Cauliflower: growing and care at home

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Cauliflower is not only very tasty, but also a he althy garden crop, so many farmers grow it in their summer cottages. By cultivating a vegetable in seedlings, you can harvest an early harvest. At the same time, growing cauliflower at home does not cause any particular difficulties, however, in order for it to be of high quality, certain recommendations must be followed. Read about them later in this article.

General information

Cauliflower is one of the most valuable types of vegetables. It contains a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients that our body needs for normal life. In addition, this culture has healing properties that were discovered by people more than seven thousand years ago. Cauliflower was first cultivated in Eastern Europe,presumably, in France, and later through the Celts and Gauls living in the territory of modern Germany, garden culture came to Russia. Due to the large number of healing properties and incredible taste, the vegetable quickly gained popularity, it began to be grown almost throughout our country.

Cauliflower, the cultivation of which is very laborious, can be consumed even by people with a pronounced allergy to various foods. It will be an excellent source for them of vitamins such as B, C, E, as well as very rare K and U vegetables and nutrients.

Cabbage contains a large amount of the following elements:

• fiber;
• biotin;
• tocopherol;
• rutoside;
• niacin;
• calcium;
• zinc;
• magnesium;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• iron;
• pectin;
• sulfur;
• chlorine;
• amino acids;
• malic and citric acid;
• and many others.

Thanks to fiber, cauliflower helps cleanse the blood and the whole body from toxins and other harmful substances, and it also reduces the harmful effects of radioactive radiation on humans. According to scientists, regular consumption of cauliflower significantly reduces the risk of developing cancer of various etiologies. In addition, cauliflower (growing and care will be discussed later) normalizes metabolic processes in the body, improves hematopoietic function and contributes to the normal formation of bone tissue.

Basic cultivation methods

This process needs to be taken very seriously. Growing seedlings of cauliflower can be carried out in two ways - classic and in pots. The first method involves planting seeds in boxes or a greenhouse, and for the second, you will need to make a special peat substrate. The root system of the culture does not develop very well and is too demanding on many environmental factors, however, with proper cultivation, it takes root very quickly in the garden and starts to grow. Some vegetable growers use mixed technology. They first plant the seeds in a greenhouse, and when they germinate, they transplant them into peat pots.

Timing

In order for the planting material to be ready for transplanting into open ground, 45 days are needed. Sowing seeds is most often carried out in early or mid-spring. This is the optimal time, which is enough for the seedlings to get well and you can get an early harvest. However, it is important to take into account the climatic features of the region in which you live. For example, in the south of Russia, it is possible to transplant seedlings from pots to a garden bed much earlier than, for example, in the central or northern regions.

When choosing the time to sow seeds, keep in mind that it takes 45 days for them to germinate and form a strong root system. In this way, you will be able to calculate the exact planting date for your region. As mentioned earlier, outdoor cauliflower can be grown from seedlings.way. The best option would be a greenhouse, because it is the least hassle. As for specific varieties, it is best to give preference to early hybrids. They grow faster than others, so you can harvest them in the middle of summer.

Soil preparation

So what does this process involve? Cauliflower seedlings, grown at home and cared for in accordance with a certain technology, will not be able to take root and grow normally on depleted soils that do not contain enough minerals and macronutrients. Therefore, deciding to start cultivating a vegetable, take care of the soil first. It is better to fill the greenhouse with a mixture consisting of equal parts of soddy soil, peat and humus. It is also recommended to fertilize the substrate in advance with universal preparations that contain phosphorus.

In addition, it is desirable to disinfect the soil. To do this, use a not too strong solution of potassium permanganate. And to protect seedlings from various diseases, calcined sand is used, which is sprinkled on the ground after planting.

Preparation of planting material

So you want your garden to grow cauliflower. Growing this vegetable does not require much effort if the planting material is properly prepared. Before sowing seeds, they must be sorted out, warmed up and treated with pesticides. This will significantly speed up the germination process and prevent the development of various diseases. AtIn this case, try to select only large seeds, since small ones sprout very rarely and also give a low yield.

Heating involves placing seeds wrapped in gauze for 20 minutes in water heated to 50 degrees Celsius. Next, the planting material is well dried and pickled for an hour with garlic juice or a weak solution of formaldehyde.

Landing

The earth in the boxes must be well leveled, after which seeds are sown on it and sprinkled with soil on top, the layer should be 0.5-0.7 cm thick. According to many vegetable growers, they germinate very quickly. When the planting material is planted, the substrate is sprinkled on top with a layer of calcined sand or wood ash, after which it is thoroughly sprayed with a spray bottle.

Cauliflower, which grows in a variety of conditions, does not require special care. From time to time, you only need to moisten the soil and remove weeds. The same applies to planting seeds in a greenhouse. When growing in boxes, it is necessary to maintain the air temperature in the room at +19 ° C, while avoiding drafts.

Planting seedlings in open ground

When the seeds sprout and the seedlings are strong enough (on average, this takes 45 days, as mentioned at the beginning of the article), the seedlings can be transplanted into the garden. However, shortly before this, approximately 2-3 weeks in advance, it is recommended to reduce the temperature in the room or greenhouse to approximately +15 °C. This is necessary in order toso that the vegetable is a little stronger and adapts faster in the open field. By following these recommendations, you will be able to get high-quality, he althy and strong planting material, which will later give a rich harvest.

Optimal time for diving is approximately 7-10 days after seed germination. In order for cauliflower (growing a crop is distinguished by its simplicity compared to other types of vegetables) to grow well and quickly, it is necessary to properly plant it in open ground. At the same time, it is very important not to overexpose the seedlings in boxes, since in this case the root system may suffer.

Experts recommend diving and planting young cabbage in special peat pots. This will strengthen the root system and accelerate the growth of cauliflower. In this case, the sprouts should be buried in the substrate to the cotyledon leaves, and the soil should be sprinkled on top with a layer of mulch, for example, wood ash can be used. It is worth noting that you can make peat pots yourself, but experienced vegetable growers recommend buying ready-made ones in specialized stores. They are quite affordable.

Making peat pots with your own hands

Features of growing cauliflower differ from those for other types of vegetables. The culture will give a much better quality crop if the seedlings are transplanted first into peat pots, and only then into open ground. If you do not want to buy them, then you can do everything yourself.

This will require the followingmaterials:

• lowland peat with an acidity level of no more than 6, 5;
• sawdust to which a small amount of ammonium nitrate solution is added (this will kill all bacteria and harmful organisms that can absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere);
• sand;
• fresh mullein, diluted with water in equal proportions.

To prepare the substrate, take one part of peat and sawdust, as well as 0.2 sand. As for fertilizer, a small amount is needed. It is very important not to overdo it with it, because otherwise the soil will turn out to be too dense and the root system will not be able to develop normally. Also, cauliflower, which is grown almost without the use of chemicals, adapts much faster to a new place if it is fed with any universal mineral fertilizer.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

This technology was invented relatively recently, however, it has already been able to prove its effectiveness. Peat tablets can be purchased at almost any grocery store. They are laid out in ordinary disposable cups and poured with warm water. After the tablets increase in size and acquire a loose consistency, seeds are planted in them. This method allows you to get very strong, strong and he althy seedlings.

Cultivation without picking

So, is it possible? Growing cauliflower from seeds can also be done without diving. Thisthe method is simpler, and the seedlings are of fairly high quality. The essence of the cultivation method is that the seeds are immediately planted in peat pots. But here it is better to use later varieties of cabbage.

The advantage of no-dive cultivation is that the planting material can be immediately planted directly on the bed. At the same time, the sowing density of seeds should be sufficiently high. To protect the cauliflower from the cold, metal arcs are installed along the edges of the hole, on which the film is pulled.

A few words about fertilizer

Cultivation of cauliflower in the open field can be carried out without the use of dressings. But in order for the yield, as well as the taste and useful qualities to be high, it is recommended to fertilize the vegetable several times in a timely manner. To do this, you can use a solution of ammonium nitrate or any other mineral fertilizers. Plants are watered with a nutrient solution under the root twice with an interval of 10 days after diving.

Seedling hardening

What is it for? If you live in a region with a cold climate, then in order for the cauliflower to survive the frost, it must be hardened. The preparation consists in the fact that approximately two weeks before the intended dive, the boxes with planting material are taken out into the street for several hours. And five days before planting, the seedlings should be placed in a greenhouse, in which they will stay immediately before planting in open ground.

General tips and tricks

If you follow the technology described in this article, you will get an excellent crop of cauliflower. Growing and caring for it in the open field will not take much time. The vegetable will delight you with a rich and high-quality harvest. Experienced vegetable growers advise not to make too deep holes when diving, and plants should not be planted very tightly relative to each other. Culture loves space, so there should be at least 25 centimeters between plants. Cabbage should be watered abundantly, but not too often to prevent rotting of the root system.

This, in fact, ends our article on how to grow cauliflower with your own hands. This is an amazing vegetable with great nutritional value, so you simply must plant it in your garden.