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The evidence that cabbage was grown in Russia back in the XI century is the records in ancient books - "Izbornik Svyatoslav" and "Domostroy". Several centuries have passed since then, and interest in white-headed vegetables not only did not fall, but became even more.
Today, gardeners have a harder time than their ancestors. After all, the range of varieties and hybrids is growing every year. If you need vegetables for pickling and winter storage, Blizzard cabbage is just what you need. The variety meets all the requirements.
Description
White cabbage of the Blizzard variety was bred in Siberia. It has long been included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. A multipurpose vegetable designed for open field cultivation in private plots and on an industrial scale.
Blizzard white cabbage is a late-ripening variety. From germination to technical maturity, it takes from 140 to 160 days. The outer and inner stalks are short. The leaves of the vertical rosette are dark or gray-green, shaped like a lyre. The wax coating is clearly visible. Weak waves along the edges of the sheet.
The heads of cabbage of the variety are round, slightly flattened, very dense (up to 4.6 points). On the cut, the leaves are white-yellow, with practically no voids. Fork weight from 1800 to 3300 grams. Some specimens reach 5 kg.
Characteristic
Descriptions of the variety, photos and reviews about Blizzard cabbage will not be enough without characteristics. Let's take a look at the benefits:
- Taste properties. The variety has excellent taste, there is no bitterness in cabbage leaves.
- The yield is high.
- Cooking applications. Since the vegetable has a universal purpose, it can be used fresh, prepare the first and second courses. But it is best to use the Blizzard variety for fermentation, salting and long-term storage. Stored for almost 8 months without loss of taste and quality characteristics.
- Agrotechnics. The length of the day does not negatively affect the development of the cabbage. Can be grown on soils of different composition.
- Transportability. The heads of cabbage of the Vyuga variety do not crack either during cultivation or during transportation over a long distance, do not lose their presentation.
- Diseases. The cabbage variety is resistant to many diseases, including vascular bacteriosis.
No disadvantages were noted by the gardeners. The only thing you need to pay attention to is not to overmoisten the soil. Blizzard does not tolerate this cabbage: the root system can rot, and mold appears on the lower leaves.
Growing seedlings
Blizzard white cabbage, based on the characteristics of the variety, for the full ripening of the vegetable, it is necessary to grow through seedlings in the zone of risky farming. In the southern regions, sowing seeds in open ground is allowed.
Seedling method
In order for the plants to ripen at the right time, the seeds must be sown in the last decade of March. According to the lunar calendar of 2018, the work is recommended to be done in March: 20, 21, 26 or 30.
Soil and containers
A week before sowing cabbage seeds, the soil is prepared. You can use store-bought formulations, since all the nutrients are completely balanced in them. If you prepare the soil yourself, then you need to take equal parts of sod land, humus or compost, river sand. Wood ash must be added to the cabbage.
The containers are chosen with a depth of at least 7-10 cm so that the root system does not feel depressed during growth.Boiling water is poured over boxes or containers. You can add a few crystals of potassium permanganate. The containers are filled with soil, carefully spilled with boiling water with potassium permanganate or boric acid.
Seed preparation
Blizzard cabbage seeds sprout well. But they still need to be cooked:
- Selection. After sprinkling the seeds on a flat surface, large grains are selected. Then they are poured into cold water. Specimens that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for planting.
- Disinfection. The seeds of the Blizzard variety in gauze are dipped for half an hour in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, then washed in clean water.
- Hardening. The seeds are placed for a third of an hour in hot (no more than 50 degrees) salted water (for one liter 1 tablespoon of salt), then in cold water. After that, cheesecloth with grains is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. This procedure allows you to grow healthy and strong seedlings of Blizzard cabbage.
Sowing
The soil is sprayed from a spray bottle with water at room temperature, grooves are cut with a depth of 1 cm and the seeds are laid out with a step of 3 cm. Glass is placed on top or a film is stretched to accelerate germination. As soon as the first sprout appears, the shelter is removed. The temperature is reduced to 10 degrees so that the cabbage seedlings do not stretch. Watering as needed.
Picking
This procedure is optional. If the plants are comfortable in the container, then you can leave it in the box. For transplanting seedlings of the Vyuga variety, on which 2 real leaves have formed, separate cups or pots with a height of at least 10 cm are used. They are filled with soil identical to that used for growing seedlings. It is advisable to pinch the taproot to enhance the growth of the root system.
Sowing without picking
For their own needs, a large amount of cabbage seedlings is not required. If the area of the windowsills allows, you can sow the seeds in separate cups. The disadvantage of this method is the high consumption of seeds. After all, 2-3 seeds are sown in each glass, followed by the removal of weak shoots. But when transplanted into the ground, the plants are less injured, the seedlings of the Blizzard variety cabbage turn out to be strong, as in the photo.
Sowing seeds in the ground
In the southern regions of Russia, you can sow the seeds of the Blizzard cabbage directly into the open ground. For this, holes are prepared with a step of 25 cm, in the aisles - 30 cm. Humus, wood ash are added to each hole, spilled with boiling water with potassium permanganate.
Sow 2-3 seeds. Cover the top with a plastic bottle with a cork or film. If there is a threat of recurrent frost, then the bottles are not removed even after germination, only the cork is unscrewed for a day. After germination, weak plants are removed, leaving one seedling in each hole. With this method, no picking or transplanting to a new place is required.
Planting and care in the ground
From the description of the variety, it follows that Blizzard cabbage is a light-loving plant, therefore, when planning a vegetable garden, a sunny place is chosen for planting. The ground is being prepared in the fall. Before digging, they are removed weeds, compost, humus are added. Fresh manure is not forbidden either. During the autumn and winter, he manages to overtake. In the spring, it remains to prepare the holes and fill them with wood ash.
The holes for the Blizzard variety cabbage are made at a distance of 45-50 cm, filled with water. In each hole, depending on the condition of the soil, 1 or 2 liters. As a rule, white cabbage is planted in two lines with row spacing up to 70 cm for ease of maintenance. Each plant is buried to the first true leaf. Works are performed in cloudy weather or in the evening, if the day is clear. In this case, the seedlings have time to adapt during the night and are less sick.
Care features
It is not difficult to take care of the Blizzard, agricultural technology is practically the same for all varieties of cabbage. Although there are some nuances.
Watering
As already noted in the description, the Blizzard is a moisture-loving plant. Watering should be regular, but you do not need to be zealous: excess moisture or overdrying of the soil leads to diseases or reduced yields. It is recommended to water the cabbage twice a week if the weather is dry. At least 10 liters of water are required per square meter. During rainy periods, watering is reduced to a minimum.
Top dressing
In addition to watering, white cabbage of the Blizzard variety must be fertilized to obtain a decent harvest. Since gardeners try not to use chemistry on private plots, they can be limited to organic matter. According to readers' reviews, infusions of mullein, chicken droppings, as well as fermented green grass are excellent for feeding.
The amount and frequency of additional nutrition for Blizzard cabbage depends on the characteristics of the soil and the condition of the seedlings, but no more than five times during the growing season. You need to understand that excess fertilizer is the reason for the accumulation of nitrates.
Diseases and pests
The Blizzard white cabbage variety is resistant to many diseases. But powdery mildew and black leg can annoy her. When diseased plants appear, they must be immediately removed and destroyed. And the place where the bushes grew to be disinfected. Preventive measures are a must. It is carried out even at the stage of seed and soil preparation, and then before transplanting. As means use potassium permanganate, Bordeaux liquid.
Among the main pests are:
- butterflies and caterpillars;
- cruciferous flea beetles;
- cabbage fly;
- aphids and slugs.
It is not necessary to use pesticides as a pest control agent. Planting marigolds, marigolds, nasturtium, parsley, dill, celery or other pungent-smelling garden plants between plants can scare off most insects. From the invasion of slugs, you can use soil mulching.
If all else fails, it is recommended to use special preparations:
- Nemabakt;
- Aktofit;
- Bicol.
These products also kill fungi and nematodes.
Other varieties of white cabbage:
