Growing seedlings is a seemingly simple matter, but quite painstaking: to obtain the best result, you need to take into account many nuances. And one of the most important among them is the choice of time to sow the seeds of a particular garden crop.
It is no secret that the earlier the seeds are sown, the earlier the harvest will be obtained, but each type of plant has its own period of germination and ripening of fruits, and the climate in the regions is different - and therefore the optimal time for planting seedlings in the ground varies. If sowing is done too early, the seedlings may outgrow and stretch out a lot before they are "moved" to a permanent place of residence, waiting for the weather to become acceptable. And if it is too late, the plants may not have time to form, and the fruits may not ripen.
Cabbage
So, the time of sowing cabbage seeds for seedlings directly depends on the ripening period. There are early varieties of white and red cabbage with a ripening period of 60-80 days, mid-season varieties - 75-120 days and late varieties - 115-175 days from emergence to harvest. To determine the exact date, you need to know the duration of seedling growth.
From emergence to planting seedlings in open ground takes:
- for early cabbage - 30-40 days,
- for mid-season - 40-50 days,
- for late - 50-60 days.
In addition, about 5-10 days pass from sowing seeds to emergence.
Thus, in the middle zone, cabbage seeds for seedlings are sown:
- early varieties - in mid-to-late March;
- mid-season varieties - from late March to mid-April;
- late varieties - in mid-April (indoors) or at the end of April (in the ground under film).
Cabbage seedlings are planted in the ground at the following times:
- early May (under non-woven material) - early varieties (seedling age - 45-50 days);
- mid-May - late varieties (seedling age - 35-45 days);
- early June - mid-season varieties (seedling age - 30-35 days).
By the time of planting, cabbage seedlings of early varieties should be 13-15 cm high and have 5-6 leaves, mid-season and late varieties - 15-20 cm high and with 6-7 leaves.
Cauliflower
The main method of growing cauliflower is seedlings, since the plant is quite capricious and more demanding than its "relative" - white cabbage.
With cauliflower seedlings, everything is about the same as with cabbage - sowing seeds is carried out depending on the timing of the growing season of the selected varieties and hybrids, as well as on the weather conditions of the region. First, sow the seeds of early-ripening varieties (in the middle zone in mid-March - early April), then mid-season (from mid to late April) and last - late (in May).
Cauliflower seedlings are also planted in the ground depending on the early maturity of the variety:
- early varieties and hybrids - from late April to mid-May (after 25-60 days);
- mid-season - from the second ten days of May to mid-June (after 35-40 days);
- late - from the end of June to the beginning of July (after 30-35 days).
Cauliflower seeds are sown under film in open ground in late April - early May. The second wave of sowing starts around mid-June and lasts until early July. Sowing in a greenhouse without seedlings can be done in mid-May.
Peking cabbage
Salad, or Chinese, cabbage, as the delicate "Peking" is sometimes called, can be harvested twice per season - you just need to choose the right varieties and sowing times.
This plant is biennial, but in our latitudes it is grown in the garden as an annual. The ripening period of this cabbage is only 1.5-2 months, but it is a short-day crop. So there are two options for sowing it - early spring and late summer (the first harvest usually goes straight into salads, and the heads of the second can be stored). If you sow/plant seedlings "somewhere in the middle", in the midst of summer, then the plants, instead of forming juicy heads of cabbage, will stretch out and begin to bolt (this is how excess light manifests itself).
So, Chinese cabbage is planted in the ground (or sown) in two stages:
- from mid-late April to mid-May,
- from mid-July to early August.
The seedlings of "Chinese cabbage" are usually ready for transplanting into the ground 25-30 days after sowing the seeds. Accordingly, the seeds for seedlings can be sown:
- either from mid-late March to mid-April,
- or from mid-late June.
If you have chosen the seedling method of growing Chinese cabbage (it is preferable for the spring period, while summer sowing can be easily done with seeds directly into the ground), then it is better to sow the seeds directly into individual containers, since the crop does not like "extra" transplants and picking.
Kohlrabi
Turnip cabbage is a cold-resistant, unpretentious and fast-maturing crop, and with the right agricultural technology, its harvest in the middle zone can be collected three times per season.
For an early harvest, kohlrabi seedlings are sown approximately 4.5-5.5 weeks before planting in open soil, that is, from the second decade of March. Bright light, regular watering and cool air are necessary for growing young plants. This first "wave" of seedlings at the age of 35-40 days in mid-May can be planted under film, and at the end of the month - already in open ground.
In the summer, kohlrabi is sown with seeds, if necessary, directly into the soil - without seedlings.
Broccoli
Low-calorie and nutritious asparagus cabbage, this record holder for vitamins A, K and C, has an early ripening period. Its vegetation period from germination to harvesting the head is 60-65 days, and from planting seedlings - 30-35 days.
The crop can be sown with seeds directly into open ground as soon as the average daily air temperature rises to 10 ° C and remains stable for a week. In the middle zone, this is usually the beginning of May.
But, as we remember, the seedling method is much more reliable and will allow you to get a harvest earlier, already in June, so start sowing for seedlings from the beginning of April (the latest ripening varieties can be postponed until the beginning of May). It is important to remember that the sprouts of this cabbage require a lot of sunlight and low air temperature - ideally 6-8 ° C (no more than 15 ° C). Therefore, it is preferable to grow broccoli seedlings not in an apartment, but in a greenhouse or hotbed, or at least on a cool balcony / loggia, otherwise the plants will quickly stretch out and weaken. Broccoli seedlings are planted in a permanent place at the age of 30-45 days.
Brussels sprouts
Many consider the long ripening period to be a disadvantage of Brussels sprouts. From sowing to harvesting, different varieties take from 130 to 180 days. Based on this and taking into account the climate of your region, you should choose the dates for sowing seeds. For example, if you live in the middle zone and bought late Brussels sprouts, you need to start working with seedlings in mid- to late March, and with early ones you can wait until mid-April. Seedlings aged 50-60 days are planted in the ground, from mid-May to early June, no later.
Brussels sprouts like cool weather and do not form heads in the heat, so choose the sowing time so that the ripening period falls on a period with an average daily temperature of no higher than 18-20 ° C.
Write a comment