Tobia cabbage: features and characteristics of the variety, cultivation and care

Tobia cabbage F1 is valued for its productivity (up to 20 kg per 1 m2), large fruit, marketability and taste. The hybrid from Holland is perfectly adapted to different climatic conditions - neither heat nor cold affects productivity.

Description and characteristics

At the beginning of your acquaintance with a hybrid, we suggest you find out what the plant and its fruits look like, as well as evaluate its advantages and disadvantages.

Did you know? US resident Scott Robb managed to obtain cabbage weighing 63 kg in 2012. Typically, heads of cabbage, depending on the variety, can reach a maximum weight of 15 kg, and the average weight is 2.5 kg.

Appearance of cabbage

The plant grows short. It has dark green leaves with faint pimples and wavy edges. The veins clearly appear on them. They are not harsh when consumed. The lower leaves are located close to the soil surface. The stalk is short.

Heads of cabbage vary in density. They are round-flat in shape. Their insides are white. The average weight of one specimen is from 5 to 7 kg. The taste of the heads of cabbage is sweet and juicy. There is no bitterness in them.

Ripening time and yield

The heads ripen in an average period - 85–90 days pass from the moment of planting seedlings to harvesting. The productivity of the hybrid is high - 20 kg per 1 m², 322–760 kg per 1 ha.

Cold resistance

Cabbage has high resistance to cold. That is why the variety is recommended for cultivation in many regions of Russia, including the northern ones. It can be cultivated both in small summer cottages and on an industrial scale.

Familiarize yourself with the features of planting cabbage before winter.

Description of the cabbage variety Kupchikha

Kupchikha cabbage is a variety of domestic selection. Merchant's Wife is ideal for cultivation in the Central and Southern regions of the Russian Federation. However, this does not make it less in demand in the colder regions of our country. Also, cabbage is excellent for growing in Moldova, Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus.

In this publication you will learn a detailed description of the variety, see photos and reviews of summer residents who managed to grow this domestic cabbage.

Properties

Kupchikha is a mid-late variety. The full growing season (immediately after germination) lasts about 130-150 days. The main purpose of this variety is fresh consumption or processing (in particular, fermentation).

It is famous among gardeners for its high commercial qualities and good taste. In addition, it is worth noting the strong disease resistance of the variety.

The characteristics of the head of cabbage are as follows:

1. It has an uncoated structure and is very dense. There are completely no voids inside.
2. The outer stump is small, approximately medium in length.
3. The shape of the Merchant's "head" is flat-round.
4. The outer color of the head of cabbage is green, the inside is white.
5. The average weight of a technically mature head of cabbage is in the range of 2.2-2.8 kg.

It is a fairly high-yielding cabbage. From 1 hectare of plantings you can harvest from 45 to 60 tons of crop.

Some tips for growing this vegetable:

• It is advisable to plant seeds in the month of March.
• The plant is not very spreading, so you can follow a planting pattern of 50-60x40 cm.
• The seed planting depth should not exceed 1 cm.
• It is best to plant cabbage in an area where nightshades, cucumbers, legumes, onions or grains previously grew.

Positive and negative qualities

She has a number of positive and negative qualities. Speaking of the former, there are significantly more of them, which is why summer residents often prefer this particular variety of cabbage:

1. It can be stored for a very long time. This is a big plus, especially in industrial production conditions.
2. The heads of cabbage are dense and very juicy. This allows for mechanical harvesting and transportation of vegetables throughout the country, without the risk of loss of marketable qualities.
3. The merchant's wife is endowed with strong immunity, which protects not only from cabbage diseases, but also from most insect pests.
4. This is a fairly productive variety. From 1 hectare of plantings, under good conditions, up to 60 tons of cabbage are harvested.
5. A versatile vegetable. It is suitable both for fresh consumption and for various processing, in particular for fermentation.

At the same time, it is worth noting some of the Merchant’s Wife’s shortcomings. These include:

1. It, like other crop varieties, is very demanding on quality watering.
2. The leaves of Kupchikha are harsh. Because of this, it becomes less versatile in terms of preparing various dishes; in particular, a merchant’s wife will not be able to prepare delicious cabbage rolls.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=X9WCVrOV3UI

Worthy qualities and disadvantages of the variety

• Gardeners who have already dealt with the cultivation of Tobia cabbage note the following among its advantages:
• excellent taste of cabbage heads;
• resistance of heads to cracking;
• high yield;
• ability to tolerate transportation well;
• versatility of fruits;
• stable immunity to most diseases of cruciferous crops.

• The disadvantages of the variety include:
• short shelf life;
• the proximity of the lower leaves to the ground, which increases the risk of rot development.

Reviews

Let's find out what gardeners say about Tobia cabbage.

Maxim, Kemerovo:

I have had a dacha for a long time, so I have a lot of experience in gardening. Previously, I was afraid to plant hybrid varieties, considering them too capricious and finicky. But the Tobia cabbage variety pleasantly surprised me: it is productive, very tasty, and resistant to cold and disease.

I’ve been planting this variety for five years now and have no complaints. Cabbage ripens well in an open garden even in our cool climate. And since the variety is early, the heads of cabbage are already harvested in July. There is only one minus - the need to buy seeds every year.

Victoria, Vladivostok:

Our climate is unstable, so you need to be more careful when choosing varieties for your garden. It is important to choose hardened crops that can withstand temperature changes and cold snaps. Tobia white cabbage is just such a resistant variety. Although it is imported, and even a hybrid, it is not at all capricious and unpretentious. The fruits taste excellent, and are also very dense and juicy.

Agricultural technology for growing the Tobia variety

To get the desired level of yield, cabbage should be planted correctly. It should be grown in seedlings. This is how you can protect your garden crops from frost and get the maximum number of sprouts.

The process of planting and growing seedlings consists of several stages:

• pre-sowing preparation of seeds;
• soil preparation;
• seedling care;
• transplanting sprouts to open beds.

Treatment of seeds and soil for sowing

Since Tobia is a hybrid, the seeds must be purchased only in a specialized store. Seed material collected with your own hands or purchased secondhand is not suitable for planting; it does not retain the qualities of the mother plant.

Important! Before sowing seeds, you should read the description on the package. If the manufacturer indicates that they do not need soaking, then this procedure does not need to be performed.

Store-bought seeds do not require treatment with fungicides against fungal infections and culling. The manufacturer has already taken care of this. For better germination, you can place the planting material in water heated to +40...+50°C for a quarter of an hour. Next, dip it in cold water for 2 minutes and dry completely.

Soil for planting can be purchased from a specialized store or mixed with your own hands.

Here are several suitable soil substrate options for growing cabbage seedlings:

• peat + sand (50/50%);
• peat + turf + sand (75/20/5%);
• humus + turf + sand (45/50/5%).

Sowing is carried out in early March, adhering to the following instructions:

1. Place a layer of soil substrate 3-4 cm high in the growing container.
2. Water with Alerin-B and Gamair (2 tablets/bucket of water).
3. After 1–3 days, make furrows 1 cm deep in the soil at a distance of 3 cm from each other.
4. Place seed in the furrows at a distance of 1–1.5 cm from each other.
5. Cover the seeds with a layer of soil 0.5–1 cm high.
6. Place the container in a room where the temperature is maintained at +18…+20°C.
7. After the sprouts appear, the temperature should be lowered to +7...+9°C.

We recommend learning how to properly plant and grow cabbage.

Further care of seedlings

Seedlings are picked 7–10 days after the sprouts appear. To do this, take pots with a diameter of 6–8 cm and place in them the same soil that was originally planted, but with the addition of double superphosphate (1 tbsp/1 bucket of mixture) and wood ash (2 tbsp). A low layer of river sand is placed on the soil surface, which will protect the sprouts from blackleg.

The planted plants are placed at a temperature of +17…+18°C. After a couple of days, the daytime temperature is lowered to +13...+14°C, and the night temperature - to +10...+12°C. When the plants have 2 leaves, they are fed with complex mineral fertilizer.

2-2.5 weeks before the expected date of moving the seedlings into open ground, they begin to harden them - they are taken out into fresh air every day, starting from 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the duration of stay. During the same period, fertilizers are applied a second time. Use urea (1 tbsp) and potassium sulfate (1 tbsp) dissolved in a bucket of water.

Preparing the site and soil in the garden bed

• Cabbage will grow healthy and of high quality if you select a well-lit area for its cultivation, where the following were previously grown:
• carrot;
• potato;
• cucumbers;
• onion;
• beans;
• cereals;
• garlic.

• You should not place it on the beds after:
• cabbage;
• tomatoes;
• radishes;
• turnips;
• beets.

The best cabbage yields are obtained when planted in loamy soils with neutral acidity. Preparatory work on the site must begin in the fall. It needs to be cleared of plant debris, dug deep and fertilized with humus, manure or compost. In the spring, a few weeks before planting seedlings, a mixture of urea (1 tbsp), superphosphate (1 tbsp) and wood ash (1 tbsp) is added to the beds.

Important! According to the rules of crop rotation, cabbage cannot be cultivated in one plot for longer than 2 years in a row. Otherwise, the plant’s productivity decreases and the risk of developing diseases and attacks by harmful insects increases.

Transplanting seedlings into open ground

Seedlings ready for planting in open beds must be strong, 15 cm high, have a developed root system and 5 leaves. Typically these characteristics are observed between 35 and 45 days of age.

The sprouts are moved into the ground from late spring to mid-June using the transshipment method. This means that after removal from the pots, the root system is not cleared of soil, but is replanted together with a lump of earth.

The holes should be slightly wider and deeper than the earthen ball. The gaps between holes should be 45-50 cm, between rows - 50-55 cm.

The recommended planting density for this hybrid is 2.5–3 plants per 1 m². To transplant seedlings, choose a cloudy day. Plantings are covered with agrofibre.

Landing

What are the optimal sets of soil mixtures for seedlings:

Algorithm for planting seeds:

• containers used are boxes, containers, pots with a height of at least 8-10 cm;
• Before sowing, the soil mixture is spilled with Gamair or Alirin-B (dose 2 tablets per 10 l);
• after a couple of days, grooves are formed in increments of 3 cm, up to 2 cm deep;
• seeds are placed at a distance of 1.5 cm;
• sprinkle with finely dispersed peat on top with a layer of 1 cm;
• for germination, place in a warm temperature of 18-20 degrees (cover with film or glass);
• from the moment of germination, the temperature is set at 7-9 degrees.

Cabbage care

Caring for cabbage will not be difficult. It needs watering and fertilizing, loosening and removing weeds, preventive treatments against diseases and parasites.

Watering and fertilizing

Moistening the soil in the beds of newly planted seedlings should be done 3-4 times a week. One sprout will require 2-3 liters of water. During the period of filling the heads of cabbage, moisture must be limited.

A month after planting, it is necessary to establish a watering regime of 1 time per week. For 1 m² you need to pour 10–12 liters of water heated to +18°C and above. The best way to water cabbage is by drip. Sprinkling and furrow irrigation are also good. For normal development and growth of the plant, as well as to obtain a rich harvest, cabbage should be fed.

Important! Watering garden crops with cold water leads to the development of fungal infections.

It is recommended to apply 3-4 fertilizers according to the following schedule:

Loosening and weeding

Regular loosening should be done after the soil is moistened and rain falls. They are necessary to prevent compaction of the top soil layer and improve the moisture and air permeability of the soil. The depth of loosening should be approximately 7 cm.

Cabbage also needs to be hilled. Hilling promotes the growth of lateral roots and improves plant development. During the season, you will need to carry out 2 such procedures: 20 days after planting the seedlings in the ground and after another 10–12 days. From the near-trunk zone at a distance of 25 cm, soil is collected with a glander and sprinkled in a heap against the stem.

Another important and mandatory maintenance activity is weeding. Weeds create shade for light-loving cabbage, which prevents it from developing normally. In addition, they become a source of reproduction of diseases and parasites. Weed the cabbage carefully to avoid damage to the root system.

How and when to plant

In order to get a good harvest of cabbage by autumn, it is planted at home with seeds for seedlings; planting dates vary between April 1 and 10; this is the optimal time for the plants to grow by May and be ready for transplanting into open ground. On average, it takes up to 45 days for a sprout to develop from a seed. Seedlings are grown in several stages:

• Growing healthy and strong seedlings will require a lot of effort, but you need to start with choosing the soil. The best substrate is peat fillers, because cabbage loves loose but fertile soil.
• Before planting the seeds, the purchased soil is heated well - you can use a microwave oven, or you can steam it with boiling water; some vegetable growers heat the soil mixture in the oven for about 15 minutes. at a temperature of 200 degrees. Then it is cooled and treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. It is then left alone for about 14 days until beneficial bacteria can grow in it.
• Now you should prepare the seeds - calibrate the largest ones from the bag. Then they should be placed in a triple layer of gauze and immersed in water at a temperature of 50 degrees for 15 minutes, after which they are immediately immersed in cooled water. After such stratification, they are left in damp gauze for a day to swell on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
• After a day has passed, the seeds are ready for planting - they can be planted in one common box, and then scattered into separate containers, or immediately planted in pots. The second option is preferable - the delicate roots will not be injured during transplantation. But the modern method is to plant seeds directly in peat tablets; they are usually treated with special disinfectants. First, the tablets are placed in a free container up to 5 cm high, warm water is poured into it, you should wait until they increase in size up to 8 times. You can proceed to planting seeds - plant 2 seeds in each tablet.
• At the end of planting, the container is placed in a warm and well-lit place, covered with glass or polyethylene, until seedlings emerge. It will also be useful to learn about the features of growing the Megaton cabbage variety.

Video on how to plant cabbage:

Now young plants should be illuminated, sheltered from drafts and fed with special diluted fertilizer once every 14 days. It will also be useful to learn about the description of Belarusian cabbage.

Pest and disease control

Due to its strong immunity, Tobia cabbage is rarely affected by pathogens or harmful insects. For prevention, the beds are sprinkled with wood ash, tobacco dust, and ground black pepper.

Planting strong-smelling plants between rows that repel pests is effective. These include marigolds, dill, parsley, and marigolds.

The greatest danger can be caused by cabbage caterpillars.

To prevent the butterfly from entering the garden, you can spray with valerian, infusions of pine needles, potato tops, salt, soap-ash solutions. The fight against it is carried out with “Aktofit”, “Fitoverm”, “Bitoxibacillin”, “Aktara”, “Decis”.

Features of the variety, advantages

A feature of this crop is good transportability and marketable appearance. The leaves are so dense that harvesting can be done by machine. This saves a lot of time and effort.

Benefits of Tobia cabbage:

• not capricious to climatic conditions;
• there is a pleasant sweetness and no bitterness, which is typical for other varieties of cabbage;
• high yield rates;
• not susceptible to diseases, especially fusarium wilt;
• It is actively used in the culinary field; its taste is especially appreciated when pickled and pickled.

Prevention

The description of the Tobia variety indicates that it is not affected by pests and diseases. The breeders made sure that care for this variety was minimal. If desired, you can take some preventive measures.

As a preventative measure, you can scatter wood ash throughout the area. Recommended dosage 2 kg per 1m2. The use of tobacco dust and cayenne pepper will protect the plant from many diseases and pests (moths, cabbage flea beetles, tobacco mosaic or black rot).