With the arrival of colder days, the flowering crops that adorned our gardens and balconies throughout the summer time finish their flowering. Shorter days and colder climate have taken their toll, in order that these species, which we have now admired since spring, are now not engaging.
Fortunately, there may be a lot of indescribably lovely species that can adorn our gardens, balconies, window bins till the primary frosts, and a few even till spring.
We have been utilizing a few of these species, comparable to pansies, to embellish the area for a few years. Some sorts, comparable to ornamental cabbage, appeared on our market only some years in the past.
Leaves of gorgeous colours
Cabbage has lengthy been often known as a scrumptious and intensely nutritious vegetable, which is on the menus of many, particularly within the autumn and winter interval.
But along with the cabbage we use in our food regimen, plant breeders have additionally developed cabbage whose heads are a particularly ornamental factor of many flower beds.
In the seventeenth century, the Japanese began creating types of cabbage that shall be used not just for consuming but additionally as a ornament. But the true revolution in breeding occurred within the twentieth century, when systematic work was achieved to create new varieties. Even as we speak, nearly yearly a brand new number of ornamental cabbage seems in the marketplace.
To date, breeders have succeeded in rising heads of cabbage whose leaves are clean, minimize, and curly on the edges. They are available in numerous shades of creamy white, purple, metal blue or blue inexperienced.
The decorative cabbage plant is meant for planting on the flower mattress, in ornamental containers, and a few varieties are additionally used for slicing. Cut species are characterised by lengthy stems (as much as 50 cm) on the prime of which small rosettes of ornamental leaves are shaped.
Cultivation
If you aren’t inclined to purchase ready-made seedlings, however prefer to observe the event of the plant from sowing itself, don’t hesitate to purchase the seeds of this ornamental species.
In order to take pleasure in it firstly of autumn, it’s essential to sow ornamental cabbage firstly of July. Under favorable situations, it is going to sprout in about three weeks, after which it’s transplanted on to beds or particular person pots till it’s planted in a everlasting place.
What this species must be offered throughout progress is loads of moisture and common feeding. It is grown in sunny positions, the place the leaves tackle a very lovely colour. Those planted within the shade lose their magnificence, particularly purple leaf varieties.
From the start of August, we cease fertilizing, since in excessively fertilized soils, ornamental cabbage loses the gorgeous colour of its leaves.
It shall be held open air all through the autumn, and if the winter shouldn’t be too chilly, with frequent frosts, it will likely be held till subsequent spring. As with cabbage for meals, snails, particularly these with out a home, are a giant downside in cultivation.
Combining with different species
Ornamental cabbage enhances properly with many sorts of autumn-winter flowering. Combine it with pansies, heather, daisies, ivy, decorative grasses.
