Ornamental cabbage, grown in ancient Greece as a medicinal plant, first came to France and England in the Middle Ages. Several varieties of kale, grown only in greenhouses, were cultivated there. Later, this variety of cruciferous plants appeared in Russia, and now “rosaceae” can be found not only in greenhouses and gardens, but also in flower beds and lawns of summer cottages.

About a hundred types of ornamental cabbage are grown in Africa, Asia and Europe. They vary in height - from 20 cm to more than a meter, the size of the rosette (up to a meter in diameter), the size and configuration of the leaves. They come in round, carved, narrow, wide, lace and solid. And the abundance of flowers and colors amazes the imagination: white, burgundy, green, red, purple shades in various combinations. Their color becomes brighter with the onset of cold weather. These are rather cabbage-like flowers.

These one- or two-year-old plants become decorative and resemble exotic flowers from mid-summer until the onset of persistent autumn cold, and sometimes even under the snow. After all, they are frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to – 8 degrees. Like all cabbage varieties, ornamental species are edible and even tasty. They are stewed, fried, used in salads, and canned. And the slight bitterness from the leaves is removed by freezing and then thawing.

Gallery: decorative cabbage in landscape design (25 photos)

How to sow ornamental cabbage (video)

There are leaf or head forms of such cabbage with rosette leaves. They look like exotic flowers. These species are preferred by Japanese breeders. There are also curly or palm-shaped forms with arched, narrow, feathery leaves reminiscent of exquisite lace. This type of plant is very resistant to diseases, pests and unpretentious.

Types and varieties of ornamental cabbage

The variety of varieties and names of ornamental cabbage is amazing. Here is just a small part of them:

Princess

It is an annual plant that grows up to a third of a meter tall with a dense rosette of green, yellow, dark or light crinkled, toothed leaves. Decorative coloring appears from August.

Mosbach

It grows up to half a meter, and the span of its lyre-like curly leaves reaches almost a meter in volume. The shape of the plant is dome-shaped, and the color is juicy and green.

Decorative cabbage Princess

Lark's tongue

Almost human-sized curly cabbage. The ovoid-shaped leaves are colored in different shades of green. The plant looks like a palm tree.

Burgundy lace

The leaves of this half-meter plant are strongly corrugated and formed into a two-color rosette with a burgundy core framed by an emerald green.

Decorative cabbage Burgundy lace

Vyacheslavna

It resembles the previous variety in shape and size. But the color of its center is creamy, and the outer “petals” are grayish-green.

Colors of the East

A low variety with leaves spreading half a meter. Intense color appears in mid-autumn. The color range varies from light green to purple. Resistant to diseases and frosts.

Decorative cabbage Vyacheslavna

Lace mosaic

Its highly corrugated leaves are white, green or purple in color. Decorative appearance begins by the end of summer.

View of Nagoya

Reach half a meter in height, the leaves are lacy and light green on the outside. And the flower-like middle, depending on the type of hybrid, is cream, purple or soft pink.

Ornamental cabbage Nagoya

Views of Osaka

Plants with a dense rosette of wavy leaves of bright or soft green color on the outside and the middle in different shades of pink or red. The color is determined by the type of hybrid.

Russian circle

A low variety with oval leaves of snow-white, pink or dark purple color. They retain this decorative appearance for at least 4 months.

Ornamental Osaka cabbage

Firework

A low-growing species with an original shape of outer burgundy, narrow and long leaves with a red, flower-like center.

Turtle

Dense inflorescences of bright green color, similar in structure to cauliflower.

How to decorate a flower garden with ornamental cabbage (video)

Technology of growing plants from seeds

Cabbage seeds ripen in pods that appear in late summer. To protect against birds, you need to cover them with a net or cloth. The yellowed pods are dried, folded in bunches, in a suspended state in a dry room for a couple of weeks. Then, having laid them out on film, they are released from the flaps by rolling them with a rolling pin. Cabbage from seeds is grown in the following order:

1. At the beginning of spring, two seeds are placed in peat pots with loose, neutral soil. And when planting in open ground - a month later, using a soil mixture of turf and humus. Sowing is carried out in rows with a distance of 3 cm between them. And with the same interval between neighboring plants. The soil must be moist.
2. Sprinkle them with earth on top and water them.
3. The sprouts sprout within a week. At first, they should be protected from possible frosts by constructing a greenhouse from metal arcs and film. On sunny days, it is removed to ventilate the plants.
4. When the sprouts get stronger and several leaves appear on them, they are planted at a distance twice the previous one. In this case, it is important that the roots are in an earthen coma.
5. It is better not to water the seedlings, but to spray them.
6. The next transplant should take place at the end of summer.

Ornamental cabbage sprouts sprout within a week

Features of caring for ornamental cabbage

Caring for flowerbed decoration is not difficult, it includes the following activities:

1. Loosening the soil, it is carried out after watering and rain. This is necessary so that the earth does not become crusted over.
2. To be sustainable, plants need hilling. And mulching with peat helps prevent the soil from drying out.
3. in spring water plants better from a spray bottle. In hot weather, they are watered with settled water daily, and in cool weather - less often.
4. Feeding. If the soil has not been fertilized previously, then fertilize it up to five times per season. After transplantation, three fertilizings with nitroammophos or universal complex fertilizer are necessary every 10 days.

In hot weather, decorative cabbage is watered with settled water daily.

Options for use in landscape design

It is not for nothing that ornamental cabbage is often called a flower; its beauty and variety of colors and shapes can, without exaggeration, be compared with the recognized queen of flowers - the rose. But the exotic vegetable flower has an advantage - cabbage is also tasty and healthy. AND its flowering only becomes more colorful and brighter in frosts. It looks great and regal in any composition. And here are examples of this.

Decorative cabbage in flower beds

When planting in a flowerbed, the following options are possible:

1. By alternating white and colored heads in a checkerboard pattern, you can get a surprisingly colorful chessboard.
2. Plants of the same species, but of different colors (this is observed in Nagoya or Osaka hybrids), planted in the form of a huge flower or geometric figure, will resemble an English classical garden.
3. By placing tall specimens in the center of the flower garden, framed by lacy, low-growing species, you can give it volume. The effect will be enhanced by a play of colors with alternating dark and light stripes.
4. A good option is to zone areas with decorative bushes that form different shapes, each in its own color scheme.
5. Non-standard flower beds look original in the form of baskets of flowers, carts, barrels or even an impromptu truck filled with bright bouquets of cabbage flowers.

A good option is zoning areas with decorative cauliflower bushes.

Container growing of ornamental cabbage

This option is convenient because when cold weather sets in, you can move the compositions to the terrace, winter garden or glazed balcony. Several options for this method of decorating a site:

1. Fence a resting place or path with cabbage tubs and place them symmetrically next to the bench.
2. You can build a large colorful pyramid from special containers. Moreover, to resemble a favorite children’s toy, plant cabbage “rings” of contrasting colors at different levels.
3. A simple but impressive-looking solution: planting three contrasting colors of plants against the background of lawn grass in a large flowerpot.

The container growing option is convenient because when cold weather sets in, you can move the compositions to the terrace

Joint planting with other plants

Cabbage flowers get along well with other plants in diverse compositions:

1. Miniature gardens in containers with herbs and St. John's wort, and dark varieties of cabbage look good against their golden-green background.
2. Climbing plants and species with small leaves and flowers, such as begonia, are good neighbors. This picture resembles an outlandish carpet with a large pattern in the middle.
3. Against the background of a solid wall of climbing ivy or wild grapes that change color seasonally, flowers made from cabbage of different colors look advantageous.
4. Pink flowers can be planted in groups of three, shading them with summer flowers, and on the far line with low bushes. It is better to plant cabbage roses in purple or green shades, and the flowers should be orange or yellow.
5. Alpine hills look great, where fesalis and marigolds are present in company with ornamental cabbage.

Cabbage flowers get along well with other plants in diverse compositions

Disease prevention and pest protection

The enemies of pink cabbage are flea beetles, slugs, and caterpillars. The former can be washed off from a spray bottle and the damaged ornamental plants can be powdered immediately afterwards with ash, tobacco or red pepper.

Sprinkling the ground with pine needles or eggshells helps against slugs. The proximity of cabbage to marigolds is both decorative and useful, because Butterflies cannot stand them. Caterpillars and snails have to be collected manually or the plants must be sprayed with Aktara (1 g per bucket), Groza or Meta.

Currently, varieties and hybrids of cauliflower have been developed with different head colors: white, white-yellow, yellow, yellow-green, orange, purple, violet.

Both in terms of healing and taste qualities, multi-colored cabbage is almost no different from its “white” relative, but is slightly inferior to it in terms of productivity.

During cooking, the bright inflorescences do not fade or lose their color. Steamed or battered, these colored vegetables will be more vibrant. When cooking multi-colored cabbage, it is advisable to add a little citric acid to the water. This cauliflower allows you to create a real celebration of color on your plate. Professional chefs also love this cabbage, but there’s nothing to say about children.

Let's start with the colored varieties.

Purple and purple cabbage

High anthocyanin content has resulted in varieties of cauliflower with bright purple and purple heads. These varieties are useful in the prevention of heart and circulatory system diseases. Purple and purple cabbage has a very delicate flavor and cooks faster. When preparing it, you need to take into account that with prolonged heat treatment the color may fade.

Early ripening decorative variety.
It has a deep purple color.
The shape of the head is flat-round.
The growing season is 70-80 days.
Recommended for decorating side dishes and vegetable mixtures.

mid-season
Originator Agrofirma AELITA LLC
High-yielding, mid-ripening variety (the period from full germination to technical ripeness is 110-120 days). The plant is medium-sized, medium-leafed. The head is a rich violet-purple color, dense, rounded-flat, weighing up to 1.5 kg, with high commercial and technological qualities. It is characterized by high yield, uniformity of heads, suitability for storage, and is indispensable for colored side dishes and frozen vegetable mixtures. Resistant to autumn frosts and a number of diseases.
Agricultural technology: Cauliflower is very demanding in terms of nutrition and moisture; it does not tolerate acidic soils. Cauliflower is grown in several periods: sowing for seedlings in the second half of March with planting seedlings in open ground at the end of April - early May, sowing in a cold nursery on May 15-25 with planting seedlings in June, sowing seeds in open ground under film (end April - early May) and without it (late June - early July). The seedlings are ready for planting 35-40 days after germination. Seedlings need to be hardened off and fed. The first feeding is carried out in the phase of two true leaves. The second - a few days before landing. For feeding, a special complex fertilizer “AELITA-VEGETABLE” is used (contains the NPK complex, enriched with a wide range of microelements), which provides the necessary nutrition to vegetable crops. Planting pattern - 35x50 cm. Cauliflower requires constant moistening and loosening of the soil, hilling, weeding, fertilizing and protection from diseases and pests. Feed the cabbage 2-3 times. It is necessary to shade the heads: 2 sheets are broken or tied over the head (so that it retains its white color and does not fall apart).

Mid-season (110-120 days from germination to technical ripeness), high-yielding variety with valuable dietary properties. The head is rounded-flat, dense, weighing up to 1.3-1.5 kg. The color is rich, violet-purple. The taste is high. The variety is characterized by even heads, cold resistance, and resistance to a number of diseases. Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the second half of March. Picking in the cotyledon phase. Planting in open ground under film (late April - early May) and without it (late May - early June) according to the 35 x 50 cm pattern. Recommended for long-term storage in the refrigerator, freezing. In home cooking it is used for freezing, canning, stewing. The optimal soil temperature for seed germination is 16-18 °C.

Mid-season (110-120 days from germination to technical ripeness) high-yielding variety with valuable dietary properties. The head is rounded-flat, violet-purple, dense, smooth, partially covered, weighing up to 1.5 kg. The variety is characterized by excellent taste, uniformity of heads, and cold resistance. Recommended for long-term storage in the refrigerator, freezing. In home cooking it is used for canning, stewing, preparing vegetable stews and dietary vitamin salads. Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the second half of March. Picking - in the cotyledon phase. Planting in open ground under film (late April - early May) and without it (late May - early June) according to the 35x50 cm pattern. Productivity up to 3.7 kg/sq.m.

The original hybrid of cauliflower.
From planting 30-day seedlings to technical ripeness 70-80 days.
The head is flat-round, purple, weighing 0.7-1.1 kg.
Characterized by high marketability.
Recommended for all-season cultivation in temperate climates and for winter cultivation in subtropical climates.
The taste is excellent. Used for fresh consumption and industrial processing. Productivity 5-6 kg/m2.

A hybrid of cauliflower with deep purple colored heads.
Mid-early, from planting seedlings to harvesting 70-80 days.
Indispensable for colored salads and frozen vegetable mixtures after a short boil. (5-10 minutes).
To achieve the optimal size (0.7-1.1 kg) and color of the heads, it is recommended to adhere to the specified planting pattern.
Produces aligned, high-quality heads during spring and summer sowing. Planting pattern 40x40 cm.

Belongs to the group of mid-late varieties - from germination to harvesting heads 140-150 days.

The head is hemispherical, very dense, there is no friability.
The color of the head is inky purple.
The average weight of the head is 1.1-1.2 kg.
Recommended planting density is 4 plants per m2.
Harvesting time is very short (friendly maturation).

Green cabbage

Green-headed cauliflower varieties contain antioxidants. These varieties taste like broccoli. But the shape and density of the heads are the same as those of regular white cauliflower.

Belongs to the group of mid-late varieties - from germination to harvesting heads 140-150 days.
A variety with an unusual, luminescent green head color.
Very large head.
Excellent taste, excellent dietary product.
The rosette is compact, erect, the leaf cover of the head is average.
The head is hemispherical, very dense, there is no friability. The head color is luminescent green. The average weight of the head is 1.4-1.6 kg.
Recommended planting density is 4 plants per m2. Harvesting time is very short (friendly maturation).

Medium late (120-130 days from germination to technical ripeness) variety.
The rosette of leaves is raised.
The leaf is small, dark green with a strong waxy coating, slightly bubbly, slightly wavy along the edge.
The head is small, rounded, uncovered, medium-lumpy, green in color. Head weight 0.4 kg. Sowing seedlings in mid-April. Picking in the cotyledon phase.

Productivity 2.0 kg/m2.
Recommended for use in home cooking and freezing.

Mid-early hybrid.
The head is dense, delicate to medium texture, excellent taste.
It has high nutritional value.
— Demanding on soil fertility and moisture.
- Photophilous, cold-resistant.
— Sowing seedlings in March, planting seedlings in the ground in early May.

Orange cabbage

The first head of orange cauliflower was accidentally discovered by a farmer in America. She was unsightly, small and loose. Over the years of selection, scientists have managed to obtain varieties with large, dense heads of bright orange color.
Orange cauliflower has a high content of vitamin A and beta-carotene.

Mid-season hybrid.
From planting seedlings to harvesting 60-65 days.
Included in the group of hybrids for the new international program “Baby program”, where cauliflowers with heads of different colors are collected, with a portion weight of 300 to 500 grams.
The taste of fresh and processed products is excellent.
The uniqueness of the hybrid is the orange color of the head, the high content of ß-carotene and its use in fresh form.
Productivity 2-2.5 kg/m2.

Cheddar is a mid-early, highly productive cauliflower hybrid with a high level of beta-carotene.
The heads are dense, rounded-flat in shape, attractive orange in color.
Average weight 1.0-2.0 kg.
It has high taste and commercial qualities.
Suitable for all types of processing.
Features of cultivation:
When planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf.
It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Romanesco type cabbage

Romanesco cabbage (Italian) has an unusual appearance. The Israelis call it coral cabbage, and the Germans call it pyramidal cauliflower. In shape it is very different from the usual colored one.
The main feature of Romanesco is its unusually shaped inflorescence, consisting of tiny pyramids. When stewed, it does not have a specific smell, like many types of cabbage, does not get soggy when cooked and has a pleasant nutty taste.

Romanesco type cauliflower. A powerful plant with dome-shaped heads.
For open ground.
Suitable for summer and autumn crops. Agricultural technology is the same as for cauliflower. Planting pattern: 60 cm x 45 cm.
Ripening terms: early ripening: the period from germination to technical ripeness is 100 days.
Fruit: dome-shaped heads, high density, fine-grained. Resistant to cracking. For fresh consumption, home cooking, canning. Can be used as an ornamental crop.
The Shannon F1 hybrid is early ripening, so it is possible to obtain early production.
The hybrid grows well from spring to autumn, so it is very popular in decorative floriculture. The variety is suitable for both fresh consumption and for preparing hot dishes.

Coral cauliflower, Romanesco type. An excellent, high-yielding variety of early ripening. The heads are a beautiful ivory color, very dense, weighing 1.6-1.8 kg, reminiscent of fancy corals in shape and structure. Used in cooking, for freezing and canning. The variety is valued for its excellent taste, high content of vitamins and antioxidants, as well as for its interesting appearance.
AGROTECHNICS: grown by direct sowing in open ground under film or through seedlings. Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in April. 7-10 days (in the cotyledon phase) after emergence, the seedlings dive. Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May - beginning of June according to a 35x50 cm pattern. Further care consists of watering, hilling, weeding, loosening and regular feeding. To prevent the disintegration of the heads and preserve color, it is recommended to shade them from sunlight (for this, the leaves are tied above the head).

Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.
Mid-season variety of the Romanesco type. The head is an original dome-shaped, yellow-green, weighing 1.1 -1.2 kg. Value of the variety: original color and shape of the head, excellent taste, stable yield, resistance to diseases, cracking and woodiness, frost resistance. Recommended for use in home cooking and for freezing.
Agricultural technology:
Cauliflower is very demanding in terms of nutrition and moisture; it does not tolerate acidic soils. Sowing of seedlings is carried out in mid-March. 7-10 days after emergence, the seedlings dive. The seedlings are ready for planting 35-40 days after germination. It is planted at the end of April, according to a 35x50 cm pattern. Further care consists of watering, weeding, loosening and regular feeding. It is necessary to shade the heads: 2 sheets are broken or tied over the head (so that it retains its white color and does not fall apart). In the southern regions, cabbage seeds can be sown directly into the ground.

An early ripening variety of the Romanesco type.
The rosette of leaves is raised. The leaves are medium-sized, gray-green, slightly bubbly.
The head is original dome-shaped, light green, weighing 350-500 g.
Valued for its high content of vitamins and microelements, excellent taste of processed products, and evenness of the heads.
The commercial yield of the heads is 1.6-1.8 kg/m2. Sowing of seedlings is carried out in mid-April.

Planting seedlings in the ground in mid-May according to a 30x50 cm pattern.
Recommended for direct use in home cooking and for freezing.

Early maturing hybrid of the Romanesco variety.

Picking is carried out in the cotyledon phase.
Planting seedlings in the ground in mid-May according to a 30x50 cm pattern.
The rosette of leaves is directed upward.
The leaf is medium-sized, flat, gray-green, slightly bubbly.
The head is dome-shaped, yellow-green, weighing 360-450 g.
The commercial yield of the heads is 1.5 kg/m2.
The value of the hybrid: early maturity, original color and head shape, evenness. Recommended for use in home cooking and for freezing.

White and cream cabbage

Abeni F1

New hybrid of early cauliflower. Vigorous plants of an erect type, very uniform, with good self-covering ability. The heads are elliptic, tuberous, with a delicate texture. Head weight 2.2 kg, taste excellent. A strong root system contributes to good resistance to stressful conditions. Recommended for use in home cooking. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Alabaster F1

Excellent mid-early hybrid. Forms a large, round, dense, white head weighing 2 kg or more. The head is well covered with leaves. The taste is excellent. It has high productivity. Recommended for home cooking and freezing. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Alrani

A very early ripening variety. The rosette of leaves is vertical. The leaf is bluish-green in color, concave, medium to strong bubbly, weakly wavy on the edges. The head is dome-shaped, medium-convex, medium-sized, white, very dense, partially covered with leaves, medium tuberosity. The mass of the head is 360-450 g, the taste is excellent. The value of the variety: high early ripening, friendly head tying, high taste.

Medium late (86 days from germination to technical ripeness) hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is raised.
The leaf is medium-sized, gray-green, elliptical, vesicular, wavy along the edge.
The head is elliptical, covered, medium-lumpy, snow-white in color, with a delicate texture, weighing 1.5-2.0 kg.
Recommended for use in home cooking and freezing. The value of the hybrid: powerful root system, excellent taste, does not lose its snow-white color when frozen and processed, fusarium-resistant.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April. Picking - in the cotyledon phase. Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

The variety is early ripening (70 - 85 days from emergence to the beginning of ripening). The head is large, round-flat, weighing 0.3-1.2 kg, white. The head density is good. Productivity - 0.9-1.4 kg/m2.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES: Cauliflower is very demanding in terms of nutrition and moisture; it does not tolerate acidic soils. Good predecessors are legumes, cucumber, potatoes. Sowing of seedlings is carried out in mid-March. 7-10 days after emergence, the seedlings dive. The seedlings are ready for planting 35-40 days after germination. It is planted at the end of April according to a 35x50 cm pattern. Further care consists of watering, weeding, loosening and regular feeding. For feeding, a special complex fertilizer “AELITA-VEGETABLE” is used (contains the NPK complex, enriched with a wide range of microelements), which provides the necessary nutrition to vegetable crops. It is necessary to shade the heads: 2 sheets are broken or tied over the head (so that it retains its white color and does not fall apart). In the southern regions, cabbage seeds can be sown directly in open ground.

Arfak F1

Medium ripening hybrid. Plastic, high-yielding. The heads are uniform, snow-white in color, weighing 1.5-3 kg, well protected by leaves. The hybrid produces stable yields even under unfavorable soil and climatic conditions. The taste is excellent. Suitable for all types of processing.
Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Mid-early (89 days from planting to technical ripeness) hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is erect to raised.
The heads are dense, medium-sized, closed, snow-white, weighing up to 1.2-2.0 kg.
The taste is excellent.
Used in home cooking and freezing.
Productivity 3.9 kg/m2.

White cloud F1

A new, cold-resistant, heat-tolerant hybrid with uniform yield formation. Mid-season (the period from germination to harvesting is 115-125 days). The heads are round-flat, dense, medium-lumpy, weighing 0.4-0.6 kg. They have a very soft, crispy texture. The taste of fresh and prepared products is excellent. Recommended for various home cooking, canning and freezing. It is well stored after picking in the refrigerator and transported. Productivity – 1.6-2.0 kg/m2.
Sowing seeds for seedlings. It is very important to maintain the temperature: 15-18 °C during the day, 12-14 °C at night. Planting seedlings in the ground at the age of 30-35 days, in the phase of 4-5 true leaves. Requires regular, abundant watering throughout the season. In order to receive products until late autumn, seeds for seedlings are sown at several times with an interval of 15 days. Plants need timely weeding, loosening and fertilizing.

White Castle ®

An early ripening, high-yielding variety that guarantees high quality products when harvested from spring to autumn. Forms snow-white, dense, large heads weighing up to 1.5 kg. High yield, uniform formation of heads, excellent taste, long-term storage (up to 70 days) make this variety a favorite in garden beds. Resistant to autumn frosts and a number of diseases
AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES: Cauliflower is very demanding in terms of nutrition and moisture; it does not tolerate acidic soils. Cauliflower is grown in several periods: sowing for seedlings in the second half of March with planting seedlings in open ground at the end of April - early May, sowing in a cold nursery on May 15-25 with planting seedlings in June, sowing seeds in open ground under film (end April - early May) and without it (late June - early July). The seedlings are ready for planting 35-40 days after germination. Seedlings need to be hardened off and fed. The first feeding is carried out in the phase of two true leaves. The second - a few days before landing. For feeding, a special complex fertilizer “AELITA-VEGETABLE” is used (contains the NPK complex, enriched with a wide range of microelements), which provides the necessary nutrition to vegetable crops. Planting pattern - 35x50 cm. Cauliflower requires constant moistening and loosening of the soil, hilling, weeding, fertilizing and protection from diseases and pests. Feed the cabbage 2-3 times. It is necessary to shade the heads: 2 sheets are broken or tied over the head (so that it retains its white color and does not fall apart).

White ball F1

New mid-season hybrid. The period from germination to technical ripeness is 110-120 days. The heads are dense, rounded-flat, medium-lumpy, weighing 0.5-0.6 kg. The texture is soft and crispy. The taste is excellent. Used for various home cooking, canning and freezing. The hybrid is cold-resistant, heat-tolerant, can be stored well in the refrigerator after picking and can be transported over long distances. Productivity 1.6-2.0 kg/m2.
Sowing seeds for seedlings. It is very important to maintain the temperature: 15-18 °C during the day, 12-14 °C at night. Planting seedlings in the ground at the age of 30-35 days, in the phase of 4-5 true leaves. Requires regular, abundant watering throughout the season. In order to receive products until late autumn, seeds for seedlings are sown at several times with an interval of 15 days. Plants need regular weeding, loosening and fertilizing.

Bermuda F1

Mid-season hybrid. A plant with good self-covering ability. The leaf is blue-green with a strong waxy coating. The head is dense, with a delicate structure, milky-white, rounded-flat, weighing 1.1-1.5 kg. The taste is excellent. Well suited for canning, freezing and storage. A healthy dietary product, cauliflower combines low calorie content with high nutritional value due to the high content of vitamins and valuable microelements. Easily absorbed by the body. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Early (61-65 days from planting seedlings to collecting heads) hybrid with powerful growth.

The heads are snow-white, dense, round in shape, smooth, with a delicate texture, medium-lumpy, partially covered with leaves.
Head weight 2.5-3.0 kg.
The hybrid is valued for its high yield, excellent quality and excellent taste of the heads.
Productivity 5.9 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Hermon F1

Mid-early hybrid. The plant is medium-sized. The heads are flat-round, deep, dense, with good self-coating ability. hybrid value: good plasticity, tolerant of high temperatures. Recommended for fresh consumption and processing. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; it is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil

Mid-early (65-80 days from planting seedlings to harvesting) hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is vertical.
The head is flat-round, white, partially covered with leaves, the tuberosity is medium.
Head weight 0.8-1.5 kg.
The taste is excellent.
The hybrid is valued for its high yield and excellent quality of identical heads.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity 3.2-4.6 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

A variety with an extended fruiting period (80-100 days from germination to harvest), which is very convenient for growing in summer cottages.
The leaves are green with a faint waxy coating.
The head is round-flat, compact, white in color, weighing 0.6-1.0 kg.



Productivity 2.5-3.0 kg/m.

Elena the Beautiful ®

A high-yielding variety, ripening occurs approximately 50-60 days after planting the seedlings. Designed for very early cultivation in open ground. The head is round-flat, pure white, sometimes with a cream tint, medium-lumpy, with a delicate texture, weighing 1.5 kg. Productivity 3.9 kg/m2. The variety tolerates weather stress well and is guaranteed to produce two full harvests per season in the conditions of the Central region. Resistant to clubroot of cruciferous plants. Recommended for fresh consumption and freezing. The taste of the product is wonderful and delicate. Bon appetit - Agrofirm AELITA!

Late-ripening (90 days from planting seedlings to collecting heads) productive hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is raised.
The heads are large, elliptical in shape, dense, snow-white, of the same size, round in shape, weighing 1.5-2.5 kg.
The leaves protect the heads well from sunburn and yellowing.
The taste is excellent.
The hybrid is resistant to major cauliflower diseases and tolerates cold and high humidity.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity 2.5 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

The rosette of leaves is raised.
The heads are dome-shaped, dense, large, snow-white, well protected by leaves from sunburn and excess moisture, weighing 1.0-2.0 kg.
The taste is excellent.

Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.
The plant is powerful and has good resistance to Fusarium wilt.
Productivity 4.9 kg/m².

Yoke

A mid-early, high-yielding variety with a friendly yield. The period from full germination to technical ripeness of the heads is 100-110 days. The heads are snow-white, dense, large - weighing 1.0-1.5 kg, with a medium-lumpy surface. Recommended for fresh consumption and canning, incl. freezing. The taste is excellent. The variety is suitable for spring-summer and summer-autumn cultivation in open ground.
Sowing. To obtain early products, seedlings are grown; for the autumn harvest, a non-seedling cultivation method is possible. When growing seedlings, it is important to maintain the temperature: 15-18°C during the day, 12-14°C at night. Planting seedlings in the ground at the age of 30-35 days, in the phase of 4-5 true leaves. Requires regular, abundant watering throughout the season. Plants need timely weeding, loosening and fertilizing. When forming the heads, they are shaded by breaking 1-2 leaves.

Corsica F1

Mid-early hybrid with good self-covering ability. The leaf is green with a medium waxy coating. The head is elliptical, weighing 1.2-1.5 kg, medium-lumpy, with a delicate structure, dense. The taste is excellent. Suitable for all types of processing. Well suited for canning, freezing and storage. A healthy dietary product, cauliflower combines low calorie content with high nutritional value due to the high content of vitamins and valuable microelements. Easily absorbed by the body. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Mid-early (75 days from planting seedlings to harvesting the heads) high-yielding hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is vertical to raised.
The head is rounded-flat, medium-lumpy, dense, snow-white, well protected by leaves.
Head weight 2-3 kg.
The taste is excellent.
The hybrid is highly resistant to stressful growing conditions and is valued for the excellent quality of the heads.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity 3.0-4.0 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Mallorca F1

Mid-early hybrid. Good self-coating ability. The leaf is gray-green with a medium waxy coating. The head is elliptical, dense, finely tuberous, with a delicate structure, milky white. Head weight 1.1-1.5 kg. The taste is excellent. Recommended for fresh market and processing. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Early ripening (80-90 days from germination to technical ripeness) hybrid.
Sowing seedlings in mid-April.
Picking in the cotyledon phase.

The head is flat-round, smooth, milky-white in color, weighing 0.5 - 1.5 kg.
The taste is excellent.
The hybrid is characterized by stable and high yield.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity 2.8-4 kg/m2.

Early (85-90 days from germination to technical ripeness) variety.
Sowing seedlings is possible in early spring and summer with an interval of 2 weeks.
Picking in the cotyledon phase.

The head is rounded-flat, uncovered, finely tuberous, dense, with a delicate texture, whitish, weighing 0.9 kg.
The variety is characterized by excellent taste, high content of sugar and ascorbic acid.
Recommended for year-round cultivation in industrial greenhouses.
Recommended for fresh consumption, long-term storage in the refrigerator, freezing.
Productivity 3.5 kg/sq.m.

Early ripening (70-96 days from germination to technical ripeness) variety.
Sowing seedlings in mid-April.
Picking in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground in mid-May according to the 50x30 cm pattern.
The leaves are entire, sessile, less often petiolate, bordered by a descending blade.
The color is green and grayish-green, the waxy coating is weak.
The head is flat-round, medium-sized, large, dense, weighing 0.4-1.4 kg.
The surface of the head is rounded-lumpy, fine-grained.
The color is white.
The taste is good.
The variety is characterized by rapid ripening, cold resistance, heat tolerance, and good transportability.
Recommended for fresh consumption and canning.
Productivity 1.0-4.0 kg/m2.

Autumn giant

Mid-season variety, produces a harvest in 120-130 days from germination. It is used to obtain products in early autumn and for growing in greenhouses (cellars, basements) for consumption in November-December. Forms large, dense, rounded heads weighing 1.6-1.8 kg. The head is almost completely covered with leaves and remains snow-white, does not turn yellow or purple. Productivity 2.5-3.5 kg/m2. The taste is excellent. It has good shelf life - heads with several outer leaves are stored in perforated film at a temperature of 0...+4°C for up to two months.
Sowing seeds for seedlings. It is very important to maintain the temperature: 15...-18°C during the day, 12...-14°C at night. Seedlings are planted at the age of 30-35 days, in the phase of 4-5 true leaves. Requires regular, abundant watering throughout the season. Timely weeding, loosening and fertilizing are necessary.

Mid-season (110-120 days from germination to technical ripeness) high-yielding variety with valuable dietary properties.
The head is rounded-flat, violet-purple, dense, smooth, partially covered, weighing up to 1.5 kg.
The variety is characterized by excellent taste, uniformity of heads, and cold resistance.
Recommended for long-term storage in the refrigerator, freezing.
In home cooking it is used for canning, stewing, preparing vegetable stews and dietary vitamin salads.
Sowing of seedlings is carried out in the second half of March.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in open ground under film (late April - early May) and without it (late May - early June) according to the 35x50 cm pattern.
Productivity up to 3.7 kg/sq.m.

Mid-early (110 days from full germination to technical ripeness).
The leaf rosette is raised.
The head is round, medium in size, well covered with leaves, rough-lumpy, white-yellowish in color, head weight 500-600 g.
The taste is excellent.
Sowing seedlings in mid-April.
Picking in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.
Resistant to bacteriosis.
Productivity 2.4 kg/m2.

Mid-early (92-96 days from germination to technical ripeness) variety.
Recommended for summer harvesting, preparing side dishes, canning, freezing.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.
The leaves are bluish-green.
The head is round, dense and compact, white, weighing 0.5-1.1 kg.
The developing head is covered with leaves and does not turn yellow.
Valued for its high content of vitamins and microelements.
Productivity 1.0-4.0 kg/m2.

Late-ripening (95 days from planting to technical ripeness) highly productive hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is vertical.
The heads are covered, medium-sized, rounded-flat, medium-lumpy, dense, white, weighing 1.9-3.5 kg, with excellent taste.
Used in home cooking and for freezing.
Productivity 3.5-5.6 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Snow Maiden F1

New early ripening hybrid. The period from germination to technical ripeness is 90-100 days. Productivity is high, 4.8-5.0 kg/m2. The heads are rounded-flat, very large, weighing 2.2-2.4 kg, dense. The texture is soft and crispy. The taste is excellent. Used for various home cooking, canning and freezing. The variety is well stored in the refrigerator after picking and transported.
Sowing seeds for seedlings. It is very important to maintain the temperature: 15-18 °C during the day, 12-14 °C at night. Planting seedlings in the ground at the age of 30-35 days, in the phase of 4-5 true leaves. Requires regular, abundant watering throughout the season. In order to receive products until late autumn, seeds for seedlings are sown at several times with an interval of 15 days. Plants need regular weeding, loosening and fertilizing.

Snezhana ®

Early ripening variety (the period from full germination to technical ripeness is 105-115 days). The head is flat-round, uncovered, finely lumpy, white, with a delicate texture. Head weight up to 2 kg. It is characterized by excellent taste, stable and high yield. Recommended for fresh consumption and freezing. The variety is resistant to a number of diseases.
Sowing seedlings in April. Picking in the cotyledon phase. Planting seedlings in the ground in May, 35-40 days after emergence, according to a 50x30 cm pattern. In order for the heads to retain their white color and not disintegrate, they must be shaded from sunlight (for this, the leaves are tied above the head).

Early ripening high-yielding variety, 85-95 days from germination to technical ripeness.
The head is rounded-flat, medium in size, weighing 0.8-1.2 kg, good density, very white, with a medium-lumpy surface.
The taste is excellent.
The variety is distinguished by its friendly yield.
Recommended for fresh consumption and canning.
Planting pattern 70x30 cm.
Does not allow interruptions in watering.
Productivity up to 2 kg/m2.
Suitable for long-term frozen storage.

Mid-early (75-80 days) unpretentious productive hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is vertical.
The heads are dense, large, snow-white, covered with leaves that protect them from sunburn and excess moisture.
Weight 2-3 kg.
The taste is excellent.
Used for preparing side dishes, soups, and canning.
Productivity 3.5-5.0 kg/m².
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Early (72 days from planting seedlings to harvesting) productive hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is raised.
The head is medium-sized, partially covered, rounded-flat, medium-lumpy, whitish, of medium density, weighing 1.8 kg.
The taste and appearance of the heads are excellent.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity up to 6.9 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Mid-early (92-96 days from germination to technical ripeness) productive variety.
The leaves are bluish-green.
The head is round, compact and very dense, white in color, weighing 0.5-1.2 kg.
The developing head is covered with leaves and does not turn yellow.
The variety is characterized by excellent taste, high content of sugar and ascorbic acid.
Recommended for long-term storage in the refrigerator, especially for freezing and further culinary processing in winter and spring.
Productivity 1.2-4.3 kg/m2.

An early ripening (65-70 days from planting seedlings to collecting the heads) popular hybrid.
It is unpretentious in cultivation, tolerates high humidity and low temperatures well, and retains marketability in the field for a long time.
The rosette of leaves is raised, compact.
The head is large, rounded-flat, dense, partially covered, snow-white, weighing up to 2.5 kg.
The taste is excellent; when it freezes, the leaves do not open the head.
Recommended for use in home cooking.
Sowing seedlings is possible in early spring and summer with an interval of 2 weeks.
Picking in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground according to the 30x50 cm pattern.
Productivity 4.8 kg/sq.m.

Undine

Mid-season variety. The rosette of leaves is raised. The head is medium-sized, rounded-flat, medium-lumpy, white-cream in color. Head weight 0.6 kg. The taste is good. Recommended for use in home cooking. The value of the variety is the uniformity of the heads and high yield. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf.

Fortaleza F1

New mid-season hybrid. Medium-sized plant. Resistant to high air temperatures. Has very good self-coating ability. The heads are rounded-flat, of excellent quality: dense, snow-white with a delicate texture. The leaf is medium in size, gray-green with a slight waxy coating, vesicular, slightly wavy along the edge. Head weight 2.8 kg. The taste is excellent. Recommended for use in home cooking. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

Mid-early (70-80 days from planting seedlings to collecting the heads) high-yielding hybrid.
The rosette of leaves is vertical.
The heads are round-flat, medium-lumpy, white, with a delicate texture, well protected by leaves.
Head weight 1.8 kg.
The taste is excellent.
The hybrid is valued for its excellent quality of identical heads and resistance to unfavorable growing conditions.
Recommended for processing and freezing.
Productivity 3.0 kg/m2.
Sowing seedlings - in mid-April.
Picking - in the cotyledon phase.
Planting in the ground - in mid-May according to the 30x50 cm pattern.

Frontina F1

Mid-season hybrid. The plants are large with powerful leaves, with excellent self-covering ability. The heads are of very high quality, smooth, round in shape, very dense, heavy, snow-white in color. The hybrid is used to produce fresh products and for processing. Features of cultivation: when planting seedlings, the plants are buried down to the first true leaf; It is recommended to combine moderate irrigation and systematic loosening of the soil.

One of the main varieties of cauliflower from Rijk Zwaan, it is very hardy, characterized by strong growth, snow-white hard heads weighing 1.2-1.5 kg, which are well protected by inner leaves.
Mid-season variety, from planting to harvesting 80-97 days.
The plant is compact.
Tolerates hot weather well.
Productivity 1.8-3.9 kg/m2.

Four seasons

A wonderful mid-season, high-yielding variety that retains its commercial qualities in any season. Forms snow-white, dense, large heads weighing up to 1.5 kg. High yield, uniform formation of heads, excellent taste, long-term storage (up to 70 days) make this variety a favorite in garden beds. Resistant to autumn frosts and a number of diseases.
Sowing seedlings in April. Picking in the cotyledon phase. Planting seedlings in the ground in May, 35-40 days after emergence, according to a 50x30 cm pattern. In order for the heads to retain their white color and not disintegrate, they must be shaded from sunlight (for this, the leaves are tied above the head).

Early ripening (70-80 days from planting seedlings to harvesting) variety. Sowing seedlings in late April - early May. Picking in the cotyledon phase. Planting in the ground at the end of May - beginning of June according to the 40x40 cm pattern. The head is round, compact, dense, white in color, weighing 370-480 g. The developing head is covered with leaves and does not turn yellow. The variety is characterized by excellent taste, high content of sugar and ascorbic acid. Resistant to cracking. Recommended for long-term storage in the refrigerator, freezing, pickling, salting, and for preparing side dishes. The increased content of dry substances and delicate consistency after cooking make it possible to use in baby and dietary food. Productivity 1.2-1.4 kg/m2.

Hello, dear editors. I saw purple and orange cauliflower seeds on sale. I have three questions.

1. In the photo, the color of the cabbage is very bright. Is he really like this, or was the photo colored to attract demand?

2. How were the varieties of this cabbage created? Maybe they are GMO?

3. Is it difficult to grow such cabbage?

Rainbow cauliflower first appeared in England. The British company Syngeta has launched a cauliflower variety, Rainbow Cauliflowers, whose inflorescences are orange, green and purple.

The taste of this cabbage is the same as regular cauliflower, but it adds color to cooked dishes. The Rainbow Cauliflowers variety does not lose its rich color even after cooking.

Company representative Andrew Coker emphasized that the unusual cabbage colors are not at all a product of genetic engineering, but the result of traditional selection, which took decades. So rainbow cabbage is not GMO at all, but an environmentally friendly product.

In the British markets it sells with a bang!

WHERE TO GET IT?

In Russia you can also buy multi-colored cabbage, but so far only seeds. It is not yet available in grocery stores. Gardeners can afford such a delicacy if they grow it in their garden. It’s even more pleasant to care for such varieties, because a strange fruit with an unusual color awaits you.

Seeds of colored varieties are not at all uncommon; they are available for sale.

Hybrids Yarik F1, Cheddar F1 (Cheddar), Sunset F1 (Sunset) have orange color.

The orange tint of cauliflower was first noticed by an American farmer. It was a random mutation, and the inflorescence is very small and loose. But years of hard work, and before you are productive hybrids with a dense, beautiful head. The color is golden yellow or orange.

Violet shades are often found in cabbage; during selection they were simply enhanced. The varieties and hybrids Amethyst F1, Graffiti F1, Lilac Ball, Rosalind, and Violet Queen F1 have lilac and purple heads.

Hybrid Amethyst F1 is very brightly colored, its purple-violet head looks like a flower from a distance. Hybrid Graffiti F1 is not so rich, but the “head of cabbage” gains more than a kilogram in weight!

The varieties Cosmos, Universal, Green Trevi F1, and Shannon are distinguished by their emerald green color.

Romanesco cabbage, as well as the hybrid Amfora F1 (Amfora F1), has not only a light green color, but also an unusual pyramid-shaped head of cabbage. The main feature of Romanesco is that it does not have a specific smell (like many types of cabbage), the heads do not overcook and have a pleasant nutty taste.

BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL

Aside from aesthetics, rainbow cauliflower has another benefit: it contains more nutrients than regular cauliflower.

For example, orange cabbage contains 25 times more beta-carotene than white cabbage, which is beneficial for the body, in particular for the skin.

Hybrid Graffiti F1 is interesting because it contains iodine, which is essential for thyroid diseases. And the purple color in this cabbage comes from anthocyanin. This substance is useful for the prevention of heart disease because it slows down blood clotting.

Anthocyanin also belongs to a group of compounds that have an antioxidant effect and can prevent the development of cancer cells.

Cooking secrets. When cooking multi-colored cabbage, add a little citric acid to the water. Steamed or battered heads will be more vibrant.

HOW TO GROW

The agricultural technology of rainbow varieties is no different from growing regular cauliflower. However, not everyone manages to grow it. Let's reveal some subtleties.

Before sowing, seeds are treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (5 g per 0.5 l of water), left for 20 minutes and washed.

Cabbage can be grown through seedlings (seeds are sown at home in late March - early April) or directly in open ground (sown in late April or early May).

However, seedlings grow poorly at home - it is too hot, dry and not enough light. It is better to sow in a greenhouse in mid-late April. By the time of planting in the ground (in early June), the seedlings have time to grow as they should: they do not stretch out, they grow stocky and strong.

In the middle zone, the seedling method is the most common. The best seedlings are 35-45 days old. More “mature” seedlings from early sowings take root less well.

Cauliflower does not like sudden changes in weather. As a result, her normal development is disrupted and she does not quit for a long time.

To smooth out the influence of weather conditions, experienced gardeners carefully choose a place for cauliflower. It should be protected from the wind, for example, in front of the house, a fence or a tall bush. Thanks to this barrier there are no drafts.

The area must be light; shadows are strictly prohibited. At the same time, it is advisable to briefly shade the cabbage in the heat of the day - at noon. This could be a moving shadow from a tree or building.

To hide cabbage from the midday rays, some gardeners specially pull a sheet over it in the form of an awning,

securing it to pegs.

When preparing the beds, fertilizers are applied; rotted compost is best; fresh manure is undesirable. When planting seedlings, add a little lime to each hole to avoid cabbage clubroot.

Watering plays a big role. Cauliflower does not tolerate drying out. This greatly delays the formation of the head.

Watering is often done by sprinkling. In this case, only the top layer of soil is wetted, which is clearly not enough. Stable harvests in any weather are obtained by those gardeners who water the cabbage at the root, in holes or trenches, thoroughly soaking the soil. Good results are obtained by drip irrigation, as well as watering through bottles that are dug next to the plants. Water immediately enters the root layer.

In hot weather, the soil becomes very hot. This can also lead to a lack of harvest. Therefore, cauliflower must be mulched. A layer of mulch prevents the roots from overheating. Fertilizing is applied several times per season. You can use both mineral and organic fertilizers (infusion of manure or infusion of grass from a barrel).

The color of the head depends on the variety and care. It has long been noted that the color of flowers is brighter if they have enough nutrients. But a head of cauliflower is nothing more than a dense inflorescence of unopened buds. Feeding with microelements (especially boron) will help you grow bright heads of cabbage, like in the picture!

M.B. Sharova, biologist

Photo: www.amamam.ru, www.edimdoma.ru, www.teplitca.kiev.ua

A large number of gardeners like to use ornamental cabbage to decorate their plots - it pleases the eye in the autumn months, despite the frosts. This species looks very bright because it blooms unusually and stands out against the background of other ornamental plants.

Using this type of cabbage, you can change any area for the better and make it more attractive. It is not very difficult to care for, so even a beginner can handle it.

Varieties of ornamental cabbage

Recently, this type of cabbage was used exclusively for feed purposes in livestock farming. But botanists noticed the unusual appearance of cabbage and began to conduct breeding experiments. A few years after the experiments, they created about 100 varieties that are sold in gardening stores and on the market.

Thanks to the large selection of ornamental cabbage, it is possible to organize and implement any landscape you like; look at the photo of ornamental cabbage and you will see this. All varieties can be divided into 2 main groups:

• Varieties with a stem height of more than 50 cm. They stand out for their carved leaves of various shades.
• The second group includes decorative cabbage with multi-colored heads and carved leaves. Basically they come in 2-3 colors.

Popular varieties

"Kai and Gerda" Belongs to group 1, the stems are rough and have a height of 60 cm, the leaves are pale in color.

The lark's tongue." The leaves are in most cases dark in color, with carved edges.

"Red High" It differs from other varieties in its large diameter, up to 70 cm. The leaves are located along the entire length of the stem and have a purple tint.

Red Bor - has a stem height of about 80 cm. The leaves are bright red.

"Robin". The diameter can be up to 40 cm, height up to one and a half meters. Color from red to violet. Copes well with low temperatures.

"Colors of the East". One of the latest options. The rosette is grayish-green, turning into a purple hue. It easily tolerates light frosts and resists pests well.

"Green branchy." The stem of this variety reaches 70 cm. The color of the leaves is purple, pink, violet, blue, etc. It has a completely different shape, round, flattened, etc.

Growing seedlings

For a good harvest, it is recommended to know the best time to plant plants in your area. If you replant later, the plant will develop worse. How cabbage will grow and develop directly depends on the quality of the soil.

The seeds are sown into the soil at a depth of 1.5 cm. After 2-3 leaves appear, the seedlings are planted individually. In open ground they are planted 3 cm apart from each other.

Care

The main thing is to water, weed and feed on time. It is recommended to water cabbage early in the morning or in the evening, while there is no bright sun. Once every 7 days, after watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil. During drought, you need to water daily.

For best growth, you need to weed the seedlings from weeds. Once every 10 days it is recommended to fertilize cabbage with mineral fertilizers.

Manure should not be added to the soil. If properly cared for, the plant will bloom from July to early November. Ornamental cabbage will not lose its appearance even at subzero temperatures.

Seeds

Cabbage reproduces by seeds, so they can be collected in the second year of life. In the autumn, cabbage is uprooted from the ground, the leaves are removed from below and buried in the sand until spring. Vegetable rosettes are stored in a ventilated and dry place.

With the onset of warmth, the plant is planted again in the garden. For better pollination, plants need to be planted closer to each other.

In June, strings appear, in which seeds will appear by November. They can be eaten by birds, so they need to be covered with cloth to preserve them. When the pods dry, they are cut and tied, then they are peeled.

If you want to collect seeds, then know that you need only the best plants for this.

Pests and diseases of ornamental cabbage

Various pests spoil the appearance of the plant by damaging the leaves. Rodents damage the rhizome and leaves, which leads to wilting and death in the future. Whitefish and slugs love to eat cabbage and this causes great harm.

For protection, it is recommended to: Inspect the leaves and remove pests from them manually, mainly from caterpillars. Sprinkling the soil with ash is a good preventive measure. Apply insecticides. In some cases, superphosphate can help.

Dill and basil can repel insects if planted next to ornamental cabbage. In most cases, insects appear from more moisture.

Above are examples of the most common and best varieties of ornamental cabbage. Recommendations are also given on caring for this vegetable, how to protect it from pests and why it is better to use one or another variety.

With proper care and prevention, there will be no problems with growing and planting ornamental cabbage. This plant is hardy and tolerates difficulties easily.

After reading this article, you will finally decide which variety of ornamental cabbage you want to purchase for your plot. And then, before the snow falls, you will admire the beauty in the yard.

Photo of decorative cabbage

Cauliflower is not an ordinary garden crop. This is a rare case when it is not fruits, roots or even leaves that are eaten, but unopened inflorescences. They are fried, pickled, salted or used as one of the ingredients in winter vegetable salads.

Is it easy to grow such a plant, and caring for this crop requires compliance with certain rules: timely planting, temperature conditions, proper watering and periodic application of fertilizers. Cauliflower is light-loving, heat-loving, and with the right agricultural technology you can get an excellent harvest.

However, the following phenomenon is often observed in the beds - cauliflower does not set, that is, inflorescences, which are used as food, do not form. Or unopened buds appear, but they are not united into a dense and dense inflorescence, but look loose and sparse.

So, let's try to answer the question why cauliflower does not set. After all, if there are no ovaries, there will be no harvest. Meanwhile, cauliflower is several times higher in protein, vitamin C and mineral salts than cabbage, so this will be a very significant loss for our diet.

The first reason why cauliflower does not set is the wrong choice of variety. Certain hybrids and some released varieties are too sensitive to even minor fluctuations in temperature and humidity, and under stressful conditions they do not form an ovary.

Another reason why cauliflower does not set is an error in choosing the time of sowing. Despite the fact that this plant is quite thermophilic, ovaries are formed at temperatures no higher than +18C°. Lower temperatures lead to slower development, but the inflorescences are larger. Therefore, seeds and seedlings must be planted so that the formation of buds occurs before intense heat (early varieties) or after it (late varieties).

Another typical one is irregular watering. This culture is moisture-loving, and especially a lot of liquid is required during the period of setting inflorescences and the formation of a leaf rosette.

Contrary to popular belief, a lack of nutrients in the garden does not prevent the formation of buds, but the head of cabbage turns out to be loose and sparse. The same can be observed in case of lack of moisture. But an excess of fertilizers causes much more serious harm - green leaves grow, which are not eaten, and as a result, huge green bushes without heads of cabbage are formed in the beds. One of the common mistakes when growing cauliflower is tearing off the lower rosette leaves. Although they are not eaten, they serve as a storehouse of nutrients for the inflorescences. Therefore, the head begins to form only after the formation of 7-9 rosette covering leaves.

To obtain a large, dense white inflorescence, it is recommended to slightly shade the head from direct sunlight after the ovaries have formed. To do this, you can use any auxiliary materials, but the easiest way is to slightly break and tilt the upper rosette leaves or simply tie them over the inflorescences.