Unfortunately, exotic Savoy cabbage is not popular with our gardeners, because many tend to believe that its cultivation is a complex and time-consuming process. Is this really the case, we will tell in this article.
Characteristics and difference of Savoy cabbage
Savoy cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata var. sabauda), like its white relative, comes from wild species native to Western Europe and North Africa. It is actively grown in Europe, and is rare in the post-Soviet space and mainly only in summer cottages.
Savoy cabbage is much tastier and more nutritious than white cabbage. A head of cabbage is used for food, which contains a lot of useful elements:
- dry elements - 7-14%;
- sugar - 2-7%;
- crude protein - 2-4%;
- mineral salts - 0.84%;
- vitamin C - 20-90 mg.
Did you know? Savoy cabbage is more valuable in terms of dietary qualities than white cabbage.
Growing Savoy Cabbage from Seedlings
In general, there are no separate rules on how to grow Savoy cabbage in the country - agricultural technology is similar to growing white cabbage. It is usually cultivated through seedlings. If the seedlings are strong and healthy, then a good harvest can be expected.
When to sow seedlings
Sowing time is determined by the peculiarity of the cabbage variety. Early ripe varieties are planted in the second decade of March, mid-ripening - from mid-March to mid-April, late - in early April.
Climatic features during the cultivation of seedlings are also taken into account. The period of planting seedlings on the beds directly depends on this. As a rule, this period is 30-50 days.
Soil for growing seedlings
In order for the harvest of Savoy cabbage to be good, its biology must be taken into account. So, this type of cabbage is cold-resistant and light-loving, tolerates moisture well, but makes special demands on the soil.
In order for the savoy cabbage to open field felt comfortable, the land for planting should be soft, but not too loose. The main component of the soil - peat - must be present in best quantity(at least 80%). 
In addition, you need to add sand (about 5%) and soddy soil (20%) to the soil. To improve the quality of seedlings and ensure good fertility, compost (humus mixture) is added to the ground. For every kilogram of soil mixture, it is advisable to add a spoonful of ash - it will serve as both fertilizer and protection from the black leg.
Important! You can not take land from the site for seedlings - there may be pests and infections that can be fatal for young seedlings.
Pre-sowing seed treatment
To disinfect savoy cabbage seeds, they are dipped in hot (50 ºC) water for 1/3 hour, and then in cold water for 2 minutes. After that, the sowing specimens are dried. This procedure will allow the seeds to germinate faster.
If the seeds are purchased from a reliable supplier, this procedure is not necessary - the processing has most likely already been carried out. 
In order to increase the frost resistance of the crop, before planting the seeds of Savoy cabbage for seedlings, they are soaked for a day in water with a temperature of +2 ºC. The germination of such seeds lasts up to three years.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Many believe that if you properly prepare the soil and seeds, then the planting result will be amazing. However, this opinion is erroneous. It is necessary to approach sowing seriously, because it depends on how much the grown Savoy cabbage will correspond to the description of the variety.
Savoy cabbage seeds should be planted in 3 phases with a difference of 4 days. Seeds are planted in containers or individual cups to a depth of 1 cm.
Before and after sowing, the land is plentifully watered until the emergence of seedlings. As soon as the seedlings hatch, watering should be reduced.
Conditions and care of crops
Properly grown seedlings are the key to a good harvest in the future. After the first shoots have appeared (about 5 days later), they are thinned out so that the distance between them is 2 cm.
The key to strong seedlings is proper lighting. Light day for seedlings should be 14-15 hours. That is, before the time comes to dive Savoy cabbage, seedlings need to organize additional lighting. To do this, you can use a simple fluorescent lamp. 
Seedlings should be watered regularly and in small portions, giving the top layer time to dry. The water temperature for irrigation should be 2-3 degrees higher than the soil temperature. It is impossible to overdry or flood the ground - the soil must be stably moist. After each watering, the earth needs to be loosened a little so that the water does not stagnate.
Important! Stagnation of moisture can lead to the development of diseases and rotting of the root system.
Optimum temperature rooms before the appearance of seedlings of Savoy cabbage - 18-20 ºC. After sprouts appear, temperature regime need to change: +15-16 ºC during the day and +8-10 ºC at night. Such a difference in temperature will eliminate the pulling of seedlings, will allow you to harden the seedlings of Savoy cabbage and facilitate planting on the beds and caring for it in the future.
Like many cultures, Savoy cabbage seedlings need to be fed. It is carried out in several stages:
You can use ready-made dressings. Important! To avoid burns, the soil must be watered before fertilizing.
Equally important is the hardening of seedlings. For this purpose, 8-10 days before planting on the site, it is necessary to carry out the following operations:
- in the first two days, it is enough to open the window for 3-5 hours in the room where the seedlings are cultivated;
- for several days you need to take the seedlings out into the street, covering them with gauze from direct sunlight;
- on the 5-6th day, the frequency of watering should be reduced, but do not allow the soil to dry out, and put the seedlings outside for the entire time until planting.
Diving in individual pots
After 7-8 days, when the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they should be dived and planted in cassettes with a distance of 3 cm from each other. You need to deepen the seedlings to the cotyledons. 
Good seedlings should have no more than five leaves. Weak, without an upper kidney and seedlings affected by fungi are thrown away when picking.
After another 2 weeks, the seedlings must be transplanted into separate containers (cups) with pre-treatment weak solution of copper sulphate. You can use another drug that will help protect seedlings from fungal diseases.
Did you know? You can grow seedlings without picking. In this case, the seeds are immediately planted in cups or small pots.
Planting seedlings of savoy cabbage in open ground
Properly grown seedlings are not all there is to know about savoy cabbage cultivation. To get a decent harvest, you need to take into account the rules for growing it in the garden.
When to plant seedlings on the site
Savoy cabbage is planted in beds in May (considering climatic conditions this period is subject to change). For transplantation choose cloudy or evening time.
Seedlings before planting on the beds should be 15-20 cm in height, dark green in color, have well-developed roots, not dry stems and 4-7 leaves.
Place for savoy cabbage
Choosing the right place for cultivating Savoy cabbage will not only make it easier to care for, but also allow you to get a good harvest.
Seedlings are best planted in areas where cereals or legumes were previously grown. Seedlings grow well in places where cucumbers, onions, potatoes, beets, and tomatoes grew. You can not grow Savoy cabbage immediately after turnips, radishes, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, watercress.
The best soil for this crop is one that can retain moisture for a long time (loamy, sandy, neutral, sod-podzolic). Not suitable for growing soil with a high content of clay.
The place where cabbage will grow should be well lit and spacious.
The soil for planting is prepared in the fall: they plow deeply, apply organic (compost, manure) and mineral (superphosphate, potassium chloride) fertilizers. In the spring, the earth is fed with ammonium nitrate so that a full-fledged head forms on the cabbage.
Important! Favorable soil for Savoy cabbage should be of low acidity (5-5.8 pH). To reduce acidity, lime is added to the soil every 3-4 years.
Landing process and scheme
The area where the seedlings are to be planted should be sprinkled with dry soil or organic compost (crushed weeds). They will help moisture linger in the soil, provide cabbage nutrients, protect against weeds and the formation of an earthen crust.
Holes for planting seedlings must be formed at a distance of 40 cm from each other. It is best to plant seedlings in a checkerboard pattern - this provides more space.
The depth of the hole should correspond to the height of the cup or the walls of the container in which the seedlings grew. About a liter of water is poured into it and seedlings are planted. Seedlings are sprinkled with soil to the bottom leaf.
At first, young cabbage should be protected from the sun (shaded).
Care and cultivation of savoy cabbage
Growing Savoy cabbage will not cause problems if you remember that such a plant loves moisture, loosening the soil, feeding, light and space.
Watering, weeding, loosening and hilling
Savoy cabbage loves watering, but slugs also love moisture. Therefore, irrigating this crop at the end of the growing season is not recommended.
After the head of cabbage has started, watering by sprinkling or from above is not recommended. Watering should be carried out exclusively under the root. Moisture on the inflorescences can cause mucous bacteriosis, and the crop will be lost.
In the dry season, it is desirable to moisten the air by spraying cabbage (every 15 minutes during hot hours).
Do not forget about loosening when caring for savoy cabbage - this process allows oxygen to better reach the roots. Hilling should be carried out regularly to form lateral roots. And for good growth the area must be cleared of weeds.
Did you know? Exist folk wisdom: cabbage loves water and good weather.
Fertilization
In order to harvest a crop that you can brag to your friends, the culture must be fed. Organic matter (manure, compost, humus) is used as top dressing for Savoy cabbage. Often fertilize wood ash.
Top dressing is applied throughout the season:
- During landing. Then add a teaspoon of ash and urea to the well.
- 2 weeks after planting seedlings on the beds. If sowing was carried out immediately with seeds, top dressing is best done after 3 weeks. For this, mullein and urea are used, which are diluted in water (0.5 l of mullein and 1 teaspoon of urea per 10 l of water).
- 12 days after the last feeding. As a fertilizer use 2 tbsp. spoons of nitroammophoska (NPK) diluted in 10 liters of water.
The nitrogenous compounds contained in the soil directly affect the growth of cabbage, helping to gain vegetative mass and form a head. The yellowing of the lower leaves, which die off as a result, speaks of a lack of nitrogen. If fertilizer is not applied on time, you can forget about the harvest. Potassium deficiency affects the color of the leaves, which also begin to dry out at the edges. The lack of potassium is replenished with potash fertilizers added to irrigation. Important! Do not overfeed Savoy cabbage with phosphate fertilizers - this stimulates early flowering.
Treatment and protection against diseases and pests
Of course, diseases and pests (caterpillars, scoops, cabbage fly, fleas, aphids) do not contribute to good harvest, so you should regularly inspect the Savoy cabbage for their appearance and immediately take measures to eliminate it.
Chemical preparations cabbage is not recommended- it is better to prepare the poison yourself, using improvised means.
The most dangerous for Savoy cabbage is excessive watering, which develops a disease such as "black leg". For treatment, you can fertilize the soil with a solution of "Fundazol".
Harvesting and storing savoy cabbage
The first harvest of early varieties can be harvested as early as June, and mid-season - in August. If Savoy cabbage was grown for storage for the winter, its crop is harvested before frost. This provides better storage. Savoy cabbage is stored somewhat worse than white cabbage, so you need to store it on shelves or in boxes, arranged in one row.
Sinigrin is a substance with antibacterial and anticancer properties. Studies by nutritionists have shown that of all types of cabbage, Savoy cabbage contains the most. And given that Savoy cabbage is more tender and costs several times more in the store than white cabbage, it is profitable to grow it in a summer cottage and backyard garden. Savoy cabbage, which received its sonorous name in honor of the Italian region of Savoy, differs from white cabbage in a loose head and corrugated leaves of rich green (external) or yellow (internal) color. In terms of yield, it is inferior to its white relative, but it tolerates drought more easily and is the most cold-resistant and frost-resistant of all cabbages ( late varieties withstand frosts down to minus 8 °). In addition, although both "ladies" love floodplain areas, the "Italian" better tolerates heavy soils, peat bogs and yields even in low areas. True, in this case, care must be taken to make sufficient organic fertilizers or sealing green manure, high doses potash fertilizers on floodplain soils and phosphoric - on heavy loams. On the latter, the soil after harvesting the previous crop is loosened with a cultivator. When weeds grow, they add superphosphate and potassium salt (30 g / sq.m each) and dig up the bed. In spring, to retain moisture, the soil is loosened with a rake and covered with non-woven material. Combs are cut in the lowland for cabbage.
Savoy cabbage - planting and care
In order to get fresh forks from mid-July to the end of October, varieties of different ripeness groups are grown and seedlings are prepared at several times. It has been prepared in separate cups or cassettes since mid-March ( early varieties for fresh consumption) until the second decade of April (for processing and storage) in manure greenhouses or spring greenhouses. They are planted in the garden from mid-May to mid-June according to the 40 × 40 cm scheme. A week before planting in the garden, they stop watering the cabbage. But on the day of planting the plant ( good seedling should have 4-5 real leaves) watered abundantly, planted with a clod of earth and shaded from the sun. Early varieties are placed according to the scheme 50 × 40 cm, medium and late - 60 × 60 cm or 70 × 50 cm. Savoy cabbage is best grown after legumes, potatoes, cucumbers, onions. Less desirable beets and tomatoes, as they carry a lot of potassium and phosphorus from the soil. You can not plant this cabbage where there is a keel, and within 4 years after cabbage, radish, turnip, radish, swede, daikon, mustard. From a strong return frost, cruciferous flea and cabbage fly, seedlings are protected with a non-woven fabric. It is completely removed in mid-June. The soil in the row-spacing during the season is loosened 6-8 times to a depth of 5-7 cm. Plants, three weeks after planting and before closing the rows, are high (to the lower leaves) spud and mulched with hay or mowed grass. Water the cabbage abundantly, but not more than once a week. Top dressing with a complex soluble fertilizer with trace elements is given one and a half weeks after planting. If there is no ready-made fertilizer at hand, use an infusion of nettle, dandelion, goutweed, superphosphate (20 g) and ash (1 cup per 10 liters of liquid). The same top dressing is carried out in two weeks. For the next two dressings, only phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is used. From mid-July, from slugs, poisoned baits with metaldehyde are laid out between plants or a mixture of cement and hot pepper. Heads of early varieties should not be overexposed - they will crack. They are cut when the forks gain weight of 400-600 g and acquire the color characteristic of the variety. You should not rush to harvest late cabbage, as lower autumn temperatures will only improve its taste. If the forks are cut off, then two or three upper green leaves must be left on them and stored on racks in one layer at a temperature of 1-3 °. But in this case, the harvest does not lie longer than 3 months. Therefore, for winter storage it is more expedient to remove the plant in October with its roots, having previously protected the head of cabbage from soil pollution with gauze, and dig it in the basement. It is important that the mass of the head of cabbage is not less than 0.5 kg. And late-ripening Savoy cabbage can be left to winter in the garden: in January-February, it is enough to clear the snow, cut down a head of cabbage and, without defrosting, put it in cold water with ice cubes for half an hour. Savoy cabbage is richer than its white relative in mineral salts, and its calorie content does not exceed 30 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, this vegetable is necessary for people with metabolic disorders, diseases of the cardiovascular system and digestion. Savoy cabbage is used in the same way as white cabbage - fresh, boiled and fried. It makes excellent cabbage soup, borscht, mashed soups, stuffed dishes, including cabbage rolls and casseroles.
The best varieties of Savoy cabbage - description
Viennese early 1346– early (60-75 days*) variety for cooking and fresh consumption. Forms a compact plant with a small head of medium density, weighing up to 0.7 kg. Golden early - an early variety for fresh use. The head of cabbage is round, half-open, dense, weighing up to 0.9 kg, resistant to cracking. The leaf is medium in size, yellow-green, strongly bubbling, with a delicate taste. Melissa- mid-season hybrid for autumn harvesting. Heads are round-flat, large, weighing up to 3 kg, dense, resistant to fusarium and cracking. The leaf is strongly bubbling, medium-fried, dark green, tasty. Nyusha- an early ripe variety for growing in household plots. Used fresh and in home cooking. The head of cabbage is round, partially covered, yellowish on the cut, medium density, with a fine structure, weighing up to 1.4 kg. The leaf is gray-green, with a slight wax coating, medium size, strongly bubbling, wavy along the edge, excellent taste. The outer stump is short, the inner one is of medium length. Yield 3.3 kg/sq.m. Owasa- late (120 days) hybrid for fresh consumption and cooking. Resistant to adverse conditions. Weakly affected by bacteriosis, fusarium. Productivity is 30-60 t/ha. Thaler– average early hybrid for fresh consumption, cooking and short-term storage. The head of cabbage is flat, large, weighing up to 2 kg. Productivity is 40-50 t/ha. Tasmania- mid-early hybrid for fresh consumption, cooking and short-term storage. Tolerates exposure severe frosts, grows well on light soils with a low nitrogen content. The head of cabbage is rounded, weighing up to 1.5 kg. Uralochka- late-ripening variety (95-100 days) for all types of culinary use and salting. The head of cabbage is round, dense, yellowish on the cut, weighing up to 2.2 kg, resistant to cracking, stored for up to 3 months. The leaves are large, light green, strongly bubbled, corrugated, delicate taste. Anniversary 2170– early maturing (75-85 days) and oldest Russian variety(in use since 1950). A head of cabbage weighing up to 0.8 kg, medium density, prone to cracking. The leaf is slightly corrugated, finely bubbling, grayish-green. Julius is a very early Savoy hybrid for fresh consumption and cooking. A head of cabbage weighing up to 3 kg, with strongly bubbling tender leaves. Extrema F1- mid-season hybrid resistant to Fusarium wilt for cultivation in the private sector. Used fresh and for short-term storage. The outer stump is of medium length, the inner one is short. Productivity is 5,4-8 kg/sq.m. Leaf of good taste and consistency, large, grey-green, with a wax coating, bubbly, strongly fried, slightly wavy along the edge. The head of cabbage is rounded, yellowish on the cut, loose, weighing up to 2 kg. *- from planting seedlings to harvesting
Savoy cabbage rolls - recipe
Disassemble the head of cabbage into leaves, soak them in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, cool in cold water with ice cubes. Put the meat or vegetable filling in the middle, roll up the rolls, tie them with white thread and fry for vegetable oil. Then put in a saucepan, pour in broth or vegetable broth, season with spices to taste, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. © E.SIMONYAN, agronomist
The technology of growing seedlings of Savoy cabbage is similar to growing seedlings of white cabbage. Sowing early-ripening varieties are produced in mid-March, mid-late varieties for autumn-winter consumption - in mid-April.
After germination, the temperature should be reduced to 8-10°C. In the cotyledon or single leaf phase, watering is carried out to facilitate the selection of seedlings. It is better to dive into nutrient cubes or pots, while the roots must be shortened by a third of the length. AT sunny weather plants should be shaded for 2-3 days.
It is necessary to water the seedlings in the morning in sunny weather, followed by airing, to maintain the optimum temperature.
Dive seedlings better in nutrient cubes and pots. In sunny weather, young plants should be shaded for 2-3 days with a newspaper soaked in water. Savoy cabbage seedlings are ready for planting in 40-45 days in the phase of 4-5 true leaves.
Early varieties of Savoy cabbage are more early maturing than early varieties of white cabbage. Therefore, for planting early varieties, the site must be sunny and protected from the winds.
The best predecessors savoy cabbage can be potatoes, legumes, onions, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes. It can return to the garden where any cabbage, radish, turnip, radish was grown no earlier than after 3-4 years.
Savoy cabbage needs a lot of nutrients in a readily available form. Therefore, the main preparation of the soil should be carried out in the fall. First, the soil is loosened to a depth of 8-10 cm, and after two weeks, when the weeds sprout, it is dug up on a full bayonet of a shovel, previously introducing 5-7 kg per 1 sq. m of organic fertilizers (for details, see the section on white cabbage).
In early spring, the site must be dismantled to conserve moisture in the soil. Before planting seedlings, the plot is dug up to a depth of 12 ~ 14 cm.
Early varieties of Savoy cabbage with very early landing in open ground it is necessary to cover with a film or protective caps, because long-term influence low temperatures can lead to shooting of plants. Early varieties can be planted at several times until the end of May. Mid-season and late-ripening varieties are planted in late June - early July.
Distance between plants when planting in early-ripening varieties 35-40 cm, between rows 40-45 cm. Mid-season varieties are planted according to the scheme 50 × 50 cm, late-ripening 60 × 60 cm.
Savoy cabbage must be carefully cared for. She is very responsive to loosening, top dressing and hilling.
It is very important to carry out the first loosening with weeding in a timely manner, especially on heavy soils. It is done immediately after planting to a depth of 5-7 cm, while removing weeds. The depth of subsequent loosening is increased to 12-15 cm. Dry and light soils loosen finer, heavy and wet - deeper. Loosen around the plants very finely so as not to damage the roots.
When the planted seedlings begin to grow, the first top dressing is carried out with a solution of mullein (1:10) or a mixture of mineral fertilizers (15 g of urea, 40 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium fertilizers per 10 liters of water). The second time it must be fed during the head curling period, increasing the amount of phosphorus and potash fertilizers by 1.5 times.
All varieties of Savoy cabbage must be spud 3-4 weeks after landing; late-ripening varieties should be spudded a second time before closing the rows.
Early varieties most need watering in May, late varieties - from mid-July to mid-August.
Although there are fewer pests on Savoy cabbage than on white cabbage, the leaves on the underside must be examined very carefully. In addition, remove laying eggs of pests due to uneven surface leaves are quite hard.
Selective harvesting of early-ripening varieties of Savoy cabbage begins at the end of June. It is impossible to be late with cleaning, because heads of cabbage are prone to cracking. This can be avoided by trimming the lower leaves or cutting the roots with a spatula.
Late-ripening varieties should not be rushed to clean, because they painlessly tolerate frost.
When cutting heads of cabbage, 3-4 outer leaves are left on them, which protect the inner leaves from breaking off. Some gardeners leave savoy cabbage in the winter in the garden under a thick layer of snow. As necessary, the snow is raked and the plants are cut. Before use, they are dipped in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
Savoy cabbage keeps much worse than white cabbage, so it is stored on racks or in boxes in only one row. To increase the period of its suitability for consumption, the storage temperature should be lowered to minus 1~3°C. Savoy cabbage leaves can be dried; it is unsuitable for pickling.
Savoy cabbage is a photophilous plant. A long daylight hours favorably affects the formation of heads of cabbage.
Of all types of cabbage, Savoy cabbage is highly frost-resistant. Some of its late-ripening varieties are especially resistant to cold. Seed germination occurs already at a temperature of +3°C, and intensive growth occurs at 16-18°C. Temporary cooling down to 8 °C slows down the development of plants, but does not stop it. Sprouts of medium and early varieties tolerate short-term frosts down to -1-2 °C, late - up to -5-6 °C.
Seedlings of savoy cabbage tolerate a lack of moisture better than other types of cabbage, but adult plants are moisture-loving. Moisture evaporates intensively through large leaves, and plants need regular watering.
The culture prefers fertile soils and is responsive to. Late varieties are more demanding on top dressing than early ones. When growing Savoy cabbage in the Urals and in middle lane are predominantly used. The specificity of these regions is such that for short summer only early maturing varieties have time to form. Plants develop quickly, and organic matter rots slowly, lagging behind this process.
Bad predecessors of Savoy cabbage are: radishes, turnips, radishes, cabbage, tomatoes, good ones are potatoes, carrots, legumes. Savoy cabbage needs to be repositioned annually. It is recommended to re-plant the vegetable on the beds no earlier than after 4 years (see).
Popular Savoy Cabbage Varieties
Depending on the timing of ripening, varieties of Savoy cabbage are divided into:
- early ripe - 105-120 days;
- mid-season - 120-135 days;
- late-ripening - more than 135 days.
Popular varieties of Savoy cabbage early ripe:
Popular varieties of mid-season Savoy cabbage:
Popular varieties of late-ripening Savoy cabbage:
Growing seedlings of savoy cabbage and planting in the ground
How to grow savoy cabbage?
First of all, you need to prepare the ground. Before autumn digging contribute at the rate of 5 kg / 1 m 2. In spring, the soil is harrowed to fill with moisture. Before planting cabbage, the site is dug up to a depth of 15 cm.
Seeds of early-ripening varieties for seedlings are planted in mid-March, mid- and late-ripening - in mid-April. After the emergence of sprouts, the temperature is reduced to 8-10 ° C.
Watering begins when embryonic leaves appear. Watering the seedlings is done in the morning, followed by airing. In the bright sun, the seedlings are shaded with a newspaper soaked in water.
Dive seedlings in about 2 weeks. Cabbage is recommended to be transplanted into nutrient pots. The root of the plant is cut to a third of the length.
Landing in the ground is carried out after 40-45 days. By this time, 4-5 true leaves should have formed. For early varieties in the garden, well-lit areas are chosen, preferably on the southern slope. If the weather is cool, then the plants are covered with foil or caps to avoid shooting.
Planting early ripe varieties can be divided into several periods until the end of May. Mid-season and late-ripening - planted in June-early July.
Savoy cabbage planting patterns:
- early ripe - 35x40 cm;
- mid-season - 50x50 cm;
- late ripening - 60x60 cm.
Care
Savoy cabbage care includes weeding, top dressing, pest control.
The first loosening of the soil with a depth of 5-7 cm is carried out after planting the plants in the ground. As it grows, the loosening depth is increased to 15 cm. The denser the soil, the deeper it needs to be loosened. Plants spud after 3-4 weeks.
Watering is carried out once a week, in hot weather the frequency should be increased. Early-ripening varieties are especially demanding on moisture in May, mid-ripening and late-ripening - in July-August.
After the cabbage begins to grow, perform the first top dressing. From organic matter, mullein is used (1:10).
From mineral fertilizers, the composition is used:
- water - 10 l;
- urea - 15 g;
- superphosphate - 40 g;
- potash fertilizers - 15g.
The next top dressing is carried out in the phase of head curling. During this period, the concentration of phosphorus and potash fertilizers is increased by 1.5 times.
Harvesting and storage
Savoy cabbage is harvested from the end of June. It is important to remove heads of cabbage prone to cracking in a timely manner. There is also a way to prevent cracking. To do this, the lower leaves are removed or the root is cut with a shovel.
Late varieties tolerate cold snap and light frosts well. Taking advantage of this feature, some gardeners leave cabbage in the winter on the beds under a layer of snow and cut it off as needed, raking the snow.
Savoy cabbage is stored in boxes or on racks, laid out in one row. The optimum storage temperature is -1-3 °C.
In addition to many advantages, Savoy cabbage has one indisputable advantage over the white cabbage that we are used to - it does not emit an unpleasant odor when frying and stewing. For some reason, it is mistakenly believed that it requires special care Perhaps that is why its cultivation in our country is not as widespread as in other countries. America, Canada, Europe, North Africa, In Asia, farmers are engaged in the cultivation of tender, healthy cabbage; caring for it does not seem burdensome to them. And it is especially suitable for us in connection with a tolerant attitude to cold weather.
Savoy cabbage is a biennial plant related to our familiar white cabbage. It comes from the Mediterranean, the name of the species indicates the Principality of Savoy, where it has been cultivated for at least 500 years, in some countries it is called Italian. In those ancient times, it was considered the food of peasants, and then the chefs of restaurants paid attention to it, dishes from it became popular, and caring for it became profitable. For more than two centuries, the cultivation of this type of cabbage has been known in central and northern Europe. We have also known it for a long time, but not so widely cultivated.
Loose soft head with many integumentary leaves, painted in different shades greenery at different varieties, leaves without hard veins, pimply, corrugated, as if crumpled - this is what Savoy cabbage looks like. Heads can be from 500 g to 3 kg in weight, they are much lighter than that of white or red cabbage, and it turns out that, taking up the same amount of space when grown, it gives a much smaller yield in terms of weight. Caring for it does not differ from caring for the types of cabbage we are used to, the shelf life is much shorter - for the winter you can leave it in suitable conditions late varieties, but only very large heads of cabbage can reach the spring. For long-term storage with minimal losses useful qualities you can only freeze in crushed form. It is not suitable for pickling and pickling because of the softness and tenderness of the leaves - it will not be strong and crispy.
The main advantage that Savoy cabbage has is its frost resistance. Thanks to this, it is possible to grow it in open ground not only in the central regions, but even in the Urals.
Early cabbage can be eaten after 105 - 120 days, so in order to get ripe cabbage already in July, you need to grow seedlings from the beginning of March. Mid-season ones grow up to 135 days, and late ones, which can be removed from under the snow and stored for long-term storage, last more than 140 days. Sowing of late varieties occurs no earlier than mid-April. By the way, the seeds do not deteriorate from storage, their germination capacity is preserved, usually up to 5 years.
Video “Growing cabbage”
This video explains how to plant savoy cabbage.
Landing and care
The most common cultivation is seedling method. Seeds for sowing are prepared in this way: for 15 minutes they are placed in hot (at least +50 degrees) water, then for 1 minute - in ice water, then 12 hours incubated in a solution of trace elements. Then they are washed and kept in the refrigerator for a whole day. After all this, the seeds are dried, when they stop sticking to the hands, they become completely ready for sowing. 
In a box or other container, an equal amount of soddy soil is mixed, river sand and peat, shed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are sown after 1 cm with row spacing of 3 cm, deepened by 1 cm, covered with earth, and glass is placed on top. The crops are kept indoors at a temperature of + 18 degrees, the glass is lifted to water (sprinkle) - that's all the care. After 5-7 days, shoots will appear, after that the glass is removed, and the plants are brought into a room with a temperature of +8 degrees.
When the first leaf grows, the seedlings dive - the roots are shortened by a third, each plant is transplanted into a separate cup. Transplanted plants are watered with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate, covered from direct sunlight for several days, the temperature for them is kept at +18 degrees for the first 3 days, and then slightly reduced to +14 during the day and +12 degrees at night. You need to water the seedlings with water at room temperature as needed, and at the age of two true leaves it is fed for the first time with a solution of mineral fertilizers.
Seedlings are planted at the stage of 6 true leaves, and 2 weeks before that, they must be sprayed with a solution of urea and potassium sulfate. After that, the plants are hardened, taking them out into the open air (it can be a balcony or a veranda), if the temperature there is not lower than +5 degrees. The time of "walks" is increased all the time, but the sprouts are protected from drafts. When the seedlings can already be on the street for a day, they are planted in the garden. 
Savoy cabbage loves open sunny places with neutral fertile loamy or sandy loamy soils. You can plant it after potatoes, cucumbers, onions, beets, tomatoes, perennial herbs. But in no case after the cruciferous. The soil must be prepared in the fall - dig a shovel onto a bayonet, add lime, rotted manure, compost, mineral fertilizers. In the spring, they dig it up again, if necessary, make compost, humus and wood ash. When planting, a large distance is left between seedlings: early varieties are planted after 40 cm, mid-season - after 50 cm, and late - after 60 cm from each other. Before planting, seedlings are watered very heavily so as not to disturb the roots during transplantation, they are deepened to the very cotyledons. At first they are shaded a little, but only until they take root in a new place. 
The rules for growing and caring for all types of garden cabbage are almost the same. It is watered, weeded, spud, loosened the ground, fertilized, protected from pests. In the first week, the ground around the plants is loosened to a depth of up to 7 cm, and then it needs to be loosened weekly deeper - up to 15 cm, the heavier the soil, the more often and deeper it needs to be loosened so that the roots have access to fresh air. The early varieties are spudded once - a month after planting, and the later ones, besides this, again when the foliage begins to close.
Cabbage loves moisture so that the leaves are juicy, periods of drought should not be allowed, although they will not kill the cabbage. During cultivation, cabbage is fed several times, you can use a solution of mullein and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Such care will certainly give good results. 
In order to protect the cabbage from pests, it is sprinkled with wood ash. As a prevention of fungal diseases, the earth is shed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Compliance with the rules of crop rotation and careful care will help to grow cabbage without diseases. If a fungal diseases nevertheless appeared, treatment with Bordeaux liquid, colloidal sulfur, blue vitriol or similar drugs. If the inspection reveals a black spot or a mosaic, then the plants should be destroyed as soon as possible, the ground should be treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, this will help protect the rest of the plantings from the virus.
Beneficial features
Savoy cabbage is surprisingly rich in useful substances and elements. It contains ascorbic acid (C), beta-carotene (A), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid (B5), tocopherol (E) - these are just vitamins. But there is also protein (amino acids), fiber, sugars, phytoncides, and needed by the body elements: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper. Moreover, all this is easily absorbed by the body. Thanks to this composition, the use of Savoy cabbage improves blood composition, visual acuity, and stimulates digestion. It improves appetite, regulates the amount of sugar and prevents the formation of tumors. 
It is very important that it can saturate the body with vitamins all winter, increase immunity, have a diuretic, antioxidant, bactericidal effect. And ascorbigen, which is part of it, neutralizes poisons and removes toxins from the body.
Harm
But this amazingly healthy cabbage should not be eaten with stomach and duodenal ulcers, pancreatitis, gastritis and thyroid diseases. It is necessary to refrain from it after operations on the abdominal cavity or chest.
Consuming Savoy Cabbage large quantities can provoke increased gas formation and thereby deliver tangible discomfort. It is given to children after a year, and then at first it is not raw.
Harvest
Early varieties are harvested in July. Cabbage is most often eaten fresh in salads, since it cannot be stored, boiled soups or prepared cabbage rolls. Mid-season and late varieties are also eaten fresh, boiled, stewed, fried, but their storage is quite possible for several months; late varieties are laid for winter for long-term storage. 
Harvest late cabbage in October. Lowering the air temperature to -5 is not critical for her. A fine day with a temperature of -1 to +1 degrees is best suited for harvesting. For storage for the winter, intact heads of cabbage weighing from 500 g with two or three strong covering leaves are selected, they are sprinkled with chalk and left for several days in a dry room, laid out on a wire rack. Throughout the winter, cabbage can be stored indoors with high, up to 95% humidity and temperatures from 0 to + 3 degrees. It is hung one head at a time in nets under the ceiling or folded in a pyramid, starting with the largest heads, sprinkled with sand. Or you can just wrap each head of cabbage with paper and they will lie like that all winter in the cellar.
Video “Various cabbage”
In this video, gardeners tell how to plant different varieties of cabbage.