Decorative cabbage. Basic methods of cultivation

Not everyone knows that cabbage is not just a very useful vegetable, but also a beautiful ornament that will give an element of exotic to an ordinary vegetable garden. Decorative cabbage, the homeland of which is Greece, is represented by almost a hundred species. These plants are annual, biennial, rarely perennial. Extensive popularity enjoyed this culture and the ancient Romans, as the decorative cabbage was famous for its various hygienic properties, thanks to which the Romans were cured of many different diseases.

Already in the Middle Ages, decorative cabbage came to Britain and France. And this plant came to Russia from the Black Sea coast, but already in the form of a cabbage cabbage intended for food. There are several varieties of cabbage, which are decorative. They differ in the shape of the plants, in the size and color of the leaves themselves. Most varieties are grown in the form of multicolored outlets that resemble a large rose flower on a low stem. And their leaves can be solid, slightly wavy, strongly dissected, and the color in the center of cabbage can vary in different varieties - from white to maroon. The most bright and effective decorative cabbage looks autumn, when the flowers have already mostly faded. This plant is not just not afraid of frosts, but it also becomes better at temperatures below zero, even when it reaches minus 8 degrees.

Despite the fact that this kind of cabbage is known for a long time, as an ornamental garden plant it became popular recently. Today, the seeds of ornamental cabbage are increasingly found in shops selling seeds. And it's no accident, because this plant is unpretentious in care and grows very well.

How to grow a decorative cabbage?

The main way to grow it is seedling. If planted seedlings of this plant in the home, it must be taken into account that she prefers coolness and does not tolerate heat. In addition, cabbage seedlings, like other plants, need good lighting. But this requires protection from direct sun. Sow seeds can be as one by one in a glass, and in a common container. It is preferable to use the first method, so that the roots of the plant are less injured during transplanting and picking. Seeds of ornamental cabbage are best sown in late February and in March. If the seeds are grown in a common container, then after the first pair of real leaves has appeared, it is necessary to picks in separate pots.

When planting in the open ground, it is noticed that the seedlings of the decorative cabbage grow more hardened, sturdy and stockier than that grown at home. Planting time: mid-April, immediately after the snow melted, under the arc with non-woven material or film. Sowing is necessary at a depth of 1-1.5 cm with a distance of 5-6 cm between the seeds. The temperature in the hotbed should be 18-20 degrees. In May, when the seedlings grow and become stronger, they should be transplanted to the place where they will grow permanently. When planting on a flower bed with flowers, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the culture will reach its maximum decorativeness only in the autumn. Therefore, the planting can be postponed for a rather long time, but for now decorative cabbage can grow on a bed next to other plants.

When transplanting cabbage, it is important to save as much earth as possible, and it is necessary to deepen up to the first two real leaves. Planting should be done in carefully prepared pits located at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other.

It should be remembered that cabbage is a water-loving plant, requiring abundant watering and good fertilizer. Despite the fact that the culture loves a sunny place, it will grow well in the penumbra.