What temperatures can cabbage withstand in spring and fall?

Cabbage is a favorite vegetable in every family. Many gardeners grow it in their own plots. However, to get a decent harvest, you have to put in the effort. Growing cabbage has its own subtleties, and maintaining the right temperature conditions will determine the final outcome.

Temperature requirements

When growing vegetables, both seedling and non-seedling methods are used. Temperature conditions growing seedlings in spring and in autumn they are different. Without observing them, the young the seedlings will be weak and unhealthy, and by autumn the vegetable will form a poor-quality head.

For seedlings in spring

To obtain a high percentage of cabbage yield, the seedling temperature in the spring should be maintained:

Lowering the temperature at night will prevent young plants from stretching and allow them to develop a more robust root system. Furthermore, the seedlings will be squat and more easily tolerate being planted in their permanent location.

For autumn culture

For normal plant development in autumn, different vegetable varieties require appropriate conditions:

The influence of low temperature

Frost damage affects vegetable varieties and cultivars differently. Some species are frost-resistant to -10 degrees Celsius, while others cannot withstand temperatures approaching zero. Varieties susceptible to frost damage are susceptible to demanding immediate rehabilitationTherefore, the effect of low temperatures varies individually for each type of cabbage.

For seedlings in spring

To obtain healthy and strong seedlings, it's important to maintain the thermodynamic parameters of the soil and air during different stages of seedling development. Cabbage sprouts emerge after sowing at temperatures as low as +5°C to +10°C. However, seedlings growing at lower temperatures are often affected by blackleg and rot. Therefore, it's important not to allow the thermodynamic parameters to drop below +10°C.

For culture in autumn

Autumn culture tolerates cold wellRed and white cabbage are rarely harvested before the first snowfall. They can easily withstand frosts down to -7°C (-7°F) provided the thaw is gradual. Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts can only tolerate temperatures down to -1°C (-1°F) provided the chilling period is short. Otherwise, frost-bitten areas will block oxygen supply to the cabbage, causing cloudy heads. This disease will lead to rapid rot, making the plant unfit for consumption.

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Frost resistance of crops

Mature plants at the technical head maturity stage exhibit cold tolerance depending on the species and variety. Late-ripening hybrids and varieties are more frost-resistant than mid-season and early varieties.

Hardening off seedlings

Seedlings grown on indoor windowsills or in greenhouses are accustomed to artificial growing conditions. Therefore, a sudden change in conditions will result in their death. Acclimating seedlings to ultraviolet radiation and reduced thermodynamic parameters will make them resistant to sunlight, precipitation, and frost. Hardening off should begin 12-15 days before planting the seedlings in their permanent location in the ground:

1. Take the plant containers outdoors daily, initially leaving them for two to three hours, gradually increasing the time. Bring the containers indoors at night, and if the weather is very hot, provide shade for the plants.
2. Ten days after the start of hardening, if there is no threat of frost, leave the seedlings outdoors overnight;
3. TO transplantation to a permanent location Young seedlings are ready to be planted in open ground when they have four true leaves. The foliage should be a rich green color with no signs of UV damage.

Saving the crop after frost damage

At subzero thermodynamic temperatures, water in plant cells freezes, turning into ice. When sunlight hits the frozen areas, the ice doesn't have time to thaw and ruptures the cells, killing the cabbage leaves. There are several methods for reviving frost-damaged cabbage heads and seedlings.

Saving seedlings

If seedlings are damaged by frost, spray them with cold water using a hose or sprayer early in the morning before strong sunlight hits. After spraying, shade them with large boxes or newspapers. Remove the covering material in the evening. This will allow the cabbage leaves to thaw slowly, allowing the seedlings to recover.

Saving Culture in Autumn

Fertilizers and growth promoters can help revive frozen plants, saving them even when temperatures drop to minus seven degrees Celsius. To achieve this, take the following steps:

1. Spraying with growth stimulants. Treating plants with any of the activators will help restore crop health after a light frost. These products mobilize all internal plant organs after damage, stimulating their physiological processes to restore health. Chitosan, a component of the basic formula of Epin and Zircon growth stimulants, helps plants develop immunity to harsh environmental conditions and withstand subsequent frosts.
2. Top dressing with mineral fertilizers. Help the vegetablesPotatoes damaged by frost can be treated by applying saltpeter and superphosphate to the soil at a rate of 10 g of superphosphate and 15 g of saltpeter per square meter. Fertilizing will further stimulate vegetable growth and help preserve the harvest without loss.

Adviсe

When growing vegetable crops, it's important to consider a few recommendations that will make the gardener's work easier and improve the plant's survival rate. The main ones are:

1. Purchase seed based on the climate conditions of the region where the cabbage will be grown. Also, research the thermodynamic parameters the variety or hybrid can withstand.
2. Prepare seeds for planting: disinfect with fungicides, treat with activating preparations.
3. Avoid allowing the air temperature to rise at night when growing seedlings, as this will lead to depletion of the plants.
4. Provide young seedlings with good ventilation and additional lighting during the initial growth stage.

Knowing the temperature tolerance of each vegetable and following basic agricultural practices when growing it will not be difficult to get a good cabbage harvest.