Mizuna salad or Japanese mermaid cabbage – One of the most common varieties of Japanese salad cabbage. Due to its high palatability and a huge amount of vitamins, it is often used for salads and cold dishes, as well as for preparing hot dishes.
- Characteristic of the variety
- Description of the head
- Use of the vegetable
- Features of the cultivation
- Soil preparation
- Sowing seeds
- Care rules
- Fertilizers
- Soil and watering
- Temperature
- Diseases and pests
- Pests
- Diseases
- Conclusion <
Characteristics of the cabbage variety Japanese Little Mermaid
Features ka varieties
Japanese cabbage is an annual vegetable crop that belongs to the brassicaceae family. The peculiarity of these varieties is that when the leaves are cut, they grow back. The mermaid was developed by Japanese breeders as a variety that is more resistant to stalking . This species is distinguished by its early high productivity. After 2 months, with good care, the first heads of cabbage may appear.
Description of the head
Due to the large number of upper buds, the vegetable has a spreading leaf rosette of more than 50 green leaves, with a thin white vein. The height of the plant is slightly more than half a meter. The surface of the foliage is smooth or slightly wrinkled, dissected into parts with serrated edges.
The leaves taste delicious, have a pleasant freshness and a light salad aroma. The weight of one head of cabbage, on average, is about 1.5 kg.
Vegetable use
Cabbage leaves are consumed raw and in various dishes. Most often added to:
- salads;
- sandwiches;
- cold snacks;
- soups;
- stew;
- marinades;
- pickles.
Mizun salad is a good addition to meat and fish dishes, since cabbage leaves have a light pepper aroma. It is also good to use in combination with aromatic cheeses.
Due to the small amount of mustard oils in the vegetable, Japanese cabbage can be consumed by people who suffer from ulcers, gastritis and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
The little mermaid is also used for decoration and decoration of personal plots and flower beds. Also, due to the unusual shape of the leaves of the vegetable, they are decorated with alpine slides and borders.
Features of growing
Japanese cabbage The little mermaid is unpretentious in growing. The vegetable is hot and cold-resistant
Cabbage loves soil with a high organic composition, drained and medium loam. The plant is hygrophilous, but does not tolerate frequent waterlogging of the soil.
Soil preparation
It is recommended to prepare beds for growing this crop from early autumn.
On 1 m2 make:
- not less than 5 kg of humus;
- 15-20 g of superphosphate fertilizers;
- 20 g of potash fertilizers.
In early spring, before sowing the plant, the soil must be fertilized with ammonium nitrate (at least 20 g per 1 sq. m.).
Sowing seed
Cabbage can be grown seedlings
It is possible to grow both seedlings and in open ground.
In open ground
Sow seeds from mid-April to early May. The first shoots appear at a temperature of about 4 ° C. Seedlings are resistant to cold and light frosts, can withstand spring frosts down to -4 ° С. The most optimal temperature for plant growth in open ground is 16-29 ° С
Seedling method
To obtain an earlier harvest, it is recommended to plant vegetable seeds for seedlings. This is best done in mid-March, and planted in the ground in May. Seed germination occurs on the third day after sowing.
Care rules
For a favorable cabbage cultivation and good harvest throughout the season, 3 simple rules must be observed:
- Regular weeding from weeds.
- Loosening row-spacing.
- Proper watering.
Fertilizers
It’s very important not to overdo the fertilizer. The plant can accumulate nitrates from soil with a high nitrogen content.It is necessary to limit yourself to two supporting top dressing in the soil before sowing seeds. Fertilizers, which include potassium and phosphorus, are favorably affected. They are recommended to be added at least twice a season. It is necessary to be careful with nitrogen fertilizers.
It is also recommended to cut ripe leaves in a timely manner to enable the formation of young shoots.
Soil and watering
More suitable beds for growing cabbage are those that have good lighting and light fertile soil. It is recommended to fertilize the earth with lime in order to normalize the level of moisture. It is very important not to allow the soil to dry out, regular watering is necessary.
Temperature conditions
An increase in air temperature can adversely affect the plant. During prolonged heat, sunburns appear on the leaves.
Diseases and pests
Pests
To prevent attack by infectious diseases and pests , an exotic plant is recommended to be grown on the soil where legumes, nightshade or pumpkin crops grew before that. They do not recommend sowing cabbage on the site of any cruciferous crops.
Vegetable culture lends itself to the influence of a very dangerous pest – cruciferous flea. The peak of the pest attack is early spring, when a stable air temperature of 15 ° C is kept. Holes on leaves and shoots of cabbage testify to the presence of fleas.
Pest Control
Diseases
The plant is not very susceptible to the effects of many diseases. Fungal infections are possible.
Conclusion
The Little Mermaid is a variety of Japanese cabbage that differs not only in its beneficial properties, but also in its ability to be used for landscape decoration. Convenience in growing this crop only increases its popularity among many gardeners.
If you follow the simple rules of care and timely treatment from pests, the vegetable will delight fragrant greens from May until late autumn.
