Let's find out if you need to pick off the lower leaves of the cabbage?

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

Cabbage has been grown in Russia since ancient times. For many centuries, the culture of

many varieties appeared, and gardeners learned to notice all the features of the ripening of a head of cabbage. Many summer residents are wondering: “Do I need to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage?” Let's figure it out.

The most common myth

At the end of summer, those leaves that are near the ground begin to cut off from the culture. At the same time, there is an opinion that the head becomes larger, since nutrients come directly to it. A bad example is contagious, as a result, by the end of August, the vegetable becomes bare in all the neighbors. So what's really going on?

Facts

Do I need to cut off the lower leaves of the cabbage? The roots of the plant supply the culture with water, in which minerals (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, and others) are dissolved. Leaves are a "factory" of organic substances. In the light, as a result of photosynthesis, they produce proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, that is, all the substances due to which the vegetable grows, increases the underground andabove ground parts. The warmer the weather, the faster all the necessary elements are produced.

The head of the vegetable we are considering is poured at the expense of the leaves. Do I need to cut off the lower leaves of the cabbage? No need: photosynthesis processes in autumn begin to go more slowly, all stocks are expensive. Therefore, you need to cut off only rotting or yellowed leaves, although they also outflow the necessary elements.

Cutting off the green leaves located near the ground, gardeners, on the contrary, reduce the yield, because they deprive the crop of some of the stored nutrients. In addition, when breaking off, cell sap is released, which attracts insects. Through micro-wounds, pests and pathogens enter the vegetable.

In addition, the green lower leaves of cabbage are a kind of plant protection from overheating and excess moisture. You should not cut them off in the fight against slugs and caterpillars - there are other ways that do not reduce the yield. It is necessary to resort to a "rough agricultural method" only if the leaves are dried up and do not participate in photosynthesis, or are affected by diseases. This will be discussed further.

Cabbage diseases

Like all cruciferous vegetables, cabbage is susceptible to various diseases, but we will only look at those associated with yellowing leaves.

Peronosporosis

The disease can affect seedlings, adult crops and testes. When infected, the lower leaves of the cabbage turn yellow and are covered with a small white bloom on the reverse side. The infection mayprogress on the leaves near the ground, so in this case they are removed or treated with a mixture of lime and sulfur in a ratio of 1:1.

Vascular bacteriosis

The disease begins with yellowing of the leaf blade. Gradually, the yellowness moves towards the middle, the veins become black and form a kind of grid. Further, the infection penetrates into the stalk and the fetus itself. When infected with vascular bacteriosis, the lower leaves must be removed in order to prevent the development of the disease.

So we considered the question: “Do I need to cut off the lower leaves of cabbage?” The answer is: don't, unless they are infected and yellowed.