What folk remedies can you use to help cabbage grow quickly in the soil?

Regular and high-quality feeding is essential for good cabbage growth and the formation of strong heads. You can use store-bought complex fertilizers and mineral mixtures for feeding cabbage, but every home gardener has valuable raw materials or waste that can be used to nourish cabbage plants.

Timing of fertilizing

During the growing season, not counting seedling feeding and fertilizers placed in the planting hole, it is necessary to carry out 3-4 cabbage feedings:

1. The timing of the first stage depends on whether fertilizer was applied during planting. If so, the procedure should be performed 1-1.5 months after planting; if not, 10-15 days after planting.
2. The second feeding is carried out 20 days after the first.
3. The third one - 10 days after the second one.
4. Only late-ripening cabbage varieties require a fourth feeding. Fertilizer should be applied 20 days before harvest.

First feeding

After planting in the ground, the young plant rapidly gains green mass, so the most expendable nutrient at this stage is nitrogen. The highest concentrations of this nutrient are found in bird droppings, cow manure, and compost.

Manure and chicken droppings

At the beginning of the growing season, cow manure is the optimal nitrogen fertilizer. Its advantage is that all the nutrients it contains are readily and quickly absorbed by plants. In addition to nitrogen, manure contains potassium, iron, boron, sulfur, magnesium, and calcium.

Recipe for nitrogen fertilizer from manure:

• Pour 5 kg of cow dung into a bucket of water;
• leave to infuse, stirring, for about a week;
• Dilute 1 liter of the resulting solution with 20 liters of water;
• add 120 g of superphosphate to the solution;
• Pour 1/2 liter of the product under each bush.

A bird droppings infusion is prepared similarly to a manure solution, but the fertilizer concentration in the finished solution should be lower: 15 parts water to 1 part droppings. If the chicken droppings are old, a ratio of 1:10 is acceptable.

Ammonia

Nitrogen fertilizer can be prepared from ammonia:

• dissolve 100 ml of ammonia in 10 liters of water;
• Pour 150 ml of solution under each bush.

The amount of nitrogen in this dose is insufficient to adequately nourish cabbage, but exceeding the recommended dosage is not recommended. Saturating cabbage with this element is done in stages: 2-3 waterings with the ammonia solution should be performed with 6-7 day intervals.

Eggshell

Cabbage also requires calcium to grow leaves. If the soil is low, the period shortly after planting the seedlings is the best time to replenish the deficiency.

100 grams of eggshells contain 34-37 grams of calcium, making kitchen scraps a veritable treasure trove for fertilizer. Dried eggshells take too long for plants to absorb, so it's recommended to use an infusion:

• grind the dried shells of 10 eggs into powder;
• pour in a liter of boiling water;
• leave to infuse for 5-7 days, shaking the solution periodically;
• dilute each part of the solution with 3 parts of water;
• water the cabbage with 0.5 liters per bush.

Hydrogen peroxide

Young cabbage benefits from fertilizing with hydrogen peroxide. This substance, similar in physical properties to meltwater, saturates the soil with atomic oxygen, accelerating plant growth. The product prevents root rot and destroys pathogenic bacterial flora in the soil.

Hydrogen peroxide solution:

• Dilute 20 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 10 liters of water;
• water 0.5 liters under the root of the bush.

It is recommended to repeat watering after 6-7 days.

Second feeding

During this period, cabbage still requires a large amount of nitrogen, and the importance of phosphorus increases. Wood ash and chicken manure are high in phosphorus, while cow manure contains a smaller amount.

Bird droppings and wood ash

Recipe for nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizer:

• add 250 g of wood ash to a liter of hot water;
• let it brew for 3-4 days;
• dilute a liter of infusion with a bucket of water;
• dilute 1/2 kg of compost or chicken manure in liquid;
• Give a liter of solution under the bush.

This mixture can be used for the third feeding, but not for the fourth.

Yeast

Yeast fertilizer is effective for providing cabbage with vitamins and amino acids. It can be applied twice per season, with a month's interval. In this case, the fertilizer can be applied between the first and second feedings, and then between the second and third.

Yeast fertilizer:

• Dissolve 20 g of dry yeast in a liter of warm water;
• add 20 g of sugar to the mixture;
• leave to infuse for 7 days;
• dilute with 10 liters of water;
• pour 1 liter under the bush.

Boric acid

To produce dense, large heads of cabbage, the plant requires boron. Fertilizing should be done no later than midsummer, as boron also stimulates leaf growth.

Recipe for boron fertilizer:

• Pour 1 teaspoon of boric acid powder into 250 ml of boiling water;
• stir until crystals dissolve;
• pour 250 ml into 10 liters of clean water;
• apply foliarly.

Potato

Another fertilizer that promotes cabbage leaf growth and head formation is an infusion of potato peels. This healthy vegetable contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and vitamin C.

Potato infusion:

• potato peels need to be poured with boiling water;
• leave to infuse for 3 days, stirring occasionally;
• strain the solution;
• pour a glass of infusion under the bush.

Fertilizing can be repeated every 2-4 weeks until heads form.

Third feeding

The purpose of this feeding is to stimulate head formation and improve their quality. At this stage of growth, the plant primarily needs phosphorus, which improves the flavor of cabbage leaves and makes them juicier. A deficiency of this element causes cabbage to develop a bitter taste.

For this fertilizer, use an ash solution without chicken manure, diluting 0.5 liters in a bucket of water. Apply 1.5-2 liters of the solution per bush. Additional fertilizers can also be used to improve fruit set.

Potassium permanganate

Helps speed up the process of head formation.

You will need a weak solution:

• Dissolve 3 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water;
• The solution is applied under the root at 0.5 liters or used for spraying the leaves.

Iodine

Iodine enrichment in cabbage results in firmer, larger heads, improved shelf life, improved flavor, and promoted vitamin C accumulation. Using iodine to feed cabbage plants can increase head weight up to twofold.

Application of iodine solution:

• add 40 drops of iodine to a bucket of water;
• Pour a liter of the product under the bush.

Iodine solution can also be used to spray bushes by adding 20 drops to a bucket of water. In this case, the iodine will also protect plants from disease. It is recommended to spray on damp leaves, after irrigation or rain.

Fourth feeding

The last fertilizer application is required to extend the shelf life of the harvest in the future. Plants are no longer receiving nitrogen; they need potassium and phosphorus. In addition to ash infusion, other sources of potassium can be found, such as herbal infusions and banana peels.

Nettle

Green infusion can be made from any weed, but gardeners believe nettle is best for this type of fertilizer. The green parts and rhizomes of the plant are used.

Nettle infusion:

• chop the nettles and fill a bucket with greens;
• pour a bucket of water;
• let it brew for 5-7 days;
• dilute the infusion with 10 parts water;
• water 1.5-2 liters per bush.

Banana peel

Banana tops contain up to 7.8% potassium, as well as phosphorus and microelements. It's best to use them as an infusion, as plants don't have much time to absorb the nutrients.

Infusion from the peel:

• fresh peels from 15-20 bananas, pour a bucket of warm water;
• Infuse under a closed lid for 5 days;
• strain the liquid;
• dilute 1 part of the infusion with 3 parts of water;
• water the cabbage bush with 1 liter of water.

Soda

Baking soda can prevent cabbage heads from cracking and improve their shelf life:

• Dissolve 20 g of baking soda in a bucket of water;
• spray the bushes with the solution.

It's impossible to grow high-quality, large cabbage heads without fertilizer. Using folk remedies significantly reduces fertilizer costs and allows you to control the amount of chemicals your cabbage receives.