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Technology for growing and autumn finishing of cauliflower in hotbeds

For gardeners

3 min read

GREENHOUSES AND COVERS G

Growing cauliflower in hotbeds is a labor-intensive task, but it allows for the earliest possible harvest. For spring forcing, it is best to use the Gaagskaya, Erfurt, and Snowball cultivars. Transplants are prepared in propagation greenhouses: sowing is carried out in the first half of February in boxes or on racks. Young plants are transferred to hotbeds in the first half of April, when they have formed 3–4 leaves.

For planting, prepare a fertile soil 18–20 cm thick. You can mix sod soil and old hotbed soil in equal parts or prepare a mixture of 3 parts sod soil, 1 part peat, and 1 part humus. After planting the transplants, be sure to cover the hotbeds with mats for 2–3 days so that the plants take root faster.

Cauliflower cultivar Number of plants per frame, pcs.
Gaagskaya 16
Erfurt 12
Snowball 12
  • Soil thickness — 18–20 cm
  • Temperature on a cloudy day — 12–15 °C
  • Temperature on a sunny day — 16–18 °C
  • Growing duration for cabbage — 30–60 days

During the growing process, maintain an optimum temperature regime and water the plantings moderately. Over time, increase irrigation, using up to one watering can per frame every 2–3 days. Do not forget to ventilate the hotbeds regularly. Twice during the growing season, perform hilling and apply top dressing to the plants with a solution of poultry manure.

To keep the cauliflower heads white and prevent them from yellowing in the sun, provide shade: to do this, slightly break 1–2 outer leaves over the forming inflorescence.

Maturation and ripening of vegetables in the autumn period

By the beginning of autumn, the harvest of main crops is completed, but hotbeds can still provide additional benefits. In them, you can organize the continued growth of vegetables that did not have time to ripen in open soil, or specifically grow late cauliflower transplants for autumn transfer under the frames. This guarantees an uninterrupted supply of fresh produce until late autumn.

For the autumn continued growth of cauliflower, follow a specific sequence of actions:

  1. Clean the hotbeds of old soil and humus.
  2. Place the stumps of unripe plants at the bottom of the pit close to each other — across the hotbed, 40–70 pieces per frame.
  3. Cover the stems with soil up to the level of the first leaves.
  4. Close the hotbeds with frames and mats.

The autumn maturation period lasts from 30 to 60 days. If the air temperature drops below 5–6 °C, immediately insulate the frames from above with a layer of manure.

In these same hotbeds, you can carry out the ripening of tomatoes. There is no need to clear the pits: it is enough to lay a bed of straw or boards at the bottom, place green fruits on it in one or several layers, and intersperse each row with straw. Maintain the temperature at 20–25 °C on warm days and no lower than 10 °C at night. If there is a risk of frost, the hotbeds are insulated, and if they overheat above 25 °C, they are ventilated.

Autumn is also suitable for obtaining fresh greens: parsley, celery, and leeks are heeled in rows at the bottom of the hotbed at a temperature of 3–10 °C, periodically ventilating the structures. The freed-up space is also used for drying onions, sowing radish, spinach, or planting lettuce transplants.

After completing all harvesting work, prepare the hotbeds for the next season. Remove the spent soil and stack it in piles on the end paths; stack the humus separately. Repair the frames and boxes, dry and store the mats under a canopy, prepare fresh soil and biofuel, and disinfect the hotbeds.

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