Today, Brussels sprouts are grown mostly in areas with moderate summer temperatures and warm, long periods of time. autumn period. These are the conditions that correspond biological features this vegetable crop and contribute to obtaining good harvest.
Brussels sprouts is a biennial herbaceous crop. The height of the plant varies from 20 to 60 centimeters.
At the stage of growing Brussels sprouts seedlings, the plant forms a stem part with long-petioled, spreading, entire leaves.
At the next stage of cultivation, large buds are formed in the leaf axils - heads of cabbage, which have a round shape. Their weight rarely exceeds 15 grams, and the total yield from each properly grown plant can be 500 grams.
Brussels sprouts are considered a cold-resistant plant and are quite tolerant of short-term frosts down to -6ºC. Setting and high-quality filling of fruits requires an optimal temperature background - at the level of 18ºС. At temperatures above 25ºC, growth and fruit formation slow down. Due to the climatic preferences of Brussels sprouts in the country, they should be grown in open-air beds.
Planting methods
Proper planting and proper care of this vegetable crop allows you to grow a high-quality crop of Brussels sprouts.
Sowing of seeds is carried out in the last days of March or at the very beginning of April. High-quality seedlings obtained when grown on glassed balcony or in a heated greenhouse, which helps ensure optimal temperature levels.
Temperatures at night should vary from 6 to 8 degrees Celsius, and during the day the temperature should be approximately 20 degrees. Before emergence the temperature environment should be maintained at 2 degrees Celsius.
The first seedlings appear on the fourth day. Peat-humus planting pots are suitable for planting.
Seedlings need regular watering and feeding mineral fertilizers. The room where seedlings are grown should be ventilated. Picking is carried out one and a half months after sowing the seeds.
Cultivation is carried out on loamy, organic-rich and deeply cultivated soils. Agricultural techniques for growing Brussels sprouts should be carefully observed, including mandatory care and feeding measures.
How to grow Brussels sprouts (video)
Features of caring and feeding cabbage in the garden
- Growing Brussels sprouts should be accompanied by the necessary measures to prepare the soil in the fall. It is necessary to vigorously loosen and dig up the soil, and then apply required amount organic and mineral fertilizers.
- The autumn application of superphosphate, potassium fertilizer, manure or peat compost has a very good effect on the growth and health of the grown Brussels sprouts and contributes to the production big harvest large and even heads of cabbage.
- Before spring planting it is necessary to loosen the soil again and enrich the soil for planting with urea.
- It is most convenient to form planting beds after the soil has been thoroughly moistened.
- If it was not possible to carry out high-quality fertilization of the land in the process autumn preparation, then you can add fertilizer to the holes dug for planting cabbage seedlings.
- When grown in open ground, the ridges are formed by the beginning of May, and the holes are arranged according to a pattern of 50 x 50 centimeters.
- Brussels sprouts are vegetable crops with a long growing season, which reaches five months, and it would be justified to plant earlier ripening crops in the rows, which will already form a harvest before the cabbage begins to bear fruit.
- For fertilizing that is done no more than once a week, it makes sense to use fertilizers that contain the same percentage of phosphorus and nitrogen.
- Caring for Brussels sprouts includes regular watering.
- This type of cabbage has a fairly high shoot and requires hilling measures to provide support to the stem.
- In order for the root system to receive the air necessary for full development, soil loosening should be carried out periodically.
- If necessary, weeding is carried out, without which the care of any plant is considered incomplete.
- We should not forget about the need to pinch the stem tip or remove the rosette apex one and a half months before harvesting.
Diseases and pests
Among the common cultural diseases are the following:
- blackleg;
- clubroot;
- mucous bacteriosis;
- downy mildew.
Pests to watch out for:
- cruciferous flea beetles;
- cabbage flies;
- snails and slugs;
- cabbage scoop and white cabbage.
Therapeutic and preventive measures are similar to control methods effective against pests for other cabbage crops. At the initial stage of a disease or lesion, as well as for preventive purposes, folk herbal remedies can be used.
It helps to protect plants not only by taking all measures for high-quality pre-sowing soil preparation and using disinfection compounds after harvesting, but also by observing crop rotation in the beds.
Brussels sprouts can be grown after green manure, carrots, potatoes, onions, legumes, grain crops, and cucumbers. It is prohibited to plant crops on ridges where cabbage, beets, tomatoes, turnips, radishes or radishes were previously grown. You can return Brussels sprouts to an already used bed no earlier than after four years. Compliance with this rule will insure the plant from damage by a significant part of the pests and diseases common to all cabbage crops.
Harvesting and storage rules
Harvesting of the ripened crop is carried out selectively and begins in mid-September. At the very beginning, the lower cabbage heads ripen and must be broken off. The final cleaning takes place in early November, after the cold weather sets in.
Planting Brussels sprouts seedlings in open ground (video)
Stems with ripe inflorescences separated from the root system can be stored in a cool room for about three months. Individual cabbage heads can be processed or frozen immediately.
Brussels sprouts, like any other crop, have cultivation characteristics. By following them, you will get a wonderful vitamin harvest.
Preface
Brussels sprouts seedlings are grown by many gardeners in our country. This biennial crop is one of the most frost-resistant and unpretentious plants. In addition, the vegetable is one of the long-ripening species. How to grow previously sown seedlings - let's look at the propagation process in detail.
To obtain and grow vegetable seedlings, you need to plant seeds. The best time for this purpose the period will be from the second ten days of March to the first ten days of April. The main problem that gardeners face is the need to provide seedlings with a suitable night temperature. At night, it should be 6–7 °C, while during the day the optimal temperature is 15–16 °C. Due to this suitable place for young seedlings there will be a heated greenhouse or a glazed balcony. Avoid sudden changes in air humidity. Keep this figure at 70%.
Harvesting Brussels sprouts
Before planting the seeds, warm them in hot water for 20 minutes. After this, the seed is dipped in cold water, and then kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for about 10 hours. After this, rinse the seeds and place them in a refrigerator drawer for 24 hours. Finally, dry the seeds. Brussels sprouts should be sown in a container with soil to a depth of no more than 2 cm. A mixture of the following components is suitable as a soil for sowing:
- 1 part wood ash;
- 1 part sand;
- 1 part of turf land;
- 1 part peat;
- 100 g of mineral fertilizers.
Before planting, be sure to spray the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate. When sowing, maintain distance between seeds. The distance should not be less than 5 cm. After sowing, cover the container with glass. The first shoots, as a rule, appear already on the fifth day. Immediately after this, the glass must be removed and adhered to temperature regime described above.
In order for Brussels sprouts to grow quickly, they need to be watered regularly and loosen the soil. The soil with seedlings must be kept moist at all times. At the same time, the soil should not be over-moistened so that the seedlings do not get sick with blackleg. There is no need to water the soil for the first 15 days after emergence. After this, moisten the seedlings as needed.
In the soil previously prepared for sowing, the crop is grown until two cotyledon leaves appear on the stems. As soon as they are formed, you can start picking seedlings. This is very important stage breeding Brussels sprouts - it gives the plant roots the opportunity to grow and develop before transplanting into open ground.
Young cabbage seedlings before planting
Immediately before planting into separate containers, treat the soil with seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As soon as the soil absorbs the product, carefully take the seedling at the base of the stem and carefully remove it along with the earthen lump. After this, place the plants in a separate pot. If there is such a need, then you can shorten the central root. After transplantation, plants need feeding. Fertilizers should be applied no earlier than two true leaves appear on the stem. For fertilizer, prepare a solution from:
- 30 g superphosphate;
- 15 g of potassium sulfate;
- 25 g ammonium nitrate;
- 9 liters of water.
After 15 days, fertilization must be repeated. To do this, 65 g of superphosphate, 25 g of potassium sulfate and 40 g of ammonium nitrate are diluted in 10 liters of water. After each fertilizing, the soil must be watered with settled warm water. About 15 days before planting in open soil, the plants begin to harden off. To do this, pots with seedlings must be taken outside. First keep them outside for an hour, after 2-3 days increase the time spent outside to 90 minutes.
Many beginning gardeners think: “I already long time I grow crops. When will the time come to replant it in open soil? The answer is very simple - vegetables are planted when they reach 5 true leaves. This typically occurs between late May and mid-June, although timing may vary depending on the specific region. Brussels sprouts “adore” sunny areas in the southern part of the garden. It is very good if carrots, potatoes or green manure have sprouted in the garden before. At the same time, if beets, tomatoes and daikon were grown on the site, then the seedlings can be planted here no earlier than after 3 years.
Planting Brussels sprouts in the ground
A week before planting the plants in open ground, you need to stop watering them. Immediately before picking, moisten the seedlings generously.
The soil for seedlings should be loamy. The area for picking must be prepared in the fall. To do this, the soil is dug up to the depth of a shovel. If the soil is too acidic, then lime must be added to it. In spring, the soil needs to be fertilized. To do this, add a bucket of humus or compost for each m2. When transplanting, you need to add a teaspoon of urea, superphosphate and 1 cup of wood ash into each hole.
For picking this crop, as well as for, it is best to choose cloudy days, or do the procedure in the evening, immediately after sunset. When working, maintain a distance between holes of 50 cm. The row spacing should be at least 60 cm. The depth of the holes should be slightly greater than the length of the roots of the seedlings.
It is very important to adhere to several rules. Firstly, the garden bed should be regularly sprinkled with wood ash - this will protect the bushes from the cruciferous flea beetle. There is a step-by-step algorithm for depositing funds. The first time this is done a month after diving into open soil. Sprinkle the soil a second time after another 4 weeks. The third stage is completed a month later. Plants do not need to be hilled, as this will damage the side heads. 2 weeks before harvesting, pinch the tops of the stems and cut off the rosette leaves. This will help the cabbages gain the desired weight.
Feeding Brussels sprouts seedlings
This crop requires regular watering. During the growing season, the bushes need to be watered at least 10 times. In this case, the water consumption should be 20–30 liters per m2. If it often rains outside, then watering should be reduced or stopped for a while. Also pay great attention to fertilizing. The first time mineral fertilizers are applied a week after planting in open ground. In this case, you should spend 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska for every two bushes. The second time, fertilizing is applied after heads of cabbage appear on the stems. To do this, dissolve 30 g of potassium sulfate, 40 g of superphosphate in a bucket of water and add 1 tablespoon of nitroammophosphate. When feeding, use 100 ml of solution for each bush.
Vegetable pests - how to protect your garden bed?
Almost all cruciferous crops have common enemies. Among the latter, it is necessary to highlight the cruciferous flea beetle, sprout and cabbage flies, babanuka and. These insects are considered the most dangerous due to their number and effect on the bushes. Thus, a flea beetle can destroy half the crop from a garden bed in a matter of days, eating leaves suitable for human consumption.
To protect your garden, first of all you need to carry out preventive measures. These include strict adherence to all rules for planting and growing vegetables, timely removal of weeds and loosening of the soil. Also, for preventive purposes, we recommend planting coriander, potatoes, dill or tomatoes around the perimeter of the garden bed. They will help repel insects. If this does not help prevent the appearance of pests, then you need to try to cope with them using folk remedies. Hazardous chemicals are used only as a last resort.
Among folk remedies ground pepper stands out, wood ash And slaked lime. By pouring them into the rows, you can scare away pests from your garden bed for a long time. We also recommend using naphthalene in an amount of 50 mg per 5 m2. Remember that cabbage pests do not tolerate watering. Therefore, do not allow the bed to dry out and moisten the soil in a timely manner.
Brussels sprouts do not develop a head from the apical bud, but they do develop many small heads in the leaf axils.
The plant forms a stem 20 to 60 cm high, on which long-petioled spreading leaves grow. On the stem, in the axils of the leaves, large oval-shaped buds - heads of cabbage - weighing 8-19 g each are formed. In total, from 20 to 70 heads of cabbage, slightly larger in size, are formed on the plant. walnut. In traditional varieties, heads of cabbage do not form on plants simultaneously, so they can be collected gradually, over several months. Up to 0.5-1 kg of heads of cabbage are removed from each plant.
Brussels sprouts are a cold-resistant vegetable crop that can tolerate short-term frosts down to -5...7°C. From the emergence of seedlings to the formation of the harvest, it takes from 130 to 150 days.
Nutritional value of Brussels sprouts
Heads of Brussels sprouts are a tasty dietary dish; they contain a significant amount of easily digestible proteins (up to 6-7 mg%), carotene, ascorbic acid(up to 160 mg%), vitamins B1 and B2, PP, carbohydrates, fiber, enzymes, minerals and other biologically active substances. Brussels sprouts contain several times more protein, ascorbic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus than other types of cabbage. This explains its high taste and nutritional benefits.
Heads of cabbage are used whole, without cutting into pieces, for preparing cabbage soup or main courses - they can be boiled, stewed with butter or meat.
Unwanted Elements
Many varieties of Brussels sprouts contain noticeable amounts of isothiocyanates.
Brussels sprouts can accumulate the most a large number of nitrates from all cabbages (up to 3500 mg/kg, with a maximum permissible concentration of 300 mg/kg).
In general, the reason for the appearance of nitrates is an imbalance of mineral nutrition, which inhibits the biosynthesis of complex organic nitrogen-containing compounds.
The accumulation of nitrates in cabbage occurs:
1) in insufficient lighting;
2) during dry periods;
3) when alternating drought with floods;
4) with a lack of potassium fertilizers;
5) when the dose of potassium exceeds the dose of phosphorus;
6) on acidic soils (pH below 5).
Varietal characteristics also influence the accumulation of nitrates.
Growing Brussels sprouts
Accommodation
An open but sheltered area from the wind is usually allocated for Brussels sprouts. It is advisable that it be sunny and only slightly shaded. The soil must be well compacted so that plants that reach a height of 1 m or more are securely anchored. On light soils, they are lightly hilled to form additional supporting roots. To better secure plants in open areas, supports are used.
Well-moistened areas are suitable for Brussels sprouts, even low, cold areas that are unsuitable for many other crops. The soils are loamy, moisture-absorbing, rich in humus. Optimal acidity is neutral or slightly acidic (up to pH = 6.0). The best predecessors are potatoes, beets, carrots. Predecessors - vegetable crops except cruciferous vegetables.
Preparing the soil for growing Brussels sprouts
Autumn tillage comes down to removing residues from the previous crop, light loosening, and after 10-15 days, deep digging of the soil.
Fresh manure should not be applied to Brussels sprouts as this can cause active growth leaves and the formation of loose heads; Excess nitrogen causes disease (rust spots). But Brussels sprouts require more phosphorus and magnesium than other types of cabbage. On poor and average soils, organic fertilizers are applied in the form of humus in the spring along with mineral fertilizers.
For 1 sq. m add 40-50 g of superphosphate, 30-40 g of ammonium nitrate and 30-40 g of potassium sulfate. Organic fertilizers are applied in the form of humus on poor or average soil fertility in a dose of up to 5-6 kg per 1 square meter. m ridges in the spring along with the entire annual norm of phosphorus and half the dose of nitrogen and potassium. The rest of the fertilizer is given in fertilizing.
Brussels sprouts grow well in fertile soil. In late autumn, the soil is well manured and dug to a greater depth. In May, and a week before planting, the area is dug up again, adding full mineral fertilizer (60-70 g/sq. m), and watered with a solution of potassium permanganate (1-5 g per 10 liters of water, 3-4 liters per sq. m.). m).
Growing Brussels sprouts seedlings
To grow in open ground without shelter, Brussels sprouts are sown indoors at the end of March with planting on ridges in late April - early May (at the age of 35-45 days). When growing seedlings in pots, the ripening time is reduced by one to two weeks, and the heads of cabbage are larger. Cabbage is a light-loving plant, and with a lack of light, the seedlings become very elongated and the stem weakens. Therefore, it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings taking into account the possibility of providing sufficient lighting at a temperature not exceeding +18...20°C. If it is difficult to achieve such conditions at home, then you can sow an early variety of Brussels sprouts under film on April 10-15 in a well-lit, heated place.
The optimal temperature for germination of cabbage seeds is +16...18 °C, for seedling growth +14...18°C during the day and +8...10 °C at night.
Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. Before sowing, the seeds must be warmed up for 20 minutes hot water(+50°С), cool at cold water and placed in a solution of microelements. Seed disinfection helps prevent many seed-borne cruciferous diseases.
Seedlings in the phase of well-developed cotyledons are thinned out at a distance of 4-6 cm from each other or pricked at a distance of 7x7 cm. One stronger plant is left in the pot, and the second is removed.
To increase growth, anti-stress activity, as well as resistance to diseases, 10 days after sowing and 5 days before planting seedlings on permanent place the soil is treated with a 0.015% solution of sodium humate.
Seedlings are fed 2 times: once in the phase of 2-3 true leaves and a second time in April, 3-5 days before planting in the ground. For feeding, 15 g of urea, 30 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium chloride are diluted in 10 liters of water. For one plant, for the first feeding, use 150 ml (three-quarters of a glass).
7-10 days before planting seedlings in open ground, they are hardened off, i.e. withstand more severe conditions: increase ventilation, reduce temperature, reduce watering.
When and how to plant Brussels sprouts seedlings
Seedlings are planted in the ground at the end of April - May. Plants are placed freely on the site, at a distance of 90 cm between plants and between rows. If you want to get heads of equal size with simultaneous ripening, they are planted more often - every 75 cm. Plants are planted so that the first leaf is at soil level.
On the eve of planting, seedlings are watered abundantly to minimize root damage. Before planting seedlings, it is recommended to dip the roots in clay mash (1 part clay to 1.5 parts water), preferably with the addition of root formation stimulants (Heteroauxin, Kornevin), 0.3-0.4% Fitolavin-300 solution to protect against blackleg and bacteriosis.
Chalk and a handful of humus are added to the planting holes, and the holes are watered with a suspension of the biological product Nemabakt to combat cabbage fly.
Each plant is planted in a hole up to the cotyledon leaves, tightly squeezing the roots with soil. To protect against cabbage flies, “collars” of polyethylene film or thick cardboard.
0.5-1 liters of water are poured under each plant. An hour or two after watering, the surface of the soil is sprinkled with dry soil.
To repel cabbage flies, the day after planting cabbage, sprinkle the soil around the plants within a radius of 4-5 cm with tobacco dust or a mixture of it with freshly slaked lime or ash (1:1). For 1 sq. m consume 20 g of this mixture.
Plant care
When grown in light soils or open areas the plants are slightly hilled. Row spacing is regularly loosened to kill weeds. Brussels sprouts do not need frequent watering, except during dry periods. Foliar feeding (spraying the leaves with a solution of potassium fertilizer - 30 g per sq. m) is carried out three weeks after planting.
You can remove the top of the stem in late July - early August to limit its growth and stimulate the formation of larger heads.
Pest and disease control of Brussels sprouts
It is necessary to systematically inspect the leaves and base during the egg-laying period (whites lay eggs from reverse side leaf, and cutworms - at the base of the root) and manually destroy the oviposition.
Microbiological preparations can help in the fight against leaf-eating cabbage pests. Good results gives the use of Entobacterin (1-3 g per 10 sq. m). The drug is effective at air temperatures below +18...20°C. Another microbiological preparation, Bitoxibacillin, is widely used on cabbage in the fight against cabbage moths, turnip and cabbage moths, cabbage and other types of cutworms. For spraying 10 sq. m of plantings, it is enough to dilute 0.5 g of powder or 1 tablet in 1 liter of water. Most The population of cabbage moths and other leaf-eating pests on cabbage is suppressed by a mixture of two microbiological preparations - Lepidocide with Entomophtorin. The mushroom drug Boverin can be used against cabbage moths.
Brussels sprouts harvest
Before the completion of the formation of heads of cabbage - 2-3 weeks before harvesting - the tops of the plants are removed. This accelerates the growth of heads of cabbage, increases their density and uniformity, and increases productivity. You just need to accurately calculate the time of pruning, since premature removal of the top will lead to the appearance of side shoots, and late removal will delay the formation of heads of cabbage.
Harvesting should begin when the heads of cabbage, having reached the size characteristic of the variety, acquire a specific shine, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off. Harvesting can be done in 2-3 steps, first breaking out the larger heads of cabbage and then the smaller ones.
Storing Brussels sprouts
In late fall, the entire plant can be uprooted, the leaves trimmed, and the plants placed close together in storage. In this state, the heads of cabbage will be stored for a long time and will be fresh until the end of December.
Heads of cabbage with stems can be stored for up to two months in plastic bags at temperatures from 0 to - 15 ° C and air humidity of 90%. Without a stem, the heads of cabbage quickly wither.
Growing Brussels sprouts
To receive products late autumn Brussels sprouts are grown in basements or greenhouses.
Growing is based on the ability of a number of vegetable plants to form productive organs using reserves deposited in the leaves. If Brussels sprouts with small heads of cabbage are transferred to a basement or greenhouse in the fall and buried in well-moistened soil, then at a temperature of +3...5°C, the process of growth of the heads that has begun will continue, despite the lack of light. Heads of cabbage are formed due to nutrients accumulated in the stem and leaves. The weight of the heads of cabbage increases by 1.5 times, the content of vitamin C increases approximately the same, and the content of sugar and nitrogenous substances increases.
Brussels sprouts and taste qualities known all over the world. This delicious vegetable is healthy because it contains large amounts of vitamin PP, C, A, iron salts, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients beneficial to the body. Thanks to this, it is grown on an industrial scale in many countries in Western Europe, the USA and Canada. In our country it began to gain popularity quite recently. To experience the full taste and benefits of this vegetable, it is important to know how to properly grow Brussels sprouts from sowing to harvesting.
Description of culture
Unlike white cabbage, Brussels sprouts It grows upward rather than wider. The height of some of its varieties can reach one meter. The vegetable has a thick stem and long-petioled leaves with a bubbly surface. They can not only be green, but also have a purple tint.
In autumn, in the axils of the leaves you can see dense or loose small heads of cabbage, which have a diameter of only two to five centimeters. They either stick to the stem or are located sparsely. Up to seventy such small heads of cabbage can form in one vegetable.
Blooms and the plant produces fruits in the second year. Brussels sprouts seeds are enclosed in pods. They are brown, small and remain viable for five years.
The delicious vegetable is grown from seeds in seedlings, since it has a rather long growing season. Some varieties of Brussels sprouts take more than 180 days to ripen. At the same time, the plant is frost-resistant and can withstand frosts down to -10 degrees.
Brussels sprout varieties
There are quite a large number of plant varieties, which are divided into groups according to ripening time.
Early cabbage
Vegetables in this group ripen in about 120 days. Among them, the most popular varieties are:
Modern cottages and gardens can boast a wide variety of plants. Some people grow melons, others tomatoes and cucumbers, but sometimes you can see an unexpected guest - Brussels sprouts. This vegetable looks quite unusual, but its benefits are difficult to exaggerate. Growing Brussels sprouts is a troublesome task, but is it really possible to scare summer residents hardened by adversity with small difficulties? And if the gardener approaches the task, armed with the necessary knowledge, then it turns out that it is not so difficult. And so, let’s try to describe in detail how to grow Brussels sprouts without mistakes and much hassle.
Brussels sprouts are an extremely healthy vegetable.
Brief introduction. Historical reference
Brussels sprouts grow only at home. There is no wild species of this crop. The first descriptions of an unusual vegetable were made by Carl Linnaeus. He gave the name to the culture, since it was bred by Belgian gardeners near Brussels. Thanks to beneficial properties, the culture is very popular in Western Europe, Canada and the United States. This suggests that it can be planted in different climatic conditions. But in Russia this species previously did not produce a stable harvest and did not take root in gardens. Our summer residents preferred to plant a solid and productive white cabbage vegetable.
Brussels sprouts are completely different from other types. This is a biennial plant with cross pollination. In the first year of growth, it forms a stem, the height of which can reach 60 cm. Small leaves on long petioles grow on the sides of the stem. Small heads of cabbage form in the leaf axils. One plant can produce about 40 small heads of cabbage. In the second year, the plant throws out flowering shoots and produces seeds that can remain viable for up to five years.
Brussels sprouts come in white and red
Why culture is useful
The small-headed variety has a high content of amino acids and proteins. In fact, this vegetable is not inferior in protein composition to milk and meat. There are 3 times more vitamins and mineral compounds in Brussels sprouts than in white cabbage varieties. In its raw form, the product contains large quantities of vitamin C, carotene, vitamins B 1, B 2, B 6 and B 9, PP. In addition, there are sodium and potassium salts, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron compounds, iodine and other trace elements.
Thanks to its rich biochemical composition, this type of vegetable can become an indispensable food product. And also a component of many dietary supplements and medicines. People who regularly use this product are less susceptible to seasonal colds and vitamin deficiency. Beneficial influence This vegetable's effect on the body is fully felt by heart patients. Because it strengthens blood vessels and improves the functioning of the heart muscle.
Brussels sprouts are a tasty and healthy product
Growing from seeds
The first question of any gardener is how and when to plant crops? The fact is that Brussels sprouts seeds can begin to grow at a temperature of +2° C. Seed germination is quite high. Mature plants tolerate frost well; they can withstand even temperatures of minus 10° C. But at least 150 days pass from seed germination to the first harvest. This means that you cannot do without growing seedlings.
It is best to sow seedlings in early April. At the dacha it is best to do this in a heated greenhouse, at home - on a glazed balcony or loggia. A comfortable environment for sowing is high air humidity (up to 70%) and positive temperatures (at least 3-4 degrees Celsius at night). The seeds will hatch on the fourth or fifth day. To grow strong seedlings, they must be sown at a distance of at least four centimeters, and the planting depth is 2 cm.
The next stage of preparing seedlings obtained from seeds begins at the stage of the appearance of one true leaf. During this period, it is dived and placed in separate containers.
Plant growth takes from 35 to 60 days. This usually depends on the ambient temperature and the type of seed chosen. After this time, the seedlings can be planted in open ground. By this time, the plant should have 4-6 true leaves.
In order for the plants to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients and be strong and strong, it is advisable to plant them in the ground according to a 60x60 cm pattern. If you follow these tips, the cultivation and care of Brussels sprouts discussed in the article can produce a high yield.
Seedlings can grow for up to two months before they are planted in the ground
Preparing and caring for beds
The ideal option for all types of cabbage is to plant seedlings after the following crops:
- cereals;
- legumes;
- cucumbers, tomatoes or potatoes;
- beets;
- perennial herbs or flowers;
- spinach, celery or different types salad
These same crops take root well between shallow beds during the gardening season. Mixed plantings look good and protect each other from pests.
Even if gorgeous seedlings have been obtained, it is necessary to choose the right place and prepare the soil. This process begins in the fall. Beds on personal plot or the dacha is dug up and enriched with mineral fertilizers. The crop is not grown in one place for more than two years. Because pests and various pathogens can accumulate in the soil. The next planting of small cabbage is permissible after a four-year break.
In the spring, before planting seedlings in open ground, it is fertilized with urea or ammonium nitrate. The approximate concentration of fertilizers is 20 g per 1 m².
It is important to choose a sunny, not shaded place. All varieties of Brussels sprouts love moisture, but can tolerate a slight lack of water. It is advisable to feed the plant 10 days after planting in the ground. The second feeding will be necessary at the stage of planting the crop.
Brussels sprouts love to grow in the sun
For fertilizing use complex mineral or organic fertilizers(1-2 liters are applied per plant). If a gardener allows excess nitrogen in the soil, the vegetative mass of the plant will increase, but the quality of the crop will deteriorate.
One of the tricks for growing this type of cabbage is pinching the apical part of the stem, or cutting off the apical rosette a month and a half before ripening. During the season, the crop is watered about ten times. The plants do not require hilling, since the formation of heads begins at the base of the stem.
Harvesting and storage
It is important to know not only how to grow Brussels sprouts, but also how to properly harvest them and preserve the harvest.
The collection of small heads of cabbage is carried out selectively. This happens from early October until late autumn. The plant is finally removed after the onset of a steady cold spell. Stems with small stalks are cut and folded or buried in damp sand for storage in a cold room. This way the harvest can be preserved for 3-4 months. If the heads are separated from the stem, they are used immediately or frozen. An amazing feature of Brussels sprouts is that when frozen, their small heads of cabbage do not lose their nutritional value.
Brussels sprouts tolerate freezing well
Selection of the best varieties
Very important factor to get a good harvest - choose seeds the right variety Brussels sprouts. In the Moscow region you can choose mid-season and late varieties, and in the Urals - mid-season varieties ( early varieties culture does not exist).
The best varieties for Middle zone and the Urals:
- Perfection is an achievement of Russian breeders. The variety allows you to get up to 5 kg of small cabbage heads from one plant.
- Dolmik is a development of Dutch breeders, producing heads weighing up to 17 g.
- Rosella, a variety bred by German breeders. Heads of cabbage can be harvested on the 160th day after the seeds have sprouted.
One of the features of growing the described crops in the Urals and Siberia is the later warming of the soil for planting seeds. Since temperatures here are lower, planting should be carried out not in May, but in early June. That's why they select hybrid varieties with a minimum ripening period.
Hercules cabbage has a powerful stem with many heads
The Hercules variety has proven itself well in dachas and vegetable gardens in Russia and Ukraine. This is the development of the All-Russian Research Institute of Breeding. The variety looks very presentable; the heads of cabbage are arranged in a cone on the stem of the plant. The Hercules variety is a late-ripening variety and has good frost resistance.
When a gardener manages to determine which varieties are the best for his dacha or homestead, difficulties with growing no longer arise. The main thing is to sow the seeds for seedlings in time, and plant them in the beds once they reach a certain type and size.
Harvesting begins when the lower heads of cabbage ripen. This is evidenced by the waxy shine of small heads and the yellowed lower leaves of the plant.
Usually a person devotes his free time to growing vegetables and fruits to be sure of their safety and benefits. Regular consumption of cabbage, bred in Belgium, will have such a beneficial effect on the human body that you simply won’t want to give up growing it. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if every housewife had healthy and tasty Brussels sprouts on her menu.
