We choose cabbage. The best varieties of cabbage for pickling, salting and storage

Potatoes have become a part of our diet. But there are contenders for eating potatoes besides us. And if you don’t monitor and care for the plant as it grows, you may never get a harvest. There are a huge number of pests that eat the plant from the very root to the flowers. The illustrations will help determine who is eating the leaves or may be nibbling on the tubers of the crop.

The leaf beetle is one of the most important pests of not only potatoes, but also eggplant, physalis, tomato and sweet pepper.

One female beetle produces up to 700 similar pests. In the southern regions, from two to three generations of the Colorado potato beetle are hatched per season. From the eggs laid by the female, larvae appear after one to two weeks, which eat the pulp of leaves at the tops of the plant.

After the larvae grow a little, they spread throughout the entire plant and even onto neighboring plants. After a couple of weeks of intensive feeding, they burrow into the soil to a depth of 10 centimeters to pupate. After three weeks, the adult pest crawls out of the ground to, eating the plant, produce its offspring.

In summer and autumn, in good dry weather, they are able to fly to other areas tens of kilometers at a speed of up to 8 kilometers per hour. The life of this leaf beetle lasts from one to three years.

Sensing danger, the Colorado potato beetle does not fly away, but pretends to be dead and falls to the ground.

The wireworm is the larva of the click beetle. In the form of a larva this type of beetle is from two to five years. And even as an adult, it burrows into the ground for wintering up to 10 centimeters deep. And in the larval state, the click beetle can be underground at a depth of up to 60 centimeters.

Wireworm damages young shoots and tubers potatoes. It bites, leaving behind holes in which rot settles. Some types of wireworm damage not only potatoes, but also buds and young shoots of grapes.

Nematodes

Herbivorous nematodes damage the root system very many plants. Potatoes are no exception. The result of the nematode's activity can be seen along the edges of the tubers in the form of soft, dark-colored parts.

Medvedki

These are one of the largest representatives of the family of burrowing insects. The mole cricket belongs to the order Orthoptera. The length of this insect reaches 8 centimeters. Capable of flying to a height of up to five meters.

They live in burrows that they dig themselves. They lay about 500 eggs in a nest up to 15 centimeters deep, which is made in warm soil, such as a compost heap. The size of the nest generally corresponds to the size of the individual itself.

The mole cricket eats everything that is underground: roots and bulbs of plants, potato tubers.

The only thing the mole cricket was not seen was eating garlic.

Cutworm caterpillars

The potato cutworm is an enemy of many plant crops. This is a butterfly whose caterpillars intensively eat plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, raspberries, lilies, strawberries, corn, iris, rhubarb, onions, hops, beets, cabbage, and cucumbers. It belongs to the noctuid family.

Their caterpillars feed stems, leaves and rhizomes. They do this at night, living up to their name.

The life of this butterfly is only a couple of weeks, and during this time it lays up to 200 eggs, from which caterpillars emerge a week later.

These caterpillars damage from 10 days to a month all parts of the potato plant. After this time, they turn into a pupa, and after another week they turn into a butterfly again. It is our task to stop this endless cycle, at least on the scale of our lands.

They belong to the family of hemiptera jumping insects of small size (from 1 to 3 centimeters).

They live in anthills during the day, and at night they come out to drink the juice of the plant under the protection of ants, making holes in the plant with their piercing sucking mouth. Rot and pathogens penetrate into these holes with corresponding consequences.

A small bug up to three millimeters in size, which in adulthood eats the upper part of the potato plant, is the potato flea beetle.

Having three pairs of limbs for their movement, they very quickly spread throughout potato plantings and capture large areas.

The larvae of this beetle feed the lower part of the plant and its root system. The potato flea beetle is very active in dry weather.

Pest control on potatoes and in the ground

Methods of pest control are completely different. But they can be divided into chemical, mechanical and folk.

Mechanical methods of insect control

Mechanical methods of controlling potato pests include:

• autumn and spring digging land before and after planting potatoes
• pest collection hands.

By digging up the soil in late autumn, you can remove the mole cricket's nest outside. The winter cold will definitely destroy the entire clutch of the mole cricket. In addition, by digging, there is a chance to once again dig up the mole cricket itself.

Loosening, hilling and weed removal also helps get rid of some pests. Loosening and hilling kills pest larvae. Adult pests can live on weeds.

When collecting pests by hand, do not forget that the Colorado potato beetle can pretend to be dead. Therefore, be sure to destroy the collected insects in such a way as to be sure of this.

Chemical

This method implies chemical treatment.

The most popular drug today is considered Prestige. An analogue of this drug, Tabu, is also used. It is either sprayed onto the planting material a couple of weeks before planting, or watered into the hole directly during planting of the potatoes.

These drugs “etch” the seed material, helping to get rid of pests and prevent certain types of diseases.

The drug Prestige is removed from potatoes only after 2 months. Consider this fact when consuming young potatoes.

Folk remedies

In your home plots, folk remedies can quite effectively combat unwanted insects.

Very often, before planting, seed potatoes are treated either potassium permanganate solution, or diluted with water ash. Ash is also placed in the hole before planting. The procedure helps repel insects and prevents the development of harmful larvae in the ground.

In order to prevent the appearance of wireworms, in addition to ash, you need to add lime flour. To catch mole crickets, beer bottles and traps are installed. To catch the Colorado potato beetle using live bait, cut potatoes are laid out in early spring.

Although these means are quite effective, they are still not suitable for large areas of potato planting, as they require large physical and time expenditures.

In order to correctly and purposefully use insect control methods, you need to correctly identify the pest and what harmful action it performs.

What are the gastronomic preferences of potato pests?

There are many ways to control potato pests. But the best way to fight is preventing their occurrence.

Timely digging of the garden, loosening the soil, treating the beds from weeds, constantly changing the place where potatoes are planted, pre-treatment of seed material and proper care during the growing season of the plant will help to avoid not only problems with potato pests, but will also prevent many plant diseases.

Small heads of cabbage stuck to a long stick are more tender than other varieties of cabbage. But besides the excellent taste, Brussels sprouts have something to boast about. In terms of ascorbic acid content, it surpasses all members of the cruciferous family and is even ahead of currants.

In addition, Brussels sprouts contain large amounts of vitamin K and vitamin D, which are necessary for the absorption of calcium, as well as for normal blood clotting.

This variety of cabbage is useful for residents of large cities, as well as for those who live in places with unfavorable ecology. The fact is that Brussels sprouts contain substances that remove toxins.

And if you like barbecue or fried meat with a crispy crust, you won’t find a better side dish than Brussels sprouts stew. The fact is that small heads of cabbage can reduce the effect of carcinogens - substances formed during strong frying and provoke the development of malignant tumors.

Brussels sprouts should be your go-to vegetable if you suffer from swelling or high blood pressure. The juice of this variety of cabbage removes excess fluid from the body.

​Fact. Brussels sprouts are not found in the wild. We owe its appearance to the Belgian breeders who developed this variety.

As it is. You can add it to soup or vegetable stew, stew, boil or eat raw.

Kohlrabi

In appearance, this vegetable looks more like a radish, but kohlrabi is a real cabbage.

If you are preparing for a festive feast, be sure to make sure that you have kohlrabi salad on your table. Scientists have discovered that this type of cabbage improves the functioning of the liver and gall bladder, and this is what you need if the menu includes a lot of fatty foods and alcohol. It's all about the high choline content - it is this vitamin that makes kohlrabi a real hepatoprotector. Another property of choline is used by bodybuilders. This vitamin makes muscles more prominent. But you need to remember that during heat treatment, most of the choline is destroyed.

Kohlrabi is also useful for hearts. It turns out that this vegetable lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and prevents the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.

​Fact. When choosing kohlrabi, you should not chase large fruits. The most tender are small specimens, the size of an average beet.

As it is. Stew, grate, marinate. A great way to reduce the calorie content of potato casseroles is to add grated kohlrabi to the mashed potatoes. Kohlrabi can also be a highlight of milk rice porridge or pancakes.

Colored

This variety of cabbage contains almost no coarse fiber, so it can be given to children and people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Cauliflower contains a lot of vitamin A, so don’t forget to add sour cream to the salad, and a little cream to the stew, because without fat this vitamin is not absorbed.

The best time to eat cauliflower is autumn, because this vegetable can rightfully be considered an antidepressant. Cauliflower contains a lot of rare vitamin H, which improves mood and fights blues.

​Fact. The name of this type of cabbage comes from the word “flower”. After all, what we eat are unopened buds.

As it is. Prepare stews, puree soups or salads from boiled husks.

Broccoli

If your heart is acting up, cook broccoli more often. Green inflorescences protect the heart from oxygen starvation and facilitate the work of the fiery motor.

Broccoli is very useful for men; this vegetable helps prevent prostate cancer. Those who eat broccoli at least once a week reduce their risk of prostate cancer by 45%. The female body also needs broccoli. It turns out that admirers of this vegetable have a significantly lower risk of malignant tumors of the breast and uterus than those who neglect broccoli.

​Fact. A fresh head of broccoli should be green, perhaps with a slight purple tint.

As it is. Boil or steam. Or add raw broccoli to your salad.

Beijing

It looks and tastes like salad, which is why it got its second name - lettuce.

Chinese cabbage contains a lot of vitamin A, group B, potassium and folic acid. But the most important thing is that this variety of cabbage almost does not lose its beneficial properties during storage, so Chinese cabbage can be an excellent vitamin supplement during the long winter.

100 g of Chinese cabbage contains only 16 kcal, so this is on the menu for those losing weight The vegetable is simply irreplaceable, especially considering that the juicy leaves contain substances that improve metabolism and promote fat burning.

​Fact. Experts associate high life expectancy in China and Korea with the frequent consumption of Chinese cabbage.

As it is. Raw, as a salad. The most famous dish made from Chinese cabbage is kimchi. Spicy Korean salad with spices, hot peppers, carrots and, of course, Chinese cabbage.

Many people call cabbage the first vegetable, emphasizing its benefits and taste. Although we have known her for a long time, we seem to already know everything about her, nevertheless, it is not possible to choose her correctly in all cases.

You definitely shouldn’t rely on intuition alone, so even cabbage connoisseurs will find it useful to read the following recommendations for choosing the right vegetable, especially since there are also many types of cabbage.

To choose it correctly, you need to tightly squeeze the head of cabbage in your hands. Ripe cabbage will remain in the same shape, it will not be deformed. Unripe cabbage contains fewer vitamins, is poorly suited for pickling, and does not have the usual pleasant crunch. A good white cabbage should have elastic white leaves, a pleasant smell, and no cracks or dark spots. An important point: a head of cabbage with leaves that are too thick at its base was oversaturated with nitrates during growth. You also need to take a close look at the stalk: if too many leaves have been cut from it, it means that the stalk is old, and they simply want to pass it off as new. When purchasing a cut head of cabbage, you need to make sure that the cut is white. Shades of brown indicate stale cabbage.

Broccoli inflorescences should have a pleasant smell and be beautiful in appearance. Inflorescences should be selected with thin stems. Overripe cabbage already has dense and thick stems. There should be no black spots, spots or damage on the inflorescences. If the heads of cabbage have turned yellow and their flowers are blooming, they should not be eaten either: they will be fibrous and harsh. Cabbage with the greatest amount of vitamins should be dark green, purple and burgundy shades are allowed. Its best size is slightly smaller than a woman's palm.

Good quality Beijing kaputa should have elastic, strong leaves without spots, mucus, rot or damage. It is better to choose dense heads of cabbage, but make sure that they are not too tight. It is better to take a medium size, the color should be white. Green heads of cabbage have a harsh taste and are fibrous, unlike the juicy and tasty white ones. Excessively loose cabbage is not yet fully ripe; it will taste a little watery.

Kohlrabi looks somewhat like a turnip. Its surface should be free of cracks and stains, the leaves should be green and not limp. The taste of properly selected kohlrabi cabbage is sweet and juicy. The best fruits are small, weighing no more than 150 grams. If the kohlrabi is purple. Larger fruits are allowed. It is strictly not recommended to take cabbage that is too large, as it will be too rough and hard. If the broccoli has spots or cracks on the surface, the leaves are withered and limp - this means that it is spoiled and overripe. It is better to stay away from such fruits.

Good Brussels sprouts should be bright green. Its stem should be strong and green, the leaves should fit tightly to each other. Brussels sprouts are known for their sweet and nutty flavor. It is better to choose small and dense heads of cabbage; they will be sweet and delicate in taste. The large fruits have a slightly bitter taste. If there is moisture on the heads of cabbage, it is not recommended to take them, as they may be rotten inside. It is best to choose cabbage on a branch because it will last longer.

A head of high quality savoy cabbage should be heavy and the stalk should be perfectly white. If you choose it correctly, it will be tender, soft, tasty and nutritious. If you choose Savoy cabbage for hot dishes, you can take heads of any size; for cold dishes - small ones. The outer leaves should not be dry, in which case the kaputa is old.

The color of seaweed can be very different: from brown and dark green to light olive. The surface should be covered with a coating of sea salt. In fact, this is not cabbage at all, but algae, they just got that name. Good quality seaweed should be smooth, clean, and smell good.

How can you tell cabbage for pickling and pickling from regular cabbage by appearance? An important point when choosing: the heads (forks) of cabbage for pickling must be at least 1 kg. Small specimens will not be suitable, since they have not had time to accumulate vitamins and microelements, without which there will be no good fermentation, and therefore no tasty sauerkraut.

How to distinguish early from late cabbage? Having selected a head of cabbage, take it with your hands and squeeze it with your palms. Suitable late cabbage does not lose its shape from such a handshake. difference between lettuce and pickling cabbage. If it is flattened, it was cut ahead of schedule. At the same time, inspect the leaves; there should be no green leaves.

What does a good fork of cabbage look like?

How to determine if cabbage is juicy? All green protective leaves must be cut off before sale. Good cabbage suitable for pickling is a must dense And heavy by weight (no matter what shape, flat, oval or pointed). It will give a lot of tasty juice.

Next, tear the leaf. If you notice stains, as well as traces of pests, then such a head of cabbage is not suitable for pickling. When pickling such cabbage, putrefactive bacteria will develop, which will lead to spoilage of the pickled product.

How to distinguish early cabbage from late cabbage by the head? Pay attention to the cabbage stalk. If it has spots or rings on the cut, this is a sure sign that the cabbage is rotting from the inside. A proper head of pickled cabbage has a white stalk no more than 3 cm long. With such white cabbage, pickling will definitely be a success.

How to choose cabbage for pickling - video on how to distinguish pickled cabbage Slava from other varieties

How to visually distinguish between cabbage for storage and pickling.