Gardeners often encounter various problems. Sometimes they are far-fetched. Trying to care for the planted plants as best as possible, they do everything they hear from neighbors or friends. But are such actions always justified? Summer residents often wonder whether they need to cut off lower leaves at the cabbage. It is impossible to answer this question in one word.

The role of the leaf in the formation of the head of cabbage

All development of cabbage is aimed at the formation of a head of cabbage. The leaves are not intended to decorate the plant. They have their own function. During the process of photosynthesis they form substances that are building material for cabbage. Nature has arranged it so that a reserve accumulates in the covering leaves (large lower ones). nutrients, needed to bookmark it. When they are cut off, the plant begins to look for this supply and begins to grow them again. Is it possible to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage when their role is so great? The head of cabbage begins to form when there are at least seven covering leaves. The yield largely depends on how many of them a cabbage rosette contains. And the weight of the plant should not decrease during growth. In addition, these leaves are covered with a waxy coating, which protects the head of cabbage from diseases and pests. In summer, they regulate the temperature and prevent overheating and hypothermia of the inside.

The lower leaves contain twice as much vitamin C as the inside of the head. During the ripening process, the vitamin passes into the tender white parts. Do I need to pick off the bottom leaves of cabbage? If pets eat them, at least they will benefit from it. But the head of cabbage will already contain less vitamin C.

Should I pick off the bottom leaves of cabbage?

The lower leaves are usually broken off. Gardeners explain this by saying that the head of cabbage becomes clean without them and the leaves do not rot. Useful substances are used not for the growth of these leaves, but for the formation of a head of cabbage. When can you pick off the lower leaves of cabbage?

U young plant Each torn leaf delays the ripening of the head of cabbage by one day. Juice flows through the cut site, removing beneficial substances from the plant. This means that you cannot pick off the leaves of young plants, even the lower ones.

But is it possible to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage in mature age, or should you not do this under any circumstances?

But in practice, deletion often occurs. Now many websites have recommendations on why and when you can pick off the lower leaves of cabbage.

Some gardeners believe that tearing off leaves helps air flow between plants. And this, in turn, reduces the risk of rotting and other diseases.

But in fact, aphids and cabbage whites flock to the smell of flowing juice.

Proponents of this method explain the tearing of leaves by the fact that cabbage growing on poor soils has loose heads. And after removing part of the foliage, the head of cabbage becomes denser. But this is done not in the summer, but in the fall, when it is already formed, and all that remains is to grow it.

If you do this while the head is forming, the roots may begin to die, which will negatively affect its size and quality.

When deciding whether to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage, look at their condition. If they are green and strong, then you shouldn’t do this. Often the lower leaves of cabbage turn yellow not in the fall, but in the summer, during drought. The rains are finally passing, but these leaves are no longer green. Therefore, they can be removed carefully.

Why do they do this?

Some, when explaining whether it is necessary to tear off the lower leaves of cabbage, refer to the fact that various pests often settle on them. It could be slugs. They appear on plants in autumn. By this time, the head of cabbage is already quite well developed. Then maybe it makes sense to pick off the leaves. Although, what will stop the slugs from getting through the stalk?

In summer, cabbage suffers from cabbage bean caterpillars and flea beetles. But here you won't achieve anything by tearing off the leaves. Plants are sprayed with chemicals or sprinkled with ash and tobacco dust. The number of pests is reduced if the area where the cabbage grows is free of weeds.

Marigolds or calendula, celery, dill and other aromatic plants planted between the rows protect cabbage well.

Combating vascular bacteriosis

Cabbage may be affected vascular bacteriosis. If the edges of the leaves become yellow, lifeless, and black veins appear on them, then this is a sign of a disease. Sometimes the lower leaves are torn off to prevent the plants from getting sick. Is it necessary to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage in this case? This operation will not save the infected plant. It needs to be completely removed. This must be done carefully so that neighboring plants do not become infected.

To prevent disease, when preparing seeds for germination, you need to harden them by immersing them alternately in hot and cold water. Sick and weak seedlings It's better not to plant.

How to extend the life of early varieties of cabbage

Are the lower leaves of cabbage torn off? early varieties? Sometimes this is done in order to delay the process of cracking of heads of early varieties for as long as possible if they cannot be processed in time.

But experts do not advise doing this. Instead, you can lightly pull the head of cabbage, or rotate it around the trunk, so that the roots are pulled out a little. Moisture will stop passing to the head of cabbage, and it can remain in the ground for quite a long time without cracking or withering.

Will tearing off leaves protect against cutworms and cabbage flies?

But cabbage has pests that are difficult to get rid of without removing some of the leaves. This cabbage scoop And cabbage fly. Should the lower leaves of cabbage be removed when affected by these pests?

The armyworm, emerging from the ground where the pupae from which it develops overwinter, places eggs on the bottom of the leaves. Usually these are the lower leaves. Therefore, their removal in the event of the appearance of these pests may be justified. But you can treat the plants with Agrofit, and the cutworms will disappear.

The cabbage fly, hiding under the lower leaves, lays its eggs in the ground. To find them, remove the soil from the stem. The lower leaves may interfere with this. During processing, they will either come off on their own or you will break them off first.

When to pick off the bottom leaves of cabbage

In autumn, the lower leaves, having given up useful substances to the formation of a head of cabbage, turn yellow and wither. They can no longer participate in the process of photosynthesis, and therefore are not needed.

If the lower leaves rot, wither or are severely damaged, they are removed. After all, they can infect other leaves and heads of cabbage.

But they will rot when the soil is too wet. In this case, you need to reduce watering or drain the water.

There are experts who see nothing wrong with removing the lower leaves. Although they note that this depends on the properties of the particular variety. They believe that the lower leaves in the fall no longer release useful substances, but only take them from other parts of the plant. A lot of moisture evaporates through them. If the covering leaves shade the head of cabbage too much, they can be removed. It is recommended to do this in such a way as to break them off completely.

Preventing rot

It may be justified to tear off the lower leaves of the cabbage if the head of cabbage is very loose. This is done a month before harvest. After this procedure, the head of cabbage often becomes tight.

But this usually happens when fertilizers are applied incorrectly. There is too much nitrogen, and not enough phosphorus and potassium. By properly providing these elements, you can get a dense head of cabbage, and the leaves will help it become larger and heavier.

At the end of summer and autumn, cabbage of late and mid-season varieties with favorable conditions gains up to one hundred grams of weight per day. Immediately before harvesting, all lower leaves can be removed. But if you cut off the heads of cabbage along with them, the growth will continue until all the beneficial substances are transferred to the inner part. Sometimes the weight after such growing increases to 15 percent.

Use of leaves

IN household almost nothing is wasted. Torn leaves used to feed poultry, rabbits, and goats. Moreover, by autumn there is usually a small choice of green food for them.

Whether it is necessary to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage and what this gives is of interest to many summer residents and gardeners. Cabbage is the queen of the garden; it is one of the most beloved and grown crops. It contains many useful substances and vitamins, which it retains throughout winter period. Therefore, it is so important to know how to grow a rich, healthy harvest and to properly store forks for a long time.

Is it possible to pluck the first leaves of a rosette?

The quality of the crop is influenced by numerous factors that must be taken into account when planting and caring for vegetables. In autumn, closer to harvest, huge cabbage tops intertwine with each other. Most gardeners are tempted to get rid of them by carefully picking them off and leaving the peeled head to ripen. Not everyone knows how advisable this is and whether it is necessary to remove the lower leaves.

The answer to this question is almost unambiguous: you cannot cut off part of the rosette of healthy, undamaged plants - this can have a very bad effect on the general condition of the crop, the size of the forks, and the duration and quality of storage of the harvested crop.

Important! During the process of photosynthesis, the necessary substances for the growth and development of the vegetable accumulate in the ground part. The cabbage head begins to form when 6-7 lower leaves appear.

The supply of useful minerals and vitamins accumulated at the bottom of the socket is used for further growth and formation of the socket. If you remove this part of the rosette, the cabbage will try to restore the balance of nutrients. Thus, the growth of the head of cabbage slows down, which adversely affects the harvest.

Why pick off the lower cabbage leaves?

Picking off the tops of cabbage heads is allowed only in cases where the benefit from this outweighs the possible harm.

1. The planting is too thick, poorly ventilated, and there is a risk of forks rotting or being affected by various diseases.
2. The soil is not fertile enough, poor in nutrients, and the forks turn out loose. In this case, it is necessary to tear off the near-ground part of the rosette so that the head of cabbage ripens and becomes denser.
3. When the lower tops turn yellow from lack of moisture, it is better to remove them, since they will no longer be useful.
4. If they interfere with the hilling of plants, watering, or the penetration of moisture to the roots, they also need to be torn off.

Pros and cons of removing cabbage leaves

Even if there are good reasons for cutting off near-earth cabbage tops, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons. We must remember that when it is picked, cabbage loses essential nutrients, which will negatively affect the general condition of the plant. It is not recommended to tear off healthy and green tops even when storing them, as they continue to give vitamins and minerals to the cabbage, protecting its interior from damage and drying out.

In the beds, the near-earth tops, which have a waxy coating, protect against the penetration of harmful insects, aphids, slugs, and cabbage whiten into the plant. Sap escaping from the scrap can further attract pests. To combat them it is better to use chemicals- interrupting will not help here.

When to remove the lower leaves of cabbage

Before the head begins to form, you cannot cut off the tops, as this will greatly slow down the development of the head of cabbage and will negatively affect its size. If the seedlings are susceptible to disease and damaged, it is better to get rid of them immediately. In the fall, when the head of cabbage has already formed, you can get rid of yellowed, dried and damaged cabbage tops.

In the early early ripening varieties You can cut off part of the rosette in summer to avoid cracking of the cabbage heads.

Rules for removing the lower leaves of the cabbage rosette

Experts are of the opinion that in the fall, the near-earth tops stop supplying useful substances to the plant; on the contrary, they begin to absorb them. In addition, it thickens the beds, in rainy autumn promotes rotting, and in dry weather, plants lose a lot of moisture through it. During this period it is necessary to cut off bottom part in cabbage, leaving the stem bare. If you do this a month before harvest, the forks will become much denser.

During the ripening period of cabbage, plucking should be done gradually - no more than one leaf every 5-7 days, so that the plant loses as little juice and nutrients as possible, and the wound heals quickly. The cut should be sprinkled with ash and tobacco dust to protect the plant from infection and pest damage.

Conclusion

It depends on the general condition of the crop whether it is necessary to remove the lower leaves of cabbage. If possible, it is necessary to avoid tearing off green cabbage tops, or do so with care, so as not to cause further damage to the plant.

Is it possible to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage?

There is an opinion that the lower cabbage leaves you need to pick it off - the head of cabbage will be denser. Should you really expose the bottom of the plant?

It’s worth figuring out whether it’s possible to tear off the lower leaves of cabbage so as not to ruin the crop.

Do I need to pick off the bottom leaves of cabbage?

Cabbage leaves, like other greens, are needed to obtain proteins, fats, vitamins and carbohydrates. Valuable elements are formed during photosynthesis and transferred to other parts of the plant.

Source: Depositphotos

Do I need to pick off the bottom leaves of cabbage?

The large lower leaves provide the head with nutrients that are necessary for ripening. So, in summer time there is no need to cut them off. This will lead to loss of harvest, because the head of cabbage will not receive enough nutrients.

When broken, a juice is released that attracts insects. They will penetrate into the cracks and destroy the plant.

The lower leaves also protect the plant from overheating and excess moisture.

You need to pick off the lower leaves if they have turned yellow or wilted. This means that they have already given nutrients to the head of cabbage. A couple of lower leaves can be removed in September, when the plant is almost ripe. Air will circulate better near the roots, and they will not rot.

However, if the plant is affected by a disease, you should act differently.

Diseases for which leaves need to be removed

This agrotechnical technique is used if the cabbage is sick. For what diseases are the leaves removed?

Can be used against cutworms and other pests special means, for example, "Agrofit". This will keep the head of cabbage intact.

If cabbage leaves delight you with freshness and a beautiful green tint, there is no need to remove them. They will only benefit the future harvest.

Growing white cabbage is not without problems, sometimes far-fetched. Many gardeners, trying to provide the planted plants good care, do everything that friends and neighbors recommend. Some summer residents ask whether it is necessary to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage. It is impossible to give a monosyllabic answer to this question.

The final result of the development of cabbage should be a formed head of cabbage. Leaves are not a decoration of the plant; they fulfill their assigned role: during the process of photosynthesis they form substances that serve as building materials for cabbage.

Large lower covering leaves, as nature intended, accumulate the supply of nutrients necessary for laying a head of cabbage so that it grows better. If these leaves are torn off, the plant tries to replenish this supply and begins to grow them again.

If the role of the lower leaves is so great, is it possible to tear them off? The formation of a head of cabbage begins if there are at least 7 covering leaves. Productivity largely depends on how many of these leaves the cabbage rosette contains. During the growth process, a decrease in plant weight is also unacceptable.

In addition, the lower leaves are covered with a waxy coating, which protects the head of cabbage from pests and diseases. IN summer period They provide temperature regulation, preventing hypothermia and overheating of the interior.

The lower leaves contain twice as much vitamin C as the inner part of the head. When ripe, the valuable vitamin is transferred to the white tender parts of the plant. So is it necessary to rid cabbage of the lower leaves? If pets eat them, at least they will benefit from it. But the head of cabbage will already contain less vitamin C.

By breaking off the lower leaves, gardeners often claim that the head of cabbage becomes clean without them, the leaves do not rot, and the beneficial substances go to its formation, and not to the growth of these leaves. When should you pick off the lower leaves of cabbage?

Each torn leaf of a young plant delays the ripening of the head of cabbage by one day. The juice flowing through the cut site removes beneficial substances from the plant. This means that cutting off leaves, even the lower ones, is contraindicated for young plants.

Should cabbage leaves be removed when mature? Not a single manual on agricultural technology contains recommendations for removing leaves. During this procedure, the stem is damaged and through the resulting wounds access to various pathogens is opened.

In practice, deletion occurs frequently. Plucking, according to some gardeners, improves the passage of air between plants, reducing the risk of disease and rot. In fact, the smell of flowing juice attracts aphids and cabbage whelks.

Proponents of this method explain the removal of leaves by the fact that cabbage growing on poor soils has loose heads, and after removing part of the foliage they become denser.

This is done in August or autumn, when all that remains is to grow the formed head of cabbage. If this procedure is carried out during the formation of a head of cabbage, the roots may begin to die, which will negatively affect its size and quality.

When deciding whether to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage, you need to look at their condition. If they are strong and green, then you shouldn’t do this. They often turn yellow in the summer, during the dry period. When it rains, they no longer turn green. Therefore, you can remove them carefully.

Why delete?

When explaining whether it is necessary to cut off the lower leaves of cabbage, some make reference to the fact that various pests, including slugs, often settle on them.

They appear on plants in the fall, when the head of cabbage has already developed quite well. Then cutting off might make sense. Although in this case, nothing prevents the slugs from getting to the head of cabbage along the stalk.

In the summer, cabbage is attacked by flea beetles and cabbage whelk caterpillars. In this case, you won't achieve anything by cutting it off. Plants are sprinkled with ash, tobacco dust, and sprayed with chemicals.

The number of pests is reduced if the area where cabbage grows is cleared of weeds. Calendula, marigolds, dill, celery, and other aromatic plants planted between rows will serve as good protection for plants.

Combating vascular bacteriosis

Cabbage can be affected by vascular bacteriosis. A sign of the disease is yellowing of the edges of the leaves and the appearance of black veins on them. To prevent plants from getting sick, sometimes the lower leaves are cut off.

This operation will not save an infected plant. It must be carefully removed completely to avoid infecting neighboring plants. To prevent vascular bacteriosis, it is recommended to harden the seeds before germinating them by alternately immersing them in hot and cold water. It is better not to plant weak and diseased seedlings.

Extending the life of early varieties of cabbage

Sometimes the lower leaves of early varieties of cabbage are torn off in order to delay the process of cracking of heads of cabbage if there is no possibility of processing them. Experts do not advise doing this.

The head of cabbage can instead be pulled lightly or turned around the trunk to slightly pull out the roots. As a result, moisture will no longer reach it, and it can remain in the ground for a long time without withering or cracking.

Plucking against cutworm and cabbage fly

Some cabbage pests are very difficult to get rid of without removing the leaves. These include cabbage fly and cabbage cutworm. Cutworm pupae overwinter in the ground. As she emerges from them, she places the eggs at the bottom of the sheets. Therefore, removing the lower leaves may be justified against these pests.

The cabbage fly lays its eggs in the ground, hiding under the lower leaves. They can only be found by removing soil from the stem. The lower leaves may interfere with this. They will have to be broken off first or they will come off themselves during processing.

When to cut off?

The lower leaves of cabbage, which give up useful substances to the formation of a head of cabbage, turn yellow and wither in the fall. They can no longer participate in the process of photosynthesis, so they become practically unnecessary.

It is recommended to remove rotten, limp or severely affected leaves so that they do not infect the head of cabbage and others. They will rot even if the soil is waterlogged. Then it is recommended to reduce watering or divert water.

Some experts consider removing the lower shoots acceptable, although they note that this is influenced by the properties of each individual variety. In their opinion, in autumn period the lower leaves no longer give away nutrients, but only take them from other parts of the plant

Their large area leads to the evaporation of a significant amount of moisture. Covering leaves that shade the head of cabbage too much can be removed. Experts advise breaking them off completely.

How to prevent rotting?

If the head of cabbage is very loose, tearing off the lower leaves of the cabbage may be justified. If you do this a month before harvesting, the head of cabbage will have time to become tight. This usually happens when fertilizers are applied incorrectly, when there is not enough potassium and phosphorus, and too much nitrogen. When establishing proper provision These elements make the head of cabbage dense.

Under favorable conditions, mid-season cabbage and late varieties at the end of summer and autumn, it gains about 100 grams of weight every day.

All lower leaves can be removed immediately before harvesting. The heads of cabbage cut along with them continue to grow until all the useful substances are transferred to the inner part. Sometimes such rearing leads to an increase in weight by 15%.

Use of leaves

Taking into account all the pros and cons, everyone decides for themselves whether or not to break off the lower leaves of cabbage so that it grows better, and when to do it. In their reviews, many gardeners say that they did not notice any difference between plants treated in this way and those that were not touched.

In households, the torn sprouts are used as food for rabbits, goats, and birds in the autumn, when small selection green food.

Kira Stoletova

Whether or not to pick leaves from cabbage is a controversial issue. Some harvest and get a high-quality harvest. Others do not, but the quality of the heads of cabbage remains good.

Vegetable leaf covering function

The entire development of culture is aimed at the formation of a head of cabbage. The purpose of the leaves is not to make the plant beautiful. They perform their functions:

• During photosynthesis, they produce nutrients and microelements, which are the building materials for the vegetable.
• Head formation begins when 7 and more leaves. The future harvest depends on their number on the rosette.
• Weight should also not decrease during growth. The wax coating on the leaf part will protect against diseases and pests.
• In hot weather, they act as a temperature regulator: they protect the inside from overheating.
• The content of vitamin C in the hard ball of the cuttings is 2 times higher than that characteristic of the inner part of the head of cabbage. When ripe, the vitamin is distributed throughout the vegetable.

It is undesirable to pick off the lower leaves of cabbage at the initial stage of growth: this will further injure the plant. Instead of full growth, it spends energy on healing the affected areas.

The leaves form a shadow for the tree trunk circle. At the same time, the soil retains coolness and water for a long time. This is important aspect, because broccoli loves moist soil and wilts if there is a lack of moisture.

At the end of summer there is rapid growth, at this time you should not break off the leaves. It is recommended to collect the vegetable together with the lower ball: like this harvested will continue to develop as long as the leaves retain nutrients.

Why do they pick off leaves?

When the head of cabbage is fully formed, the need for more green tops decreases. Indications for which you can pick off the lower leaves of cabbage:

• Wilting or drying of cuttings. A decrease in the transfer of nutrients throughout the plant and a lack of microelements coming from the soil through the roots also ends up being an indication for pruning.
• Removing leaves that are too close to the ground. Carrying out pest prevention measures becomes difficult. When processed, the cuttings can come off on their own.
• Hilling. You can tear off the lower leaves of cabbage, which interfere with the development of the plant and proper watering. The cabbage is hilled up so that additional roots appear in the lower part of the plant, which can give stability.
• Watering. A spreading crop can interfere with watering. To ensure that water reaches the trunk circle, cabbage leaves are torn off from below. The reason for removal is sometimes the significant looseness of the head of cabbage. Proper watering prevents rotting.
• Cracking of heads of cabbage. This is a feature of early varieties. If the leaves are not picked off in a timely manner, the head of cabbage will crack. When cuttings are removed, development slows down and cracking stops. Alternatively, the plant is slightly pulled out of the ground. With this method, its growth also slows down.
• Weight gain. Gardeners prefer to use cutting off the lower layers when they want to increase the weight of the vegetable.

Pest and disease control

Among the diseases of this culture are vascular bacteriosis. When the leaves turn yellow, take on a lifeless appearance, or acquire black veins, measures are taken. Some take cuttings from neighboring plants for preventive purposes. Unfortunately, this does not help in the fight against the disease. If affected by vascular bacteriosis, the plant is carefully removed from the garden so that neighboring heads of cabbage are not infected.

Termination process

It is better to harvest crops in warm and dry weather. The cutting begins one at a time. Each subsequent cutting is cut off after the wound of the previous one has healed and dried. The process is carried out at intervals of at least a week. It is worth plucking the lower leaves of cauliflower immediately before harvesting when the head of cabbage is fully ripened. If the plug is loose, the stem is left bare. The pruning is used as livestock feed or poultry.

Do I need to pick off the leaves of cabbage?

Garden head. Why you shouldn't pick leaves from cabbage

Do I need to pick leaves from cabbage? Features of growing cabbage.

Completion

It is difficult to determine unambiguously whether the lower leaves of cabbage need to be torn off. You should familiarize yourself with all the positive and negative results of this procedure. In some cases, removal is carried out based on the properties of a particular vegetable variety.