Romanesco cabbage: photo, variety description, cultivation, reviews

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

Romanesco cabbage is a vegetable that has appeared in the diet of Russians relatively recently. In addition to its amazing and unusual shape, this cabbage has a unique set of minerals, vitamins, amino acids and nutrients. What is Romanesco, we will consider in this article.

Roman cabbage

Romanesco cabbage is one of the cultivar varieties that belongs to the same varietal variety as cauliflower. It got its name from the places of its origin, "Romanesco" is translated from Italian as "Roman".

Some sources claim that the history of cabbage can be traced back to the 16th century, but it is worth noting that it became widespread in international markets at the end of the 20th century. This cabbage in its appearance resembles cauliflower, but has a light green tint. The version that this species is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower has no confirmation in authoritative sources.

Variety description

Romanesco cabbage is an annual plant whose main distinguishing feature is its unusual shape. inflorescencesof this cabbage are arranged in the form of a logarithmic spiral, while their number exactly corresponds to the Fibonacci number. Carefully examining each bud of an inflorescence, you can see that it consists of a large number of small copies of itself. This self-similar form repeats many times, getting smaller and smaller.

A photo of Romanesco cabbage will help you understand this unique and amazing form of the plant. This variety contains a wide variety of nutrients and trace elements. Let's talk about them.

Vitamin content

This cabbage contains vitamin A, which helps the body fight various infectious diseases, has a positive effect on the he alth of the skin, hair and nails. Vitamin K contained in cabbage gives the body vitality and has a positive effect on blood clotting. Vitamin C has a good effect on the state of the circulatory system and improves the process of blood reproduction.

This cabbage contains B vitamins that improve blood circulation, as well as the functioning of the nervous system, increasing the metabolic rate. Vitamin PP normalizes cholesterol levels and prevents the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Ascorbic acid increases stress resistance and reduces the risk of respiratory diseases. The calcium contained in Romanesco cabbage strengthens teeth and bones, normalizes the work of the heart and its rhythm. iron, whichpresent in this vegetable, improves the functioning of the thyroid gland and improves immunity. Zinc improves regeneration processes in the body.

Other Benefits

In Romanesco cauliflower, in addition to the we alth of vitamins, there is a large amount of dietary fiber and minerals. Phosphorus, selenium and fluorine favorably affect the integrity of tooth enamel. Selenium is the body's protector against carcinogens and helps to better absorb dietary antioxidants. It is also found in cartilage and is essential for he althy joints.

Selenium is a component of enzymes that are responsible for cell detoxification. It also has a beneficial effect on the hormonal background, improves the functioning of smooth and skeletal muscles. Romanesco is a source of folic acid, which helps the body absorb minerals and vitamins obtained from other foods, and also normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Growing Romanesco cabbage

Before planting cabbage, you need to select and prepare a place for planting. The best soil for this type of cabbage is the soil in which potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers or onions previously grew. Where radish, turnip, cabbage or lettuce used to grow, Romanesco is not recommended to be planted.

The beds for seedlings should be located on the side of the site that has the best illumination. The soil itself should not have high acidity; alkaline soil is best suited for this cabbage. Forsoil preparation, it is recommended to make it liming by adding wood ash to it at the rate of up to 0.5 kg per 1 m22, and you can also treat the soil with compost.

Planting seeds of Romanesco cabbage

Sowing seeds is carried out in the middle or at the end of April. The air temperature in the room in which the Romanesco seedlings will be located must be maintained in the range from +20 to +22 ° С.

After 30 days, the sprout boxes should be moved to a cooler location with lighting controlled. If this is not done properly, the seedlings can stretch out. Watering seedlings is carried out as the top layer of soil dries.

After 40 to 60 days from the time of sowing, the seedlings must be transferred to a permanent place of growth and planted at a distance of at least 60 cm from each other. The distance between each row should be at least half a meter.

It is also worth taking into account the climatic conditions of the region and, depending on this, transplanting cabbage in order for the ovary of inflorescences to occur in early summer. The most suitable temperature for this is from +17 to +18 °С.

Cabbage care

Romanesco cabbage care is simple and does not require special knowledge and skills. She needs abundant watering, but it is necessary to ensure that the soil is not oversaturated with moisture.

It is necessary to periodically inspect plants and remove pests that may appear on them. Most often, Romanesco suffers fromattacks of caterpillars that destroy leaves. It is recommended to spray plants with special pesticides. You can also plant plants near Romanesco that repel insects, such as mint, garlic, marigolds or celery.

Periodically it is necessary to weed and loosen the soil around the plants, in order to avoid weeds and to enrich the soil with oxygen. The use of organic top dressings and mineral fertilizers is recommended, such as: superphosphate, mullein, potassium chloride, ammonium nitrate and others. For the entire growth period, top dressing is added no more than three times and in the same proportions as when caring for other varieties and types of cabbage.

Harvesting

Romanesco cabbage is harvested as the heads are fully ripe. If cabbage is planted at the beginning of summer, then in mid-October it will be possible to get a good harvest. There is no need to delay harvesting, as in this case Romanesco will lose its juiciness and taste, as well as the content of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in it will decrease.

The best time to harvest Romanesco is in the morning, before the cabbage has warmed up under the sun. After harvesting, it must be stored in the refrigerator for about seven days. It can also be frozen and eaten in winter, with little loss of nutrients.

Observing the technology and agricultural practices when growing Romanesco cabbage, you can get a good harvest in the middle of autumn. Cabbage does not require specific care when growing, so you do not have toput in a lot of effort. By growing Romanesco, you will get a real storehouse of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are beneficial to he alth.

Cabbage Reviews

Reviews about Romanesco cabbage speak for themselves, they are entirely positive.

As gardeners note, this cabbage can be steamed, baked in the oven, fried and boiled. It makes very tasty dishes, but most importantly, this amazing vegetable is good for he alth, as it is rich in vitamins, trace elements and other useful substances. In this regard, Romanesco is popular with professional athletes

• Romanesco cabbage is recommended for women in the postpartum period. As you know, many of them gain excess weight during pregnancy, which is very difficult to fight in the future. According to nutritionists, during this period, it is important for women to lose weight properly, since at the same time they are breastfeeding. In this regard, doctors recommend increased consumption of vegetables, and especially Romanesco cabbage. It helps to normalize metabolism, improve overall well-being and increase the activity of the body.
• Romanesco cauliflower grown in your own garden, thanks to its unusual appearance, can become its decoration. It can also be planted along with flowers in a flower bed. Moreover, it is unpretentious in cultivation, including in temperate Russian latitudes, and seeds are easy to find on our shelves.