of peat, sand and sod land in equal parts. Additionally, I add a half-liter jar of wood ash to a bucket of such a mixture. You can also add 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, but even without it, seedlings will grow well. The lack of fertilizer can be compensated later during top dressing.
I do not advise adding humus to the substrate. Seedlings because of it will be more pampered.
Planting seeds
A drainage layer is poured into a box 5 cm high. For this I use expanded clay or pebbles. Then I fill the box with the prepared soil mixture and thoroughly water it.
Using a stick, I make grooves at a distance of 5 cm from each other. The depth should be about 1 cm. Seeds are sown at a distance of 2 cm. After that, I sprinkle them with earth and moisten them with a spray bottle.
I cover the box with foil and transfer to a warm place. The room temperature should be around 20 degrees. Shoots should appear in 4-5 days. After that, I immediately remove the film.
It is important to regularly moisten the ground so that the substrate does not dry out. It is advisable to do this with a spray gun. But also remember that waterlogging can provoke the appearance of the black leg disease.
picking
I perform a pick after the appearance of the first true leaf. I plant the seedlings in separate cups.
Before picking, I spill the earth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After that, with the help of a teaspoon, I dig up the seedlings. Before planting in a separate cup, I remove the lower part of the root system.
seedling care
After picking, the temperature must be maintained at a level of +20 degrees. So the seedlings will take root faster. After 3 days, you can proceed to hardening seedlings. To do this, I transfer containers with cabbage to a room with a daily temperature of 13-14 degrees.
Seedlings are additionally illuminated with phytolamps. In spring, daylight hours are short, and there is not enough light for cabbage. Culture for normal growth requires 12-15 hours of daylight.
Cabbage is important to feed. The first time I fertilize 9-10 days after picking. I carry out the second dressing in another 14 days. The third time I apply fertilizer a few days before transplanting into open ground. I always use ready-made liquid fertilizers intended for seedlings.
If you strictly observe the temperature regime, water and fertilize on time, you will get high-quality and healthy seedlings.
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