Among the variety of modern varieties of vegetables you will find truly newest in all senses, the development of breeders. For example, Chinese leaf cabbage can sometimes easily compete with some decorative shrubs and replace flowers on an alpine hill . She does not look very much like cabbage either, but this does not detract from her useful qualities and popularity among adherents of a healthy diet.
Types of leaf cabbage
If you did not have to grow such ornamental plants in your own garden, it's worth starting with such cabbage. It is quite easy to take root in different bands of the country, even severe frosts are not terrible for it, but it will not burn in the heat. The only thing that will have to provide any kind and variety is a fertile and well drained soil.
The leaf cabbage is equally easily grown by seed and seedling methods. In the warm regions in the early spring boldly planted seeds, and in summer we get our first harvest. To harvest the crop closer to the fall, they start planting in the middle of spring. Height, peculiarities of cultivation and some varietal characteristics of leaf cabbage of each variety differ. Among them we pay attention to such variants of it:
- Leaf cabbage "Calais" It is distinguished by lace leaves, more like ornamental shrubs. There are varieties of red and green. Feature of leaf cabbage "Kale" is the complete absence of a head. And she is just a champion in the content of nutrients and vitamins. For successful cultivation, it is necessary to further enrich the selected site with organic in the fall, and to introduce complex fertilizers. For a good harvest, it's enough to water the planting in time, get rid of weeds. Kayl leaf cabbage (sometimes translated as such) can survive until the spring, wintering on the site. Then it acquires a vivid bright purple hue.
- Leafy cabbage pack also does not form a head. But at it all leaves adjoin to each other very densely, therefore sometimes the bottom part accept for a head. This variety grows throughout the season, but you can boldly gather the first leaves of young cabbage from the moment the leaves reach 15 cm. The taste of this cabbage is much juicier and sharper than that of the famous Peking. Some gardeners argue that the taste resembles spinach, the very same cabbage used to make salads and soups. Plant this cabbage only in April or August. If you select a period with a longer light day, the cabbage will necessarily go into the arrow and begin to bloom. Seedlings are rarely used, seeds are usually sown directly to the bed. It is important in time to thin the planting immediately after the appearance of several real leaflets. Chinese sheet
cabbage "Reflex F1" also claims to be the favorite cabbage gardener. It perfectly decorate any site with its lush openwork leaves, and it is also an excellent addition to the dietary diet. Its distinctive feature is excellent taste, and yet you do not have to rip out the whole outlet from the garden immediately. This cabbage is not bitter, which makes it an ideal base for any salad. The leaves will not grow strictly vertically, they are more spaced. In addition, the variety is perfect for cool regions, since it tolerates frosts well. Cabbage is medium late, but grows to about 80 cm in height. And the most important feature of harvesting this cabbage is the ban on tearing down the bottom leaves. Feel free to pluck for the salad top - the bush will develop further. But after plucking the bottom sheets, he begins to die. Otherwise, the methods of care are the same for all types of leafy cabbage.