Megaton F1 - a fruitful cabbage hybrid

Over the years, a wide variety of varieties of white cabbage has been bred. Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the selection of hybrids of this vegetable. Inheriting the best qualities of parental varieties, they acquire endurance and high productivity. Hybrid cabbage Megaton F1 - one of the best examples of the work of Dutch breeders. It has earned great popularity among farmers and summer residents due to its exceptional yield and excellent taste.

Characteristics and description of cabbage Megaton F1 (with photo)

White cabbage Megaton F1 is the result of the work of the Dutch company Bejo Zaden, which has achieved great success in breeding cabbage hybrids.

The designation F1 next to the name means that it is a first-generation hybrid.

Hybrids receive the best qualities from two parents - this gives them great advantages. Hybrids also have disadvantages: seeds are not collected from such plants, since offspring with the same characteristics as the parent do not grow from them. Selection is a very painstaking manual work with flowers and pollen, so the seeds of hybrid plants are so expensive. Producers, as a rule, do not divulge the parental varieties of the obtained hybrids.

Megaton cabbage was included in the register of selection achievements for the Central region in 1996, while it was allowed for cultivation in all regions except the Middle Volga. In practice, it has become widespread throughout Russia, both in farms and in summer cottages near gardeners.

Table: Agrobiological characteristics of the Megaton F1 hybrid

By the length of the growing season (136-168 days) Megaton belongs to medium-late varieties. The hybrid is characterized by high productivity. Manufacturers claim high resistance to diseases and pests. Practical experience confirms this. Some vulnerability under adverse conditions may manifest to keel and gray rot. During steady rainy weather, ripening heads may crack.

According to the manufacturer, the weight of heads of Megaton hybrid is from 3 to 4 kg, but often they grow to 8-10 kg, and in some cases can reach 15 kg.

The head is round, half-covered with slightly wrinkled leaves with a slight waxy coating. The color of the head of cabbage and leaves is light green.

The head of the Megaton hybrid is large, half-covered with cover leaves with a waxy coating

Commercial qualities of cabbage are high, as the heads of cabbage are very dense, the inner poker is short, and the slice is perfectly white.

Dense heads of cabbage Megaton have a short inner poker and a snow-white cut

Fresh cabbage is characterized by high taste, but immediately after harvesting, a little stiffness is noted, which disappears quite quickly (after 1-2 weeks). Megaton is ideal for pickling, as it has a high sugar content (up to 5%) and is very juicy. The disadvantages of this hybrid include a relatively short shelf life - from 1 to 3 months. However, there are reviews that cabbage in some cases has been stored for much longer.

Video: ripened heads of cabbage Megaton in the garden

Advantages, disadvantages and features of the hybrid

The variety was promoted by a number of advantages:

• high productivity;
• resistance to diseases and pests;
• tight head out;
• excellent taste of fresh cabbage;
• great taste of pickled products.

Nevertheless, Megaton cabbage has some disadvantages that do not reduce the interest of gardeners to it:

• relatively short shelf life (1-3 months);
• cracking of heads at high humidity during ripening;
• the stiffness of the leaves for the first time after cutting.

The main feature of Megaton cabbage is its extremely high yield. According to the register of selection achievements, the marketable yield of this hybrid is almost 20% higher than the standards of Podarok and Slava Gribovskaya 231. The maximum yield recorded in the Moscow region was 1.5 times higher than the standard Amager 611.

In all reviews, gardeners agree that the taste of sauerkraut Megaton is simply amazing - it turns out to be tender, crispy and juicy

How to plant and grow seedlings of Megaton cabbage

Since cabbage Megaton has a rather long vegetative period, only gardeners in regions with a very warm climate can afford to grow it in seedlings. If spring comes early and the soil warms up quickly, then cabbage seeds can be sown in the soil without the expense of effort and time for growing seedlings. In middle latitudes and to the north, Megaton cabbage cannot be grown without seedlings.

Seed acquisition

Before you start growing seedlings, you need to pay attention that Megaton cabbage seeds can be sold in two types:

• unprocessed;
• pre-processed by the manufacturer, while they are:
  • calibrate (discard and remove weak, diseased and small seeds);
  • polished (thinning of the peel of the seeds is made to facilitate access of nutrients and moisture, which contributes to their better germination);
  • disinfect;
  • inlaid.

Inlaid is the coating of seeds with a thin layer of a mixture that contains nutrients and protective agents. Inlaid seeds retain their shape and size, and their shell has an unusual bright color and dissolves in water.

Megaton hybrid seeds can be sold both unprocessed and processed (inlaid)

Having passed the full cycle of pre-treatment, the seeds have almost 100% germination and high germination energy.

You can plant both processed (inlaid) and unprocessed seeds. Inlaid seeds are more expensive, but in this case, the manufacturer has already done part of the work for the gardener. If you buy unprocessed seeds, then pre-sowing treatment will need to be done independently.

It is very important that all subsequent work is not "monkey", when buying seeds, follow the following rules:

• it is better to buy seeds in specialized stores;
• you need to choose seeds from well-known producers who have proven themselves in the market;
• you need to ensure that the packaging contains information about the manufacturer (including contacts), GOSTs or standards, lot number and expiration date of seeds;
• obligatory presence on the packaging of the date of seed packing; moreover, the stamped date is more credible than printed in the printing method;
• Before buying, make sure that the packaging is not broken.

Presowing seed treatment

If unprocessed seeds of the hybrid were purchased, then they need to be pre-sowed. Its goal is to increase the immunity of seeds and the energy of germination, as well as to destroy pathogens. With unprocessed seeds before sowing, you must perform the following steps:

1. Calibration Seeds are soaked in 3-5% sodium chloride solution for half an hour. Full and high-quality seeds during this time will sink to the bottom - they can be sown. Weak, sick and empty float to the surface, they are unsuitable for landing. Seeds that have sunk to the bottom must be thoroughly washed in running water, since salt can adversely affect their germination.
   

   Seeds that have emerged in a solution of table salt are unsuitable for planting; they have fallen to the bottom - full and high-quality

2. Disinfection. It can be done in two ways:
   • seed dressing in disinfectant solutions. For this, a 1-2% solution of manganese is traditionally used (1-2 g per 100 ml of water). In such a solution of room temperature, the seeds are incubated for 15-20 minutes, then washed well in running water. Pickling with potassium permanganate disinfects only the surface of the seeds, it does not affect the pathogens inside;
     

     In a solution of manganese seeds can withstand 15-20 minutes

   • heat treatment. This procedure is much more effective, since it destroys the infection not only on the surface, but also inside the seeds. The seeds wrapped in tissue are kept in hot water (48-50 ° C) for 20 minutes, then washed in cold water for 3-5 minutes and dried. It is important to strictly maintain the specified temperature range, since at temperatures below 48 ° C, heating will be ineffective, and temperatures above 50 ° C may lead to loss of germination.
3. Soak. It is used to accelerate seed germination and increase seedling energy. Melt or rain water warmed up to 20 ° C is required. Seeds are poured into a glass or enamel dish with a thin layer and poured with a small amount of water, after absorption they add more. You can also soak planting material in a nutrient mixture with a nitrophos or nitroammophos, with 1 tsp. fertilizers are bred in 1 liter of water. After soaking, the seeds are washed with clean water.
   

   Soaking seeds in melt water with the addition of nutrients accelerates their germination
4. Quenching. Cold cabbage seed treatment contributes to the development of greater resistance to frost. For hardening, seeds wrapped in a damp cloth are placed overnight in a refrigerator or any other cold place with a temperature of 1-2 ° C. In the afternoon they are taken out and kept at room temperature (20 ° C). During the hardening process, the seeds are kept moist all the time. Such procedures are carried out for 2-5 days. Hardening is the last stage of pre-sowing treatment of seeds, after which they can be sown in the ground.

Step-by-step instructions for sowing seeds for seedlings

There are two guidelines for determining the time of sowing seeds:

• seedling transplanting time into the soil - it depends on climatic conditions (the warmer the climate, the earlier the seedlings are planted in the soil and, accordingly, the earlier the seeds are sown). In temperate latitudes, Megaton hybrid seedlings can be planted in the ground in late May or early June;
• the period of growing seedlings from sowing seeds to planting in the soil - for Megaton cabbage, it averages 50-55 days.

If we compare the timing of planting seedlings and the period of its cultivation, it becomes clear that the seeds will need to be sown in the first half of April. There is an opinion that it is better to be a little late with sowing than to destroy seedlings with cold in the ground.

When the timing of sowing seeds is known, you can proceed with actions in the following sequence:

1. Selection of containers for planting seeds. For growing seedlings, you can use two types of containers:
   • in the case when it is planned to dive seedlings of cabbage, you can sow seeds in bulk boxes or trays;
   • if the seedlings will not dive, it is better to immediately prepare separate containers: plastic or paper cups, film containers, cassettes.
     

     Tanks for growing seedlings can be different
2. Soil preparation. Sprouting cabbage seeds do not need a lot of nutrients. It is important for them that the soil is light and well permeable to air and moisture. You can choose one of two options:
   • buy ready-made soil in the store;
   • independently prepare the soil mixture of humus and turf in equal proportions. For the prevention of diseases, it is recommended to add 1 tbsp for each kilogram of the mixture. l wood ash.
3. Planting seeds. Planting inlaid and self-treated seeds is carried out identically. The only difference is that for inlaid seeds, it is strictly forbidden to allow the soil to dry out, since an insufficiently damp shell may prevent their germination. The sowing process is simple:
   1. The soil is well moistened so that you can do without watering before emergence. Such measures will protect seedlings from the disease of the black leg.
   2. Mark the distance between the rows and make grooves. The recommended interval between the seeds is at least 4-5 cm, otherwise the roots of the seedlings will weave and will be injured when transplanted into cups.
   3. Seeds close up to a depth of 1 cm.
      

      Seeds close up in grooves to a depth of 1 cm with an interval of 5 cm between them

   4. Seeds are covered with a layer of soil mixture (0.5 cm).
   5. Wet the soil surface from the spray gun.
   6. Containers with seedlings are covered with a film and maintained at a temperature of 20 ° C until germination. Shoots appear in 6-10 days.
      

      Seeds will sprout in 6-10 days

4. Compliance with temperature, light and water regime after seed germination. When shoots appear, for the good development of Megaton cabbage seedlings, it is necessary to provide them with three conditions:
   • correct temperature conditions. At room temperature, the seedlings stretch and get sick. The optimum temperature for them: during the day - 15-17 ° C, at night - 8-10 ° C;
   • light mode. Seedlings do not have enough natural light in the apartment or on the balcony, it is necessary to illuminate the seedlings with a fluorescent lamp during the day for 12-15 hours.
     

     Seedlings are illuminated with a lamp for 12-15 hours
   • balanced water regime. It is very important that the seedlings receive a sufficient amount of water, but there is no excess. To preserve moisture, it is recommended to loosen the ground, but only very carefully so as not to damage the young roots.

Under such conditions, seedlings contain until one or two true leaves appear. When this happens - you can begin to dive.

Pikivka is an agricultural technique in which seedlings are transplanted from one place to another, while shortening the longest root by one third. Performed to stimulate the development of lateral roots.

How to dive seedlings

Megaton hybrid seedlings that were planted in a box or tray should be transplanted into separate containers. At the bottom of the container intended for diving (cups, cassettes, etc.), it is necessary to make several holes and put a little fine gravel or large river sand for drainage. It is recommended to prepare the following composition of the soil mixture:

• 2 parts of peat and turf,
• 1 part humus,
• 0.5 parts of sand.

For 5 liters of this mixture add 1 tbsp. wood ash.

After preparing the tanks with soil, they begin to pick:

1. Pour the soil mixture into cups for 2/3 of the volume.
2. Recesses are made so large that the roots fit freely in the hole.
3. Seedlings carefully removed from the tray with a lump of earth and shorten the long root by one third.
   

   One third of the seedlings extracted from the soil is shortened

4. Plants are placed in holes and sprinkled with earth, the soil is carefully compacted above the roots, but not at the stem.
   

   During a transplant of a seedling during a dive, the soil is compacted above the roots, and not at the stem

5. Transplanted seedlings are watered.
6. After absorbing water and settling the soil, add the soil mixture to the cotyledon leaves.
   

   During a dive after settling of moist soil, the earth is sprinkled with cotyledon leaves

After diving, the seedlings should be 4-5 days in a cool (15 ° C) and shaded place.

Care of seedlings after a dive and before planting it in the ground

During further care of Megaton cabbage seedlings, it is necessary to provide it with optimal watering, the correct temperature and light conditions, as well as fertilizing with mineral fertilizers:

• water the seedlings sparingly with water at room temperature, the soil should not be excessively moist;
• provide plants with adequate ventilation and previous temperature conditions with fluctuations in day and night temperatures;
• choose the most lit place for seedlings;
• Before planting in the ground, two top dressings are carried out with complex mineral fertilizers in the following periods:
  1. One week after the picking, they are fed with this mixture: 2 g of potassium and nitrogen fertilizers and 4 g of superphosphate are added to 1 liter of water. Make a nutrient mixture in an amount of 15-20 ml per plant.
  2. 14 days after the first feeding, they are fertilized with the same composition with a doubling of the dosage of all components in 1 liter of water.

Before seedlings fall on an open bed, it needs to go through the hardening process. For 1.5-2 weeks before planting, plants begin to be taken out daily (balcony or courtyard) for several hours. Then, the time spent in the open air is gradually increased. After 5-7 days, the seedlings are completely moved to the balcony, where it will grow until 5-6 true leaves appear. This usually occurs 50-55 days after sowing the seeds.

Features planting Megaton cabbage and care in the open ground

The Megaton hybrid is large-fruited and high-yielding. However, a good harvest of large heads of cabbage is possible only if the cabbage is of a high level of agricultural technology.

Fertile loamy soils are best suited for this hybrid. The increased acidity of the soil can contribute to the keel disease, therefore, neutral and slightly alkaline soils are most suitable for growing.

When planning a crop rotation, you need to remember that you can not re-plant cabbage in the same place, and also grow it after radishes, turnips and other cruciferous plants. This leads to the spread of common diseases characteristic of such crops. Cabbage grows well after cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, root vegetables and legumes.

The Megaton hybrid landing site should be completely open and well-lit. The slightest shading can lead to increased leaf growth and poor head formation, and inadequate ventilation can lead to the spread of fungal diseases.

The Megaton Hybrid Landing Site should be open and well lit

Step-by-step instructions for planting seedlings in the ground

Megaton cabbage seedlings are planted usually in late May or early June. Plants tolerate short-term frosts up to -5 ° C, however, you need to consider - if there is a stable cold weather not only at night, but also during the day, it is better to wait for warming.

Planting seedlings in the ground is a process of several stages:

1. The beds are better prepared in the fall. To do this, during the autumn digging, 10-12 kg of manure and 30 g of double superphosphate per 1 m are added². And also (if necessary) carry out the liming of the soil with dolomite flour or lime. In the spring, 2 weeks before planting, carbamide and potassium sulfate are added together with digging - 40 g of each fertilizer per 1 m².
2. Planting material is abundantly watered 1-2 hours before planting.
3. The holes are made so that there is enough space to deepen the seedlings to the first true leaf. In each hole put humus, mixed with 1 tbsp. wood ash. For this hybrid, it is recommended to arrange plants with an interval of 65-70 with a half-meter row spacing. Moreover, at 1 m² 3-4 bushes will be located.
   

   Scheme for planting Megaton cabbage - 50x65-70 cm

4. Wells seasoned with a fertile mixture are watered abundantly and wait until the water is completely absorbed.
5. The seedlings are carefully removed from the tank along with a lump of earth, being careful not to damage the young roots. Seedlings are placed in a hole and sprinkled on the sides with soil.
6. Plants are abundantly watered in each well.
   

   Planted seedlings of cabbage abundantly watered

7. When the water is almost absorbed, you need to fill the hole with soil to the first real leaf of seedlings. The soil is not compacted.
   

   After absorbing water, add soil to the first real leaf of seedlings

Gardeners advise planting tall marigolds or dill next to cabbage, which will protect the plants from pests.

Video: planting seedlings of Megaton cabbage in the open ground

Watering cabbage

Megaton cabbage for the full development of heads of cabbage needs a sufficient amount of moisture. At the same time, increased dampness can provoke fungal diseases, so it is very important to maintain a moisture balance on the cabbage beds.

After planting in the ground for 2 weeks, the plants are watered every 2-3 days. When the seedlings take root, the frequency of watering can be reduced and watered once every 5 days. This mode is observed in favorable, moderately rainy weather. In dry weather, the frequency of irrigation is increased.

Watered earth must be loosened regularly. It is recommended to spud plants before the leaves are completely closed. Mulching the soil with organic materials will help preserve moisture.

A month before the expected harvest date, watering is stopped, since excess moisture can lead to cracking of heads.

Top dressing

After rooting seedlings during the active growth of cabbage leaves, as well as during the onset of heading, plants need a lot of nutrients. During this period, it must be fed twice.

Table: dates and types of fertilizing Megaton cabbage

Diseases and Pests

In the official description of the hybrid, its high resistance to almost all diseases is noted. However, the prevention of keel and gray rot needs special attention, since this cabbage is medium resistant to them.

The keel of cabbage is caused by a pathogenic fungus that infects the roots, growths form on them. The increased acidity of the soil contributes to the appearance of this disease. When the root of the keel plant is affected, they wither, cease to grow and easily pull out of the ground. The fungus penetrates the soil and infects it. Kila is also dangerous for all cruciferous.

Outgrowths form on the roots of cabbage infected with keel

Kilo disease prevention:

• compliance with crop rotation rules (cabbage cultivation on the same site no earlier than 3-4 years and strict control over its predecessors);
• liming of the soil;
• cultivation of solanaceous, lily and haze crops on infected keel soils (they destroy keel spores);
• processing seedlings brought from the side, phytosporin, sulfur preparations;
• providing plants with sufficient nutrients to enhance immunity.

Gray rot of cabbage usually appears in conditions of high humidity during the ripening of the crop, as well as in case of non-compliance with the necessary conditions in storage. It appears in the form of a gray coating with pubescence on the heads of cabbage.

When affected by gray rot on the heads, a gray coating appears

This disease provokes harvesting in rainy weather, mechanical damage to heads of cabbage, freezing. To prevent gray rot, you need to take the crop on time, remove the stumps from the beds, store the cabbage at a temperature of 0 to 2 ° C, and disinfect the cabbage stores in a timely manner.

The Megaton hybrid is resistant to pests, but you should not give up prevention. Agrotechnical methods include:

• crop rotation compliance;
• deep digging of the soil in the fall (contributes to the death of larvae);
• collection of all stumps in the fall (they are taken out of the site and burned);
• the destruction of all cruciferous weeds;
• regular inspection of leaves and heads of cabbage to detect and destroy pests of egg pests in time.

There are also quite a lot of folk recipes for the prevention and control of cabbage pests:

• from the whitewashed sprigs of wormwood on the beds;
• marigolds and umbrella plants (dill, carrots, fennel, etc.) are planted on cabbage beds;
• sprayed:
  • infusion of wood ash;
  • infusion of burdock;
  • onion infusion;
  • a decoction of wormwood;
  • hot pepper infusion;
  • extract from wormwood;
  • infusion of potato tops;
  • infusion of celandine;
  • mustard powder infusion;
  • vinegar solution.

Video: Megaton cabbage pest prevention

Reviews of vegetable growers

This year I tried to plant Megaton and Atria. They advised that both for salting are good, and for storage. Megaton in the beginning of August, cabbages of 6-8 kg were already. It was raining. The whole thing started to burst. Even the one that cut off the roots. I had to cut and preserve and ferment everything. For fermentation is simply magnificent. Juicy, sweet. How would be stored, I do not know. Failed to see.

Valentina Dedischeva (Gorbatovskaya)

//ok.ru/shkolasadovodovtumanova/topic/66003745519000

I’ve grown up like this. In this form, the steelyard rolls over. I sawed off the stump, removed all the upper leaves, it turned out 9.8 kg. There are four more such heads and a little less.

With a cabbage mass of Megaton 9.8 kg, the scales are “off scale”

Garden of the Larionovs

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We have been planting Megaton cabbage for several years especially for storage. We have it stored in the basement of the garage until the month of May. Do not burst. We eat it fresh, with salads and a little kvasim, in jars. If we don’t eat everything, then in May we take it with us to the village. Beautiful cabbage. Megaton is very dense, suitable for long-term storage and pickling.

Tatyana77

//forum.prihoz.ru/viewtopic.php?t=6637&start=840

Still, Megaton cabbage is ideal for pickling. Snow-white, crispy. Sauerkraut was fermented on Sunday - autumn stocks ran out. 2 heads of cabbage = a bucket of sauerkraut, even a little did not fit.

Megaton cabbage in a section: two heads of cabbage are enough for a bucket of sauerkraut

Cinderella

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In 2010, I discovered this variety. Even with an abnormally hot summer, the variety was a success. There were ten seeds in the bag and all ten sprouted. I did not see any pests on the cabbage. When planting, a handful of ash, superphosphate and manure were added to each well. Every day, loosened, weeded, watered. Of the ten pieces, one was eight kilograms, the rest were smaller. Not a single head of cabbage cracked. Cabbage is good for sourdough. Juicy turned out.

Solli

//www.lynix.biz/forum/kapusta-megaton

Here is my megaton. These are 2 heads, the rest are slightly smaller. There were no such large weights to weigh a whole head of cabbage, but for fermentation I measured 6 kg and still a piece of head of cabbage for 1.9 kg remained.

Head of cabbage Megaton rose to almost 8 kg

ElenaPr

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Hybrid Megaton loves good care and is very responsive to him. Subject to the standard set of agrotechnical measures, he will please even a beginner gardener with his weighty heads of cabbage. Cabbage Megaton firmly took its rightful place in the beds of summer residents and farm fields, among other varieties and hybrids. Tasty, large, fruitful - she is the real queen of the garden.