Guess what the housewives say about it, pronouncing the phrase "and it's delicious, and it's not a shame to bring it to the table, and they will eat everything, so it's not a pity". Did not you guess? Yes this is about cabbage. Remember how in the winter we get it from a refrigerator or a cellar, crispy, saturated with vitamins, smelling summer cottage and summer. And do not think that the cabbage arsenal is limited only by huge white heads, cabbage varieties are great for every taste and desire. And let's step aside today from the bored standards and talk about how to properly grow unusual and insanely delicious cabbage broccoli in your dacha, striking neighbors and home with their craftsmanship and originality. But first let's get acquainted with the broccoli closer.
Two words about broccoli cabbage
For the eye, accustomed to the white balls of classic cabbage, the appearance of broccoli may seem at least odd. The plant is a kind of small, no more than 1 m in height, a branchy tree. No, his trunks are soft and juicy, as befits a cabbage, but if you do not touch them, but look from the outside, the resemblance to the exotic tree is very great.
From the central trunk of the plant, the thinner "branches", ending with the inflorescences, depart. The inflorescences are framed by leaves and look like inflorescences of cauliflower. And it is not surprising, because 2 of these varieties - the next of kin. Homeland of broccoli is the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor. And the plant itself - a real storehouse of necessary and rare vitamins, as well as many trace elements, everyone knows how useful broccoli cabbage for children . In addition, this type of cabbage is the most low-calorie, in 100 g of the product contains only 30 kcal. So, dear ladies, if you are fighting for a thin waist and precise shapes, broccoli is just for you. And now we turn to the practical study of the question.
How to grow broccoli seedlings?
Yes, yes, you understood correctly, broccoli, like any other cabbage, grows from a small seed. Here's how to grow broccoli seedlings. First we prepare the soil and seeds. The soil consists of sand, turf and peat in the proportion 1X1X1. All components are well mixed and covered in a shallow rectangular pot.
The seeds are first calibrated on a 1.5 mm strainer, then subjected to a "wet" treatment, the purpose of which is to awaken the sleeping embryos. To do this, a rag-bag with seeds for 15 minutes is lowered into water with a temperature of 50 C0, then for 1 minute in a cold one. Then there is a 12-hour treatment in a mineral solution, for example, in the "Epin-extra", and completes the pre-plant preparation of the daily presence of seeds in the refrigerator. Everything, now it is possible to sow broccoli, it will certainly give friendly and healthy shoots. Seed the seeds should not be deeper than 1 cm, otherwise the shoots will be uneven. After 35-45 days from the day of shoots, when the seedlings form 5-7 of these leaves, broccoli is planted in the soil for permanent residence. By the way, with the picking you can and do not bother if you land the prepared seeds immediately at the dacha. It's only possible to do this not earlier than the beginning of May, and not at the end of March, as it was with house-growing. There, of course, there are less incidents, but you will get a harvest much later.
Growing broccoli in the country, further care for the culture
Now let's talk about further care for our beautiful woman and discuss the issue of how to grow cabbage broccoli in the country, in the open. Seeds for seedlings in this case must be prepared in the autumn. Choose an open sunny place, as follows, dig it out and add lime or at least baking soda, for broccoli does not like acid.
In the spring before the planting, once again loosen the soil, add the organic matter in the form of pereprevshego horse manure or liquid mullein (1 bucket per 1 m2), and add ash (1 tablespoon per well) and urea (1 tsp per well ).
Broccoli loves sun and moisture, so it should be planted in an open sunny place, once a week loosen the land to a depth of 8 cm and periodically abundantly watered. Also do not forget about the timely weeding and feeding of organic fertilizers. The first time they are introduced 20 days after planting, and then again 10 days after the previous feeding. The earth around the plants can be slightly powdered with ash, this will protect cabbage from most pests and soil oxidation. Here, perhaps, and all about how to grow cabbage broccoli. Follow these simple recommendations, and in August you will wait for a plentiful harvest of this unusual and arch-useful vegetable.