Few cultivated plants grow better in Siberian conditions than in the southern regions. One of these plants is Chinese cabbage.
Characteristic
Chinese cabbage - biennial cruciferous plant, grown in culture as an annual. There are leafy and cabbage varieties. Her leaves are tender, juicy, with a dense midrib. Used for making salads, soups, sauces. Great for pickling, alone or with other vegetables.
Chinese cabbage has a number of benefits:
- Early maturity;
- Undemanding to the soil;
- Shade tolerance;
- Resistance to fungal diseases;
- Low temperature tolerance.
Peking cabbage develops very quickly, it takes 60 to 80 days to form mature heads. This allows you to get two harvests per season. The second harvest can be laid for storage, at a temperature of 3-5 degrees Celsius, Peking cabbage can be stored all winter.
Peking cabbage grows on any soil, but it is advisable to treat soils with very high acidity before planting with a means that reduce acidity.
This cabbage is very rarely affected by fungal diseases; under unfavorable conditions it can suffer from rot.
Best of all, Chinese cabbage develops at a temperature of 8 to 20 degrees. Cabbage tolerates a short-term temperature drop to 3-4 degrees Celsius without consequences, an increase of more than 20 degrees Celsius causes the head of cabbage to shoot. Therefore, the cultivation of Peking cabbage in Siberia is easier than in the southern regions.
Planting and leaving
When growing Chinese cabbage, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarity of this vegetable - sensitivity to light and high temperatures. To form a head of cabbage, this cabbage requires a daylight hours no longer than 12 hours and the air temperature is no higher than 20 degrees. Failure to comply with the regimen causes sprinkling of cabbage, the formation of a head of cabbage and the growth of leaves stops. Such plants are only suitable for obtaining seeds.
Before, how to grow Chinese cabbage in Siberia, it is necessary to provide plants with shelters that protect them from frost and light. It is necessary to closely monitor the temperature inside the shelter; on a sunny day, the temperature can exceed 20 degrees Celsius. To prevent this, the shelters must be removed or opened during the day.
There are three options for growing Chinese cabbage in Siberia:
- In the spring in the greenhouse;
- In the summer outdoors;
- In the autumn in the greenhouse.
For spring cultivation, seed sowing begins in March or early April. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of about 4 degrees Celsius, this makes it possible to sow them directly into the ground in a greenhouse.
Before sowing, it is advisable to soak the seeds in a disinfectant solution to avoid infection of the seedlings. You can also treat the seeds with growth stimulants or a nutrient complex.
Before sowing seeds, the soil is dug up in the greenhouse, if necessary, a complex of fertilizers is applied. If cruciferous plants were previously grown in the greenhouse, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive soil treatment. The soil can accumulate the larvae of pests and pathogens of infectious diseases, therefore it is necessary to use insecticides and fungicides. In addition to soil, tools and greenhouse walls, especially corners and joints, require processing. Solutions for processing are prepared according to the instructions.
Seeds are planted in prepared soil in two or three seeds, at a distance of 35 - 40 cm.The depth of planting seeds should not exceed 3 cm.The air temperature for germinating seeds can fluctuate within 5 - 12 degrees Celsius, the soil temperature should be at least 4 degrees in nighttime.
After the emergence of seedlings, thinning is carried out, leaving one of the strongest sprout in each hole. For normal growth of heads of cabbage, the temperature inside the greenhouse is maintained at 12-15 degrees. Watering cabbage heads as needed, excessive watering is harmful to it. Further care of the heads of cabbage consists of weeding, watering, fertilizing and protecting the heads of cabbage from harmful insects.
If the sowing of seeds was carried out at the end of March, then already at the end of May it is possible to harvest. Cabbage heads cut off, dry, wrap each head of cabbage with cling film and put it in a cool place with a temperature of no more than 6 degrees Celsius. If you leave the cabbage heads to grow further, the formation of peduncles will begin, the nutritional value of the vegetable will significantly decrease.
For summer cultivation, it is necessary to prepare shelters from light and high temperatures in order to create an optimal regime for Chinese cabbage.
Sowing seeds is carried out at the beginning of June, immediately in the open ground or in cups for growing seedlings. As a rule, in Siberia at this time the threat of frost is low, but it is still necessary to follow the weather forecast and, if necessary, cover the heads of cabbage.
Caring for beds with Peking cabbage heads consists in timely watering, protection from pests and weeding.
Since a short daylight hours are required to form a head of cabbage, after 6 pm, the beds with cabbage heads are covered with an opaque material. You can use black plastic wrap or thick dark fabric for these purposes.
Sowing seeds is carried out in early June, seedlings are not sheltered from sunlight. By the end of summer, the seeds will ripen, they need to be collected and dried.
To lay cabbage heads for winter storage, seeds are sown in a greenhouse at the end of August. Two months later, when the cabbage heads are ripe, they are placed in storage. For storing heads of cabbage, a basement or other room with a temperature of no higher than 5 degrees Celsius is used. Each head of cabbage is wrapped in plastic wrap and then put into wooden or cardboard boxes. 1 - 2 times a month, it is advisable to inspect cabbage heads, rejecting those affected by rot.
Growing through seedlings
Peking cabbage can also be grown through seedlings. This plant reacts very badly to damage to the root system, therefore, when growing seedlings, a pick is not carried out. It is advisable to plant each plant in a separate container. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground very carefully, trying not to damage the roots.
To grow seedlings, you can use purchased soil or make an earthen mixture yourself.
To prepare an earthen mixture, use:
- Garden land - 1 liter;
- Humus - 1 liter;
- Overripe manure - 1 glass;
- Sand - 1 glass;
- A complex of trace elements - according to the instructions.
Cups or cassettes are filled with seedling soil, tamping it a little. Seeds are planted 1 or 2 in each cup. Containers with seedlings are placed in a cool room, the temperature in which does not rise above 12 degrees.
On a sunny day, it is necessary to cover the seedlings from the rays.For these purposes, you can use gauze, white agrofiber, fine mesh.
The first shoots will appear in a few days. For further development, seedlings will need a lot of light; in cloudy weather, additional lighting may be needed so that the seedlings do not stretch out. The number of light hours should not exceed 12, it is important to carefully monitor this and do not forget to turn off the lamp in time.
For summer cultivation after 6 pm, it is necessary to completely block off the access of light to the seedlings.
Watering the seedlings should be done carefully, excess liquid can stagnate and harm the root system.
Fertilizers
The use of fertilizers for the cultivation of this cabbage should be done carefully. The leaves and heads of the plant are capable of accumulating nitrates and other harmful substances. To avoid the accumulation of nitrates in the head of cabbage and leaves, it is necessary to dose nitrogen fertilizers very carefully.
A source of nitrogen for plants can be:
- Manure;
- Humus;
- Infusion of herbs;
- Complex fertilizers;
- Nitrogen chemical fertilizers.
Any organic matter, such as manure and humus, enrich the earth with nitrogen compounds, which are not fully assimilated by plants. Some of the nitrogen compounds will become available for absorption by the plant root system only the next season after application. When determining how much fertilizer to apply for Chinese cabbage, this factor must be taken into account.
Chemical fertilizers are applied strictly in accordance with the instructions. Composition of complex fertilizers must be checked. If the complex includes nitrogen compounds, other fertilizers should not be used.
Heads of cabbage need a lot of phosphorus, magnesium and potassium for normal growth. The introduction of these microelements is required.
Growing Peking cabbage in Siberia requires attention and care, but the resulting harvest of a tasty and healthy vegetable will justify all the efforts expended.
