Cabbage Megaton: variety description, cultivation and reviews with photos
Cabbage Megaton F1 from the well-known Dutch company Bejo Zaden has been known to our summer residents since 1996. At the end of the last century, a productive hybrid was tested on Russian fields and was entered into the State Register. Reviews testify to the popularity of the hybrid among summer residents. The hybrid is successfully used by farmers.
Basic information about the characteristics of cabbage Megaton
Description of the variety, let's start with a description of the chemical composition of the head. The composition determines the nutritional value of the variety and the direction of use. The table shows the percentage of substances useful for the human body in 100 grams of Megaton cabbage leaves.
| Name | Number |
| 8.7% | |
| 3.8% ~ 5% | |
| 39.3 ~ 43, 6mg | |
| 0.6 ~ 3% |
A large percentage of sugars makes cabbage suitable for fermentation. This hybrid can be grown without a doubt for autumn fermentation. White sauerkraut has a great taste and a long shelf life.
You can understand, if you analyze the reviews of summer residents about cabbage, that Megaton heads are not suitable for fresh use (preparing salads). The leaves are very dense, when preparing a salad, you will need to mash them well to achieve the desired juiciness and tenderness.
Yields
Megaton is a productive vegetable crop. The hybrid is grown by large and small agricultural enterprises, therefore data on the yield of cabbage appear not per square meter, but per hectare.The maximum yield was recorded - 934 q/ha. Averages may be lower, from 586 q/ha.
In a warm climate, Megaton F1 cabbage has a lower yield. The variety shows the best results in a temperate climate. The hybrid is not recommended to be grown in the Volga-Vyatka region. This is recorded by the manufacturer and indicated in the hybrid data in the State Register.
Features
Hybrid of average terms of maturing - 130 - 160 days from shoots. Grow the culture in seedlings. Cabbage shows good frost resistance. Adult heads of cabbage do not lose commercial qualities during short-term frosts down to -8 °C.
The frost resistance indicator does not apply to young seedlings of Megaton - it can die with a slight spring cold snap. This must be taken into account when transplanting seedlings into the ground. With the threat of night frosts, cabbage seedlings should be covered.
Immediately it should be noted the important advantage of the hybrid - a short stump (15 cm). Every housewife will appreciate a short stalk: the less waste when processing cabbage, the better. The shape of the heads is round, even, slightly flattened. The outer leaves are light green with a slight waxy coating. The leaves are large, oval, slightly corrugated along the edge. Leaf rosette large.
Inner leaves are white, dense, juicy, collected in a tight head. Heads of cabbage are large, average weight is 3-4 kg. There is evidence that it was possible to grow heads of cabbage weighing up to 10 - 15 kg. You can get such wonderful results with good care and a comfortable summer temperature.
On the virtues of a hybrid
Briefly all the valuable properties of the hybrid, its features and disadvantages are set out in the table.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Transportability | Short storage period (no more than 3 months) |
| Low dependence on weather conditions | Dense leaves on the head |
| Resistance to diseases and pests | |
| Good raw material for pickling for the winter |
From summer residents about cabbage Megaton
Konstantin, Voronezh:
“There was a bad growing experience. The summer was hot and dry, cabbage was often watered. At the output, we received two-kilogram heads of cabbage. There were no complaints about the shape and density. All heads were tight. They were not stored for long - they ate quickly, so it was not possible to evaluate the keeping quality. I'll be looking for a new variety for next season. I love big heads.”
Natalia, Orel:
“Megaton was planted and we plan to plant it in the future. I like the fact that there are no aphids and caterpillars on the cabbage ridge. Somehow these pests do not like our cabbage. Growing a hybrid is easy, because it does not need any treatments, we grow without any chemistry, if it rains regularly and it takes little time to water. ”
Agrotechnology
It is better to grow seedlings in a spring greenhouse or greenhouse. It is difficult to grow strong seedlings of cabbage in an apartment.It can be problematic to provide the temperature necessary for normal growth (18 - 20 ° C). It is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings in early April. Sprinkle the seeds with a layer of humus 1 cm deep - it’s not worth it deeper, the seeds are small. In the phase of 3-4 leaves, cabbage seedlings dive. Be sure to pinch the central spine, leaving ⅔ of the entire length.
Seedlings during growth are important:
- lighting;
- soil moisture;
- humidity and air temperature;
- feeding.
All about feeding
As a help to a beginner vegetable grower, we present a fertilizer application scheme. By adhering to the recommended scheme, you can be guaranteed to get a high yield of he althy heads of cabbage. Cabbage leaves will not contain nitrates harmful to humans.
After 7 - 10 days after picking the cabbage, we carry out the first feeding. In 7 days, young cabbage will have time to adapt, the roots will begin to grow, actively supplying the plant with nutrients.
To irrigate 55 bushes, one liter of an aqueous solution of fertilizers will be needed. For cooking you need to take:
- potassium nitrate - 2g;
- superphosphate - 4 g;
- ammonium nitrate - 2 g.
When 14 days pass after the first feeding, the grown seedlings of cabbage will need to be fed for the second time. For the same liter of water, take the same set of fertilizers, increasing the content of each component by 2 times.
If there is fresh manure, it is better to replace the mineral fertilizer solution with mullein infusion. For watering cabbage, an aqueous solution is prepared in the ratio of 1 part of the infusion to 10 parts of water.
Two days before transplantation, cabbage seedlings are fed for the last time. Fertilizer rate for the third top dressing:
- ammonium nitrate - 3g;
- potash fertilizer - 8g;
- superphosphate - 5g
To prepare the solution, take 1 liter of settled water.
In summer, it is enough to feed the cabbage 2 times. The first time the cabbage will take root after transplanting. You can understand that the vegetable has taken root by looking at the leaves - they will grow. At this time, 10 liters of nutrient solution should be spent on 5 cabbage roots. The first dressing is purely nitrogen - ammonium nitrate 10 g per 10 liters.
When the leaves begin to curl into a head, the cabbage must be fed a second time. Fertilizer consumption is given for 10 l:
- urea - 4 g;
- potassium sulfate - 8g;
- superphosphate (double) - 5g
Megaton hybrid care is standard. An important component of all summer work will be watering. From transplanting seedlings into the ground and until the moment when the leaves begin to curl, water 2-3 times a week. If the weather is rainy - less. The main guideline is soil moisture.
Diseases and pests
When a summer resident knows what diseases and pests vegetable plantings need to be protected from, he can timely carry out disease prevention and purchase drugs against pests. Growing a Megaton hybrid, you should not relax. Although the hybrid is resistant to a number of diseases, it is worth making sure against blackleg, powdery mildew and rhizoctoniosis.
In order for the cabbage not to suffer from the black leg, it is necessary to add Tiram to the soil at a dosage of 50 g / m², the seeds must be treated with Granozan or a solution of potassium permanganateFrom mealy dew helps seed dressing. In addition, heads of cabbage can be sprinkled with infusion of garlic - 100 g of crushed garlic per 10 liters, leave for 12 hours. Preparations "Kvadris" and "Khom" will protect plantings from rhizoctoniosis. Work the soil before planting.
The main pests of cabbage: caterpillars, aphid colonies, cruciferous bug, secretive proboscis. Megaton is a crop resistant to pests and diseases, but there is a possibility of insects on cabbage leaves if the soil is infested with pest larvae.
Autumn tillage is an event not to be ignored. You need to dig up a bed for cabbage, treat the soil with Actellik, do not break the clods. Use the same preparation for pre-sowing treatment of cabbage seeds.
Megaton F1 is an excellent hybrid for areas with unstable weather conditions, short summers and early night frosts in autumn. It is not difficult to grow cabbage for sauerkraut, you just need to carry out pre-sowing seed treatment, proper soil preparation for planting and regular care for cabbage plantings.
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