Many gardeners are wondering if removing the bottom leaves is useful for getting a better cabbage crop. To answer this question, it is worth understanding the main reasons why removal is usually performed, and the correct procedure for the procedure. You can find out about this by reading this article.
The role of lower leaves in heading
Correct ripening of the head is due to the beneficial substances contained in the lower leaves. After cutting off, the head of cabbage begins to grow them again, which is why its growth stops for a short time. In addition, the wax coating on the outside of the sheets provides a protective layer against diseases and harmful microorganisms.
Why delete?
Below is a list of the reasons why cabbage leaves are commonly removed. It is disclosed when removal is reasonable, and when there is an opportunity to do without it.
Prevention and treatment of diseases
The process of death of a plant with vascular bacteriosis begins with the lower sheets. Some gardeners mistakenly believe that after cutting off the bottom of the cabbage, the disease will recede. But this is not the case. Moreover, the disease can spread to nearby heads of cabbage. Therefore, a diseased plant must be destroyed.
Removing the leaves as a preventive measure can make healthy cabbages more vulnerable.
Prevention of pest breeding
A parasite, such as the cabbage fly or scoop, attaches its eggs to the outside of the leaves. If a pest is found, it is really better to cut off and destroy the affected parts of the plant. But this measure will not be enough; the plants should be additionally sprayed with pest control agents. Agrofit is perfect.
You should not get rid of the leaves in advance, because then the pest can lay eggs on another part of the head.
Similarly, heads are protected from invading aphids.
Extending the maturation of early varieties
Inexperienced gardeners try to slow the maturation of early varieties by cutting off the lower leaves. But this method is wrong, since cabbage stops growing, loses nutrients and becomes more vulnerable to diseases and pests.
Better to just take a head of cabbage, pull it towards you, then turn it clockwise. So he will stop receiving moisture, but will retain his qualities in the garden for a long time.
Pull carefully so as not to pull the roots out of the ground.
Decay prevention
If the ground around the head of cabbage is excessively moistened, then rotting of the lower leaves may begin. To prevent the rotting process from spreading to the entire head of cabbage, it will be correct to remove the lower leaves.
Cracking prevention
So that the head does not overripe and does not crack, you can cut off the lower leaves as soon as it reaches optimal maturity. But this will help slow down the process only for a short time.
With a loose head structure
The head of cabbage becomes loose if the plant lacks nutrients, and it continues to accumulate them in the lower leaves. Tearing off, in this case, can help the correct distribution of substances. But more useful will be the timely application of fertilizers.
For weight gain
Another partially mistaken opinion is that removing the bottom leaves can increase the size of the head. On the contrary, if you remove the head of cabbage together with the lower leaves shortly before full maturation, then it will continue to grow and develop due to the accumulated substances even after being harvested from the garden. You can count on a weight gain of up to 15%. The rule only works when the head of cabbage reaches full maturity.
In some species, the lower leaves consume accumulated substances, thereby depleting reserves. The head structure becomes less dense, and the leaves are not so crispy.
Tight fit
If the heads of cabbage are planted too close together, the overgrowth of the lower leaves can interfere with the normal growth and maintenance of neighboring plants. In this case, the largest bottom sheets can be removed.
When to remove?
Removing the outer leaves is best done no earlier than the end of August. At this time, they are no longer so important for the proper growth and development of the head of cabbage.
If signs of pest damage were noticed, then the procedure can be carried out earlier.
This should be done in dry and sunny weather so that the removal site can dry out.
Removal rules
There are 2 basic rules:
- Gradualness. Do not remove all the leaves at once, this may negatively affect the plant. It is better to remove 1 sheet per week when the cut-off area dries.
You can delete not the entire sheet, but, for example, half. This is done if they interfere with plant care.
- Accuracy. Leaving leaves is not recommended; they must be carefully cut so as not to harm the plant. The cut should be sanitized well and then treated with wood ash. This will protect against contamination with diseases.
If the leaves are removed incorrectly, pests can be attracted.
Using torn leaves
If the cut leaves are healthy and not wilted, they can be fed to livestock. They contain many useful vitamins, which are indispensable in the autumn, when feed is getting smaller. Suitable for feeding goats, birds, rabbits.
Should leaves be removed from cauliflower and Beijing cabbage?
A common misconception is that after cutting the lower leaves, cauliflower forks form better. But without them, vegetable growth slows down, since a shortage of nutrients is found, of which there are many in the lower part. Removal of the leaves can also be done to protect the cabbage head from the bright sun during the setting period. An alternative is to use rhubarb leaves or burdock leaves.
In Chinese cabbage, the outer leaves are as tender as the whole head of cabbage. Due to the beneficial substances accumulated in them, the plant grows and develops. Removal is important only if they have begun to fade or have rotted. But this rarely happens. Peking cabbage usually grows well without extreme measures and produces several harvests per season.
Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure
Summing up, we can highlight several positive points:
- Protection. The procedure allows you to protect the culture when infected with harmful insects.
- Life extension. Once the lower leaves begin to rot and wither, cutting them off helps extend the vegetable's shelf life. In addition, the vegetable takes on a presentation.
- Sealing. After removing the leaves, the heads of cabbage become tighter. But to carry out the procedure in this case is necessary 2-4 weeks before the harvest, depending on the variety of cabbage.
But you should also pay attention to the disadvantages of the procedure:
- Loss of thermoregulation. Thanks to the lower leaves, the temperature regime and the optimum humidity level are controlled. Their loss makes the head of cabbage more susceptible to the influence of negative factors.
- Vulnerability to external influences. The upper leaves protect the cabbage from sun and pollution.
- Violation of natural development. Normally, the bottom leaves are needed for the ripening of the head. If this process is disrupted, improper distribution of beneficial substances or their complete loss may occur. The plant dies or does not reach its optimal size.
Is it worth it to remove the bottom sheets from the cabbage, about their role in heading out, the effect on keeping quality and preservation of useful substances can be seen in the video clip:
Reviews of experienced gardeners
Ivan, 55 years old. Last year I found signs of vascular bacteriosis on cabbage leaves. On the advice of a neighbor, he cut off the bottom sheets. But after a while he noticed that the disease was progressing and even began to spread to neighboring heads of cabbage. I almost lost my entire crop. I don’t do that anymore.
Anna, 47 years old. It is usually rainy in our region; by the end of the season, the lower leaves begin to rot. We have to cut them off to save the head of cabbage. For me, this method is effective.
Sergey, 61 years old. Previously, he cut off the lower leaves to protect the heads of cabbage from cracking. But last year I did not begin to do this, which had almost no effect on the culture. Now I break off the leaves only if the cabbage grows too much, and this interferes with caring for it.
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Gardeners have mixed opinions about cutting the bottom leaves. Some say that this helps protect the culture, while others, on the contrary, believe that this makes heads of cabbage more vulnerable. Definitely, we can say that you should not remove the lower leaves if the plant develops normally and is not damaged by pests.
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