Among the Dutch cabbage varieties, Galaxy deserves special attention. The culture adapts to any conditions and is characterized by stable productivity and good commercial qualities. Read more about its features and growing rules below.
History of Variety Breeding
A variety was bred in Holland around 1990. Designed by Royal Sluis. In 1993, the culture was included in the State Register of Russia and zoned in the Volga-Vyatka and Central regions. However, due to its ability to tolerate temperature fluctuations well and adapt to any conditions, it is cultivated in the southern regions. When using the seedling method of growing, it manages to ripen even in the north.
Did you know? The Japanese use cabbage not only in cooking, many use it in landscape design as a decoration for flower beds.
Description and characteristic
Galaxy cabbage has a number of attractive characteristics. Before cultivating the variety, they should be carefully studied in order to be able to properly build work on the site in season.
Appearance of cabbage
The stalk (stump) is tall, leafy. Leafy plates located at the bottom of the stem are fleshy, large. Lyrical in shape, cirrus-dissected. Veins on the leaves thickened, prominent, clearly visible.
Leaf plates are densely located and around the stump, form a head of cabbages. The upper ones are sessile, the lower ones are stem-embracing. Heads of cabbage have a rounded flat shape. Very dense. Outside, the fruit is painted in dark green color, inside - in yellow-white. Depending on the region of cultivation and conditions, the weight of the head of cabbage varies between 3.2–4.6 kg; even with improved care, even copies weighing 6 kg can be obtained. The total yield per m² is from 4.6 to 6.5 kg.
Products are of high commercial value. It tolerates transportation and has a long shelf life - up to 12 months. It is characterized by high palatability and resistance to cracking.
Did you know? Sour cabbage soup — this is not the first dish. In tsarist Russia, it was called a spicy drink made from cabbage, reminiscent of kvass to taste.
Maturing and frost resistance
The variety belongs to late ripening crops. Ripens in 160-175 days from the moment of emergence of shoots. Adult plants are able to withstand frosts within -3 ...- 8 ° С. Seeds begin to germinate already at + 3 ° С. Hardened seedlings can tolerate a short-term drop in temperature to -7 ° C even on the day of planting. The optimal regime for the growth and development of culture is +18 ... + 21 ° С. Plants are tolerant to thrips and alternariosis.
Video: Galaxy cabbage
Positive qualities and disadvantages of the variety
Evaluation of the pros and cons of the variety helps to increase the yield of the variety by regulating the growing conditions.
- Of the positive qualities of Galaxy cabbage, it is worth noting:
- high stress resistance of plants;
- tolerance to fungal diseases and thrips;
- good yields even on scarce soils;
- long shelf life;
- universality of use of products;
- high commodity yield with good quality;
- resistance to cracking and mechanical damage.
The only drawback is the demand for crops for watering.
Agriculture cultivating varieties
The culture is quite unpretentious in care. When growing it, seedlings and seed methods are used. In the southern regions, a second method of cultivation will be appropriate. In other areas, it is better to use seedlings. It makes it possible to reduce the ripening time of the crop.
Growing seedlings
Sowing seeds for seedlings should be carried out from April 1 to April 20. Planting soil:
- soddy soil;
- leaf humus.
The components are mixed in equal proportions and 1 tbsp is added for each kg of the total volume. l wood ash. It will serve as both fertilizer and antiseptic. Then the resulting substrate is shed with water to reach a moisture content of 50%. The earth should be loose, but not swampy. The seeds do not require special preparation, because they pass it before packing and delivery for sale. They are sown dry, in long common containers.
The seed planting depth is 0.5–1 cm, the distance between them is 8 cm, the same between rows. After planting, the surface of the container must be covered with a film or glass to create a greenhouse effect. In the germination phase, the temperature is maintained within +20 ... + 22 ° C. When the first shoots appear (it takes about 4 days), remove the shelter and lower the temperature to +8 ... + 10 ° С. With the appearance of the first leaves on sunny days they increase to + 14 ° С, and on cloudy days they leave +8 ... + 10 ° С. Such fluctuations will help make the seedlings more resilient. It is also worth paying attention to the light mode. Optimum daylight hours - 12-15 hours.
With the advent of the first true leaf, seedlings are dived into separate peat pots. After 10 days, fertilizing is carried out. To 1 liter of water add:
- superphosphate - 4 g;
- potassium sulfate - 2 g;
- ammonium nitrate - 2 g.
Important! When transplanting, plants need to be deepened to the cotyledons, otherwise the seedlings will stretch very much, which will negatively affect its development in the open ground.
Before fertilizing, the seedlings are spilled with water so that the liquid flows out of the drainage holes. The consumption for each plant is 20 ml. It is most convenient to apply fertilizer with a syringe. The next time top dressing is carried out after 3 weeks. At this stage, the same composition is used, but the dosage of the components is increased by 2 times. The third top dressing is carried out a week before transplanting seedlings in open ground. For 1 liter of water, the same ingredients are added in a ratio of 7: 8: 3.
Watering seedlings is carried out on demand and only at the root. Do not allow the soil to dry out or make a swamp out of it.
Optimum soil moisture should always be maintained within 50%
2 weeks before the transplant, hardening begins. This process involves the gradual adaptation of plants to street temperature and weather conditions (wind, rain, change of light mode). For this, the plants are exposed to the street at first for 3 hours. Every day, the interval is increased by 2 hours. By the time of planting, seedlings should be carried out on the street around the clock.
Open transplant
A pick on the site is carried out when the seedlings reach the age of 60 days. It is advisable to carry out this manipulation before June 1. A plot intended for cabbage, begin to cook in the autumn. The soil is cultivated to a depth of 20 cm, then shed with 3% solution of copper sulfate. After a week, 10 kg of manure and deciduous humus are added for digging to a depth of 15 cm.
In areas with heavy soil, along with fertilizers, 10 kg of sand and peat are added, and the depth of digging is increased by 10 cm. A month before planting, 10 kg of compost is added per each m² and the soil is cultivated again. A week before planting, the plot is irrigated with Fitosporin solution. Dilute the drug in a proportion of 5:10.
Before planting seedlings watered per day. In the morning, they dig holes 2 cm larger than the pot. At the bottom put glasses of compost and 1 tbsp. The scheme of planting in the open field recommended by the originators of the variety is 60 × 60 cm.
Peat pots are placed in the wells directly with the vegetation from disposable plastic containers, transplanted seedlings by transshipment method. The soil around the plants is slightly compacted and watered with a small amount of water (approximately 300-500 ml). After a few hours, the soil is loosened and mulched with compost or peat.
Features cabbage care
The first 2 weeks after diving, plants should be watered every day, adding 6 liters of water per m². In the future, they begin to water once every 1-2 weeks, spending 12-15 liters per plant. In the phase of formation of forks and their growth, it is better to water on demand, making sure that the soil does not dry out.
You need to make water very carefully under the root
Throughout the growing season 3 times spend hilling. Do this only after watering. For the first time 2 weeks after transplanting, then another 2 times with an interval of 20 days. This procedure is necessary to enhance the growth of additional roots.
Important! The temperature of the water for irrigation should be the same as that of the surrounding air. A tolerance of ± 3 ° C is acceptable.
Once a week, aisles must be loosened and simultaneously eliminated weeds. Top dressing begins 10 days after diving seedlings in open ground. At this stage, 1 liter of mullein or 40 g of saltpeter is added to 20 liters of water. Under each plant contribute 0.5 liters. The next top dressing is made in late June - early July. Apply ash infusion. 2 liters add 2 tbsp. ashes. Insist for about a week, then strain and pour 0.5 l under each plant.
After each rain, it is advisable to dust the plantings with wood ash. Ashes are scattered so that it sticks to the greenery. This will help protect the plantations from leaf foliage and prevent the development of putrefactive processes. A month before harvesting, one more top dressing with ash infusion is carried out. 1 liter of settled and filtered solution is diluted in 20 liters of water.
If all dressings are applied on time, then spraying from diseases and pests is not required
Features of harvesting and storage of crops
Harvesting is started when the air temperature drops to + 3 ° C. If you remove the heads too soon, they will not be stored for long. Cabbage is dug out of the soil with a shovel, and then the roots are cut so that the tip remains 3-4 cm. It is possible not to trim, but to store the heads together with the roots in hanged condition.
Harvest is used for fresh consumption, the preparation of various culinary delights, as well as pickling and canning. The variety in question is ideal for fermentation and salting. Cabbage that is not ripened and damaged during harvesting is left for processing. Healthy dense specimens are laid for long-term storage.
Did you know? The first mention of cabbage dates back to the 4th – 3rd centuries. BC e. This is a "Treatise on Herbs" by the ancient Greek scholar Evedem - it describes the cultivation of three varieties of this vegetable.
Optimal conditions for maintaining the quality of cabbage:
- temperature - +1 ...- 1 ° С;
- humidity - 80%;
- good ventilation of the room.
Store heads in wooden crates or on shelves. They spread the cabbage in one layer, at a distance of 3-5 cm from each other.
The Galaxy cabbage variety is not demanding in care and shows good productivity even on sparse soils. Heads of cabbage are distinguished by high palatability and retain freshness for 12 months from the time of harvesting.
