More recently, mainly as an ornament, ornamental cabbage has spread. Growing it requires virtually no care. This is a completely unpretentious plant. The popular varieties of ornamental cabbage form large multi-colored rosettes on a small stalk. Their color varies, ranging from white and smoothly flowing into dark burgundy. Leaves are continuous, slightly wavy and strongly dissected. Cabbage in our usual sense appears in the garden in a completely different image of a real beauty.
It is interesting that decorative cabbage, the cultivation of which is mainly intended for decorating balconies, flowerbeds, summer cottages, reaches the maximum brightness of the colors after the first frosts hit, when the remaining flowers have already bloomed. A rare type of plant, which after the cold continues to delight with its beauty and only becomes more beautiful. This is why decorative cabbage is attractive. Its cultivation is also practiced in large flowerpots and pots. Its seeds are large, they are sown in late March or early April in pots for seedlings. Seedlings easily tolerate the transplant, only after that you do not need to keep them in the bright sun so as not to get elongated stems. Until the fall, they can calmly grow even on an inconspicuous garden. Closer to autumn, along with a large lump of land, cabbage can be transplanted to a flower bed instead of seasonal flowers.
Ornamental kale, curly, is also used as decoration. She is also beautiful, almost like an ornamental cabbage. Her cultivation also gained distribution. This cabbage can withstand frosts up to 18 degrees. It is edible and tasty, just does not form a rosette, and its beauty is in corrugated leaves that have a green or purple-red color. Resistance to frost has made this culture a beloved and welcome guest in the beds.
Purple-red, sometimes with a purple tint, the color of the leaves has red cabbage. Growing it is akin to white cabbage, as well as the purpose. The difference from the latter is in the color of the leaves, the more pronounced cold resistance of its early varieties and in that it is less susceptible to diseases and pests. The anthocyanin contained in red cabbage, which determines its color, helps strengthen capillaries and normalize their permeability. In addition, this substance, preventing the effects of radiation on the human body, prevents bleeding. In this culture, vitamin C is doubled, and carotene - 4 times more than in white cabbage. Not to mention the large number of salts of iron, potassium, magnesium, enzymes and volatile products contained in it. For people suffering from hypertension, red cabbage is very useful . Her cultivation takes place in the same way as white cabbage. It is best to use the seedling method.
Cabbage always comes to the rescue when after a long winter you really want fresh ground vegetables. It is the cultivation of seedlings of early cabbage that allows you to taste it one of the first. Its seeds are sown in late February - early March in a winter greenhouse or, if at home, in pots, small boxes - in late March. The cultivation of seedlings of early cabbage largely depends on the soil, which should consist of equal parts of humus and sod land. They withstand temperatures in the range of 18-20 degrees until the first shoots appear. Then it must be sharply reduced to 6-10 degrees, and after two days to increase to 18 degrees. Water moderately. Seedlings are very fond of long daylight hours, so lighting is important. These subtleties should be taken into account at the initial stage of growing early cabbage, but it is worth the effort for the final result - a delicious product and a sea of vitamins.