Among the variety of cabbage varieties, special attention should be paid to the Dutch hybrid Atria, characterized by high adaptive qualities. Regarding the growing conditions, the variety is among the not too whimsical plants, however, the use of some agricultural techniques will significantly improve the quality and quantity of the products obtained. Read about these techniques, as well as the pros and cons of culture below.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The late-ripe hybrid of Atria cabbage is the result of the work of the Dutch team of Monsanto breeders. It was bred in the 1990s. In 1994, it was included in the State Register and recommended for cultivation in the northern regions of the Russian Federation in open ground. The fruit of the variety in question is round in shape, characterized by a powerful deciduous apparatus that forms half-raised forks.
The leaf plates are concave, broadly oval, with a slightly bubble structure. Painted in dark green with a grayish tint. The leaves are covered with a dense wax coating. The central vein is light green, stands out against the general background. The stump is small. Due to the dense arrangement of the leaves, Atria cabbage is characterized by high stubbornness and resistance to deformation, even with strong compression.
Did you know? In Japan, cabbage is not only a food product, but also an ornamental plant. It is actively used in landscape design.
The variety is characterized by high taste. Leaves are tender, sweetish. Fruits ripen in 137–147 days. Large heads of cabbage weigh in the range of 1.5–3.7 kg. The average yield per hectare is 34.8 tons, the maximum - 104.6 tons. High fertility is caused by the hybrid's resistance to the most common cabbage disease - gray rot. In terms of the use of cabbage, Atria is a universal crop.
Suitable for:
- fresh consumption;
- preparation of side dishes and first courses;
- conservation for the winter.
Pros and cons of the variety
When choosing a variety of cabbage for a particular site, you should focus on the characteristics of the plants, as well as study their pros and cons.
- The main advantages of culture:
- stable productivity in any conditions;
- the possibility of growing in the northern regions of the country;
- long shelf life of products and high commercial quality;
- resistance to gray rot;
- high taste characteristics;
- universality in use;
- comparative unpretentiousness to leaving and quality of soil;
- uniformity of ripening head of cabbage;
- resistance to cracking.
The variety has practically no drawbacks. Its only minus is that the seeds do not retain quality indicators in the second generation, but all hybrid cultures possess this feature.
Optimal landing times
Atria cabbage can be propagated in 2 ways:
- seedlings;
- reckless.
Important! The term for sowing seeds each agrarian selects independently — taking into account the climate of your region, soil composition and weather conditions for a specific period of time.
Growing methods
When growing by seedlings and seedlings, the sowing technology will be different, and the stages of soil preparation on the site and the care of adult plants will be similar for both. The culture is intended for open ground, so its preparation should begin immediately after the autumn harvest. Cabbage bears fruit well in open areas, well-lit by the sun from morning to evening. Acidic and alkalized soils are not suitable for growing cabbage.
Cabbage can be planted after any crops, except:
- turnip;
- turnips;
- radish;
- radish;
- rutabaga;
- mustard.
After harvesting, the site must be cleaned of plant debris. Next, add 40 kg of manure or 20 kg of manure + 400 g of superphosphate for each m², and dig the soil onto a shovel bayonet (20–25 cm). The soil surface should not be leveled - the more bumps there are, the more moisture the soil can absorb during the rest period. In spring, the site is leveled with a rake. The next loosening is carried out before planting, after the maturation of the soil.For the described cabbage variety, it is important not to rush with spring plowing. First, the first weeds are waiting for germination, and then, removing them, they dig a plot to a depth of 18 cm.The planting material of hybrid cabbage varieties is sold already processed, therefore it does not require additional preparation, but is sown dry. Additional soaks will only destroy the existing protective layer.
Important! Non-chernozem heavy soils in the fall do not dig, otherwise it will delay its ripening in the spring. They are dug to a depth of 20–25 cm only in spring in parallel with fertilizer application.
Seedling method
Seedlings can be grown in common oblong boxes or in separate containers. The substrate can be purchased in the store or mixed independently, combining in equal parts:
- leaf humus;
- sand;
- peat;
- land from the garden.
Regardless of whether the soil was purchased in a store or mixed independently, wood ash should be added to it. For 10 kg of soil add 400 g of ash. This step allows not only to enrich the soil with micronutrients, but also to protect seedlings from attack by pests and the development of fungal diseases.
The moisture content of the soil for planting should be within 50%. To achieve optimum humidity, you can use a solution of manganese. In common containers filled with soil, furrows are made 1 cm deep at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Seeds are placed in furrows with an interval of 3 cm. In individual containers, 1 seed is placed at a depth of 1 cm.
After sowing, the soil is slightly moistened with a spray bottle, and then cover the containers with glass or a transparent film. Before emergence, the containers are kept on a well-lit window sill at a temperature of + 25 ° C, periodically moistening from the spray gun and ventilating.
With the advent of shoots, the shelter is removed and the air temperature is reduced to +8 ... + 15 ° С. At this stage of growth, maintaining such a temperature and sufficient lighting for 14 hours is a prerequisite to prevent stretching of seedlings. Watering is carried out every 3 days using a spray gun.
When two of these sheets appear, they are picked into separate containers. 14 days before a dive, they begin to lower the air temperature to a similar outdoor temperature, and also make the first fertilizer. As a fertilizer, it is best to use a complex mineral composition. A solution of nitrophoska is suitable: 15 g of substance are added to 5 liters of water.
Important! Planting seedlings in the ground is carried out only on cloudy days or in the evening, so that the plants do not receive sunburn.
As soon as the optimum temperature is reached, the plants begin to expose in the daytime on the street or open balcony, and at night they clean the room. By the time of a dive to a permanent place, seedlings should be spent day and night on the street.
Seedlings are planted in the soil at the stage of 4-6 true leaves with seedlings 12 cm high. Planting scheme for this variety is 40 × 60 cm. Before each planting, 5 g of ash, 200 g of superphosphate are added to each well and 500 ml of water is poured. The seedlings are deepened to cotyledon leaves.
Reckless method
This method is used only in the southern regions. In the northern regions, it will be inexpedient, because for a shortened warm period, the cabbage heads will not have time to reach optimal maturity, which will significantly reduce the shelf life. In advance prepared soil, beds are formed according to the 40 × 60 cm pattern. 4 seeds are placed in grooves spilled with a hot solution of manganese 1 cm deep. After that, they are covered with soil and covered with agrofibre.
Did you know? In China, cabbage is revered as a symbol of prosperity and wealth.
If the average daily temperature is + 20 ° C, sprouts will appear after 4–5 days, if + 14 ° C, then after 2 weeks. After the cotyledon leaves are fully opened, the plants are thinned out, leaving 2 strong shoots in each well. The procedure is repeated in the phase of opening 4 sheets, leaving 1 sprout in the hole. In the same period, you can carry out the first top dressing with urea - 40 g per well, patching up in moist soil.
Plant care
The culture is not too demanding in care. The basic rule is a sufficient amount of water. After fertilizing in the phase of the presence of 2-3 pairs of leaves of the plant will need to be fed only 3 times.
Features of watering
Young plants are watered every 2-3 days, bringing in 8 liters of water per m². From the moment of setting a head of cabbage, watering is carried out once every 5–7 days, increasing the amount of water to 12 l / m². A month before the expected harvest, watering is completely stopped. Moisture is introduced into the furrows located between the rows. Effective when growing cabbage drip irrigation. In this case, a tape system is passed through the furrows, which through special dispensers delivers water directly to the roots.
Fertilizer application
The fertilizer application scheme is as follows:
- 2 weeks after fertilizing the sprouts, in the phase of having 8 sheets - a solution of manure of 500 ml per well (add 10 kg of manure to 10 liters of water);
- in the bookmarking phase of heads of cabbage - a solution of ash of 1 liter per well (for 10 liters of water 500 g of ash);
- one month before harvesting - iodine solution of 1 liter per bush (add 10 drops of iodine to 10 liters of water).
Soil cultivation and hilling
Hilling is carried out 2 times.
When growing seedlings:
- 20 days after transplantation;
- in the heading phase.
With reckless:
- in the phase of having 4-6 sheets;
- in the heading phase.
Did you know? Even in Hellas already grown 3 varieties of cabbage. This is evidenced by the descriptions found in the writings of the Greek physician and mathematician under the title "Treatise on herbs."
The hilling procedure involves the formation of an embankment around a stem up to the height of the lower leaves. This move allows you to increase the resistance of the plant, accelerating the growth of additional roots. Loosening of the soil is carried out regularly, after each moistening of the soil by artificial or natural means. Near the plants, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5 cm, between rows - 10 cm. In parallel with aeration of the soil, weeds are removed.
Diseases and pests
Failure to comply with the rules of agricultural technology leads to the development of the following diseases:
The main pests affecting cabbage heads:
Features of collection and storage
Harvesting must be done before the onset of frost, otherwise the heads of cabbage will quickly deteriorate. In dry weather, remove all the fruits, cutting them with a sharp knife. The cut is done at a distance of 3 cm from 2 covering sheets. In this form, heads of cabbage are stored in the cellar at a temperature not exceeding +6 ... + 10 ° С and relative humidity of 70–80%. Under such conditions, the crop retains its quality indicators for 6 months.
Atria cabbage is characterized by high yield and comparatively unpretentious care. The main thing is to choose the right place for growing the crop and provide it with full watering.
