It is hard to imagine that there will be no cabbage in the garden or cottage - it is actually a national vegetable. And if the crop turned out to be good, then the cabbage is removed for storage. Subject to the simple rules given later in the article, the vegetable can be used before the new harvest.
Cabbage is not a capricious vegetable, but it also requires certain conditions for planting, care and harvesting. You need to know when you can harvest, so as not to harm the head of cabbage. If you do not do it on time, then their shelf life will be significantly reduced. Consider the signs of the harvest pores of the described vegetable.
Outward signs of maturity
Harvesting vegetables, as a rule, occurs in the fall, with the exception of those varieties that ripen early, in the summer. But such cabbage is not intended for storage, as well as for preservation or salting.
Until now, many summer residents determine the timing of harvesting by the appearance of the fetus:
- heads of cabbage get a classical form, they are completely formed;
- the head of the head turned yellow and dry.
Important! Care must be taken to ensure that the cabbage does not freeze or rot on the vine from torrential rains.
Mathematical method
What time is best to harvest depends on the variety.
Gardeners know that the vegetable crop in question happens:
- superearly;
- early
- mid-late:
- late.
This mathematical method is simple: its essence is to add to the day of planting a certain variety of seeds a ripening time that has already been determined. Timing can be slightly shifted, but slightly, moreover, the weather can make its own adjustments. However, the principle remains: it provides a guideline when you need to cut this vegetable crop.
According to the lunar calendar
An experienced gardener will definitely have a lunar calendar - he has already proved his worth: he has specific tips on the timing of planting cabbage, and for all vegetables. The calendar will recommend which moon to pick vegetables for, which number is better to cut cabbage, will tell you the optimal time for salting and pickling. As practice shows, when conducting your garden economy, you should be guided by national signs.
Did you know? PThe first mention of cabbage was found during archaeological excavations: they date back to the Stone and Bronze Ages.
When and how to properly remove cabbage from the beds
Favorable days for harvesting are not determined by the exact date - it all depends on the climate, variety and care for it. For example, in the middle zone of the Russian Federation, vegetables are usually harvested after October 8, in non-chernozem regions - at the end of September, in Western Siberia - at the end of September - early October.
White-headed
White cabbage is an excellent option for pickling, and to prepare it for the winter. If we say in which month the fruits should be cut, then this is mainly September. It would be nice to do this not in the rain: then the heads of cabbage are cut together with a long stump and a pair of loose green leaves. If the weather is rainy, you need to dry the heads of cabbage and only then send it for storage raw or use it for pickling.
Cabbage on the vine in the bed withstands frosts: it will withstand in frosts down to –7 ° C, but if the head is cut and not sent for storage, it will suffer and deteriorate. In addition, there are winter varieties that can tolerate any frost, for example, Absheron, Derbent Winter and others.
If the vegetable has not yet been harvested, and the cold has come, do not separate the head of cabbage from the roots. It is best to wait until the frozen leaves are thawed, and be sure to remove all remaining roots and stalks from the beds - otherwise they will rot in the ground, multiplying many different pathogens of cabbage diseases.
Red-headed
Summer residents who have grown red-headed species for the first time will be concerned about the question: when to harvest this crop. Such a vegetable crop is ready for use at the beginning of October - by this time its heads of cabbage have already reached the required size and have acquired a classic shape, and most importantly, the structure of red cabbage has become dense, and the color is bright.
Important! Quality red cabbage should be at least 6 kg.
Color
Cauliflower has become no less popular than white cabbage. The taste of its small emerald, orange or snow-white inflorescences has already pleased and taken a place both in the family menu and in the most expensive restaurants.
If a summer resident managed to grow a crop of such cabbage, then it is important for him to know when it is better to cut and harvest it. There is also no exact date: it depends on the selected variety. Cauliflower is early, ripened after 2-3 months, that is, the days of harvesting from the fields fall in late June - early July. Mid-season color will be ready in 100–130 days - this is the second half of summer. Later varieties require at least 5 months: it means that it must be removed from the garden in late August - early September.
Brussels
The most original cabbage is Brussels sprouts, ripening, starting from the buds, for about three months. She also does not have a clearly defined time period when to chop or tear it off, because it spets unevenly. The first mature heads of cabbage appear in early October, and not all of them should be cut off, but choosing the largest ones. The rest can still grow.
As for the taste, the most delicious Brussels sprouts are tightly closed buds up to about 4 cm in diameter. To collect them without damaging the plant, you must use a sharp knife or tear off carefully with your hands. It should be borne in mind that if you harvest the vegetable in a timely manner, choosing only mature heads of cabbage, the rest will gain strength faster.
When asked about the temperature at which Brussels sprouts can be harvested and what frosts it can withstand, experienced gardeners answer that this crop is not afraid of frost, so there is time until almost November.
Beijing
Until now, the most common variety of Chinese cabbage remains Khibiny. It is appreciated for its good taste and relatively short ripening time. Usually, after a month, young leaves of Beijing cabbage can be made the basis of any summer salad. A full head will be formed in 40-60 days.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is not afraid of short-term frosts in spring or autumn. By choosing favorable days in March, you can plant this vegetable. A harvest of kohlrabi takes place in October. The main thing is that during harvest time the temperature does not fall below –4 ° С.
Preparing cabbage for storage
At first glance, it is not difficult to properly prepare this vegetable crop for storage. Like all vegetables, cabbage must be reviewed by discarding damaged heads of cabbage. Some gardeners use boardwalks to dry this vegetable before storage.
There is another option, a relatively new one: the vegetable is wrapped in a special food wrap, each head is individually - so it receives reliable protection for the entire storage period. It is important that the vegetable crop be of a variety that will successfully tolerate a long shelf life and freezing.
These include the following: Kharkov Winter, Amager 611, Ukrainian Autumn, and others. Although the heads of such cabbage lose in juiciness, but their fiber content is increased. You can determine it by vein leaves - they are, especially central, strong and rigid. This is a kind of frame that keeps the vegetable culture fresh until spring.
Harvest Storage Rules
The room in which the described vegetables will be stored should be clean, dry, with a sufficiently low temperature. These requirements are observed for almost all types of vegetables, but there are also individual nuances.
For example:
- if there are a lot of cabbages, they can be stored throughout the cellar, in bulk;
- special containers can be used;
- can be stored in boxes, cages;
- with increased humidity of the room in which the vegetable is stored, you need to hang it in nets;
- storage temperature should not be lower than –7 ° С, otherwise the vegetable will freeze and taste bad, and if it is higher than + 8 ° С it will dry out;
- cracked heads of cabbage need to be removed immediately and used for pickling for the winter.
Did you know? It has not yet been established where garden cabbage was grown for the first time. For the right to be called the birthplace of this vegetable, disputes are ongoing between Georgians, Greeks and Italians.
But in all cases, the vegetable crop sent for storage must pass the control: each head of cabbage should be without flaws and the slightest sign of rot - otherwise it will ruin the entire crop. Thus, the article considered all the important information necessary for high-quality cleaning and storage of cabbage. If you follow these recommendations, then the vegetable crop will be able to lie without deteriorating its characteristics for several months.
