Broccoli: features of cultivation in Russia
Broccoli is rich in biologically important vitamins: carotene (8 mg), thiamine (0.25 mg), riboflavin (0.27 mg), nicotinic acid (0.3 mg), tocopherol (2.0–3.0 mg), and also choline (81.1 mg) and phylloquinone (2.27 mg). Broccoli florets contain a significant amount of minerals. They contain mainly phosphorus, necessary for baby food (120 mg) and potassium (375 mg), which is much more than sodium (4 mg), which is beneficial for people suffering from high blood pressure.
Broccoli protein (4–4.8%) is not inferior to animal protein. In terms of the content and composition of amino acids, it is not inferior to chicken protein, and in a number of biological indicators it is equivalent to meat and milk protein.
In Russia, this variety of cabbage is little known, but interest in it is growing. 6 varieties and 7 F1 hybrids are registered in the State Register of Breeding Achievements.
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Broccoli is an annual cross-pollinating plant. The leaves are long-petiolate, lyre-shaped, with wavy edges. The plant forms a tall, thick, fleshy stem 40–70 cm high. The central shoot ends in a producing organ - the head, which is a bunch of flower buds on tender stems. The mass of the head is 100–600 g. The shape of the head is close to cauliflower, but its color is varied: green, bluish, purple, white. 8–10 days after flowering, the head begins to separate into flower clusters and loses marketability.
The fruit is a pod in which many small, round, dark brown or almost black seeds are formed.
Broccoli varieties are distinguished by the shape of the head. In early-ripening varieties, the central head is usually small and loose. At the same time, lateral heads are formed in the axils of the leaves. In late varieties, a large and dense central head is formed first. From the emergence of seedlings to the formation of a head, 75–100 days usually pass. Broccoli has a high ability to regrow: after cutting off the central head, side shoots produce new tender products. Broccoli interbreeds easily with other plants in the cabbage family.
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Broccoli can withstand frosts down to –7 degrees, especially in autumn. Too high and too low air and soil temperatures dramatically reduce yields and product quality. The optimal air temperature for cultivating broccoli is 16–25 degrees, air humidity 85%. Optimal soil moisture is 70–80% of the total field moisture capacity.
When soil moisture decreases to 50–55%, the stem becomes coarser, the formation of heads stops, and they begin to crumble. As a result, the yield decreases and the quality of the product deteriorates.
The most suitable soils for growing broccoli are fertile with a pH of 6.0–6.5. Broccoli is quite demanding in terms of the content of organic and mineral substances in the soil, since the root system is relatively small. Therefore, to obtain a high yield of heads, nutrients must be in the soil in an easily digestible form. Fertilizers are applied depending on the removal of nutrients by plants and their content in the soil. Broccoli has the greatest need for nitrogen fertilizers, especially in the first half of the growing season. With a sufficient supply of potassium fertilizers, broccoli will form dense heads.
VARIETIES AND HYBRIDS
The most common varieties and hybrids are:
The tone is early ripening. The period from mass germination to technical ripeness is 60–90 days. The leaf is small, whole, with a petiole, dark green with a bluish-bluish tint, medium waxy coating. The tissue of the leaf blade is slightly wrinkled, the edge is slightly wavy. The head is dark green, medium dense, 5–8 cm high. The heads are dense, large, weighing 160–250 g. The taste is good. Marketable yield is 1.6–2.2 kg/m2.
Young F1 – early ripening. The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaf is medium sized, green, with a wavy edge. The head is small, rounded-flat, green, medium-lumpy, loose. Head weight 200 g. Commercial yield 1.3 kg/m2. Recommended for use in home cooking.
Arcadia F1 – mid-season. The rosette of leaves is semi-vertical. The leaf is medium in size, dark green with a blue tint, the waxy coating is medium, the edge of the leaf is slightly wavy, the surface is slightly wrinkled. The head is dark green, dome-shaped, fine-grained, dense. Head weight 410–450 g. Taste is excellent. The commercial yield of the heads is 1.6 kg/m2. Resistant to elevated temperatures. Recommended for use in home cooking. The value of the hybrid: high yield, excellent taste, heat resistance.
Varnishes F1 – medium late. The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaf is medium-sized, lobed, gray-green with a waxy coating, slightly vesicular, slightly wavy along the edge, jagged. The head is medium-sized, rounded-flat, gray-green, finely lumpy, with a delicate texture, dense. Head weight 0.3–0.6 kg. Marketable yield – 1.5 kg/m2. Recommended for use in home cooking. The value of the hybrid: compact heads, excellent taste, long period of product receipt.
Monton F1 – mid-season. The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaf is medium-sized, gray-green with a strong waxy coating, slightly bubbly, jagged, wavy along the edge. The head is large, rounded-flat, gray-green, medium-lumpy, of medium density, there are no secondary heads. Head weight 0.9 kg. The taste is excellent. Productivity 3.1 kg/m2. Recommended for use in home cooking.
Fiesta F1 – mid-early. The rosette of leaves is vertical, with a medium outer stalk, there are no side shoots. The leaf is long, blue-green, slightly bubbly, strongly dissected. The head is medium-sized, rounded-flat, dark green, dense, medium-lumpy, partially covered with leaves. The taste is excellent. Marketable yield – 24 – 35.0 t/ha.
Corvette F1 – late ripening. The plant is medium in size, there is no branching. The leaf is straight or semi-straight, medium length. The leaf shape is broadly elliptical. The undulation of the edge is weak. The surface of the leaf tissue is smooth. The head is flat, medium size, medium density, dark gray-green. The surface of the head is fine-grained. Head weight 200–300 g. Marketable yield – 7.0–10.0 t/ha.
FEATURES OF OPEN GROUND GROWING
The best predecessors of broccoli are carrots, radishes, beets, legumes and potatoes. To avoid diseases and pest damage, broccoli should not be planted in areas after cabbage and other cruciferous crops.
Soil cultivation for broccoli begins with peeling. 12–15 days after peeling, plowing is carried out. In the fall, organic fertilizers are applied - 30–50 tons per hectare. In early spring, to prevent moisture loss, the area is harrowed.
To obtain early production, as well as high-quality products, broccoli is grown through seedlings in cassettes or peat pots. The seeds are sown in mid-March. To ensure that the seedlings are of high quality, they are grown in heated, well-ventilated greenhouses. During the day, the air temperature in greenhouses is maintained at 15–18 degrees, at night – 10–12 degrees. Shoots appear on the 5th day after sowing. Sow the seeds to a depth of 0.5–1 cm. While growing the seedlings, they are fed twice or thrice. The first feeding is carried out 10–12 days after picking, the second and third – 10 days later, one after the other.
The plant is planted in a permanent place at the age of 35–45 days with five to six leaves. Overgrowing seedlings is unacceptable, since it is difficult to obtain high-quality heads from them. Seedlings are planted in late April or early May. On heavy soils, broccoli is planted on ridges, on light soils - on a flat surface according to a pattern of 70 cm between plants, in a row - 30 cm, that is, 48 thousand plants per 1 hectare. On soils of high fertility, the number of plants per 1 hectare can be increased to 58 thousand. Broccoli seedlings are planted using transplanters.
Broccoli is successfully grown by sowing seeds in the ground according to a 70 cm pattern. The required plant density is achieved by thinning, leaving a distance of 20–30 cm between them for central heads, and 40–45 cm for side shoots. In large areas, broccoli is sown with calibrated seeds using precision seeders.
Caring for broccoli plants involves loosening the soil, hilling the plants, weeding, fertilizing, watering and protecting them from pests and diseases. The first loosening is carried out between the rows 4–5 days after planting the seedlings. The second and subsequent ones are carried out 12–14 days after the previous one to a depth of no more than 10–12 cm. It is advisable to loosen and hill up cabbage after watering. At the same time, an additional root system develops. Loosening is carried out until the plant leaves are completely closed.
Before the formation of heads, the plants are fed. The composition of fertilizers is determined based on agronomic standards, soil characteristics and conditions for plant growth and development. Broccoli has a fairly developed leaf apparatus, so it spends a lot of water on evaporation. High yields can be obtained with regular watering. The crop is especially demanding of moisture in the first period after planting seedlings in the field and during the formation of a rosette of leaves and heads.
The best time to harvest broccoli is early morning or late evening. Cut off the formed heads with a diameter of 8–25 cm (but the buds must be unopened). They are cut with a part of the stem 10–20 cm long, which is also eaten. The heads should not be overcooked - they become loose and their taste deteriorates.
After cutting the central heads, lateral stem formations grow from the resulting buds, on top of which, after two to three weeks, heads with a diameter of 4–6 cm are formed. To obtain massive growth of new shoots after cutting the central heads, good plant care is necessary, which consists of loosening the row spacing , fertilizing with mineral fertilizers, watering. The yield of broccoli reaches 5–6 kg per square meter.
Starting capital – from 500 thousand rubles.
Cabbage is one of the most common types in our country. Humanity mastered its cultivation many centuries ago; a significant part of our dishes include this ingredient. Cabbage is grown both by ordinary villagers for personal use and by large agricultural complexes for mass sale. And this is partly determined by the very high demand for this product - annual sales only confirm this. Therefore, it is not so difficult for entrepreneurs to find sales points for grown cabbage. All of the above has a positive effect on the entry threshold for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Registration moments
According to the law, it is determined that a farm must own at least 1 hectare of land - smaller areas of land are not subject to registration as an object of entrepreneurial activity and are considered a personal subsidiary plot. In the second case, there is no need to report taxes, and the crops grown on such a plot are mainly intended for personal use (some sell the grown vegetables, fruits and berries in markets or on roadsides). But a farm engaged in cultivation on an industrial scale is already necessarily registered as a peasant farm. Although no one forbids you to register as a legal entity or individual entrepreneur. According to OKPD 2 (All-Russian Classifier of Products by Type of Economic Activities), code No. 01.13.1 “Vegetable, salad or green crops” is used.
Territory
Once the registration aspects have been resolved, you should move on to finding land to plant. Almost any soil is suitable for ordinary garden cabbage (except for soil with a high content of sand and gravel). Cabbage is moisture-loving, so it is better to provide it with soil that retains moisture well. The acidity should be moderate or slightly acidic so as not to provoke some crop diseases. Almost all varieties of cabbage grow well even in soil with a high content of alkaline compounds.
Do not forget that any cabbage grows poorly in soil in which cabbage, turnip, mustard and similar crops were previously sown. This often leads to a number of diseases, and they also become a more “tasty” target for pests.
Taking into account all of the above, it is necessary to purchase about 5 hectares of land for a significant harvest. Please note that the most profitable enterprise with minimal risks is your own multifaceted multidisciplinary farming enterprise. This means that it is worth sowing not only cabbage - after a few years it is better to change the location for sowing, and use the vacated area for sowing some other crop.
If space allows, you can start growing not only vegetables, but also fruit trees, cereals, or even organize your own apiary. You can also try your hand at animal husbandry - you can use the grown crops to create feed. So, the ideal option is to grow cabbage and other crops together.
The average cost of annual rental of 1 hectare of land is 3.5-5 thousand rubles. (region and proximity to cities have a big influence). In total, 5 hectares of land will cost you 10 thousand rubles.
Varieties of cabbage
The Brassica family (Cruciferae) covers a wide range of different ones (most of them don't even look like cabbage, however, they are widely used in many industries). Of course, the most common of them is cabbage and its varieties: Brussels sprouts, broccoli and others. Widely used by humans as food and feed crops. You will not find oilseeds in this family - the seed is too small with a minimal percentage of fat content.
Also used in the medical industry (in particular, for the manufacture of various drugs), pharmaceuticals. Used to prevent a number of diseases. Humanity has been growing cabbage for centuries, for this reason you can find a huge number of varieties specially bred for specific needs, weather conditions and soil. When growing these crops, both classical (tractors, plows and walk-behind tractors) and special equipment - combines - are used. You can buy it, or you can rent it.
Cabbage
The most common variety in our country. Classified as Cabbage. It is the easiest to grow and sell. A 2-year-old plant that looks like a bush with wide leaves. Only cabbage leaves and heads of cabbage have value.
Cabbage is very rarely sown in pre-prepared soil - most often, seedlings are harvested 1-2 months before above-zero temperatures are established. You can get them from grains, or you can buy them at a specialty store. For 1 hectare you will need about 6 kg of seeds, the cost of 1 kg of seeds is 100-120 rubles.
Seedlings are germinated either in greenhouses or at home. Before planting crops, leave them for a short time in a place with slightly sub-zero temperatures - the so-called “acclimatization”. After preparation, they are transferred to previously prepared soil (which has already been loosened, moistened and fertilized). A mixture of organic and inorganic is perfect for fertilizer.
In the first week (in some cases this is done more often), the crop must be watered abundantly. Then the frequency of watering can be reduced, but it should be left at a high level.
From 5 hectares of land you can harvest about 125 tons of cabbage. The average cost for 1 kg is 8 rubles. Total, we get 8 rubles/kg * 125000 kg = 1 million rubles. At the same time, about 25 tons per 1 hectare is the yield of early varieties of cabbage; mid- and late-ripening varieties have a standard indicator of 50 tons. Naturally, their cost will be higher.
In parallel with growing cabbage, you can start fermenting it. Note that in addition to white cabbage, you can grow a large number of other varieties, which are gradually gaining popularity, and some of them are considered by buyers as a separate crop that has nothing in common with ordinary cabbage.
A striking example of this is cauliflower. It is often used as a dietary product. Its inflorescences are used for food; Moreover, they are fried, stewed, and are a component of vegetable mixtures. Cauliflower differs from white cabbage in having higher requirements for soil composition. Its seedlings require special conditions; the growing season is longer. At other points, the cultivation process is almost the same.
Brussels sprouts
Many consider it a separate vegetable. But from a botanical point of view, it is a variety of the Cabbage family. The cultivation technique is almost no different from growing ordinary cabbage. Brussels sprouts are grown only by seedlings. The average cost of 1 kg of Brussels sprouts is 300-400 rubles, the cost of seed material for seedlings is 6.5-8 thousand rubles. It tolerates dry conditions a little better (due to its more powerful rhizome), although it also loves moisture. This variety has increased resistance to temperature changes. The growing season is mid-to-late November, so sometimes the crop is transferred to greenhouse conditions for ripening.
A distinctive feature of white cabbage from Brussels sprouts is its size. The first grows with 1 head of cabbage, while the second consists of a large number of small heads of cabbage. Productivity – 22 tons per 1 ha. Accordingly, the yield for 5 hectares is 110 tons. Moreover, its cost is an order of magnitude higher than that of white cabbage - about 75-100 rubles/1 kg. Estimated profit – 8 million rubles. with a good harvest with a minimum percentage of defects.
Broccoli
A distinctive feature of broccoli from cabbage is that it is a 1-year-old crop (regular and Brussels sprouts are 2-year-old plants). One of the disadvantages is the very small frame for harvesting. This is because if you overexpose the broccoli, the flower will begin to bloom, and it gives it a not entirely marketable appearance. It also loses its beneficial properties relatively quickly. It is also much more difficult to store - it will be necessary to purchase powerful freezing units in case of long-term storage or to sell the harvest as quickly as possible.
The shelf life of collected inflorescences is no more than 2 weeks. For this reason, it is necessary to organize distribution channels in advance (preferably several months before harvest). Most experienced vegetable growers use the following method of selling their crops:
- The client independently comes to your lands;
- He also cuts a certain number of plants. Naturally, with the use of appropriate equipment, without using the manual labor of the consumer.
To maintain this unstable condition of broccoli, additional irrigation can be used in case of particularly dry weather conditions. In terms of yield, broccoli is almost identical to Brussels sprouts. The only difference is that broccoli has a higher yield - about 25 tons per 1 hectare. However, growing broccoli will be a little more expensive.
Results
The Brassica (or Cruciferous) family has been used by mankind for many centuries and is used in various industries. Cabbage and its varieties are widely used as a food crop as everyday and dietary components in many dishes. Even despite the huge difference in the cost of white cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli, it can be noted that the first variety is the easiest to grow. Income is also high, since the demand for it is huge.
Nowadays, types of cabbage such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts are gaining popularity. The reason for this is the massive transition of the population to a healthy diet, and these varieties are an excellent dietary product.
Business plan for growing cabbage
Cabbage is a particularly favorite vegetable in our country. You can prepare many different and delicious dishes from it. That is why the cabbage growing business will never lose its relevance, if, of course, you approach its organization wisely. If you are ready to devote a lot of time and effort to this activity, then the business will turn out to be very promising.
Before considering in detail an agricultural business plan from scratch, you should carefully consider some important nuances. Today the most popular types of cabbage are:
- white cabbage;
- blue;
- Beijing;
- broccoli;
- colored.
Large agricultural enterprises usually grow white and blue cabbage. Beginning entrepreneurs can try growing other types of cabbage, since it will be quite difficult for large enterprises to compete.
If you plan to grow cabbage on an area of less than one hectare, then such a business should be registered as a subsidiary farm. This will allow you not to register your activities and not maintain tax reporting. If you are planning large-scale cultivation of cabbage, then you cannot do without proper registration. LLC or individual entrepreneur - choose for yourself when developing a business plan.
What should the site be like?
The growing area should be level, with a slight slope possible. The soil can be sandy, loamy, clayey. It is optimal if cucumbers, onions, lettuce, and potatoes were grown in it before cabbage. Never plant cabbage in acidic soil to avoid diseases of this plant. The site must be sunny, since cabbage is very light-loving.
Cabbage Growing Basics
When drawing up a business plan, keep in mind that cabbage is not picky. She does not require any special care. In the first weeks after planting, watering once every three days is important, later - once a week. The main thing is not to overdo it with the amount of water. Cabbage should be fertilized a couple of weeks after planting. You can get by with regular mullein. The second feeding should be done immediately after setting the first heads of cabbage. Wood ash is used for this.
What makes a production plan successful?
If you plant cabbage early, you can get an early harvest of cabbage, which is more expensive than others. Before this, it is necessary to carefully prepare the soil. The earliest varieties can be harvested as early as May. The last harvest of late varieties of cabbage appears in October. If desired, you can achieve harvesting three times in one season. Of course, this will require certain knowledge and skills that are developed over time.
An alternative option would be to grow cabbage seedlings for sale. It is especially successfully purchased by summer residents and housewives. This line of business is low-cost. After all, you will not need to spend money on fertilizers and other integral components of the cabbage growing business.
Business plan: start, expenses, payback
The issue of investing in this type of business can be viewed in different ways. If you plan to earn a little extra money by growing cabbage, then you can get by with your own plot and small investments of up to 10,000-20,000 rubles. You just need to buy pots, a minimum of fertilizers and seeds of the desired varieties.
But if you decide to create a successful business plan from scratch and build a truly profitable business, then you cannot do without serious investments.
- If you do not have a plot of land available, then you cannot do without renting it. It will cost about 100,000 rubles (the amount can fluctuate up or down, it all depends on the region and area). If you use your own land to grow cabbage, then this expense item will disappear.
- Where to store cabbage after harvesting? Renting a storage facility may require up to 50,000 rubles.
- Watering and all necessary transport – 90,000 rubles.
- Buying seeds and everything you need to grow cabbage – 50,000 rubles.
- Payment for hired workers and all kinds of deductions - 300,000 rubles.
- Preparations for plant care, fertilizers - 50,000 rubles.
Ways to earn income
Products can be supplied to markets, shops, supermarkets, kindergartens, and schools. It’s great if you have regular customers. This will make your business stable. By selling cabbage collected from one hectare of land (about 500 centners), even at the purchase price, you can earn 200,000 rubles. The larger the plot, the greater the income. From 10 hectares of land you can make a profit of one million rubles, exceeding any annual plan.
This type of business is suitable for those who are willing to devote a lot of effort and time to its development. “I want” is not enough for a cabbage growing business from scratch to start making you a profit. We'll have to work hard.
Investments - from 20,000 to 700,000 thousand rubles.
Payback period – 1 season (depending on investment).
Average monthly profit is from 50,000 to 200,000 rubles (depending on the scale of the business).
Potatoes are our second bread, who would argue with that. But there is one more vegetable, without which crumbly potatoes lose a lot. Cabbage! By the way, it turns out that she can improve the budget too.
Comparative analysis
About 25 years ago, when a kilogram of cabbage cost 5-8 kopecks in the fall, there was no point in growing it. But now, when the price for 1 kg has approached the cost of a kilogram of bananas brought 10-15 thousand kilometers away, the attitude of summer residents towards its cultivation has changed. More and more cabbages are being planted. And since a small area is usually allocated for vegetables in summer cottages, we cannot approach the issue of yield irresponsibly. This means that it must be very high. So I started comparing cabbage varieties.
The main indicators that I assessed while conducting tests:
- productivity;
- high consumer qualities;
- disease resistance;
- resistance to cracking in rainy autumn (read tips on how to prevent cabbage from cracking);
- juiciness and sweetness in preparations.
For testing, I took the following mid-season and late-ripening cabbage varieties and hybrids:
- Boyarina F1,
- Snow White F1,
- Pudovaya F1,
- Victory F1,
- Moskovskaya late 15,
- Slava 1305.
For testing, I planted the main variety, which we used annually for the autumn harvest of cabbage, and two new varieties - 5 plants of each. I did this for three years. Then I tested two more varieties. Based on the results of the harvest, I selected the best variety that gave better results.
I used only purchased cabbage seeds from specialized seed farms.
If the soil is poor
Our land is not rich, almost only sand with a low organic content. I plant cabbage in an area where it has not grown for the last 4 years. In general, the best soil for cabbage is loam with a high content of nutrients and the ability to retain moisture well. We don't have this, so growing it becomes more difficult. Moisture can be retained by adding either clay components or a significant amount of humus. I chose the latter.
I allocate 7 square meters for cabbage. m, one plant occupies an area of 0.8 x 0.8 = 0.64 square meters. m. For every sq. m I add 10 kg of humus, a glass of ash and, if possible to buy, 25-30 g of nitrophoska. Based on the results of many years of experiments, I have established the following: the old, proven variety Moskovskaya late 15 has the greatest advantages, which meet the requirements formulated above. This variety is late-ripening and can be used both fresh and for pickling. The growing season is from 135 to 155 days after germination. This is one of the best varieties for pickling. Heads of cabbage are stored until December. It has outstanding productivity, but is not very frost-resistant and heat-tolerant, quite moisture-loving and demanding of agricultural technology. The average weight of a head of cabbage is 12 kg, the yield is up to 18 kg/sq. m.
How to feed cabbage seedlings
The Moscow late 15 variety is very common, so after several years of working with cabbage, I stopped growing seedlings from seeds. I began to buy seedlings at the market: I began to recognize this variety by the leaves, and by the appearance of the roots and leaves - the health of the seedlings. The required number of sprouts is not large, only 10-11 pieces, the cost of a dozen on the market is 20-25 rubles. plus 1-2 sprouts for free. The cost of seeds from specialized producers is of the same order. I plant seedlings on May 10-15, deepen the plants to the first leaves. At the first stage - 35-40 days - the seedlings should take root. I spray it with water several times during the day and shade it on sunny days. The distance between plants is 80 cm.
After planting, I water the cabbage twice a week, 6-8 liters per plant for two weeks, then water according to the condition of the soil.
At the second stage, when the sprouts are still small and the leaves do not cover the ground, fertilizing is important. Fertilize in accordance with all agronomy requirements (namely in the leaf phase: nitrogen - 3.5 g, phosphorus - 9 g, potassium - 2 g of active substance per 1 sq. m; in the ovary phase: nitrogen - 4 g, potassium - 4 g; in the head phase: potassium – 6 g) in our conditions is unrealistic. Therefore, I feed cabbage in the same way as all vegetables: 3-4 times during June and July. The first feeding is mullein (0.5 liters of slurry per bucket of water). The second is herbal infusion and 1 glass of ash per 10 liters of water. The third feeding with herbal infusion is done in mid-July. The fourth feeding is in mid-August, if nitrophoska is available: 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water.
Sanitary control
The most common cabbage pests are aphids, cabbage whites and cabbage cutworms. Since aphids most often and early appear on young shoots and shoots of cherries, apple trees, plums, viburnums and burdock stems, it is the shoots of these plants that I treat primarily with aphid preparations. And I plant cabbage as far away from them as possible. I look at the lower leaves from the underside of the leaf twice a week, and when aphids appear, I treat them from below with a spray bottle.
Everyone knows cabbage whites; they lay their eggs on the underside of the leaf. The most harmful insect to cabbage is the cabbage cutworm. This is a gray moth; it also lays eggs on the underside of the leaf. The caterpillars are green and thick. They eat through the forks, making deep holes, leaving a dark green discharge, making the cabbage unusable. The remedy for the larvae of this butterfly is spraying with an aqueous solution of ash and liquid soap: 2 cups of wood ash and 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap on Yul water."
Cabbage gets sick quite rarely. Healthy seedlings and planting in a new location often prevent clubroot and blackleg. Mucous bacteriosis occurs, but not often. During the growing season, it is necessary to water the plants at least twice from a watering can with a solution of potassium permanganate and pollinate with ash. Cabbage begins to grow actively in mid-August. At this time, it needs to be watered intensively - 15 liters per 1 square meter. m and at least once every three days - this is the time of tying heads of cabbage. Further, the need for watering depends on the condition of the soil and the amount of precipitation.
Both in cabbage soup and as a snack
Cabbage intensively gains mass during September and 2-3 weeks of October. At this time we already experience frosts down to -3...-50. After the cabbage gets frozen like this a couple of times, it stops tasting bitter.
In 2011, frosts came quite late. The second frost hit on October 27, and I harvested on the 29th. 11 forks were cut down. The weight of the smallest is 8 kg, and the largest is 15. The average weight of the fork is 9.2 kg, and the entire harvest weighed 101 kg. Productivity per 1 sq. m – 14.45 kg, this is a very good result.
We usually ferment cabbage from November 5 to November 15. The pickling method is close to the traditional old Russian one, only we ferment it not in oak tubs, but in enamel pans, then transfer it to three-liter jars. Cabbage for cabbage soup can be salted with carrots, with carrots and cranberries for eating raw before lunch, with apples, you can put it on cucumbers so that they are not too sour, salted together with coarsely chopped pieces of the same heads of cabbage. For people with low incomes, selling sauerkraut can help replenish the family budget, since the price of such cabbage is three times higher than fresh cabbage. A harvest of 1500 kg from 1 hundred square meters will allow you to get up to 100 thousand rubles! It is difficult to name another culture that would give such a result.
V. Belousov
Folk remedies for cabbage pest control
Fighting cabbage slug
Without a doubt, the naked slug is one of the most unpleasant and elusive enemies of cabbage, since it causes mischief mainly in the evening and at night, when there are no owners in the garden. That is why it is difficult to fight him. But I succeed, and here's how.
Pesticides, especially on early varieties of cabbage, cannot be used, therefore the range of means of influencing this pest is limited. And I fight it using more folk remedies.
As you know, slugs cannot tolerate high temperatures. Therefore, I always cover beds of early white cabbage with old transparent film. At night, the pest always gathers under it. During the day, the soil under the film is heated by the rays of the sun, and the slug dies, as it cannot withstand such a steam room.
This method is good for everyone for early cabbage, but it is completely unsuitable for mid-season and late-season cabbage. Because on hot summer days, plants may suffer from overheating of the roots. Taking this into account, in such a situation, instead of film, I use watering the plants with hot (about 60°) water, because slugs die already at a temperature of 40°. I carry out this watering at dusk, when the pest is already crawling onto the leaves, but there is still enough light to see it.
Slugs die as soon as hot water hits them, but cabbage does not suffer from it. In addition, after treatment with a hot shower, aphids and other pests of this crop disappear. (F. Ritchenko)
How to deal with cabbage bug
The larvae of this insect are capable of bringing a plant to death, and not only cabbage. The bug attacks turnips, radishes and other cruciferous vegetables.
First of all, before the bug flies, you need to use repellents - for example, sprinkle naphthalene mixed with sand or ash (1:5) around the neck of the plants, you can also sprinkle fluff lime with creolin (20:1) or tobacco mixed with soil or sand (1:1).
You can break branches of bushes, moisten them with creolin or kerosene and stick them around the bed. Since bedbugs are attracted to the juice of cruciferous plants, you can moisten sheets of paper with cabbage juice and hang them along the fence. The bugs will fly on them, not on the cabbage. (A. Chepkasova)
How to protect white cabbage from diseases and pests and what preparations are needed for cabbage?
Due to the long growing season, mid-season and late-ripening cabbage suffers the most from diseases and pests. The plants are usually attacked first by aphids. A whole range of means are used against it. You can also treat the seedlings with the systemic drug “Admire” (it is also suitable against cruciferous flea beetles).
Biological agents include chamomile and yarrow tinctures and Verticillin. In the second half of the growing season of mid-season cabbage, fungal and bacterial diseases begin, mainly vascular and mucous bacteriosis, against which biological preparations are used: “Gaupsin”, “Mikosan”.
Traditionally dangerous are turnip white caterpillars and cabbage fly larvae, nightshade miner, and fall armyworm. A drug approved for retail sale, Bliskavka (Indian production), is suitable against them. Calculation – 1-1.5 liters per 3-5 liters of water.
For late-ripening cabbage, it is effective to use the stimulating drug “Previkur”, which further protects against Fusarium wilt, as well as “Kornevin”, which improves rooting. When planting seedlings, under late cabbage it would not be a bad idea to throw the drug “Mukhoed” into the hole, and if there is a mole cricket, “Medvedtox”.
Sometimes anthills form around the beds. Their systematic destruction usually does not produce results. And in this case, the drug “Aardeater” will help (30-40 g per 10 m2). Dig up the anthill and scatter it. The preparation must be sealed by slightly moistening it. 2 weeks before harvesting late cabbage, you can spray the plants with Quadris (6 ml per 5 liters of water). It is effective against rot during crop storage. Since late cabbage is not immediately consumed as food (only after many months), such spraying is quite justified, with the exception of products for fermentation.
On a note:
When to harvest cabbage
Collect mid-late, and at the end of the month, late-ripening varieties of white cabbage. Only plants with unformed heads can be left until mid-October. Remove Brussels sprouts, savoy sprouts and red cabbage. If the fall armyworm spreads massively, treat the plants at the beginning of the month (20 days before harvesting) with Proteus. As they ripen, remove head and half-head varieties of Chinese cabbage.
Planting cabbage in a greenhouse
At the beginning of April, cabbage can be planted in a greenhouse. 7-10 days before planting, reduce watering and move the seedlings to a colder place for hardening. By this moment it should be 18-20 cm high, with 4-5 well-developed leaves, this is 35-45 days old. Water the seedlings 2-3 hours before planting to minimize root damage.
To stimulate root formation, you can water the cabbage with a solution of heteroauxin at the rate of 2 tablets per 10 liters of water. Place the root system of the seedlings removed from the pot (cassette) into a clay mash. Plant the cabbage in the holes up to the cotyledon leaves, tightly squeezing the soil around the roots. Pour 0.5-1 liters of water under each plant. To repel cabbage flies, sprinkle the ground around the plants with tobacco dust or ash at the rate of 20 g per 1 m2.
The cabbage ladies are thick in the aisles!
This year we sowed seeds of 15 varieties of cabbage of Belarusian, Dutch, Ukrainian and French selection
And all because every year is unique, and you can’t guess which variety will perform better. Foreign ones attract buyers with their appearance, but local varieties save them in a bad year. Among them, my favorites are the early-ripening Ilaria (cabbage is resistant to disease and cracking) and the late-ripening Avatar (ideal for pickling, good keeping quality).
Grew up? let's save it!
The farm’s bountiful cabbage harvest is stored in a ventilated storage facility at a temperature of 0…+1 degrees. The vegetable boxes were pre-treated with a copper solution - this is a universal remedy for rot and fungal diseases.
Let's start with seedlings
The farm tried to grow cabbage using both seedling and non-seedling methods. The first one turned out to be more profitable - then there is no need to sow. Seeds are sown in mid-February in cassettes (one seed in each cell) with peat, to which some trace elements and crushed coal (20% of the total mass) are added. The cassettes are kept in the nursery at a temperature of +20...+26 degrees until the sprouts have 2 cotyledon leaves. Then they are transferred to another greenhouse, lighter and cooler (+12...+20 degrees), so that the sprouts do not stretch.
During this time, the plants are watered and fed twice with microelements.
Roots - in a chatterbox
Cabbage is planted in the field in late April - early May, when the threat of night frosts has passed. The land is fertilized with rotted manure in the fall, and in the spring it is treated with a solution of copper and iron from a sprayer to prevent fungal diseases. Before planting, the roots of the seedlings are dipped in mash (clay, mullein, some preparation based on imidacloprid 1:1:1). The planting pattern for early-ripening cabbage is 15-20×70 cm, for mid-ripening cabbage - 30×70 cm, for late-ripening cabbage - 35-40×70 cm.
Looking at the leaves
Fertilizing begins when the plants take root. They are run by their daughter Anna, an agrochemist by training. “For each crop, I make up my own foliar feeding with microfertilizers,” says the young specialist. — For cabbage, proper nutrition in combination with dipping in mash is the best disease prevention. She definitely needs molybdenum and boron so that the heads of cabbage do not crack and are stored better. The number of treatments depends on the ripening period (for early cabbage there are usually 3 feedings, for mid-season cabbage - 5-6) and the condition of the plants. This is easy to notice by the leaves: if they turn yellow, they need nitrogen; turned blue or purple - low phosphorus; red, and there is also root rot - potassium is needed. Although there are many other factors: leaves can sometimes turn yellow from the cold, or turn blue because the soil has become compacted due to rain or irrigation, and the applied phosphorus is not absorbed. Therefore, you need to constantly monitor the growth of plants.
Cunning pests
For weeds, we usually treat the area with a small dose of herbicides (Butizan or a tank mixture of Salsa and Galera) at the beginning of growth, and then we weed it once by hand (then the plants close together). Treatments against pests - based on their appearance. Borey helps against cruciferous flea fleas, and against butterflies - a tank mixture of Actellik and Fufanon, to which I add saltpeter (10 kg per 200 l) for sticking. Last year we fought with a fly, this year we fought with a flea and thrips. Moreover, the pests have become more “cunning”: they hide in the stalk, as well as in the canals overgrown with weeds along the field, so it is better to remove weeds around the ridges.
According to analytical information, the cabbage production market accounts for approximately 8% of all vegetables grown in Russia. And it is noteworthy that of all the imported vegetables that are imported into our country, cabbage also takes up approximately the same percentage. But cabbage occupies a very small share of exports from Russia - only 0.3 percent of all vegetable crops exported from the country. That is, we can say with confidence that almost all the cabbage we grow is sold on the Russian market, for the needs of our residents.
Ordinary white cabbage is a very widespread product in our country. This biennial plant is classified as a subspecies of the Cabbage genus. The nutritional value of cabbage is very high, and depending on the variety of the plant, it contains the following elements: fats 0.1-0.7 percent, carbohydrates 5.2-8.6 percent, nitrogenous substances 1.2-3.8 percent. In addition to its nutritional benefits, cabbage contains a large amount of microelements and vitamins.
It contains a lot of calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. This vegetable is eaten in different forms, both raw and in other dishes. Cabbage is the basis of many dishes, such as borscht and cabbage rolls, as well as various vegetable salads. Since cabbage is very widespread in our country, it is quite possible to open your own business for growing and selling cabbage. And the scale of this business will be determined only by you, based on the market situation. This can be either the main type of your business or additional income.
Features of the cabbage growing business
And just looking at this point, it is very difficult to dispute the fact that cabbage is in good demand among our citizens. Why do Russians love this vegetable so much? Probably because cabbage can be stored for a very long time, has a very good yield and the ability to process it. Cabbage can be salted, pickled, stewed, made into salads and added to other dishes.
An important aspect in the process of growing cabbage is the fact that from the so-called “borscht set”, which includes potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, and so on, the costs of growing it are the lowest. And it is precisely because of this property that agricultural producers allocate considerable areas of their farms for planting cabbage. Although, like everywhere else, there are also some nuances here.
And they are associated precisely with not very stable profitability. And everyone who already grows or has grown cabbage says that a minimum period of 5 years for growing this crop will be profitable and correct. Prices for cabbage are constantly changing and can vary several, or even tens of times. This pricing depends on several factors, the main of which are the yield in a particular year, as well as the economic component, or, to put it simply, the economic situation in the country.
During periods of economic instability, the demand for cabbage increases (probably they cook more borscht and eat less meat) and manufacturers raise prices, and vice versa. And in the same year, prices for this vegetable can constantly change. To give specific examples, in 2011 cabbage cost 14 rubles per kilogram, and in 2012 the cost fell and was already 7 rubles. These are the price swings. There may also be seasonal price jumps, for example in the fall there is one price, but in the spring it is much more expensive or cheaper.
If you give some specific figures on the profitability of growing cabbage, then in one year they can be 500%, and in another they can be close to zero. Therefore, it makes sense to grow cabbage only in parallel with other agricultural products. And no one in Russia specifically grows cabbage. With properly organized organizational issues and product sales issues, profitability on average reaches 50%. And this is a pretty good result.
The first place in Russia in cabbage cultivation is occupied by the Central Federal District (24%), followed by the Volga and North Caucasus federal districts. In general, cabbage is an unpretentious plant, but for its good harvest the soil must be enriched with various minerals, the main of which is nitrogen. Cabbage needs moist soil, but if there is too much moisture, then it begins to crack.
The area under cabbage occupies approximately 35% of all areas in the Southern, Central and Western regions of Russia. Almost all cabbage grown in the Southern region goes to markets in other regions of the country, and from the Central and Western regions it is used for its own needs. Different varieties of cabbage are grown in different regions. In the southern region, due to the warm climate, early varieties are grown, and in other regions, mid-early and late varieties of white cabbage are grown.
Cabbage, in addition to all its qualities, also has very good productivity. Thus, from one hectare, under favorable weather conditions, yields can reach 300 centners per hectare, while other vegetable crops produce a maximum of only 140 centners. The highest yield of white cabbage is in the Leningrad region, and as much as two times higher than the average throughout Russia. The Moscow and Novosibirsk regions show good results.
As mentioned above, the main risks when growing cabbage are related to weather conditions. Cabbage especially does not like drought, and many farmers practically lose their crops in such years. But those who managed to somehow save the harvest receive huge profits this year.
Since in recent years many programs have appeared to support farms, and the state has begun to pay more attention to agriculture, accordingly many people have appeared involved in growing vegetables. The market became more saturated with products and there was a threat of oversaturation, and as a result, a strong reduction in prices. Although, according to experts in agriculture, it is too early to talk about this, it is still worth keeping in mind. And it is very difficult to make forecasts on how and where the market will move, since there are a lot of factors influencing this.
Cabbage growing methods
In order to grow cabbage, there are two completely different ways. The first is seedling, and the second, accordingly, is non-seedling. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. But recently, they have increasingly begun to use the method of direct sowing of seeds in the ground. For this purpose, special pneumatic seeders are used. And this greatly reduces the time for sowing, facilitates work and, one might say, optimizes all the work.
But in this case, such a parameter as the quality of the seed comes to the fore. And there are certain difficulties with it, since in Russia, unlike the Soviet Union, there is practically no such direction as the selection of vegetable crops. It is very difficult for modern farmers to find good quality seed material, and they have to order it from abroad.
It is not profitable to make cabbage seeds yourself, since cabbage is a biennial plant and its seeds grow only in the second year of being in the soil.
Almost 85-90 percent of all seed material for growing cabbage comes from Europe. Basically, this is material of excellent quality and with good characteristics of seed purity and germination. European breeders are interested in cooperation with our market, and guarantee the resistance of seeds to our climate conditions and provide all kinds of advice on various issues.
When choosing white cabbage seeds, you need to look at indicators such as germination, resistance to diseases and pests, shelf life and yield. Also important are the taste qualities of the product and the composition of vitamins and microelements. Seed material can be stored for five years, but it is still better to use it immediately to avoid spoilage.
These rules should be followed when purchasing seeds:
Buy only well-known and tested varieties, and buy a little new product for testing.
Cabbage varieties must be suitable for the climate of the region where your fields are located.
Perform all experiments with seed material on a small area, and if successful, apply it to all crops next year.
Before purchasing seed materials, make sure that it has all the necessary quality certificates. Buy only from trusted companies with recommendations from farmers experienced in this matter. You shouldn't buy a pig in a poke.
If you are completely new to this issue, then study the forums, talk to manufacturers, and only then purchase seeds.
This way you can prevent any surprises and disappointments from low-quality seed. It's better to be safe once. When sowing seeds directly into the soil itself, the cabbage roots penetrate very deeply into the ground and protect it from lack of moisture, so special attention should be paid to the soil for planting cabbage.
The soil must be free of weeds, loose and fertile, and this is the only way you can get an excellent harvest.
Almost all varieties of white cabbage are grown by seed. Sowing is done in early spring, when the soil is moist. Before planting, the seeds are first calibrated and soaked for disinfection in hot water, and then cooled. To automatically sow cabbage, all seeds are mixed with dry fertilizer. Granular superphosphate is mainly used, which promotes good development of the plant's rhizome and makes the sowing process more uniform.
Cabbage seeds are planted in the ground to a depth of two to four centimeters. And this is the optimal sowing depth, since with deeper sowing, cabbage sprouts are more difficult to break through and can be weak and very sparse. If you plant at a depth of less than two centimeters, then the seeds will not have enough moisture, due to the fact that the upper crust of the soil dries out quickly. And without moisture, seeds will take a very long time to germinate.
After the seeds have sprouted, the cabbage must be thinned twice. During the first thinning, the two strongest sprouts are left, and during the second, one is also the most developed. In those places where cabbage has not sprouted, replanting is done with sprouted material.
In order for cabbage to develop and grow well, it needs timely watering, and this is especially important in times of drought. When you replant material, you need to water the new material daily, and in especially hot and dry weather twice a day. After the new shoots have taken root and established themselves in the soil, they switch to watering the entire field about twice a week.
One plant needs approximately one liter of water, and during the period when heads of cabbage are set, this norm is increased to 3-4 liters per unit. These standards are given for climatic conditions that are characterized by such expressions as drought. If it rains, then a situation is possible when you can do without watering. In any case, it is necessary to look at the condition of the soil, and only then make a decision about watering.
The development of cabbage of mid-season varieties begins in August, and the most rapid growth of heads of cabbage occurs in September. Cabbage harvesting begins around the end of October, when light frosts have already begun. These frosts are not at all dangerous for the cabbage, but on the contrary, they contribute to the formation of sugar in the heads of cabbage, and the cabbage improves its taste.
During planting and during almost the entire ripening period of cabbage, one should not forget about fertilizers. For a good harvest, you should do about 2-3 feedings. The closest attention should be paid to the fertilizing process at the very beginning, in early spring, when there are very few nutrients in the soil, and at the time of intensive growth of stems and setting of heads of cabbage. At the moment when active leaf growth begins, cabbage needs nitrogen fertilizers, and the very first fertilizing with fertilizers is carried out approximately on the tenth day after the first thinning.
Most often, the seedless method of growing cabbage is used, and it has both its disadvantages and advantages.
Firstly, it is choosing a suitable field and preparing the soil for sowing. Secondly, this is the need for constant care at the initial stage, thinning, and pest control.
The method of growing cabbage using seedlings allows you to plant the required area very precisely, but a lot of costs are incurred on the seedlings themselves, so it is used very rarely. This method is effective for small crop areas, up to approximately one hectare.
If you decide to start growing cabbage, then you need to take into account the fact that cabbage is the first crop in the crop rotation, so next year it needs to be planted in a new place. Good predecessors for planting white cabbage include tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and carrots. It is customary to plant cabbage in the same area at intervals of 3-4 years to allow the soil to recover. And it is very important to maintain this time when the soil is highly acidic. A bad option would be to sow cabbage seeds in a field where turnips, rutabaga or radishes were previously grown, since these vegetables have the same diseases and pests as cabbage, and can provoke them on cabbage.
We will not focus our attention on the method of growing cabbage using seedlings; we will only tell you about a new effective method of growing the seedlings themselves. It is called “cassette technology for growing seedlings.” In this way, mainly early and early ripening cabbage is grown. Special cells measuring 15 by 30 centimeters are made from polymer material. For early seedlings, devices are made for 14 cells, and for late seedlings, for 64 cells.
One cabbage seed is placed in each cell, deepening it by 2-4 centimeters, just as with regular sowing. And these cells are placed on special racks in the greenhouse. The seedlings in the greenhouse are constantly watered and the temperature and humidity are monitored. The approximate ripening time for such seedlings is 50 days. And there is no need to pick it up and replant it.
After the seedlings are ready, they begin the process of transplanting them into the ground. This happens in different regions at different times. At the beginning of March, seedlings are planted in the soil in the steppe zone, at the end of March - beginning of April in the forest-steppe zone, and in woodland the process of planting in the ground occurs in mid-April. As we have already said above, using the seedling sowing method allows you to save on seeds and get a good and early harvest, but all these advantages are crossed out by the main disadvantages - labor intensity and high costs. But this is not acceptable for business.
Costs and income in the cabbage growing business
Since we are businessmen, we are interested in knowing how much money will be spent on this area of farming. First of all, we need the land itself where we will grow our cabbage. It is most profitable to rent land, since purchasing it will be very expensive and you will not be able to recoup the costs. The cost of land varies across Russia and varies depending on the region. In addition to land, there will be costs for seed material, water for irrigation and electricity. If you grow seedlings, you will need to build greenhouses, which has additional costs.
Since there is no point in growing only cabbage, you probably have equipment for cultivating the land, so we cross out this expense item. Your final income will largely depend on how much area you plant with white cabbage. The cost of cabbage can vary greatly from year to year, so if you plan to grow cabbage, then count on a minimum 3-4 year cycle.
Only then will you be able to calculate all expenses and income and reach an average of 40-50 percent per annum. To make the correct calculation, subtract from your profit all expenses for this type of activity, including such items as the purchase of seeds, fertilizers, human factors and others.
Building a greenhouse for seedlings, if you use this method, is a one-time expense, so it is not included here. Summing up, we can draw the following conclusion: growing white cabbage is beneficial for existing and established farms, as another source of income, but there is no prospect of dealing with cabbage alone.
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