A plant called cabbage has been known since time immemorial and belongs to the Cruciferous family. You can meet it in almost all summer cottages, the vast majority of gardeners are engaged in its cultivation.

Cabbage grows in all countries, with the exception of some, the main thing for it is that the climate is more or less moderate. On the territory of Russia, for the most part, this vegetable is distributed in that part of Siberia, which is non-chernozem.

Cabbage may have wrinkled or smooth leaves. In the former, veins on the leaves are strongly marked, which have a lighter shade closer to the center of the leaf. This vegetable has a very well-developed root system, it has a strong branching.

Cabbage

Cabbage is used in cooking and rivals potatoes in this. The vegetable is also used in cosmetology and in the manufacture of folk medicines. Its popularity is due to the presence of many nutrients and essential vitamins in the composition. Those people who monitor their weight and figure may not be afraid to eat cabbage, since it is considered a low-calorie product.

Cabbage varieties

This vegetable has a fairly large number of varieties, which at the moment can be counted about 50. This includes all plants that in one way or another belong to the cabbage family. Many plant varieties have the ability to be stored for a long time, reaching a whole year. The main types will be described below.

White-headed

The first variety, which is undoubtedly familiar to every gardener and buyer, is called white cabbage. It can be easily recognized by the round head of cabbage, which is located in the center of the plant rosette. This variety is grown for making salads in the summer, and heads of cabbage are also well stored in the winter. Cabbage is ideal for pickling.

Additional Information. In a number of countries there are traditions associated with pickling cabbage. Joint felling of cabbages took place in Russia at the end of each September, after which folk festivities, the so-called skits, began.

White cabbage

White cabbage contains a very large amount of various vitamins necessary for the human body, including quite rare ones. The presence of acids and fiber, calcium and iron, phosphorus, sulfur and zinc is also noted.

Redhead

It differs from the previous variety in the color of the head. The color of such a cabbage is red-purple both outside and inside, only the stump and the veins that occur are white. Red cabbage contains a pigment, the presence of which explains such a color spectrum.

Note. The value of the red-headed variety is that, using it for a long time, you can achieve normal pressure and elasticity of blood vessels.

It is preferable to grow this cabbage in a very well-lit area. It is noteworthy that this variety contains twice as much vitamin C as white cabbage.

But red cabbage has its drawbacks. Its leaves are coarser, and when cooked, it changes color to brown and looks less appetizing.

Colored

After the white-headed variety, cauliflower is called the most popular, thanks, first of all, to its hypoallergenic and dietary properties.It grows in the form of inflorescences, which are collected in a kind of bouquet. Cauliflower comes in a variety of colors.

Cauliflower (appearance)

This type of cabbage does not require a large amount of sunlight, with its abundance, the inflorescences can become coarse, so gardeners resort to shading them with leaves located on the sides. Cauliflower is prepared by stewing, used in salads, it can be frozen.

Broccoli

This species is similar to cauliflower but differs in color. Broccoli inflorescences are green in color, they are tender and have a large amount of vitamins in their composition.

This color of broccoli indicates that it contains a large amount of vitamin C. There is also a lot of vitamin A in the vegetable, this value is superior to that of all other plants of the cabbage family.

Brussels

It is a Belgian variety with a strong stem that can grow up to 60 cm in height. On it there are numerous small heads of cabbage, literally from a nut. This culture needs plenty of light and ample space and is not planted often.

Brussels

These small vegetables contain mustard oil, so they have an unusual taste. They can be fried, used in soups, and frozen for future use.

Beijing

It is called Chinese salad. Peking cabbage deserves attention because of its appearance, which is a leafy rosette with jagged leaves.

Interesting. This cabbage has a great nutritional value, including all the vitamins that are in the white cabbage, but surpassing it in the content of ascorbic acid.

Pests

There are a large number of pests that attack cabbage in the open field, of which the most dangerous and common are distinguished.

Scoop

One of the first can be called the cabbage scoop, which deals not only with damage to this vegetable, but also other crops, including flowers and fruit plants.

Cabbage scoop is a dangerous pest

The main damage to cabbage is caused by caterpillars of this pest. Butterflies do not reveal themselves in any way, spending the day on fences and in other places, only in the evening they become active. During the entire summer period, the scoop is dangerous, it is capable of producing a huge number of eggs per season. The eggs are laid on the lower side of the cabbage leaf.

Caterpillars hatch after a few days and deal with the culture, leaving only the skeleton. In the regions of southern Russia, this pest can breed up to 3 times.

Cabbage fly

Towards the end of spring, this pest places laid eggs near the plant. After birth, the larvae attack the plant stem. They deal with damage to the stem from below and from above. It is very difficult for the owner to immediately notice the actions of the cabbage fly. This usually happens when the plant is close to death.

Moth cabbage

The cabbage moth is somewhat similar in description to the scoop. She can also produce eggs during the season and lay a lot of them. Its numerous caterpillars eat the leaves of the culture without interruption, that is, around the clock.

Cabbage white

These cabbage butterflies, like their caterpillars, are familiar to many summer residents. In appearance, the cabbage whitefish is a moth, with white wings to a black dot. Derived from a large number of eggs, pests caterpillars are able to eat cabbage literally whole, leaving only veins. When they are on cabbage, they emit a bad-smelling substance, so a vegetable that has been pested by an insect is easy to smell from afar.

Cruciferous flea

These pests are called flea beetles because they are very nosy and fast. If you just touch the plant, they scatter. Cruciferous fleas inflict greater damage on young plants, mainly pests of cabbage seedlings, their interest in large plants is much weaker.These fleas reproduce very well, after they are full of cabbage, they spend the winter in the ground or uncleaned plant debris.

Other gnawing pests

Among other cabbage pests that gnaw the leaves and stems, they emit slugs that eat the leaves of the plant at night, and the bear, which damage the roots of the plant. There are also wireworms, the result of which are rotting roots, and the cabbage beetle.

Sucking pests

Aphid

It multiplies starting in June, when new larvae of the pest begin to be born. It is a small insect, green in color. Having a very short lifespan, the aphid immediately after birth begins to suck the juices from the leaves of the plant.

Aphids on cabbage

Thrips

Cabbage, as a plant, begins to lose its attractive appearance as soon as thrips infest it. Her leaves begin to change their color, they dry out and fall. The most noticeable and alarming sign of an attack is the white color of the leaf plate.

Cruciferous bug

It is considered one of the largest pests of cabbage. It can fearlessly be on the upper side of cabbage leaves, since it is not food for birds. The cabbage bug feeds on the juices of the culture, and the heads of cabbage do not grow at all.

Control methods

Interested in cabbage diseases and pests fighting them? If you know about the prevention and development of the pest, as well as resort to the processing of cabbage, you can reduce the insect population to a minimum. It is necessary to destroy weeds, cabbage pests can multiply on them.

Pollination with mothballs is used in spring

Chemical measures are not a good solution. The substance with which it was processed is not completely washed out of the head of cabbage, and this can be dangerous for households who consume the vegetable.

When the situation approaches a disaster, cabbage pests and combating them can be done using chemistry, but it is better to process the cabbage before the head of cabbage has begun to form. In the spring, pollination with naphthalene is used or Aktara or Decis solutions are used. Closer to summer, it is better to switch to more gentle methods. Insects can be collected by hand or you can use something from folk methods.

Biological preparations are also used to combat cabbage pests. They combine well, they are used to prepare mixtures for pests that are present and can only appear on plants. These funds are called contact or systemic, they affect the nervous system of the pest, and they die in less than a day. From such drugs, Nembact, Aktofit and others are isolated.

Folk remedies

Cabbage pests, how to deal with them using folk methods? To scare off harmful insects, some gardeners use smelling plants, for example, fennel, parsley, calendula and others. Cruciferous flea beetles are well scared away by wood ash and dry mustard, which, according to the advice of experienced summer residents, for example, Oktyabrina Ganichkina, should be poured not on plants, but around the beds. These natural methods are best for fighting.

Gardeners use scented plants

On a note. Baking soda helps very well against caterpillars, it is poured onto cabbage leaves, but the main thing here is not to overdo it.

Traps are used to treat snails and slugs. The earth is moistened and covered with newspapers or a rag, which have been sprayed with kvass and beer. In the morning, pests are collected.

You can spread a bay leaf near the cabbage roots. It helps with the cabbage fly. Against a variety of pests, the plant is treated with ammonia.

Garden beds can be protected with vinegar. It does not harm either the plant or the person. It is considered a very effective remedy and helps in the fight against cabbage bugs and other insects.

Resistant varieties

Cabbage varieties are more resistant to pests:

  • The Aggressor variety is practically not affected by aphids, flea beetles and caterpillars;
  • The variety Magaton is resistant to many pests;
  • Also, the Geneva variety is distinguished by low damage to harmful insects.

Each method of control from the description can be effective in combating cabbage pests. But you need to do everything in due time and adhere to certain rules. Under such conditions, the vegetable will develop well and give a good harvest.