How to get cabbage seeds yourself at home

To figure out how to get cabbage seeds, you will have to study the botanical description of the plant.

Our usual and beloved vegetable is just an overgrown apical bud in which nutrients are deposited. From where, in the second year, a shoot with peduncles is formed.

The real fruit of cabbage is a pod with 20-26 angular-rounded brown seeds.

Self-collecting cabbage seeds allows vegetable growers to provide themselves with a large amount of high-quality seed material and proven varieties.

Erroneous testis

Sometimes it happens that a plant of this crop in the first vegetative year suddenly takes and releases a shoot with flowers. Those who decide to collect such seeds from cabbage for further planting are usually extremely dissatisfied. The seeds show poor germination, the sprouts are weak, and most do not set heads.

Cabbage is a biennial plant and for normal fruiting it must go through all stages of development.

Therefore, a vegetable grower who decides to get cabbage seeds at home needs to:

• choose the right heads of cabbage;
• dig up queen cells in time and create conditions for vernalization;
• prepare overwintered heads of cabbage for planting;
• prepare the soil and plant stalks in the ground;
• care for the seed plant all season long, hill up, water, tie up and remove excess shoots;
• Collect mature pods in time.

How to grow cabbage seeds yourself

Mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties of cabbage are better suited for obtaining seeds.

Algorithm:

1. Select suitable heads of cabbage.
2. Ensure optimal storage conditions after removal from the soil.
3. Prepare overwintered vegetables for planting.
4. Plant the stalks in the ground.
5. Provide testis care.
6. Collect ripe pods in time.
7. Carefully remove the seed.

Landing

The stumps are transferred to the ground at the end of April - beginning of May, depending on the region. A month before, each queen cell is carefully inspected - rotten roots and leaves are removed. The head of cabbage (if the vegetable is left in this form) is cut to form a cone narrowed at the top with a base diameter of up to 20 cm.

15-20 days before planting, the stumps are distributed in stacks in the open air (roots inward). Each layer is generously covered with humus and watered with manure diluted with water. This will ensure the active development of the stumps, but you need to monitor the temperature level so that the roots do not freeze.

Attention! An area where cruciferous crops have not been grown in the previous 3-4 years is suitable for planting.

Fertilize the area in the fall using manure (6 kg per 1 m²). In spring, the plants are fed with potash (10 g/m²) and phosphate fertilizers (20 g/m²), and the area is dug up.

Landing is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Dig holes at a distance of 50 cm in the row. Row spacing is 70 cm.
2. Pour 300 g of humus and 20-25 g of phosphates into each hole. Mix with soil.
3. In a separate bowl, prepare a solution of clay and liquid mullein. Dip the root of each stump into the composition before planting.
4. Place the plant in a hole at a slight slope, add soil and compact it around the roots. Plant a little deeper than the rooting was in the first year.
5. Water the hole and loosen the soil.

If cabbage grows nearby (for example, from neighbors), the risk of cross-pollination is high. Then a piece of gauze is put on each head of cabbage, fixing the stalk at the base.

However, this algorithm for growing queen cells is effective only for late-ripening and mid-late varieties.

To obtain seeds from early varieties, they act differently:

1. Cut the stalk from the selected heads, removing even the covering foliage.
2. Place the fruits in the cellar for storage.
3. In autumn, pour fertilized soil into pots and place stalks. Regularly water with warm water (+20…+22°C), loosen the soil.
4. Store in the basement with queen cells of late varieties under the same conditions.
5. When planting time approaches (April-May), the crop is transferred to the garden bed along with a lump of earth.

This planting algorithm strengthens the root system of early varieties of queen cells. This has a beneficial effect on crop adaptation and disease resistance after planting. The method is especially suitable for the northern regions of central Russia with long winters.

Care

After planting, the seed plants require special care. If there is a risk of frost in the first week, cover the beds with a layer of straw, which will save heat. During this period, the seedlings will adapt and the insulation can be removed.

Water the plantings regularly as the soil at the base of the stump dries out. The frequency is determined by regional climatic conditions - approximately once every 7-10 days. In hot weather, moisturizing is carried out more often. Water the crop in the evening with settled water heated in the sun. The soil is periodically loosened.

2 weeks after planting, cabbage is fertilized for the first time with mullein solution, consumption - 3 liters per bush. The second fertilizing is applied immediately before the plant blooms. Nitrogen fertilizers (nitrophoska) are suitable, consumption - 25 g per 1 m².

Crop care activities also include:

1. Removing old foliage. The leaves with which the plant survived the winter are removed 2 weeks after being transferred to the ground. If you do not carry out the procedure, the plant will rot.
2. Garter bushes. When an arrow appears, it is immediately tied to a peg fixed on the ground. This will prevent the stems from breaking.
3. Removing unnecessary parts of the bush. Excessively large shoots are removed. Excess stems are also removed, leaving only strong and healthy ones.

Cabbage flowering lasts 25-30 days. Next, pods with seeds are formed on the crop, which ripen for another 50 days.

Queen cell

Before growing cabbage seeds, you need to select and properly winterize the queen cells. Among the harvest ready for harvest, you should notice the most beautiful healthy heads of cabbage with the following characteristics:

• not overgrown;
• most consistent with the description of the variety being grown;
• not overfed with nitrogen;
• the strongest;
• on a thin outer stalk;
• the heaviest relative to the weight of the rest of the plant.

The selected heads of cabbage are carefully dug up along with the roots before the first frost. Cabbage leaves are cut off, leaving 2-3 near the head of cabbage and sprinkled with wood ash or chalk. It is advisable to dip the rhizome in a clay mash to avoid drying out.

Important! If the plants are caught in an early frost, they are left in the ground for another week to recover.

See also

The nuances of using different types of fertilizers for feeding cabbage in open groundRead

Biological features of cabbage

Cabbage is a biennial plant belonging to the Cruciferous family. Propagated by seeds in the 2nd year of life. Usually, after two years of cultivation, long arrows appear on the head of cabbage, on which pods with seeds appear. The arrow stem itself sometimes grows up to 160 centimeters, and the pods are about 10 centimeters long.

It is worth pointing out that some types of white cabbage shoot arrows at 1 year of life. But you don’t need to expect a high yield from such seed. A similar situation arises with hybrids and other varieties of cabbage, for example, broccoli.

Cabbage seeds

Vernalization

Queen cells are laid out or hung in a dark basement with a temperature of 1-2 ℃ throughout the winter. Cabbage, for normal fruiting, must undergo vernalization. If the temperature is above 6-8 ℃, the metabolism in the head of cabbage will not slow down and the process of formation of generative organs will not start.

When planted further, the plant will simply produce a large number of leaves instead of flower stalks. In winter, it is better not to disturb the heads of cabbage and minimize exposure to light. A month before the planned planting, the temperature in the storage is slightly increased to +5-6 ℃.

Seedling cups

To grow cabbage seedlings, it is best to use transparent 100-gram disposable cups with holes to drain excess water. This volume is quite enough to grow excellent seedlings in 40 days.

In addition, it is easy to remove seedlings from the cups when planting in the ground: lower the cup with the seedlings into the water for 10 seconds, then take it out, turn it over and, holding the seedling with two fingers, press the bottom of the cup. The root ball will easily come out of the glass without damage, and this will ensure 100% survival rate for the seedling.

If you usually plant cabbage in the garden on May 1, count back 40-45 days from this date and get the sowing date.

• Transplanting lobelia seedlings

Preparing the queen cell for planting

At the end of March, the queen cells are taken out and the stalk is cut into a cone. Leave a base of 15-20 cm at the bottom and point upward. Inspect the rhizome and remove rotten areas.

Then the future seeds need to be “awakened” and germinate:

• the roots of the cut stalks are dipped in slurry;
• stacked with the roots down;
• sprinkle with peat or humus;
• leave in the fresh air for 2-3 weeks, protecting from frost.

Diseases and pests

Landing

The time for planting queen cells varies between late April and early May. And it’s better not to be late, otherwise the flowering time will occur in weather that is too hot for cabbage. The optimal temperature for pollen germination of this crop is 15-21 ℃. Therefore, the sooner the stalks begin to take root and sprout, the better.

Cabbage easily tolerates cold snaps and, if covered in a timely manner with straw and non-woven fabric, can easily tolerate light frosts.

In one small area you can plant the seeds of only one variety of cabbage. Otherwise, all plants will be pollinated by bees. There should be at least 500 meters between plantings of different varieties.

The soil is prepared nutritiously, filled with organic matter and mineral fertilizers.

The “awakened” stalks are planted a little deeper than the heads of cabbage grew in the fall. The plant will produce new lateral roots. The cabbage is watered generously and covered for a couple of weeks under a layer of straw or light non-woven fabric.

After two weeks, the protection can be removed and the plants can be fed with organic (1:10 slurry solution, 3 liters per seed) or mineral fertilizers (nitroammophoska, nitrophoska).

See also

Why cauliflower doesn't set heads and what to doRead

Repeat feeding before flowering begins. The plants require standard care, like ordinary cabbage seedlings: hilling, weeding, watering, loosening.

Sprout care

When the first shoots appear in the shape of a loop, any coverings are immediately removed. After the bulk of the seeds germinate, the seedlings need to be cooled . When it is not possible to open the window, it is taken to a bright, colder room or outside, if the weather permits. At a temperature of 3–5°C, seedlings are cooled for 4–5 hours, at 10–14°C for 8–10 hours.

Cool the seedlings once so that they do not stretch and receive the first hardening.

During the growth process, the soil should not be allowed to dry out. Water the seedlings in the morning, evening or afternoon in cloudy weather when there is no sun .

Cabbage, unlike nightshades, can also be watered over the foliage.

Cabbage requires moisture, but excessive waterlogging can destroy it . This is possible in sealed plastic boxes, where water collects at the bottom even when the top layer dries out. This is not a problem if the root system is shallow, but it will affect it when the roots reach the water at the bottom.

Another way to preserve queen cells

Preserving queen cells from early cabbage varieties in the usual way is almost impossible. But experienced gardeners have found a way:

• cut out the whole stalk and store it in the basement;
• in the fall they are planted in pots with nutritious soil mixture;
• The seedlings are stored in a dark basement at 1-2℃, just like regular queen cells.

With this method, the stalks take root well over the winter, and the apical bud remains healthy. In the spring, carefully transship it into open ground without disturbing the earthen coma.

Plants must be shaded at first.

This cultivation of queen cells is also well suited for the northern regions of the central zone of our country. Too long a period of winter cold makes it difficult to preserve healthy heads of cabbage in the usual way.

The best varieties

Flowering and seed collection

After planting, a properly overwintered mother plant begins to form long shoots, on which flowers then bloom. Such a plant is called a seed plant.

The healthiest seed material can be obtained from the central shoots grown from the apical bud. Side shoots are cut off, leaving only the strongest ones if necessary. The plant may not be able to handle too much ovary. Therefore, weak and too late shoots are also removed. To prevent long stems from breaking off and dying, it is advisable to tie them up.

The pods ripen at different times over a period of 30-50 days. It is important not to miss the moment and not let the very first seeds fall to the ground. They will produce the strongest and healthiest seedlings in the future.

Before collecting the seeds from the pods, they are tied into small sheaves and hung to dry. During the season, you can get 30-50 g of healthy seed from one plant. The collected seeds are stored in paper or fabric bags for 3-4 years.

How to get cabbage seeds at home

White cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family, has a growing season of 2 years and is propagated by seeds.

Seed material can be obtained from pods formed in the second year of the plant’s life on shoots with peduncles. Self-harvesting seeds allows gardeners to grow high-quality cabbage.

Where do cabbage seeds come from?

From a biological point of view, cabbage externally represents an overgrown apical bud, which contains nutritional components.

In the second year of life, a shoot with peduncles is formed in its place, which can reach a length of 1.5 m or more. The result of flowering, which occurs over 2-4 weeks, is the formation of cabbage fruits - pods 8-10 cm long with 20-26 brown seeds.

Attention! Some varieties of vegetables produce arrows in the first year. However, such material will be of poor quality and unripe, which will negatively affect the harvest.

You cannot get grain if a hybrid was initially planted. It is impossible to achieve germination in this case.

How are white cabbage seeds formed?

Seeds for planting cabbage are formed from mother plants, which gardeners select in the fall or late summer. They are stored in the winter, and in the spring they are again placed in the ground, where they produce shoots with flower stalks. After this, the queen cells are called testes.

For seed formation, it is better to use late and mid-late cabbage varieties that tolerate wintering well.

Experienced gardeners identify and prepare in advance the plants that are grown in queen cells:

1. Early varieties are sown for seeds later than the traditional dates - in May or early June, with transfer to open soil in July.
2. Late-ripening and mid-late varieties, on the contrary, are planted early so that they can ripen before autumn frosts.
3. When growing, a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer is applied, which will help to better withstand the winter.
4. The best fruits are selected from the grown fruits - healthy ones, without damage or damage by microorganisms.

The crop is taken out of the ground with its roots and the rosette leaves are removed with a clean blade, leaving 2-3 tightly adjacent to the head of cabbage. The procedure must be carried out before the first frost.

The key to obtaining good seed material is the correct selection of queen cells with certain characteristics.

Preference is given to fruits:

• low-growing with a thin stump, a large head, a small number of outer leaves, and short petioles;
• preserving the characteristics of the variety as much as possible;
• healthy, without damage or damage from pathogenic flora;
• flat if flat-round varieties are used to obtain seeds.

For bushes that are used as queen cells for seed production, a separate area is allocated. Plant the seeds immediately in open ground so that the root system strengthens and adapts to long-term storage.

How to collect them

The testes are removed as they ripen, when the pods become yellowish in color and the seeds in them become brownish. Peduncles are broken off, connected into small bunches and hung root up in a warm and dry room until fully ripened. They should not touch, so if there are a large number of queen cells, it is advisable to distribute them on wooden lattice racks, ensuring air flow.

Attention! It is recommended to place a cloth or paper under the hanging seeds to collect the fallen grains.

When the pods are completely dry, they are separated from the stems. The seeds are carefully removed. Cabbage grains are tender; they are threshed delicately and winnowed, removing husks and debris. One testis produces 25-150 g of seed material. From one harvest you can prepare grains for 3-4 years.

How to properly care for testes and collect seeds

Caring for the testes during the season is not a problem at all. It consists of watering, weeding, loosening and some other simple activities.

• At first, the plants should be shaded from the bright sun.
• The bushes are fed twice: with mullein solution a couple of weeks after planting and with mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizers before flowering.
• After flowering begins, you need to hill up the cabbage and tie the flower stalks to the supports to protect them from damage and breaking off.
• During the growing season, which lasts from 90 to 130 days, it is necessary to regularly inspect the testes, remove old petioles, as well as diseased, non-flowering or excess shoots. The plant does not require too many flower stalks. All of them do not have time to produce full-fledged seeds and only weaken the bush.
• After about 70 days, the seeds begin to ripen. Their collection should be carried out in stages, as the pods mature (cracking). If the first harvest is not collected on time, the best early seeds will spill out and be lost.
• Seeds extracted from dried and cracked pods are collected in canvas or paper bags and stored in a cool and dry place. Fully matured planting material remains viable for three or even five years.

White cabbage Date: 09/16/2016.

What does a cabbage seed look like in the photo?

White cabbage seeds have a round shape, size from 1 to 3 mm. The color of the seed can be pale gray, yellow, pink or brown. The weight of 1000 seeds ranges from 2.5 to 5 grams.

It is not possible to distinguish cabbage seeds by variety and type , since they all have the same shape and color. Next in the photo you can see what cabbage seeds look like.

From which vegetable mother plants is it useless to collect them and why?

Attention!

When selecting seeds to obtain queen cells, you should pay attention to whether the variety is a hybrid.

Cabbage grown from varietal seeds is characterized by stable traits that were developed as a result of many years of selection. Such seeds retain all their qualities when grown repeatedly.

Hybrid varieties appear as a result of a single crossing of two or more selected parental forms that are suitable for each other. Depending on the task, the created hybrids have:

• increased frost resistance;
• disease resistance;
• larger heads or increased shelf life.

However, all these properties are inherent only in the first year’s harvest. Seeds collected from a hybrid lose all these qualities in the second year. A plant obtained from such seeds does not have the improved properties inherent in the hybrid.

Thus, obtaining hybrid seeds is possible only by crossing them; it is impossible to grow them . Hybrids are designated by the sign F1, where F is the first letter of the word fillii - children, and 1 is the generation number.

Pros and cons of getting it yourself

Getting your own cabbage seeds has certain advantages:

• the grown seeds correspond to varietal indicators and quality characteristics;
• One year's harvest provides seeds for the next 5 years.

There are also some difficulties:

• two-year waiting period for results;
• compliance with the requirements for growing queen cells;
• increased storage requirements.

Which cabbage varieties to choose for planting in open ground for the Urals

The Urals, like Siberia, are a region with harsh conditions. It is common here to grow in greenhouses. However, it is possible to plant seedlings in open ground. To do this, it is necessary to select appropriate varieties and adhere to favorable conditions.

The optimal time for planting seedlings in open ground is the beginning of June, when the temperature reaches above zero day and night.

Most of the varieties listed in the section above and intended for cultivation in Siberia are well suited for the Urals. The climatic conditions here are almost the same.

Transfer F1

Ripening from planting seedlings occurs on days 45-55. After this period, the harvest can be harvested.

The head is round, of medium size and medium density, weighing from 1 to 1.5 kg. At the same time, it reaches a height of 15-20 cm. The color of the head of cabbage is white inside and light green outside. It has good taste characteristics, so it is recommended to be consumed fresh. The planted seedlings sprout well and are resistant to many diseases, including such as blackleg and vascular bacteriosis. But it can become infected with gray mold. The yield is good and ranges from 4-5 kg ​​per square meter. Considered one of the best early varieties.

Midor F1

The hybrid is medium-late in terms of ripening, which occurs in 140-160 days. The head of cabbage is round in shape, dense, medium in size and has white leaves inside. They are bright green on the outside and have a slight waxy coating. The stalk is small in size. The variety is well suited for salads and preparations.

Krautman F1

Mid-season hybrid. Its leaves are dense and crispy, the stalk, like the previous variety, is small. The head of cabbage weighs about 4.5 kg. Cabbage is not afraid of overwatering and overexposure in the garden. At the same time, the heads of cabbage do not crack or rot. It is also stored well - up to 4 months, all tastes are preserved. Resistant to diseases, as well as to one of the common ones for this species - clubroot. Good for pickling.

Merchant's wife

Another interesting mid-late variety. The outside of the head of cabbage is green, and when cut open it is white. The head of cabbage weighs up to 2.8 kg. The taste is very good, and as a result it is suitable for pickling and fermentation. Disease resistant and can be stored for several months.

Rinda F1

A good hybrid variety. Ripens in 76 days, i.e. relatively early. The heads of cabbage are round in shape, but not very dense. The leaves have an excellent taste, no bitterness. This means that this variety is very well suited not only for fresh consumption, but also for preparing various dishes. It is grown more in the Urals, but can grow in other climatic conditions, and still feels good. If you plant seedlings rarely, you can get a large harvest. Seedlings are planted either in late spring, or, even better, in summer.