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The choice of cabbage variety depends on the application. Even white cabbage can be salad or salting purposes, different ripening periods. This makes it difficult to choose a vegetable if you do not know their description and characteristics. But it's even better to grow a variety on your site for testing.
Many varieties of white-headed vegetables fell in love with the Russians. For example, cabbage Stone Head (a description of the variety and characteristic features will be given in the article below), has been popular in Russia for more than 10 years. A vegetable from Polish selection was entered into the State Register of our country in 2006. White cabbage is universal, but tastes best in salted, sauerkraut or pickled form.
Description
Stone head is a mid-season white-headed variety. The technical ripeness of cabbage occurs within a maximum of 126 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground.
The outer and integumentary leaves on white cabbage are juicy green, small in size, slightly concave inward. They have a waxy coating. The leaves forming the head are dark at first, whiten as they grow.
The variety is distinguished by rounded forks, weighing up to 4 kg, up to a maximum of 6 kg, very dense. They do not crack during ripening. The inner leaves do not have thick veins, they are delicate and thin. The cabbage stump inside the head of this variety is small. But the outer one is thick, capable of withstanding the weight of the cabbage.
It is difficult to cut the forks, it is clearly visible on the cut that the leaves adhere tightly to each other, form an almost uniform surface. White cabbage of the Kamennaya Heada variety, according to those who cultivate it, has an excellent taste and special sweetness.
Characteristics
Why is the cabbage variety Stone Head, according to gardeners and consumers, a success? The reason for the popularity is in the benefits.
Pros of the variety
Let's start with the merits:
- Cabbage Stone Head, according to the description presented in the photo, does not crack even in technical ripeness.
- Low temperatures in spring and autumn do not affect the presentation and quality of the vegetable.
- The yield of this variety of cabbage does not fall even in hot and dry summers. You can consistently get tight and tasty heads of cabbage weighing up to 5-6 kg. Up to 11 kg are harvested from a square meter.
- The white cabbage forks are fully consistent with their name.
- The purpose of the variety is universal. It can be harvested for the winter, consumed fresh, prepared various dishes.
- Excellent taste, presentation.
- The high keeping quality allows you to keep the variety fresh almost until March, if the correct storage conditions are created.
- Cabbage can be transported to any distance.
- Care is not difficult, because the Stone Head variety practically does not get sick, due to its high immunity to fusarium and rot.
Minuses
Gardeners working in the Kamennaya Golova variety do not note negative sides. The only drawback of cabbage has already been noted in the description - not juicy leaves.
Features of agricultural technology
White cabbage variety Stone Head refers to cold-resistant, light- and moisture-loving crops. In the zone of risky agriculture, it is grown in seedlings, in the southern regions it can be sown in the ground.
Growing seedlings
Since the variety is late ripening, seedlings need to be dealt with in April-May. The greenhouse is being prepared in advance. Compost is laid in it, and on top is fertile soil with sand.The soil is poured with boiling water, potassium permanganate is added for a greater effect. This microelement works in two directions: it disinfects the soil, provides additional nutrition.
In the cooled soil, grooves are made and seeds of white cabbage are sown at a distance of two to three centimeters. According to agrotechnical standards, 3-4 grams of seeds are required per square meter of the nursery.
Before sowing, cabbage seeds of this variety, if they do not have a special protective shell, are disinfected in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then it is dried to a free-flowing state.
With any method, the seeds are buried in the soil by about one and a half centimeters. With greater immersion of seeds in the soil, the germination time is delayed. Sometimes they may not ascend at all. Experienced gardeners recommend pollinating cabbage seedlings and soil with dry wood ash after the first leaf appears. Seedling care is simple. Basically - watering and loosening. It is not necessary to greatly moisten the soil, otherwise the roots may rot.
If necessary, seedlings are planted in separate pots. In this case, the root system grows better.
Landing in the ground
When the seedlings grow to 15 centimeters, there will be 5 or 6 leaves on it, you can start planting in open ground.
It is necessary to plant seedlings of cabbage variety Stone Head early so that it has time to take root well before the summer of the cabbage fly. As a rule, in May-June, the soil warms up to 10 degrees. Many gardeners are guided by the sowing calendar. It is even encouraged. Since the climatic conditions on the territory of Russia differ, it is imperative to take into account the peculiarities.
It is very important to choose the right piece of the garden. According to agrotechnical standards, it is better to plant any varieties of white-headed vegetables in the beds where legumes, eggplants, and onions grew. Quite good yield after pumpkin, zucchini. Do not plant next to cabbage Stone head tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley. These crops are demanding on nutrition, they will pull out all the juices from the ground, and nothing will get to cabbage.
The land for seedlings is fertilized before planting. It is better not to use fresh manure, as it may contain helminths. Compost, rotted manure or peat are used as organic matter. From mineral fertilizers, preference is given to superphosphate.
The holes are made according to the scheme 50x60 or 70 x 70, preferably in a checkerboard pattern. Seedlings of white cabbage are planted Stone head in two rows to facilitate further care.
Wood ash is added to each hole and spilled with boiling water. When the ground cools down, seedlings are planted. The lower cotyledonous leaves are cut off. The seedlings are deepened to the first true leaf. If the plant is pulled down after watering, it must be lifted immediately.
If frosts are predicted, the planted cabbage seedlings can be covered with foil or agrofibre. Planting is done in the evening so that the plants have time to move away from stress during the night.
Helpful care tips
- White cabbage Stone Head is a disease resistant variety. But for prevention, you can plant marigolds, calendula, bitter wormwood, mint nearby. These plants contain essential oils that repel harmful insects.
- You need to plant cabbage in a sunny area. The slightest shading reduces the quality of the heads. Instead of dense heads, loose leaves are obtained.
- Every 2-3 years, it is advisable to change the area for cabbage, because in the soil, despite the treatments, disease spores and pests can accumulate.
- Watering is carried out early in the morning, before sunrise or late in the evening, preferably with cold water.Cabbage heads are perfectly tied at a temperature of +20 degrees, but if the summer is very hot, sprinkling of cabbage beds is recommended.
- At first, the plants are watered gently under the root, adults on top of the heads of cabbage. Watering is stopped 15 days before cutting the forks.
- The first feeding is carried out 10-12 days after planting in the ground with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. If you are against chemistry, you can prepare an infusion of mullein, chicken droppings. In the future, you can feed with "green" fertilizer from fermented grass.
Harvest
By the end of September, the beginning of October, the late-ripening cabbage of the Kamennaya Head variety reaches technical ripeness. Small frosts will not affect the cabbage. On the contrary, experienced gardeners wait for the heads of cabbage to be slightly nailed by frost. This will add crispness and whiteness to the vegetable.
Clean up A stone head is needed in dry weather. After cutting, the heads of cabbage are left to dry in the sun, then they are removed to the cellar. Storage temperature from 0 to +5 degrees.
