Ornamental cabbage (varieties and names will be discussed in the article) conquers gardeners and gardeners around the world. Its vibrant appearance makes the empty autumn garden more colorful. From afar, it looks like an unusual openwork flower. The plant is resistant to the first frost and unpretentious care. Is it possible to eat its colorful foliage?
Appearance story
Ornamental cabbage existed in the distant past. But the ancient Greeks used it as livestock feed. Already then there was a view with smooth leaves and curly.
For a long time, breeders have bred many varieties. The Japanese did a good job in this regard, and they developed very popular varieties.
Famous species
There are many different varieties of ornamental cabbage. Plants are annual and perennial, smooth-leaved and openwork, without a core and with a loose head, of various colors.
The most popular types of cabbage:
- The tongue of the lark is a palm plant. Curly leaves, green tone. They grow on petioles, the length of which reaches twenty centimeters.
- Kai and Gerda is a mixture of green-emerald and violet-purple leaves that grow to fifty centimeters. The variety is relatively new.
- Paints of the east - one of those varieties that are resistant to cold. The socket is painted with a smooth transition from gray-green to dark purple. The leaves are rounded with curling edges.
- Lace mosaic - is especially popular among gardeners. Openwork leaf sockets. They can be painted in one of the following colors: white, green, purple, cream. The plant looks incredibly gentle.
- Robin - grows to a meter and a half in height. The leaves are corrugated, painted fuchsia. The variety is very tenacious, because it tolerates frosts and is practically not susceptible to disease.
- Tokyo - the core is bright, and the lower leaves of the emerald color. The plant grows to a maximum of thirty centimeters.
- Nagoya - the plant looks powerful, reaching sixty centimeters in height. Leaves lace red or white.
- Osaka - the leaves of the plant are straight and corrugated. Their color is usually white or pink.
- Piglon - the plant resembles a pink bud. It looks elegant, despite its small size. Its leaves have a delicate pink color. Leaves are most often corrugated.
- Princess - the leaves are not large, highly corrugated. Their color can be red, yellow, white.
There are many species that have spots and stripes of various shades on green leaves. Most varieties sold are biennial plants. In the first year they grow and delight with colorful foliage, and in the second year they bloom and give seeds. You can collect or buy them. When purchasing seeds, it is important to look at the size of an adult plant in order to plant it in the most successful place. Although, if necessary, the flower can always be transplanted.
The soil
The soil for future decorative cabbage should consist of sand, peat, earth. The resulting mixture should be doused with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then it can be poured into the container.
It is better to purchase a special primer in the store. But planting in ordinary land, which is in the garden, is not desirable. Then you do not have to give up on seeds and seedlings.
Sowing seeds
Ornamental cabbage propagated by seeds. Planting them is not particularly difficult, so a novice gardener can grow one of the varieties at home. Seeds are purchased from distributors.
Sowing is carried out in March-April. It is important to consider that in hot rooms seedlings are not well received. You need to choose cool, but well-lit areas. For this, a balcony, a loggia, a veranda is suitable.
Seeds are placed in moist soil. Depth should be one centimeter. To sprouts appeared faster, you can cover the inoculation with film and place the container in a warm environment. Of course, do not forget about airing. And after the appearance of the first sprouts, the temperature regime must be lowered. Typically, the temperature should be 10-12 ° C. It is also required to provide seedlings with maximum illumination.
When the first true leaves appear, the plants are seated in separate containers. It is better to use peat pots. Everything needs to be done accurately and accurately. To remove seedlings from the ground, it is better to use a special spatula so as not to damage the roots. Subsequent care involves watering, fertilizing, adding soil as seedlings grow.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Planting ornamental cabbage on the street is permissible when the seedlings are eighty days old. If planted later, cabbage can develop poorly. Between plants there should be a distance of at least thirty centimeters. Ornamental cabbage seedlings usually take root well, requiring minimal care.
Care Features
Of course, plants must be monitored. By themselves, only weeds grow. By the departure of ornamental cabbage is meant timely watering, weeding, fertilizing the soil.
The main recommendations for gardeners who grow cabbage:
- Loosen the soil once a week after wetting. Then the roots are completely saturated with oxygen.
- Weeding from weeds will improve the development and growth of the plant.
- If necessary, cabbage can be transplanted. To do this, she digs with the ground to a new place and is watered abundantly.
Watering and feeding
When growing decorative cabbage, it is important to deal with its timely watering. It is better to do this in the morning or at sunset. During severe drought, moisten the earth daily. But do not get on the leaves with water when the sun is shining. This will cause burns and spoil the appearance of the plant.
Plant nutrition is required once every seven to ten days. Mineral fertilizers are suitable for this. But manure can not be called the best choice. Its use will lead to an increase in the size of cabbage leaves and their acquisition of green color. That is, the gardener will not be able to enjoy the pink color of Piglon (a variety similar to a rose).
Pest control
Ornamental cabbage, planting and care of which is considered, attention is required in relation to pests. Butterflies, slugs, rodents can attack its leaves and roots. In addition to a damaged appearance, the plant may die.
Prevention measures against pests:
- Slugs and insects will not be able to get to the plant if the soil around it is sprinkled with ash or pine needles.
- Butterflies and slugs can be destroyed with a solution of superphosphate.
- Leaves should be regularly inspected and, if necessary, removed from them pests and their eggs.
- Well repels pests planted next to the calendula. Dill and basil have the same properties.
High effectiveness in pest control is shown by such drugs as Bitoxibacillin, Lepidocide. However, it is worthwhile to be careful with chemicals if cabbage is supposed to be used as food.
Ornamental varieties can also become victims of fungal diseases. Often this is due to excessive watering and poor drainage of the earth. Water stagnates for a long time in the soil, which leads to negative consequences.
Wintering conditions
In general, ornamental cabbage is a fairly hardy plant. Proper care will allow you to admire its leaves before the onset of severe frosts. Some varieties tolerate temperatures below 10 ° C.
Perennial varieties can be stored for the next year. To do this, the bush is dug up in the fall along with an earthen lump. All leaves are cut, leaving only the top. The plant is placed in a dry, well-ventilated area and dripped in sand. It will not allow the roots to dry out. So, cabbage will survive until spring. You can return it to the open ground when the snow melts.
Taste qualities
Most types of ornamental cabbage can be used as food. In terms of taste, culinary experts believe that leafy varieties are tastier than heading species. Nagoya is distinguished by its delicate red and white leaves. It is grown for the preparation of side dishes on an industrial scale.
The taste of the leaves becomes even better after the first frost. However, only young leaves are worth it, since they are the most tender. Before eating, they are washed with running water. Do not soak the leaves in water so that they do not lose vitamins with mineral salts.
Some cooks prefer to pour boiling water over the leaves. Other cooks are left briefly in a pan under the lid, without adding water. There, its leaves are slightly extinguished and will not have time to lose color. They are also added to sauces, mashed soups, served with boiled rice. Salads on pink or white sheets look festive in a special way. In addition, they can be eaten. Children who do not like vegetables may be interested in an unusual look and eat healthy leaves.
Decorative qualities
The main goal, which was pursued by breeders of decorative varieties of cabbage, was to decorate gardens, parks, household plots. There are many variations on how these plants can be planted.
Several options that will guide gardeners in creating individual landscape compositions:
- Low-growing branched varieties look perfect surrounded by coniferous or deciduous shrubs.
- Using various varieties of cabbage, you can create all kinds of ornaments and patterns in the garden.
- Plants are well suited for building hanging and vertical flower beds.
- Cabbage can be planted in a large pot. It looks good at once several plants in one flowerpot. It can be placed at the entrance to the alley, on the balcony. It all depends on the imagination. The pot option is very advantageous, because until the cabbage reaches its most beautiful appearance, it can be kept in an inconspicuous place. And then put it at the entrance to the house, filling the autumn with bright colors.
- You can hide the plant in advance in the garden. First, plant it in unsightly beds, and then transplant it into prominent areas, in places of faded annual plantings.
- The plant can be cut under the root by placing it in a vase with water. Such a bouquet will delight its delightful appearance a little less than a month. Guests will certainly appreciate the interesting bouquet and can hardly immediately guess what it is.
Each variety of decorative cabbage deserves to take its place in the garden. An unusual plant attracts with its bright appearance, frost resistance. It looks very impressive cabbage, powdered with snow. And in a large pot, she will delight the eye before the New Year.