Description of the Zimovka cabbage variety, growing and caring for the hybrid

When choosing a variety to grow in your garden, Zimovka cabbage is an excellent choice. It ripens quickly, has a long shelf life, and has a pleasant flavor. It grows large, making it convenient and profitable to grow. Zimovka is considered one of the most popular varieties among Russian gardeners.

Description of fruits

Most gardeners love the Zimovka cabbage because it's easy to care for, yet consistently produces a high yield. When fully ripe, it produces spreading heads up to 70 cm in diameter. The rounded leaves always develop a distinct waxy coating, giving the green leaves a grayish tint. Veins may be visible, but they are barely noticeable inside the head. The edges of the cabbage are wavy.

The natural waxy coating on the leaves ensures long-term storage. This is a crucial feature for many gardeners who plan to stock up on succulent cabbage heads for future use.

Each cabbage contains dense leaves. On average, a leaf blade is 50 cm long and about 40 cm wide. The leaves are all tightly packed together, which also improves the shelf life of the heads.

The thin leaves are very juicy and slightly sweet. This allows the cabbage harvest to be used for a variety of purposes. The winter variety can be used to make delicate salads, delicious borscht, and pie filling. This variety is suitable for absolutely any purpose, including pickling.

As for the Zimovka cabbage, the variety description indicates that the heads grow quite large, averaging 3 kg. Under favorable growing conditions, the heads can weigh much more—up to 5 kg. It's worth noting that as the fruit grows larger, their flavor doesn't deteriorate, as is the case with other hybrids.

Characteristics of the variety and care rules

Experts believe this hybrid is ideal for greenhouse cultivation. It's easier to grow it from seedlings. Therefore, seeds are sown first, followed by sprouts that are stored strictly under plastic wrap. It takes about 50 days for high-quality seedlings to form. The seedlings will harden and grow strong if left at 10°C for a while. This will allow the cabbage to easily withstand extreme weather conditions in the future.

Wintering is considered an easy-to-grow variety, but to ensure a good harvest, careful adherence to all growing guidelines is recommended. First, choose the right beds. They should be well-fertilized and have adequate lighting. Cabbage will not thrive in the shade. The main problem is that cabbage plants, without adequate lighting, simply stretch and immediately begin to flower.

Heads of cabbage will not form in this situation. If the ovary does form, there will be no healthy cabbage in the dark place. Such a head will be loose and may rot immediately.

The quality of the harvest is also affected by the amount of fertilizer applied. It is essential to apply fertilizer several times during the growing season. Overripe cow manure, sawdust, and wood ash are excellent fertilizers for the Zimovka variety. The first application can be made as early as the third leaf formation.

Otherwise, cabbage care consists of timely watering, loosening the soil, and weeding the beds. With proper care, you can achieve a very high yield. Experienced gardeners report harvesting up to 8 kg of juicy and delicious cabbage per square meter. All heads will have excellent marketable appearance and can be stored for a long time.

Zimovka cabbage is easy to transport over long distances. The heads grow quite strong, so they don't crack or spoil during transit.

Many gardeners love the Zimovka variety because it can achieve excellent results even with minimal care. The yield is always good. Even severe weather conditions won't harm the planting. Zimovka cabbage is considered frost-hardy. Therefore, the fruits form and develop even after frost. The main thing is that the temperature does not fall below -5°C. In this case, the heads of cabbage will not lose their beneficial properties and pleasant taste.

Another important advantage of this variety is its high plant immunity. The Zimovka variety is resistant to common diseases such as pitting necrosis and gray mold. This positively impacts the harvest's shelf life, as it not only develops properly but also has a long shelf life.

Zimovka cabbage heads are considered very healthy. They contain a huge amount of vitamins and beneficial elements. In particular, they contain a large amount of ascorbic acid and essential sugars, which have a positive effect on the human immune system and metabolism.