June cabbage

Cabbage is one of the most common vegetable crops necessary for a full-fledged daily human diet. At the beginning of summer, an early variety named June after the month of ripening becomes especially valuable, fresh product from the garden bed.

Thanks to the scientific work of experimental breeders from the All-Russian Institute of Seed Production in 1967, an ultra-early ripening variety of early cabbage was bred. The main genetic material for its creation were: First Gribovsky No. 147, and Ditmarskaya No. 2399. An improved variety of early varieties received official recognition from the State Register in 1971, becoming one of the most popular types of farm and home garden products.

After a long winter period, June cabbage becomes an essential vitamin food along with radishes, green onions and fresh salad leaves. The ripening period of an early maturing vegetable is on average 60 days, which can be counted from the time of planting seedlings in the beds. In just 2 months, the crop reaches its technical ripeness and is ready for harvesting.

Juicy and ripe heads of cabbage are distinguished by excellent taste and can be used for food already with a weight of 0.5 kg. The early ripening variety is suitable for widespread cultivation and tolerates late spring frosts up to -5 degrees without damage. Cabbage harvested at the beginning of summer can be used fresh and processed, as all kinds of salads, an ingredient in first and second courses, pickles.

Rounded and rather dense cabbage heads attract with their presentability, freshness of appearance and light green color of the leaves, which look lighter on the outside and thick green below. The diameter of the rosette of a cabbage plant growing in the garden reaches 50 cm. Depending on the region of cultivation and agricultural techniques, heads of cabbage can gain a value from 0.9 to 2.4 kg. Inside the cabbage vegetable there is a dense stalk, slightly less than the radius of the entire head of cabbage.

Early June cabbage was intended by the authors of the variety for fresh consumption and is distinguished by the softness of the heads of cabbage. It is not suitable for long-term storage, even in a basement or refrigerator, but in salted form it quickly softens, so it can be used in the case of preparing a lightly salted product. The crispy and ripe veined leaves are great for slicing into a variety of salads. The taste is pleasant, does not contain the bitterness that is found in some later varieties. The addition of early cabbage to green soups, borscht and vegetable stews gives the dishes nutritional value and good gastronomic effect.

From planting seeds for seedlings, starting in the second half of February or the first half of March, depending on the climatic conditions of the area, until the collection of ripe heads of cabbage usually takes from 90 to 100 days. The terms of technical ripeness are observed in June cabbage throughout the second half of June.

The yield of ripe agricultural products after planting seedlings in open ground is on average 97%. The yield of early cabbage is estimated by experts as high. Her experimental calculations show an average harvest in the range of 363-641 kg per hectare, which is 3.5-6.4 kg per square meter of garden soil.

Early white cabbage is grown in many countries of the world, where it is used to prepare many dishes of the national cuisine, such as soups, side dishes, cabbage rolls or ravioli. The nutritional value of raw cabbage is also appreciated by many nations. On the territory of the Russian Federation, different varieties of white cabbage have been grown since ancient times. The first mentions of this vegetable culture are found in written records of the 12th century. The ubiquity and universal use of cabbage has led to the emergence of various local varieties, including frost-resistant cabbage, such as June cabbage.

An early vegetable crop has some characteristics of cultivation and care, the observance of which allows you to maximize the quality of products and determine the optimal ripening time. Planting consists of several stages.

- Seed preparation

Sowing seeds for seedlings can be divided into 2-3 portions, so that, by planting them from mid-February every 10 days, to distribute the ripening of cabbage in the beds also for several periods. Before planting seeds of early June cabbage for seedlings, you must soak them in chilled water in advance, the temperature of which can be about 2-3 degrees. Keeping seed material in such conditions throughout the day can accelerate the emergence of sprouts, as well as harden the plants and make them frost-resistant. The time for planting seeds must be calculated depending on the desired time for obtaining finished garden products, taking into account the average number of days for the ripening of this variety of culture.

- Growing conditions for seedlings

June cabbage seeds are most conveniently planted in peat pots, with which it is subsequently transferred to open ground. The soil in seedling containers should be fertile and contain everything necessary to feed the germinated shoots. It can contain ingredients such as sand, crushed sod and peat, as well as the now common substrate or coconut flakes. Sand does not allow excess moisture to stagnate in the seedling container, and peat makes the soil looser. To obtain friendly seedlings, additional lighting should be provided, since cabbage is a photophilous plant. And also it is necessary to provide ventilation of the room and regular watering, but in moderate doses.

- Planting sprouts in open ground

In different climatic regions, cabbage seedlings are planted in garden beds differently, depending on local conditions, when the soil becomes warmed up to + 4 ... 10 degrees. Young shoots of the Junskaya variety successfully resist return frosts, which are possible in some places throughout May.

The main measures for the care of early cabbage are timely watering, which is increased on dry days, and reduced by the end of ripening so that the heads of cabbage do not crack from excess moisture. During the entire growing season, 3 fertilizing with diluted poultry droppings is carried out - on the 20th day after planting, then 2 more times, at intervals of 2 weeks. To protect against caterpillars, products such as sprinkling the leaves with wood ash or treating with a solution of colloidal sulfur are very helpful.