CAULIFLOWER THROUGH SEEDLING - STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION

Usually, seedlings of this culture are planted in a pre-prepared greenhouse. But in fact, there is a more practical and convenient option that will appeal to gardeners and their green pets.

In our SNT, fences are prohibited between sites, and people, passing by my garden and seeing a garden with luxurious cauliflower on it, ask me about the intricacies of caring for it. And I always answer such questions. I will also share my experience with readers. I have been growing cauliflower for over 25 years, and I have developed my own, time and weather-tested method.

The most important step is choosing the right varieties. Considering my interests and capabilities, as well as climatic conditions, I stopped at growing early-maturing hybrids that give heads weighing from 1,5 kg: Vinson F1, Baldo F1 and Snegurochka F1.

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I grow seedlings in the apartment and on the balcony. Having put the floor and a carbonate greenhouse, I dreamed that the plants would now live there in the open, at the same time passing through hardening. But the mouse in the very first spring gnawed and spoiled the seedlings, and I again continued to grow them in the city.

I make the soil mixture from fertile garden soil, to which I mix humus. As for the container, for many years the seedlings were grown in 100-gram disposable cups, in which I cut slots at the bottom level around the circumference to drain water. In addition, I cut off the upper rims of the rigidity from the cups so that all this container could be placed in a plastic container (photo 1). And last year I bought surprisingly cheap cassettes with 18 cells, 6 cm deep (photo 2). Transparent lids are sold separately for these containers, i.e. fully assembled, these are real mini greenhouses.

For the convenience of extracting seedlings from them (judging by the comments on the Internet, many summer residents, so as not to break the plants, cut the cassettes), I made inserts cut from plastic milk and bread bags (photo 3-4). But I made the following conclusion: it is still more convenient to grow cabbage seedlings in transparent cups, since the development of roots and the degree of moisture of the soil mixture can be seen. Yes, and pulling plants out of them during transplantation is still easier. In addition, smudges in transparent containers do not decorate the apartment, making it look like a pantry.

After all, I grow a lot of seedlings: one cauliflower is about 40 pieces, and there are also early white-headed hybrids, as well as autumn ones for pickling. To stimulate the growth and development of plants, I spray and water them from a syringe with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%), diluting in 2 tbsp. l. in 1 liter of water.

Seedlings of cauliflower - the subtleties of the process.

I think that the ground for cabbage must first be deoxidized. When transplanting seedlings into the holes, I put a little bit of humus, ash and complex fertilizer (I used to use granular, but now I switched to pasty). I spill it abundantly, sprinkle this stuff with a layer of humus and plant seedlings. Since it is not hardened, I set up a tent made of non-woven material over the garden bed. To do this, I put plastic boxes at the ends of the beds, put poles on them, on which I throw non-fabric, pressing it on the sides with bottles of water.

It is very convenient: the plants are ventilated, and their delicate leaves do not burn out under the sun.

When the cabbage gets stronger, I clean the shelter at night and in cloudy weather. In the meantime, it does not begin to grow actively, I water it with a ladle under the roots, adding a solution of fermented grass to the water. Then I irrigate directly from the hose and no longer do any additional fertilizing. My beds are clean, loose, cultivated, so I do not weed them, do not loosen and do not huddle them.

To fight slugs between plants, I lay out the boards and in the morning I collect pests from under them, and spray the accumulation of newborn slugs with ammonia. If I notice drooping plants, it means that the caterpillars of the cabbage scoop have already worked here, which live in the soil and eat up young roots. I then dig holes, find and select caterpillars, and then plant new plants. To combat cabbage, I stick in each head of cabbage either flags smeared with tar, or sticks with eggshells on them. In addition, I plant tall marigolds around the perimeter of the garden. In recent years, plucked tomato stepchildren and marigold leaves have begun to be laid in the leaf axils and on the heads. At the same time, I examine the leaves themselves and destroy the found caterpillars and egg clutches.

I cover the ripening heads with broken leaves. After harvesting, I harvest these leaves, and leave the stumps until spring to feed the earthworms, which entangle the roots in bunches. I bring the cabbage home, chill it in the refrigerator and only then wrap it in foil so that condensation does not form inside. I never freeze it, because we eat it all in summer and autumn.

And finally, I will share my favorite recipe for a "quick" dish. I boil the cabbage inflorescences for 10 minutes in salted water, spread it with a slotted spoon in a frying pan with heated butter, mix and transfer to a deep plate. Sprinkle with croutons and stir so that they stick to the cabbage.

At the same time I will give a recipe for crackers. Slices of loaf and white bread should be chopped with a blender to flour and dried in the oven until golden brown. I store the finished croutons in the refrigerator in a glass coffee jar. That's all - bon appetit!

By the way, I don't use the oven to bake cabbage with egg, mayonnaise or cheese. I don't even make cabbage in batter - it seems to me that this dish turns out to be too fat.

I wish everyone good health and good harvests!

We also recommend reading: Cauliflower through seedlings: planting and care - my advice (Belgorod region)