Proof that cabbage was grown in Rus' back in the 11th century are entries in ancient books - “Izbornik Svyatoslav” and “Domostroy”. Several centuries have passed since then, and interest in the white vegetable not only has not fallen, but has become even greater.
Today, gardeners have a harder time than their ancestors. After all, the range of varieties and hybrids is growing every year. If you need vegetables for pickling and winter storage, Vyuga cabbage is just what you need. The variety meets all requirements.
Description
White cabbage variety Vyuga was bred in Siberia. It has long been included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. A universal-purpose vegetable, intended for cultivation in open ground in private plots and on an industrial scale.
White cabbage Vyuga is a late-ripening variety. From germination to technical maturity it takes from 140 to 160 days. The outer and inner stalks are short. The leaves of the vertical rosette are dark or gray-green, shaped like a lyre. The waxy coating is clearly visible. There are faint waves along the edges of the sheet.
The variety's heads are round, slightly flattened, and very dense (up to 4.6 points). When cut, the leaves are white-yellow, with virtually no voids. Fork weight from 1800 to 3300 grams. Some specimens reach 5 kg.
Attention! Vyuga cabbage, according to gardeners and consumers, is one of the best varieties for winter storage.
History of variety selection
Vyuga is a classic representative of mid-late cabbage varieties. The attractive round heads weigh about 3 kg and are distinguished by excellent taste. The variety was presented for study by the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing in 1983. It was included in the State Register in 1989 and since then has enjoyed the well-deserved attention of gardeners. Zoned for the Central regions of Russia, as well as Siberia.
Characteristic
Descriptions of the variety, photos and reviews of Vyuga cabbage will not be enough without characteristics. Let's look at the advantages:
- Taste properties. The variety has excellent taste; there is no bitterness in the cabbage leaves.
- Productivity is high.
- Use in cooking. Since the vegetable has a universal purpose, it can be used fresh and prepared as first and second courses. But it is best to use the Vyuga variety for fermentation, pickling and long-term storage. It can be stored for almost 8 months without loss of taste and quality characteristics.
- Agricultural technology. The length of the day does not negatively affect the development of cabbage. Can be grown on different soil compositions.
- Transportability. Heads of cabbage of the Vyuga variety do not crack either during cultivation or when transported over long distances, and do not lose their presentation.
- Diseases. The cabbage variety is resistant to many diseases, including vascular bacteriosis.
No disadvantages were noted by gardeners. The only thing you need to pay attention to is not to over-moisten the soil. Vyuga cabbage cannot tolerate this: the root system can rot, and mold appears on the lower leaves.
Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners
Summer residents share their experience in growing this variety:
Galina, Novosibirsk: “I’ve been growing blizzards for many years. It is suitable for sourdough and delicious in salads. We store the harvest in the cellar for a long time in winter. We do not shorten the stalk too much. I wrap each head of cabbage separately in newspaper and cover it with a blanket in severe frosts.”
Maria, Moscow: “Last year we grew this cabbage in the country for the first time. There were no problems, the heads of cabbage were cut somewhere in October, and they were stored on the balcony for a long time.”
Growing seedlings
White cabbage Vyuga, based on the characteristics of the variety, for the vegetable to fully ripen must be grown through seedlings in a risky farming zone. In the southern regions, sowing seeds in open ground is allowed.
Seedling method
In order for the plants to ripen at the required time, the seeds must be sown in the last ten days of March. According to the lunar calendar of 2022, it is recommended to complete the work in March: 20, 21, 26 or 30.
Soil and containers
A week before sowing cabbage seeds, the soil is prepared. You can use store-bought formulations, since all nutrients are fully balanced in them. If you prepare the soil yourself, you need to take equal parts turf soil, humus or compost, and river sand. Be sure to add wood ash under the cabbage.
Containers are chosen with a depth of at least 7-10 cm so that the root system does not feel oppressed during growth. Boxes or containers are doused with boiling water. You can add a few crystals of potassium permanganate. The containers are filled with soil and thoroughly poured with boiling water with potassium permanganate or boric acid.
Advice! The soil can be prepared differently: pour it into a sheet and steam it in the oven at 200 degrees for a quarter of an hour.
Seed preparation
Vyuga cabbage seeds germinate well. But they still need to be prepared:
- Selection. After pouring the seeds onto a flat surface, select large grains. Then they are poured into cold water. Specimens that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for planting.
- Disinfection. Seeds of the Vyuga variety in gauze are dipped in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, then washed in clean water.
- Hardening. The seeds are placed for a third of an hour in hot (no more than 50 degrees) salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per liter), then in cold water. After this, the gauze with the grains is placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. This procedure allows you to grow healthy and strong Vyuga cabbage seedlings.
Sowing
The soil is sprayed with water at room temperature from a spray bottle, grooves 1 cm deep are cut and the seeds are laid out in increments of 3 cm. Glass is placed on top or film is stretched to speed up germination. As soon as the first sprout appears, the cover is removed. The temperature is reduced to 10 degrees so that the cabbage seedlings do not drag. Water as needed.
Picking
This procedure is optional. If the plants are comfortable in the container, then you can leave it in the box. To transplant seedlings of the Vyuga variety, on which 2 true leaves have formed, use separate cups or pots with a height of at least 10 cm. They are filled with soil identical to that used for growing the seedlings. It is advisable to pinch the tap root to enhance the growth of the root system.
Attention! When growing, cabbage seedlings are fed with wood ash and kept in a well-lit room at a temperature of 18 to 23 degrees.
Sowing without picking
For your own needs, you do not need a large number of cabbage seedlings. If the window sill area allows, you can sow the seeds in separate cups. The disadvantage of this method is the high consumption of seeds. After all, 2-3 seeds are sown in each glass, followed by the removal of weak shoots. But when transplanted into the ground, the plants are less injured; the Vyuga cabbage seedlings turn out strong, as in the photo.
Sowing seeds in the ground
In the southern regions of Russia, you can sow Vyuga cabbage seeds directly into open ground. To do this, prepare holes at intervals of 25 cm, with row spacing of 30 cm. Humus and wood ash are added to each hole and poured with boiling water and potassium permanganate.
Sow 2-3 seeds. Cover the top with a plastic bottle with a cork or film. If there is a threat of return frosts, then the bottles are not removed even after germination, only the cap is unscrewed for a day. After germination, weak plants are removed, leaving one seedling in each hole. With this method, no picking or transplanting to a new place is required.
Reviews of Vyuga cabbage
Gardeners willingly grow cabbage of the Vyuga variety. The reason is the yield and taste, as well as the keeping quality and versatility of the forks.
- Maxim Shulika : “Vyuga cabbage captivated me last year, when I first decided to try to grow it. Although there is not much experience in this matter, the harvest was not bad. Of course, my lady’s cabbage is far from the store-bought heads. Average weight is 3 kg, but it suits me quite well. Next year I will plant again.”
- Victor German : “A variety for those who love delicious sauerkraut. In my family, it is grown only for pickling - somehow it just happened that way. Every year I plant a row of this variety; it doesn’t go into storage - we salt the entire harvest. And in winter - when it gets a little dark - such sauerkraut makes the best salads!”
- Victoria Sergeeva : “I grow the Vyuga cabbage variety only by seedlings - it grows too slowly, maybe I don’t like the soil. But if you feed regularly (I do this once every 2-3 weeks), the harvest will be good. It lasts until January or February, just like when – the taste in winter is simply magical.”
Planting and care in the ground
From the description of the variety it follows that Vyuga cabbage is a light-loving plant, so when planning a vegetable garden, choose a sunny place for planting. The soil is prepared in the fall. Before digging, weeds are removed, compost and humus are added. Fresh manure is also not prohibited. During the fall and winter it manages to rot. In the spring, all that remains is to prepare the holes and fill them with wood ash.
Holes for Vyuga cabbage are made at a distance of 45-50 cm and filled with water. In each hole, depending on the condition of the soil, 1 or 2 liters. As a rule, white cabbage is planted in two rows with row spacing of up to 70 cm for ease of care. Each plant is buried down to the first true leaf. Work is carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening if the day is clear. In this case, the seedlings have time to adapt overnight and are less sick.
Advice! If the next day is very hot, cabbage plantings can be shaded with any available materials.
Diseases and parasites
The Vyuga cabbage variety is quite resistant to disease, but prevention is still necessary. In addition, it is necessary to protect the crop from parasites.
Fusarium
The disease that can affect the Vyuga cabbage variety is fungal. It appears mainly in hot weather. The leaves of the cabbage heads wither, turn yellow and dry out. This disease can destroy the plant, so it is necessary to take preventive measures:
- before planting cabbage, you need to disinfect the soil with potassium permanganate;
- it is necessary to treat the seeds before sowing;
- treat the soil mixture for seedlings with a disinfectant.
To treat the disease, the drugs Agat-25 and Immunocytophyte are used.
White rot
The disease appears at the end of the season, before harvesting or occurs during storage. Diseased heads of cabbage crack and begin to rot. The disease cannot be cured, so only preventive measures are required.
Rotten leaves should be removed; cracked forks of Vyuga cabbage should not be stored. The storage room for vegetables must be thoroughly treated with a disinfectant. It is also necessary to observe the temperature regime in the storage, keeping it at 0±1 degrees.
Cabbage scoop
A dangerous pest that can harm the harvest of Vyuga cabbage. It overwinters in the soil, turning into pupae. In the spring it goes outside at a temperature of +16-17 degrees. Lays larvae on cabbage leaves, causing damage to plants. The parasite bites into cabbage leaves, damaging them quite badly.
For prevention, deep autumn digging of the soil is carried out. To repel dangerous insects, calendula or marigolds are planted in the areas. The drugs Decis, Actellik, Aktara are used for treatment.
Features of care
Caring for Vyuga is not difficult; agricultural techniques are almost the same for all varieties of cabbage. Although there are some nuances.
Watering
As already noted in the description, Vyuga is a moisture-loving plant. Watering should be regular, but there is no need to be zealous: excess moisture or drying out of the soil leads to disease or reduced yield. It is recommended to water the cabbage twice a week if the weather is dry. At least 10 liters of water will be required per square meter. During rainy periods, watering is reduced to a minimum.
Attention! At first, seedlings of the Vyuga variety are watered carefully so as not to expose the root system. As they grow, irrigation is carried out on the leaves.
Top dressing
In addition to watering, white cabbage of the Vyuga variety must be fertilized to obtain a decent harvest. Since gardeners try not to use chemicals on private plots, they can limit themselves to organic matter. According to reader reviews, infusions of mullein, chicken manure, and fermented green grass are excellent for feeding.
The amount and frequency of additional feeding of Vyuga cabbage depends on the characteristics of the soil and the condition of the seedlings, but no more than five times during the growing season. You need to understand that excess fertilizer causes the accumulation of nitrates.
Advice! It is advisable to combine fertilizing with watering.
Harvest and storage
Vegetables ripen around the end of September. It is important not to be late in harvesting - the longer the cabbage remains in the garden, the shorter it will be stored. In addition, autumn pests will settle in it.
Heads of cabbage are collected before severe frosts, in dry weather. The stalk is left up to 10 cm long.
If harvested on time, the shelf life of the crop will increase to 7 months. Keep vegetables in a dry and cool cellar at a temperature of 0...+2°C.
Diseases and pests
The white cabbage variety Vyuga is resistant to many diseases. But powdery mildew and blackleg can bother her. If diseased plants appear, they must be immediately removed and destroyed. And the place where the bushes grew should be disinfected. Preventive measures are a mandatory procedure. It is carried out at the stage of preparing seeds and soil, and then before transplanting. Potassium permanganate and Bordeaux mixture are used as remedies.
Among the main pests are:
- butterflies and caterpillars;
- cruciferous flea beetles;
- cabbage fly;
- aphids and slugs.
It is not necessary to use pesticides as a means of pest control. By planting marigolds, marigolds, nasturtiums, parsley, dill, celery or other strong-smelling garden plants between the plants, you can repel most insects. You can use mulching to combat slug infestations.
If nothing works, it is recommended to use special drugs:
- Nemabact;
- Aktofit;
- Bicol.
These products also destroy fungi and nematodes.
Other varieties of white cabbage:
Advantages and disadvantages
- large-scale stable productivity;
- universal use in cooking;
- long-term storage (up to 8 months) without changing taste and product characteristics;
- cultivation on various types of soil;
- the heads of cabbage do not crack on the field;
- good transportation;
- stress resistance;
- resistance to many infections (fusarium, vascular bacteriosis).
Minuses:
- poor tolerance to high humidity and acidification (mold appears, roots rot).
