If white cabbage is not collected on time, then its shelf life will suffer greatly. It is important to catch that moment when the heads of cocks were already formed, but had not yet managed to freeze.
Collection time Cabbage harvest depends largely on the particular variety and region of growth.
Simple tips that take into account all the details of the collection, will help not to be mistaken and prepare the cabbage for long storage.
Are you afraid of frost?
White cabbage is afraid of frost? White cabbage first frost is not afraid, but still no need to harvest. The longer the heads of cabbies lie in the cold, the worse they will be stored.
If a person does not have time to cut down the whole cabbage until the temperature drops below -5 degrees, then can quickly deteriorate.
Such heads of cabbages will have to be put into action right away - to freeze or make sour. In general, it does not lie for more than a month. And if you collect late cabbage too early, the leaves will wilt and also will not allow the harvest to lie through the winter.
Learn about the time of harvest: Brussels sprouts, cauliflowers and cauliflowers from our articles.
Collection dates
When to clean white cabbage for storage? Early summer varieties for long storage are not suitable.
Their collection time is when the cabbages are fully formed, become large in size and become dense to the touch.
Because of this one-day fee At once all the early cabbage may not happen.
Usually it is cut as needed, as soon as the next head is ready. But do not even pull up with this business - the overturned early cabbage will deteriorate very quickly, and collected in time, lie about 3 months before picking up a late variety, which will be used for winter harvesting or fresh storage.
For the winter is to grow late cabbage. Terms of harvesting white cabbage late in September or in Octoberthat depends on the region and the average daily air temperature. At the same time immediately after harvesting, cabbage should be taken to the cellar or to another place where it will be stored. Read more about how to properly store it, can be in the article "Storage of white cabbage."
Weather
In what weather to collect (chop) white cabbage? The collection of white cabbage is carried out in dry clear weather, when air humidity will be minimal. If it rains, it is necessary to lay the cabbages on a linen cloth (normal burlap will do) in a dry cool room so that they can be at least 24 hours dried out of the water.
Then they are immediately transferred to the place of permanent storage. Read our articles about storing cabbage at home and storing in the basement and cellar.
What temperature is recommended to clean?
For the early June and July varieties, temperature rules do not exist. It is necessary to collect such cabbage as ripening.
Necessary inventory
What garden tools to use?
To harvest white cabbage can use big sharp knifebut it’s best to take small hatchet.
On the eve of his well natachivayut, and then he will help you quickly cope with the task.
But in any case the knife will be needed to carefully cut off the green leaves sticking out on the sides. More from garden tools do not need anything, but if you want uproot stumps sticking out of the ground, then working gloves and a shovel can still be useful.
How to cut?
Cabbage cut under the cabbage to stay stick out 5 cm. Then keep it in the same form, because it will help to extend the shelf life of the product.
Cabbage with a protruding cabbage is not susceptible to fungi and other bacteria that can spoil the crop. After cutting the heads of the cabbage cut the outer sticking green leaves. Those that fit snugly you can not touch - they will also allow the vegetable to be stored longer.
But it remains at the request of the person, and most people still uproot these "hemp".
And another way to harvest white cabbage - wrest it right away, and then chop off the stalk, leaving all the same 5 cm. There is no difference between the first and second method of collection, and everything depends on the personal convenience of the person.
If during the collection it turned out that some heads of cabbage split due to frost or as a result of some other factors, then keep them together with all can not. They either quickly deteriorate, or simply dry, and therefore should be dried in the oven or electric drier, ferment, freeze or immediately put into cooking.
Summing up, it is worth repeating that early summer varieties cabbage is collected, focusing on its readiness, and late - on air temperature.
You should not neglect the inspection of each head of cabbage before being sent for storage, otherwise the entire crop can disappear very quickly and lie down even until the New Year.
For picking cabbage more convenient and safer just use a small ax, and cut the outer leaves with a knife.
And leave or not in the ground stalk everyone decides with roots independently.