The group of cruciferous vegetables includes many clearly different types of vegetables, belonging to the botanical family of cruciferous. This group has similar environmental requirements (temperature, humidity), cultivating, fertilizing and caring. These plants grow best in relatively low temperatures. Short-term drops in temperature below 0 ° C are harmless to them. On the other hand, longer periods of cold weather in the first phase of growth cause a rushing phenomenon (knocking out inflorescence shoots). These vegetables are sensitive to light deficiency. They require compact soils with a high humus content, therefore it is recommended to grow them in the beds in the first year after using manure or other organic fertilizers. They are grown from seedlings.
Broccoli
Broccoli is still a little known vegetable. It is sometimes called green cabbage. It is an annual plant very similar to cauliflower. Its leaves are more elongated than those of cauliflower, and the leaf blade is more wavy and cut, dark green or purple in color. The petiole is clearer, devoid of any plaque on the longer section. The edible part is green, medium dense inflorescences, called, like in the case of cauliflower, roses. They are extremely rich in vitamins (especially C., 70-110 mg, 4000 j.min., as well as group B.). They also contain a lot of minerals: calcium 130 mg%, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and others; they are therefore principle-forming. They are eaten in various forms: from water, under besza-melem, in a cake, as puree etc.. Broccoli roses are forming: big on the main shoot – do 15 cm in diameter and smaller on the side shoots growing out of the leaf axils. They are cut with pieces of fleshy shoots, when the donuts are well formed (the size of a pin head), ale black. The opening of the buds and the appearance of yellow flower petals make them inedible and therefore so difficult to find in the trade. Roses mainly arise after approx 70-80 days after planting the plant, and side roses – po 2-3 weeks from main rose excision.
Broccoli does not tolerate acidic and waterlogged soils. It is sensitive to boron and molybdenum deficiency. It is grown from seedlings. By cultivating it as an aftercrop, broccoli is sown on a seedbed in April or May in rows at each 10 Cm (3-4 g/m2). The seedlings are planted at a distance of 75X35 or 50X50 cm. To be filled 10 m2 required 30-40 seedling pieces. Before planting the seedlings, the bed should be supplemented with mineral fertilizers at a dose of na 10 m2′ 30-40 dag superphosphate, 30-40 dag of potassium salt and 10-15 dag saletry amonowej. We supply nitrogen fertilizers for top dressing. The seedlings are blown up, when it has 4-6 leaves. Caring for plants is based on systematic watering, weaving, disease and pest control, the same, which attack other cruciferous plants. The collection of roses continues 3-7 weeks, subject to weather conditions.
Two varieties are cultivated in Poland: Sebastian i Piast, which were grown at the Institute of Vegetable Crops. Piast is a medium late variety; the setting of roses takes place in the spring after 40-55 days after landing, in the autumn after 50-60 days. This plant has an upright habit, profusely leafy. The surface of the rose is tight, smooth, green in color. Sebastian is a variety intended for cultivation in spring and autumn, earlier than the previous one. In the spring time, she ties roses after 35-45 days, in the fall after 45-50 days after landing; semi-erect habit, low plants; Convex roses of a dark green color, the surface of the rose is tight and smooth. It can be planted 30X30 cm apart.
In the cultivation of broccoli, good results are obtained when the seedlings are sprayed twice with a borax solution at a concentration 0,3%.
Kale
Kale is usually grown as an aftercrop for late harvesting. It is a biennial plant. In the first year it produces a shoot covered with densely embedded curly leaves, ovoid or elongated in shape, in the second year it produces flower shoots. It is resistant to frost, therefore harvesting may last from November to spring; frozen leaves are even tastier. The period from planting dwarf varieties to harvesting is 90-100 days, for tall varieties – 120-130 days.
Kale succeeds in any soil, just not wet. It is sown on the seedbed in May. The seedlings are planted in a permanent place at the end of June (late varieties) or in the first half of July (early varieties), when the seedling is tall 10-15 Cm. The most appropriate spacing for low and medium varieties is 40-50X40 cm, and for tall 50-60X50 cm. The amount of seeds needed to produce seedlings on 1 m2 is 0,04-0,06 g. The leaves are harvested gradually, as needed, after the first frost.
It grows 2 varieties: Low Curly Green, heights 15-20 Cm, with a large rosette of dark green leaves, strongly curly and Medium Tall Green Curly – height to 50 Cm.