How to feed cauliflower in open ground for growth and how to properly

Feeding for cauliflower seedlings: stages of planting seeds, applying fertilizers

Before planting seeds, they are first prepared by placing them in a boron solution - the first step to obtaining a good and high-quality harvest. As for the land prepared with your own hands for planting cauliflower seeds, it is fertilized with ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium chloride and lime (if necessary) to reduce acidity.

Purchased soil does not require fertilizer additives . It usually contains all the mineral components necessary for seed growth.

During the growing phase, seedlings are fed 2-3 times:

1. After the dive, after 10-12 days. To do this, dilute 2 g of superphosphate, 2.5 g of ammonium nitrate and 1.5 g of potassium chloride in 1 liter of water.
2. The next time you need to feed it after another 10 days with the same components, but in a different dosage: 4/3/3 grams, respectively;
3. The final 3rd time (if necessary) after another 10 days - 3/2/4 grams, respectively.

The third feeding is introduced if the seedlings are weak, pale and elongated.

You can add boric acid to one of the fertilizers at the tip of a knife.

Depending on the variety, cauliflower is sown at different times:

• Early and hybrids - in March from 5 to 30;
• Average lateness - in the range of the 10th from April to May;
• Late – from May 25 to June 10.

Picking cauliflower, as a rule, is not carried out, since the root system of this crop is poorly developed. In this regard, grains in containers are placed at a distance of at least 15 centimeters from each other.

Feeding at different times of the year

• In the spring. In the spring, before planting, soil preparation should be done, which consists of adding compost to the ground.
• In summer. In the summer months, namely, at the end of June - mid-July, the crop requires fertilizing with boric acid.
• In autumn. In autumn, green manure is planted, which not only enriches the soil, but also disinfects it. In addition, autumn feeding should include the addition of organic matter in the form of dry humus. It is introduced into the soil for digging.

Cauliflower needs additional feeding during its growth and development. Each period of a plant’s life differs in the type of fertilizer that should be applied. If you confuse the necessary elements, you will not be able to get a healthy and strong crop.

The process of caring for cauliflower in open ground. Compliance with basic care rules

Obtaining a high-quality cauliflower harvest depends on proper care in compliance with all standards for the main stages:

• watering;
• loosening and weeding;
• feeding;
• treatment.

Cabbage needs to be watered in a timely manner (1-2 times a week) for normal vegetation to occur. In hot weather, to maintain the required amount of humidity, irrigation increases to 3-4 times a week. Young shoots need 6-8 liters of water per 1 square meter. meter, and for more mature stems - 9-11 liters.

For cabbage, both drying out and waterlogging are detrimental, so in hot weather, watering is regulated taking into account soil moisture.

It is better to loosen a bed of cauliflower at the same time as the weeding process. To slow down the growth of grass and preserve moisture, it is useful to mulch the area with peat or dry grass.

Numerical indicators! Weed removal is carried out 4 to 6 times throughout the season.

Seedlings need to be fed 3-4 times during the growing season. The first is after a 3-week disembarkation. The second – after 10 days. The third - after 2 weeks.

During the ripening period of the crop, various diseases can form, so it is important to carry out prevention against the appearance of pests. For this purpose, dusting with wood ash, tobacco and spraying with tinctures of onion peel or burdock will be effective.

How to understand that a vegetable needs any elements?

The result of growing a plant directly depends on the presence of the necessary organic compounds and microelements in the soil. Therefore, proper development and a good harvest cannot be achieved if the soil is not nutritious enough. A deficiency of certain compounds can provoke a change in characteristic external signs.

• If the plant is grown in high humidity, it will most likely lack nitrogen.
• If the crop grows in sandy soils, it will likely lack magnesium.

Attention!

When growing a crop, you should be attentive to any changes in both conditions and external signs.

Popular dressings for cauliflower: methods for preparing them

A common and best means of feeding is considered to be a mullein solution: a liter of slurry per bucket of water. The liquid mixture (approximately 0.5 liters) is poured into the hole of each shoot. For the second stage, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of “Kristalin” to the mullein solution (1 liter of mixture per 1 fathom). At the third stage, mineral fertilizers are introduced: per 10 liters - 2 tablespoons of “Nitrophoska” with a consumption rate of 6-8 liters per square meter. meter.

There are several ways to feed cauliflower at the head formation stage:

• Method 1 – “Dry yeast”. Used 2 times per season. It is designed to stimulate the growth of green mass when setting heads. Yeast is used to stimulate the growth of the culture: 5 liters of warm water requires 20 g of dry yeast mixed with sugar. Then, the solution is left for 5-7 days to mature - the fermentation process. 2 cups of the mixture are diluted with 10 liters of water and watered over cabbage leaves.
• Note! This fertilizing is combined with subsequent organic fertilizers (for example, ash) to maintain the balance of substances in the soil.
• Method 2 – “Boric acid”. Used for foliar feeding, improves the formation of heads of cabbage. Spraying of leaves begins in late June or early July. Preparation of the solution: a liter of hot water is mixed with 2 teaspoons of boric acid, and then filled with a bucket of cold water.
• Method 3 – “Fertilizers”. Potassium and phosphorus powders are used for one-month cabbage. The number of feedings is 1-2 times. Preparation of the solution: take 80 g of superphosphate and 20 g of potassium per bucket of water.

Complex impurities containing copper, molybdenum and magnesium .

Signs of nutritional deficiency

• Fertilizing is necessary when the plant lacks certain substances.
• A lack of nitrogen is manifested by a change in the color of the leaves: they acquire a pale green tint, the lower leaves turn blue or red.
• With a lack of phosphorus, the formation of a head of cabbage is delayed, the leaves become smaller, their color changes to dark green with purple veins.
• Potassium deficiency is manifested by yellowing of leaves from the top and along the edges to the bottom, followed by death.
• A lack of magnesium is noticeable as the top of the leaf begins to lighten, remaining green along the veins.
• If there is not enough molybdenum, the leaves develop poorly and the head does not set. Old leaves are chlorotic in color. In later stages, the lack of molybdenum leads to deformation of young leaves. The symptoms are similar to petiole gnat damage. This is especially true on swampy and acidic soils.

Cauliflower parasites. Traditional methods to combat them

The review provides a list of the most common pests for cauliflower and means to combat them:

An effective remedy for whitefish larvae is a solution of apple cider vinegar and salt. Preparation: for 10 liters of water you need a glass of vinegar and 500 g of salt.

Cauliflower should be sprayed in calm, dry weather.

To combat flea beetles, cauliflower is sprayed with tobacco dust or dry mustard powder. Control measures – pungent odor. Preparation of a solution using the presented elements:

• Method 1. 50 g of mustard powder per 5 liters of water is infused for up to 3 days, after which it is mixed with the same amount of water and the cabbage is treated with the resulting mixture.
• Method 2. Ash and tobacco dust are mixed in a ratio of 1:2.
• Method 3. Spraying a suspension based on fir oil (5-7 drops per 5 liters of water).
• Method 4. You can plant spring garlic in an area reserved for planting cauliflower or plant a bed of onions nearby.

A tincture of onion peel, wormwood, tomato tops, celandine or burdock is a means to repel butterflies and fight caterpillars.

Soapy consistency - useful in the fight against aphids.

Cabbage parasites are repelled by plants that are planted in vegetable rows: mint, calendula, marigolds, dill and fennel. But the aroma of dill attracts insects, which destroy butterfly larvae.

An inorganic means of protection against flying insects is to cover a bed of cauliflower with a mosquito net made of non-woven materials. It allows moisture to pass through well and retains heat, and does not interfere with the watering process.

Wood ash or dusting the crop with tobacco will help in the fight against caterpillars and slugs. You can also use slaked lime or dolomite flour, which is scattered around the vegetation and between the rows.

Ash is effective in dry weather; after rain it loses its protective properties.

Reliable protection for cauliflower from slug invasion is provided by mustard powder sprinkled around the stalk.

The ammonia solution resists parasites of any kind that spoil cabbage. Preparation recipe: take 100 ml of the substance into a bucket of water.

The foliage and soil around the crop need to be treated with ammonia liquid.

Burdock is a remedy for caterpillars. Preparation: the leaves are cut and poured into a bucket (1/3 part). Then, fill with water and infuse for 3 days. The treatment process is carried out once a week (no more than 4 procedures).

Chamomile is a remedy against caterpillars. Preparation: 500 g of crushed flowers are poured with 05 liters of water. Let it sit for a day, then fill it with a bucket of water and add an incomplete handful of soap shavings. Processing method: spraying.

A universal remedy for all cauliflower parasites is valerian. Method of preparation: for 3 liters of water you need a bottle of valerian - 25 ml, then add a tablespoon of liquid soap.

During the summer season, you can use this product only 3 times, the last time – a month before cutting the heads of cabbage.

Remedies for cabbage fly.

• Method 1. Scatter branches of wormwood or onion peels over the bed of cauliflower.
• Method 2. Make a decoction of bird cherry and elderberry branches. Preparation: 100 grams of each component per bucket of boiling water. After brewing, the tea solution is left for 6 hours and then filtered.

Climatic requirements

Cauliflower grows best in areas with colder climates and high humidity. The optimal temperature for the development of this crop is 15–20° C. This allows you to maintain a balance between generative and vegetative development and obtain excellent quality inflorescences. Both at too high and too low temperatures, the formation of inflorescences does not occur, and the plant creates mainly vegetative mass (see table below).

Too high temperatures often cause physiological disorders such as: germination of axillary leaves, germination of stamens or loose structure of the heads. Too low a temperature causes vernalization, which can be observed in the form of so-called buttons, that is, small deformed inflorescences that have no commercial value.

Cauliflower is a crop that is more sensitive to frost than white cabbage. Young, newly planted seedlings are most sensitive to them. Hardened plants can withstand frosts down to -5° C, but formed inflorescences can be damaged already at -2° C, especially if they are not covered with leaves.

Cauliflower, especially seedlings and young seedlings, is also sensitive to the lack of light and cannot grow in the shade. The lack of light causes the seedlings to stretch out and the so-called blind plants, that is, plants in which the growing point dies. But the inflorescence itself requires protection from light. When exposed to sunlight, it loses its white color and may turn yellow, cream, or even slightly green.

The effect of high temperature on plant development. The appearance of additional leaves

Sunburn

Cauliflower is one of the plants with the highest water requirements, so it needs irrigation to produce a harvest. The greatest need for water occurs during the period from formation to harvesting of inflorescences.

Watering

Cauliflower requires a lot of moisture in the soil, especially during the growth period of the inflorescences. To ensure proper development of plants, the following irrigation principles are used:

• after planting, if there is not enough moisture, water with a small dose of water (approximately 15 mm) using a fine-drip sprinkler;
• keep the seedlings lightly moistened for approximately 4 weeks after planting to encourage stronger rooting;
• During the growth of inflorescences, water as needed, making sure that the doses of water are not too large and thereby do not cause the soil to swim. The choice of an appropriate sprinkler plays an important role, as well as watering during calm periods, preferably at night.

The one-time irrigation rate that is most often used is approximately 15 mm on lighter soils and 20 mm on heavier soils. The total water requirement of cauliflower during the season is 270–320 mm. For irrigation, roller-type sprinklers and drip lines are most often used.

Harvesting

The heads are ready for removal starting at the end of May. Heads of cabbage are cut off as they form, preventing flowering. When the head of cabbage blooms, the cabbage's nutrients are lost and all manipulations will be in vain. With proper care of the crop, harvesting lasts about 2 weeks.

To obtain one more cabbage harvest per year - in July, after planting the second batch of seedlings, the harvest is harvested at the end of August.

Varieties for the second harvest - Autumn, Round Head, Otechestvennaya, Shirokolistnaya. The seedlings are planted in loose soil fertilized with mullein. The second harvest is harvested at the end of August - beginning of September and is completed in two weeks. In cool weather, large and dense heads of cabbage are formed.

Microelements

The need for microelements in cauliflower is much higher than in other vegetable crops. Troublesome trace elements include molybdenum, boron, and sometimes manganese.

Molybdenum deficiency occurs mainly in acidic soil and often in peaty soil. A sign of deficiency is the reduction of the leaf blade on both sides of the main vein, and sometimes the complete disappearance of the blade. All that remains is the shortened main vein, resembling a whip. This disorder is called boron starvation. Deficiency can be prevented by watering the seedlings with a 0.1% ammonium molybdate solution or a 0.1% sodium molybdate solution shortly before planting. When these symptoms occur in the field, these drugs (at the specified concentration) can be used as a spray. Molybdenum can also be applied through foliar feeding.

Boron deficiency occurs most often in alkaline soil with a pH above 7.5 or in soil freshly limed with large doses of quicklime. A lack of boron can also occur in peat soil, regardless of pH. It is observed on young seedlings, the heart becomes light green, coarse and fragile, and later they often also darken. However, the most common symptom is internal darkening of cauliflower florets, which is usually accompanied by the appearance of empty space inside the stalks.

An effective way is to avoid liming shortly before planting and use simple fertilizers with the addition of boron. Good results are also achieved by applying sodium tetraborate at a dose of 20–40 kg/ha. Fertilizers can also be applied as a spray, on average approximately every 10 days, at a concentration of 0.2–0.3%.

A lack of manganese is most often caused by high pH and fresh liming. This deficiency manifests itself as reduced growth and a marbled appearance of the leaves (the tissue of the leaf blades becomes chlorotic, but the veins remain green). Over time, necrotic spots appear on the plates. Manganese deficiency can be prevented by applying manganese sulfate at a rate of 40–50 kg/ha before the growing season, or you can spray the leaves with a 0.5% solution (twice during intensive leaf growth). Fertilizers containing manganese chelate also work well.

Copper deficiency occurs in peat soil due to chlorosis associated with drying of leaf edges, wilting and reduced leaf growth. These problems often occur in areas where vegetables have never been grown. In this case, it is recommended to use copper sulfate at a rate of 50–80 kg/ha. The procedure should be repeated after 4–5 years.

Boron deficiency

Crop rotation

Cauliflower requires at least a 4-year crop rotation due to the risk of diseases such as clubroot or bacteriosis. Cauliflower can be grown both after many vegetable crops and after field crops. It is necessary to avoid growing cauliflower after other brassica crops, as well as after beets and spinach (there is a risk of damage caused by beet nematode, which leads to damage to the root system and poor plant growth). Good predecessors include legumes, grain crops, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, parsley, as well as crops grown for green manure (green manure), provided that they are plowed in the fall.

Cauliflower responds well to organic fertilizer, so it is usually grown the following year after adding organic matter.

Soil treatment and planting scheme

The soil must be deeply and thoroughly cultivated and watered. It is best to process it immediately before planting, using a chisel cultivator coupled to a shaft. Rolling the surface protects against drying out and improves the effectiveness of herbicide application.

We plant the seedlings immediately after preparing the field to the depth of the growing point. It is necessary to prepare such an area that we can plant it in one day. Seedlings must be protected from cabbage flies (see seedling production). A few hours before planting, we water the multi-cell cassettes generously to make it easier to remove the plants and avoid damage to the root system. Planting in the ground is best done on cloudy days or, if this is not possible, in the afternoon. Cauliflower is demanding on soil moisture during planting. Therefore, growing cauliflower without irrigation is risky. If the soil dries out, it is recommended to apply sprinkling immediately after planting. The best results are obtained by sprinkling twice a day before and after planting, approximately 15 mm each time.

The optimal density for cauliflower is 2.5–4.5 plants per 1 m2. For early hybrids, which are characterized by a smaller leaf area, the planting density is 4–4.5 plants per 1 m2, for later hybrids - 2.5–3.0 plants per 1 m2.

Protecting inflorescences from sunlight

Direct sunlight causes unwanted yellowing or pink discoloration of the inflorescences. Cauliflower is especially susceptible to yellowing in early spring and summer because the plants produce fewer leaves and hybrids designed for this growing season have fewer self-covering leaves to protect the inflorescence from the sun. Therefore, producers are forced to carry out additional procedures to protect the inflorescences. This procedure is carried out at the moment of formation of the first inflorescences, bending 2-3 leaves crosswise over the inflorescence. This procedure must be repeated several times, as sometimes broken leaves can be pushed aside by wind or rain. The next method, which is much more reliable, although more labor-intensive, is to tie several leaves together or fasten them with an elastic band. In the autumn, you can grow hybrids that have the ability to independently cover their heads. This is possible due to the additional leaves inside the plant, which spirally surround the inflorescence.

Most Syngenta hybrids are characterized by excellent self-covering ability. Their 1.5-kilogram inflorescences are securely covered with leaves and look as if they were packed.