Cabbage Megaton F1 - one of the best medium-late hybrids. It is considered the most productive, and is actively grown by our gardeners. We learn about the features of this hybrid, how to plant it, grow it, and how to get a good harvest.
Hybrid Variety Description
Appearance of cabbage:
- Leaves. Large, semi-raised, collected in horizontal or slightly raised sockets. The leaves are oval, with a waxy coating, wrinkled. Color is light green. The edges are slightly concave and wavy. The inner leaves are snow-white.
- Heads of cabbage. Large, dense, rounded.
- Stump. Small size. Length - up to 14-15 cm.
Megaton Cabbage Seeds
To grow large heads of cabbage, you need to make a sufficient amount of mineral fertilizers, otherwise the crop will not please with gigantic sizes
Heads grow large, dense, rounded
Selection history
Megaton F1 bred by Dutch breeders. This hybrid variety was obtained by Bejo Zader, a seed company. In Russia, a hybrid is grown almost everywhere - climatic conditions allow. Megaton was introduced to the State Register in 1996.
There are regions in which Megaton F1 cultivation is not recommended - these are Tatarstan, Mordovia, Penza, Samara and Ulyanovsk regions.
Varietal characteristics
Characteristics of Megaton cabbage:
- Mid-season variety. From the appearance of seedlings to harvesting - 4.5-5.5 months (136-168 days).
- The weight of heads of cabbage at the stage of technical ripeness is 3.5-4 kg. If you create the most favorable conditions for cabbage, you can grow heads of cabbage weighing 12-15 kg.
- Heads of cabbage contain sugar 3.9-4.9%. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) - up to 43.5 mg, protein - 3%, solids - 8-8.8%.
- Taste characteristics are high. The leaves are juicy, crunchy, slightly sweet, with a pleasant taste and smell.
- Appointment - pickling and salting.
- Resistant to keel, fusarium wilt, gray rot.
- Productivity - 650-850 centners per 1 ha, 9 kg per 1 sq. Km. m
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Advantages of Megaton variety:
- High yield.
- Great taste.
- There is no tendency to crack heads in temperature extremes.
- It tolerates transportation well.
- Resistance to many cabbage diseases.
Megaton has a few drawbacks:
- Short-term storage - from 1 to 3 months.
- Freshly picked heads have harsh leaves.
- It is necessary to carefully select a site for landing - the hybrid needs a moderate partial shade. In direct sunlight, cabbage does not grow well.
Preparation for landing
Before planting, prepare the site and seed. Soil preparation begins in the fall:
- Dig up the soil. The remains of weeds and rhizomes found in the soil are removed.
- Organic fertilizers are applied before the start of frosts. It is best to add humus or rotted manure - this organics perfectly stimulates the growth of heads of cabbage. Norm - 10-12 kg per 1 square. m
- Mineral fertilizers are introduced - 30 g per 1 sq. Km. m
- In the spring, the soil is re-excavated, introducing urea and potassium sulfate - 40 g per 1 sq. Km. m
In soils with high acidity, yield falls by 20-30%. Lime, wood ash, dolomite flour are added to acidic soils.
Megaton is planted with seedlings or seeds in open ground. Seed material is prepared for sowing as follows:
- Hardening. Seeds are immersed for 20 minutes in warm water (50-55 ° C). Immerse in cool water for 5 minutes.
- Growth stimulation. Immersed for 12 hours in special growth stimulants. The most popular stimulants are Epin and Zircon. Or you can prepare a solution of nitrophosphate - take 1 tsp for 1 liter of water. The seeds treated in the stimulator are washed and dried a little.
Site selection, soil and conditions
How to choose a site:
- The soil. Well-waterproof and breathable soils are needed. Acidic soils are not suitable - they can provoke keel. The best options are chernozems and cultivated loams. Areas that are flooded after precipitation are not suitable - Megaton does not like too wet soils.
- Lighting. This hybrid does not tolerate direct sunlight. Permanent shading, on the other hand, is also harmful. To create ideal conditions for cabbage, it is recommended to plant sunflower or corn in the aisles. Planting frequency - every 3-4 rows of cabbage. Megaton grows best in partial shade. You can not plant it near evergreen bushes and trees - due to lack of lighting, yield will drop.
- Predecessors. Areas suitable for which at least 3-4 years have not been growing cabbage and other cruciferous plants - radish, radish, turnip, etc. It is best to plant Megaton after potatoes and tomatoes. It is recommended to change the place of cultivation every year - this reduces the risk of hybrid disease with cabbage diseases.
Haunted Landing
When planting seeds directly in open ground, cabbage roots germinate deeper than in seedlings. This feature increases resistance to drought, but will delay maturation by about 2-3 weeks. Growing seeds by sowing in the soil is easier than the seedling method, but does not guarantee 100% germination.
Features of seedling cultivation:
- Sowing seeds is carried out in late April and early May. Exact dates vary by region. Seeds are sown in warm soil, and the temperature should be + 15 ° С outside. In cold soil, the seeds do not germinate for a long time, they swell at a temperature of 5 ° C. The higher the temperature, the faster the seeds will hatch - at 20 ° C the seeds hatch after 4-5 days, at 10 ° C - after 2 weeks.
- Wells are made in the soil with an interval of 40-45 cm. The depth of the holes is 3-4 cm. 0.5 l of water is poured into them.
- Seeds are planted to a depth of 1 cm. 3-4 seeds are put in one hole. The distance between the rows is 60-70 cm. From above, the seeds are sprinkled with soil.
- Sprinkle the crops with sawdust or humus - to prevent the formation of a crust, which will prevent the development of seedlings.
- Crops are covered with a film - it is pulled onto arcs. For insulation you can also use cropped plastic bottles and cans. When the temperature outside rises, the shelter is removed for ventilation. Until the seedlings appear, moisten the soil with a sprinkler.
- Thinning seedlings is carried out after the formation of two leaves - leave 2 sprouts. When 3 leaves appear, thin out the planting again, leaving only one sprout.
Planting seedlings
Seedling cultivation lasts 115 days. This method requires troubles - it is necessary to grow seedlings, to pick and transplant into open ground.
How transplanted seedlings of Megaton cabbage in open ground, see the video below:
How to sow seeds for seedlings?
It is necessary to sow seeds for cabbage seedlings from mid-March to the third decade of April. Seedlings are grown in separate glasses - then the dive stage is skipped. If seedlings are grown in crates, after a certain time it is necessary to dive into pots.
Seeds are prepared for sowing in the usual way - they are hardened and disinfected. Sowing order:
- Seeds are sown in containers filled with a substrate - you can buy it or prepare it yourself. The soil mixture is prepared by mixing in equal parts humus, sand and sod land. The resulting mixture is disinfected with Fitosporin.
- Two or three seeds are placed in one glass. In a row, the seeds are sown with an interval of 1 cm - this is when sowing in boxes. Between the rows - 3 cm.
- They fill up with soil, moisten from a spray bottle and cover with a film. Until seedlings appear, the container with crops is kept warm - at a temperature of + 20-25 ° С.
- After 4-5 days, sprouts appear. If seedlings are grown in boxes, seedlings are thinned out, increasing the spaces between adjacent seedlings to 2 cm. If seedlings are grown in glasses, leave only one sprout - choose the healthiest and strongest.
- Sprouts are watered with warm water - as soon as the top layer dries.
- Thinned seedlings are placed in a room or a greenhouse - during the day the temperature there should be maintained at + 18 ... + 20 ° С, at night - + 12 ... + 15 ° С. Temperature differences are necessary for hardening seedlings.
- If necessary, include additional lighting to extend daylight hours. With a shortage of light, seedlings are stretched and weakened.
It is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings several times - so that the newly growing seedlings can make up for the fact that they can not take root in the beds.
How to dive seedlings?
The pick is carried out after the appearance of the third real leaf. Seedlings from the box are transplanted into glasses. But first, the soil is watered so that it is easier to remove. Seedlings are planted in pots, deepened to the level of cotyledon leaves.
How to feed seedlings?
While seedling is growing - until it is transplanted into the open ground, top dressing is carried out three times.
Frequency and composition of top dressing for seedlings:
Period | Top-dressing composition |
After the first sheet appears | Ammonium nitrate (12 g), superphosphate (20 g), potassium salt (5 g) diluted in water are added. The dosage is given per 5 liters of water. |
A week after the first feeding | Watered with mullein solution. Ammonium nitrate is also suitable (15 g diluted in 5 l). |
A couple of days before transplanting into the ground | Ammonium nitrate (15 g), potassium salt (10 g) and superphosphate (40 g) are diluted in 5 l. |
How to harden seedlings?
A week before planting, the seedlings are subjected to temperature tests:
- Periodically ventilate.
- Seedlings are taken out onto the street, gradually the duration of “walks” is increased. After hardening, cabbage tolerates sudden cold snap better.
How to transplant seedlings?
Seedlings are planted on a cloudy day to prevent wilting. The procedure for planting seedlings in the ground:
- Seedlings are ready for transplant at the age of 45-50 days. They should have three pairs of real leaves, their length should reach 10-12 cm.
- Cabbage is planted on prepared and fertilized beds. Mineral fertilizers are put in the wells in the appropriate dosage.
- The root system is dipped in a mullein from mullein.
- Saplings are carefully placed in holes, deepening them to the first leaf - it is forbidden to sprinkle it with soil. Planting scheme: 45x60 cm. Between adjacent plants - 45 cm, row spacing - 60 cm.
Immediately after planting, it is advisable to cover the seedlings with a film - it will protect young plants from the bright day sun and night cooling. Strong seedlings take root quickly and adapt in a new place.
Outdoor cabbage care
Megaton cabbage is looked after throughout the growing season. She needs regular watering, hilling and cultivating.
Watering
How to water Megaton:
- Water temperature at the level of + 18-22 ° С.
- Watering seedlings in the morning or in the evening.
- If it rains, watering stops - until the soil dries.
- At first, the seedlings are watered with a frequency of once every 2-3 days - in hot weather. In cloudy weather, watering is reduced to once every 5-6 days.
- Watering is stopped 2-3 weeks before the head of cabbage.
5-6 hours after watering, the soil is loosened - this prevents the appearance of a thick crust, impervious to air and water. Loosen the soil to a depth of 5-6 cm, so as not to touch the roots.
Watering methods:
- Furrows. The most convenient way to water. In the aisles, furrows are carried out with a depth of 10-12 cm. This method is effective only on a surface that does not have a slope.
- Sprinkling. It is watered with a watering can or a hose, on which the sprayer is worn. The option is good for inclined terrain.
- Drip irrigation system. Water is supplied through plastic tubes laid along the rows. The method is applicable on reliefs of any complexity, it allows the most economical use of water. Minus - the cost of organizing the irrigation system.
Hilling
This agricultural technique is necessary to strengthen the roots and increase productivity. 20-25 days after planting - when small forks are formed, the soil is raked to the plant. After 15-20 days, the cabbage is spurred again.
Hilling is best done after rain or watering. But first, leaves lying on the ground are removed. A thin layer of wood ash is strewed between the rows.
Features of growing Megaton cabbage, see the video below:
Top dressing
After seedlings are planted in the ground, it is fertilized three times - for high productivity and improve the taste of heads of cabbage.
Frequency and composition of top dressing cabbage Megaton:
Application Period | Top-dressing composition |
2 weeks after transplanting | For 10 liters of water - 1 liter of liquid mullein. On one plant - 0.5 l. |
2 weeks after the first feeding | Similar to the first top dressing |
During the formation of heads of cabbage | 10 g of water - 10 g of potassium sulfate and urea. On one plant - 0.5 l. |
Pest and Disease Control
The Megaton F1 hybrid is resistant to many common diseases. But there are diseases that this variety can be affected by. The best way to avoid being affected by diseases and pests is prevention, but if the cabbage is still exposed to their attacks, appropriate fungicides and insecticides are used.
Common diseases of cabbage and the fight against them:
Disease | Symptoms | How to treat? | Preventative measures |
Peronosporosis | At the top there are round spots. On the lower leaves - purple, gray or white plaque. Heads of irregular shape. | During fruiting, spray 1% with Bordeaux fluid. Spray every week. Stop spraying a week before harvesting. | Remove plant debris. Comply with crop rotation rules. |
Head of yellowness | Leaves turn green-yellow. | Spray with copper sulfate (5 g per bucket of water). | Timely burning of affected residues. |
Blackleg | The stem at the base is dark, watery, rotting. The plant dies. | In the soil make bleach - 20 g per 1 square. m | Prevent excessive moisture. |
White rot | Leaves are covered with mucus. They are covered with a white fungus - it looks like a fluffy coating. | Observe the temperature during storage. | Observe crop rotation and head out before the autumn rains begin. |
Vascular bacteriosis | Leaves at the edges turn yellow. The color of the veins in the affected areas turns black. Heads of cabbage stop growing. | Twice treated with Planriz (10 ml per bucket of water). The interval between sprayings is 10 days. | Compliance with crop rotation rules. |
Cabbage pests and control measures:
Pests | Signs | How to fight? | Preventative measures |
Aphid | They suck juice from the leaves, which weaken the plants, reduce yield. | Spraying with infusions of wormwood, chamomile, nettle, ash For 10 liters of water - 300 g of ash. Add 400 g of liquid soap. They are treated with Actellic or Intavir according to the instructions. | Sprinkling. You can not plant cabbage near viburnum - aphids often settle on it. |
Cruciferous flea | Mostly young cabbage is affected. They can completely destroy the crop. | Spraying with garlic-soap infusion 100 g of soap and 300 g of infusion in a bucket of water. Spraying Karate and Actellik 2-3 times with a frequency of one week. | Spraying with water - this technique is especially useful in extreme heat. Dusting the soil and plants with ash. |
Cabbage white | Caterpillars eat leaves, but can eat and head out from the inside. | Spraying with Fitoverm and Intavir. The treatment is repeated at intervals of 10 days. | In time, remove the butterfly eggs - until caterpillars have developed from them. |
Tips of experienced gardeners:
- To prevent damage to the roots of cabbage by a cabbage fly, a thin non-woven material is placed under the plants.
- When butterflies appear, the cabbage is covered with non-woven material on top.
- When caterpillars appear on the cabbage leaves, they must be collected immediately - before the leaves are folded into heads of cabbage. If you are late, then removing the pests from the heads will no longer be possible.
- Cabbage pests do not like the presence of mint, wormwood, marigolds. They are planted near cabbage beds.
- Pests do not tolerate the smell of vinegar. In a bucket of water dissolve 1 tbsp. l vinegar 70%. This solution is sprayed with cabbage.
- Ants, a bear, flies and slugs can be frightened off with ammonia.
How to collect and store crops?
Heads of cabbage are harvested after the first frost, as soon as the temperature drops to -2 ° C. The integumentary leaves do not break off until the cut itself so that the yield does not decrease. Heads ready for harvest are so heavy that they barely hold on to the stumps. To prevent contact with the soil, heads of cabbage are propped up with props.
How to clean cabbage Megaton:
- Having torn leaves, heads of cabbage are put to dry.
- After drying in the sun, heads of cabbage are stored before processing in a room protected from frost and precipitation.
- Leaves after cutting are harsh. When the time comes for salting, they acquire the form necessary for salting.
- It is important to remove the heads in time, if you tighten with cleaning, they will not be stored for long.
- Heads of cabbage dig out with a root. Those affected by caterpillars are sent for food - they must be used first of all.
Qualitative, unaffected by pests, heads of cabbage are laid for storage. Before laying them, they are kept on the street for a day. Then the roots are cut, but a few integumentary leaves are left.
Storage conditions:
- Store the crop at a temperature of + 4-5 ° C. But it can also be stored at lower temperatures - up to -1 ° C.
- Humidity - 90-98%.
- Good ventilation indoors.
- Heads of cabbage are stacked in boxes by stitches, or suspended from the ceiling.
Who to buy Megaton seeds from?
Choosing seeds, gardeners and large vegetable farms choose well-known, proven brands. Today, competing among themselves, seed producers are trying to sell the highest quality material - they conduct disinfection, check germination, increase immunity.
Who to buy seeds from:
- In the agricultural company "Gavrish." The company in the Russian market for more than two decades, has a good reputation.
- In the company "Zedek". One of the most well-deserved companies has been on the market since 1995. The field of activity is varietal selection and seed production. The seeds of this company are in demand not only in Russia but also abroad.
- In the company "Prestige". It is a seed supplier from the best foreign manufacturers.
Reviews of gardeners
Maria P., amateur vegetable grower, Barabinsk. I have been growing Megaton for 5 years. And once this hybrid has not left me without a crop, even in rainy and hot years, under the most adverse conditions, heads of cabbage grow very large and juicy. Weight reaches 10 kg. This variety is very good in fermented form - it turns out juicy and crispy.
Pavel Sh., Summer resident, Moscow Region. I grow Megaton without using chemicals. Heads of cabbage are very large and beautiful, ideal for sale - customers like it. Seeds are not cheap, but the harvest is excellent. The growth of cabbage is not affected at all by summer temperatures - they grow excellently under any conditions.
They practically do not get sick, for the prevention of diseases and pests, environmentally friendly products are enough - ash, herbal infusions, etc.
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Megaton F1 is remarkable not only for its unpretentiousness and productivity, but also for its excellent taste. If you like sauerkraut, plant Megaton - you will get excellent harvesting. And the extra heads of cabbage can be sold on the market - thanks to the excellent commercial qualities, this cabbage is in demand among consumers.