Early maturing cabbage hybrid Etma f1 with excellent taste
Etma F1 (Etma) is a hybrid of white cabbage, loved by many farmers due to its resistance to common diseases, early ripening and excellent taste.
The article will tell you about the intricacies of growing this popular crop, the advantages and disadvantages, taste and benefits of the fruit.
Description of the hybrid
Etma F1 is a hybrid of white cabbage bred in the Netherlands. It is successfully grown in open beds and indoors - in greenhouses, greenhouses, under cover made of film or agrofibre.
Origin and development, history of breeding
Etma F1 is a hybrid of Dutch selection, bred by scientists from the Rijk Zwaan company.
Reference. Included in the State Register of Russia in 2002.
Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins, beneficial properties
100 g of Etma cabbage contains 28 kcal, as well as:
- vitamin PP – 0.7 mg;
- vitamin K – 76 mcg;
- ascorbic acid – 45 mg;
- cobalt – 3 mcg;
- manganese – 0.17 mg;
- copper – 75 mcg;
- molybdenum – 10 mcg;
- calcium – 48 mg;
- magnesium – 16 mg;
- phosphorus – 31 mg;
- chlorine and sulfur – 37 mg each.
Eating cabbage prevents the development of atherosclerosis, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and helps in the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers. The vegetable is useful in the fight against insomnia, diseases of the heart, spleen and kidneys, improves appetite, and has a diuretic property.
Features of application
The hybrid is characterized by universal use. It is consumed fresh, used for preparing vegetable salads, fermented, salt and stew. In its raw form, the vegetable is healthier than after heat treatment.
Ripening time and yield
This is an early ripening hybrid - 75-115 days pass between the emergence of seedlings and the onset of technical maturity of the heads.
With proper care and compliance with planting rules, the yield is 261-426 c/ha (for the first harvest - 128-234 c/ha).
Resistance to disease and cold
The hybrid is resistant to fusarium and internal necrosis, but it can be affected by white rot, clubroot and blackleg.
Subject to hardening seedlings cabbage can withstand air temperatures down to –8°C.
Characteristics, description of the appearance of leaves and heads of cabbage, taste
The hybrid forms compact, medium-density, round-shaped heads of cabbage, the average weight of which is 1-1.5 kg. The outer and inner stalks are short. The covering leaves are light green in color, covered with a weak or medium waxy coating, round, flat, slightly bubbly. When cut, the heads of cabbage are yellowish or white.
Cabbage is characterized by juiciness and sweet taste, practically devoid of bitterness.
For which regions is it best suited and what are the climate requirements?
The hybrid is included in the State Register with a recommendation for cultivation in the Central and North-Western regions. Early cabbage Ethma does not have any special climate requirements, so it is successfully cultivated in all areas.
Reference. Outdoor cultivation is recommended in areas with warm climates.
The main advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid
Advantages:
- early ripening;
- good transportability;
- resistance to diseases characteristic of the culture;
- no tendency to crack;
- friendly formation of heads of cabbage;
- large yield of commercial products.
Etma F1 cabbage has virtually no disadvantages.The only downside is the short shelf life of the crop.
What is the difference from other varieties and hybrids
A comparison of Etma F1 with other early ripening hybrids is presented in the table.
| Hybrid | Head shape | Head weight, kg | Marketable yield, c/ha |
| Etma | Round | 1-1,5 | 261-426 |
| Angelina | 1,0-1,2 | 445-512 | |
| Zenith | 1,2-1,6 | 380-504 | |
| Cumbria | 1,1-1,3 | 228-356 |
Features of planting and growing
The hybrid is suitable for growing in seedlings and without seedlings. The first method is used more often - growing seedlings protects young plants from return frosts.
Preparing for landing
For planting, choose a place that is illuminated and protected from gusty winds and drafts.
In the fall, the area is cleared of plant remains, dug up and compost, humus or manure is added.
2 weeks before transplanting the seedlings, fertilize the ground with a mixture of 1 tbsp. l. urea, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate 1 tbsp. wood ash.
Important! A crop cannot be grown in one place for more than two years in a row - this reduces productivity and increases the risk of developing diseases and pest attacks.
Seed preparation
If the purchased seeds are processed by the manufacturer, no additional preparation is required. Otherwise, to improve germination, the seed is first placed in warm (+40...+50°C) water for 15-20 minutes, and then for 2 minutes. dipped in cold.
To sow seeds, use a ready-made substrate or make it yourself, choosing one of the suitable options:
- equal parts of peat and sand;
- 75% peat, 20% turf and 5% sand;
- 45% humus, 50% turf, 5% sand.
Seed sowing algorithm:
- Place a layer of soil mixture 3-4 cm high in the sowing container.
- Water with Alerin-B and Gamair.
- After 1-3 days, make furrows 1 cm deep in the substrate every 3 cm.
- Place the seeds in them at a distance of 1-1.5 cm from each other.
- Sprinkle with a layer of soil 1.5-2 cm high.
- Place the container in a room with an air temperature of +18...+20°C, after germination, lower it to +7...+9°C.
Sowing is carried out 55-65 days before the intended transplantation of seedlings into the ground.
Preparing seedlings
7-10 days after the emergence of seedlings, picking is carried out. To do this, prepare in advance containers with a diameter of 6-8 cm and the same soil mixture that was used when sowing the seeds, but with the addition of double superphosphate and wood ash (1 and 2 tbsp per bucket of the mixture, respectively). A nutrient substrate is poured into the container, and river sand is placed on top to minimize the risk of developing blackleg.
After picking, the plants are kept for 2-3 days at a temperature of +17...+18°C, then reduced to +13...+14°C during the day and +10...+12°C at night.
When 2 leaves appear on the seedlings, complex mineral fertilizers are applied.
15-20 days before transplanting seedlings into the ground, they begin to harden them. To do this, the plants are taken outside every day, gradually increasing the time they stay there from 15 minutes to 15 minutes. up to 24 hours.
Reference. To avoid the need for picking, seeds are sown immediately in individual containers of 1-2 pieces.
How to plant without seedlings
In the case of seedless planting, the seed is sown directly into the prepared soil, deepening it by 1.5-2 cm and maintaining a distance between seeds of 5-6 cm. After this, the beds are sprinkled with nutritious soil mixture and watered.
Soil requirements
Etma F1 prefers fertile, air- and moisture-permeable soil with neutral acidity. The best option is loam.
Predecessors
This hybrid is not planted after tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables, radishes, turnips, and beets.The best predecessors are carrots, garlic, cucumbers, potatoes, onions, legumes and grains.
Dates, scheme and rules of planting
Seedlings are transplanted into the ground from late spring to mid-June. Plants must be strong, with a developed root system, 6-8 leaves and reach a height of at least 15 cm.
In the prepared area, planting holes are dug at a distance of 30 cm from each other in the case of drip irrigation and 35 cm - without it. The distance between the rows in the first case is 50 cm, in the second - 45 cm. Planting density is 6-9 g per 1 m².
The plants are removed from the containers in which they grew and placed in prepared recesses along with a lump of earth, buried to the bottom leaf. The voids are filled with earth, lightly compacted and watered. After transplanting, the seedlings are covered with agrofibre.
Features of cultivation and nuances of care
The hybrid is unpretentious in care and requires compliance with standard agrotechnical requirements: regular watering, fertilization, loosening the soil, hilling and prevention of diseases and pests.
Watering mode
For a month after transplanting the seedlings into the ground, water it every 2 days, pouring 2-3 liters of water under the plant. After a month, watering is carried out once a week at the rate of 10-12 liters of warm (minimum +18°C) water per 1 m².
Advice. The optimal method of watering is drip.
Loosening and hilling
After each watering or rain, the soil is loosened to a depth of 7 cm. This makes the top layer of soil looser and improves its air and moisture permeability.
Simultaneously with loosening, weeding is carried out, removing weeds that create shading and an environment favorable for diseases and pests.
Hill up 2 times per season: 20 days after planting the seedlings and 10-12 days later.This stimulates the growth of lateral roots and improves plant development. To do this, the soil in the tree trunk area is raked and sprinkled onto the stem.
Top dressing
Fertilizers are applied 3-4 times per season:
- 14 days after transplanting the seedlings - nitrogen-containing fertilizers (Agricola, Sudarushka, chicken manure);
- after 10 days – mullein or a mixture of ammonium nitrate with superphosphate and potassium chloride in a ratio of 1:2:1;
- before the formation of heads - potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (wood ash);
- August – nitrophoska, diammofoska.
Measures to increase yield
To increase the yield of cabbage, it is regularly fed using different types of fertilizers, including foliar fertilizers. It is also important not to neglect preventive treatments of plants against diseases and pests.
Disease and pest control
Diseases and pests dangerous to Etma F1:
| Pest/disease | Signs | Treatment/prevention |
| Aphid | The leaves fade, become brittle, the area between the veins dries out, the plant becomes covered with yellow spots and dries out, a sticky dirty coating appears on the cabbage | Spraying plants with onion peel infusion |
| Medvedka | Due to damage to the roots, the plant quickly withers and dies. | To get rid of the pest, poisonous baits “Thunder” or “Phenoxin Plus” are used. |
| Slugs | Small gnawed holes are visible on the cabbage | The tree trunk circle is dug up and watered with “Actofit”.
To avoid slug attacks, sprinkle the rows with chalk or crushed eggshells. |
| Cruciferous flea beetle | Ulcers appear on the plant, its tissues die | For prevention, the row spacing is sprinkled with ash or tobacco dust, and the plants are sprayed with an infusion of ash. |
| Cabbage leaf beetle | Holes and eaten edges are noticeable on the leaves. | Treatment with biological products (“Fitoverm”, “Bitoxibacillin”) |
| Cabbage butterfly | Butterflies with white wings. Their caterpillars feed on fruits and shoots, devour the tissue and leave only veins or large holes | To combat the butterfly, the drugs “Actofit”, “Fitoverm”, “Aktara” are used.
For prevention, spray with valerian, salt, pine or soap-ash solutions |
| White rot | White spots and a gray coating appear on cabbage heads | The affected parts are removed, the plantings are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and chalk, and the beds are sprinkled with coal. |
| Kila | The lower leaves wither and growths appear on them | Infected plants are disposed of, the plantings are treated with fungicides (Vectra, Rex, Tilt) |
| Blackleg | Rotting of leaves and stems is observed | Treatment with “Fundazol”, “Planriz” |
Harvest and storage
The harvest of this hybrid is harvested manually or mechanized, the yield of marketable products is 92-98%.
How and when to collect
Harvesting is carried out 45-50 days after planting the seedlings in the ground, choosing a dry day for this. The heads are cut off with a sharp knife, leaving a stalk 8-12 cm long.
Reference. After ripening, cabbage can be kept on the root for a maximum of a week.
Storage features and shelf life
The harvested crop is placed in wooden boxes and stored in a ventilated room at an air temperature of 0...+5°C and a humidity of 90-95%.
The shelf life of Etma F1 is a maximum of 3 months. You can extend it by wrapping the heads of cabbage in paper or coating them with clay.
What difficulties may there be when growing
When growing Etma cabbage, gardeners face the following problems:
- gray rot on heads of cabbage during storage - the storage conditions of the crop are violated, the room is too warm and humid;
- plants are affected by clubroot - most often this disease develops when cabbage is grown in soil with high acidity;
- fungal infections are the result of watering plantings with cold water.
Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners
Experienced farmers recommend:
- use only warm water for irrigation - this minimizes the risk of developing fungal diseases;
- sprinkle the beds with wood ash or tobacco dust to protect against slugs and insects;
- plant marigolds, dill, and parsley in the rows - this repels pests.
Gardeners speak positively about the hybrid.
Ivan, Voronezh: “I have been growing cabbage of the Etma variety for a long time. I like that the heads of cabbage ripen early and together. The taste of cabbage is pleasant - juicy and sweet. It doesn’t last long, but I don’t plant a lot, and we have time to eat it fresh.”
Konstantin, Tula: “I don’t see any shortcomings in this cabbage. I’ve been planting it for a long time, and I even sell it a little. The yield is stable, caring for the crop is easy, the heads of cabbage are beautiful and tasty. It’s just a pity that you can’t grow from your own seeds, but this is a drawback of all hybrids, not just this one.”
Conclusion
Etma F1 is a cabbage hybrid with virtually no disadvantages. It has strong immunity to diseases, forms beautiful and tasty heads of cabbage, is suitable for growing in open and closed ground using seedlings and non-seedlings, and does not have any special care requirements.