A selection of the best varieties of cabbage for pickling and storing for the winter
There are hundreds of cabbage varieties, but not all are suitable for pickling, pickling and long-term storage. In order for cabbage preparation to be tasty and the heads of cabbage to remain fresh until spring, experts recommend carefully choosing hybrids and varieties.
You will learn about which crops are ideal for long-term storage in the article.
Requirements for cabbage varieties for pickling and storage
If we are talking about pickling and pickling, then only traditional white cabbage is used for this. Cauliflower, broccoli and red cabbage are not suitable for pickling. They are also prepared for the winter, but according to a different recipe.
Reference! The best for pickling and fermentation are the forks that have been in the garden the longest. In this case, the vegetable leaves will accumulate the maximum amount of sugars necessary for natural fermentation.
For long-term storage and pickling, only mid-season and late varieties are chosen. Early cabbage leaves are too tender and become soft during fermentation.
There are also certain requirements for the fork itself:
- Preference is given to large heads of cabbage, as their leaves are juicier and will crunch pleasantly after salting.
- Vegetables with green leaves are also not suitable for pickling. Forks must be white. This suggests that they contain a sufficient amount of sugars necessary for fermentation.
- Selected specimens must be tasted. Ideally, cabbage should be juicy and sweet.If bitterness is present, it is better not to use such a fork for pickling, as it will have an unpleasant aftertaste even when cooked.
Before shredding, check the density of the head of cabbage. To do this, it is squeezed tightly with your hands. If you hear a characteristic crunch and juice comes out of the leaves, this fork is perfect for pickling. The finished snack will be crispy and juicy.
Top best varieties
Modern breeders have developed several dozen varieties and hybrids of white cabbage, designed specifically for long-term storage, pickling and pickling. Information about each of them will help you make a choice.
Tobia F1
Hybrid of white cabbage with large forks. The weight of each of them reaches 5 kg and above.
It is considered not the most ideal option for fermentation, since with prolonged fermentation the leaves lose their crunch. When fresh, it is juicy and sweet, great for preparing first courses and salads. It can be stored in the cellar for no longer than a month.
The main advantage of the hybrid is its ability to remain in the garden for a long time. If you leave the forks directly on the root, they will not crack for a long time and can be assembled when it is convenient for you.
Salting miracle F1
One of the new white cabbage hybrids. It was bred by Dutch breeders, and the name of the hybrid speaks for itself - the forks are great for pickling.
Reference! An additional advantage of the culture is its resistance to disease. In addition, while in the garden, the forks do not crack.
Cabbage is considered mid-season. The heads of cabbage are medium-sized, dense. The average weight of one fork is 4 kg. The leaves contain a lot of juice and sugars, so the vegetable is ideal for pickling.
Turkiz
One of the most famous late-ripening varieties of white cabbage of German selection. The vegetable is suitable for growing in different climatic regions and is resistant to disease, cracking and drought.
The variety has the following features:
- The heads of cabbage have a regular round shape and are dense. The weight of one fork is no more than 3 kg, but this is fully compensated by the duration of storage. In the cellar this vegetable remains fresh until the next season.
- The upper leaves are dark green, the insides are light green, but contain a lot of sugars. Thanks to this, Turkiz cabbage is excellent for pickling and for fresh consumption.
- Heads of cabbage reach technical maturity in 175 days. It is not recommended to cut them off earlier. In this case, a sufficient amount of sugars will not accumulate in the leaves, and the fermented product will not be tasty enough.
Aggressor F1
One of the best hybrids for growing in central Russia. Its main advantage is its unpretentiousness. The forks form well on any soil, and during the growing season they do not require frequent watering or fertilizing. The crop practically does not get sick, and fresh cabbage is stored for more than six months after cutting.
The heads of cabbage grow large, up to 5 kg, but at the same time they do not crack in the garden and do not wither during storage. The juiciness and crunch are preserved, so you can pickle or ferment cabbage at any time.
According to the ripening period, the crop belongs to the medium-late hybrids. The first forks reach technical maturity 150 days after planting, but they can be cut later, as they are not prone to cracking.
Kvashenka
This variety is relatively new, so it is familiar to few summer residents.But those who have already tried to ferment these forks claim that the vegetable is ideal for preparing such a preparation.
Has several features:
- Mid-season - from the moment of sowing the seeds to the technical maturity of the forks, a little more than 4 months pass.
- The forks are round, weighing up to 3.5 kg, with tightly fitting leaves, not subject to cracking.
- The variety is unpretentious, develops fully on any soil and does not suffer from sudden temperature changes.
The leaves contain a lot of sugars and ascorbic acid, so cabbage can be used not only for pickling, but also for fresh consumption.
Polar MS
A mid-late cabbage variety intended for canning and processing. The heads of cabbage are round-flat, covered with light green leaves. Closer to the stalk they become white-yellow. The weight of one fork reaches 3 kg.
The ripening period is 156 days from the moment of emergence of friendly shoots. The dense leaves contain a lot of juice and sugars, so they remain crispy after pickling and pickling. Fresh forks are stored for 3 to 5 months.
Megaton F1
Megaton is a Dutch hybrid with an average ripening period. A distinctive feature of cabbage heads is their size. With proper care, the weight of one fork reaches 15 kg.
The leaves contain a lot of sugar and ascorbic acid, so the hybrid is considered one of the best for pickling and pickling. It rarely gets sick, but to get a rich harvest you will need careful care. It consists of regular watering and fertilizing. Cabbage is watered especially intensively during the period of formation and ripening of forks.
Snow White
This variety has been known for a long time, and it is in consistently high demand among summer residents.
Reference! Snow White cabbage is considered late, although the first forks reach technical maturity already in September. Experienced gardeners recommend leaving it in the garden until the first cold snap so that more juice and nutrients accumulate in the leaves.
The average weight of a head of cabbage is 4.5 kg. The upper leaves are pale green, the inner leaves are white. It is better to grow the crop in open sunny areas and soils with neutral acidity. In the shade and on acidic soils, the forks grow small and sparse. Such specimens are not suitable for pickling, although they remain fresh in a cool, dry cellar for up to 8 months.
Slava 1305
The cabbage variety is considered medium-late, since 125 days pass from germination to harvest. It is characterized by high yield, and the average weight of forks reaches 3-4 kg.
The forks reach full technical maturity in September, but if they do not begin to crack, they are left in the garden so that more juice and sugars accumulate in the leaves.
Slava cabbage is more suitable for pickling and pickling than for fresh storage. If the cellar is too humid, the forks begin to rot after 2-3 months.
Belorusskaya 455
One of the oldest varieties of white cabbage. It began to be grown back in the 40s of the last century, but it has not lost its popularity among modern summer residents.
Heads of cabbage reach technical maturity in early October, but this depends on weather conditions. The minimum duration of the growing season is 105 days, and the maximum is 130. The weight of one fork reaches 3.5 kg. They are covered with dark green leaves on the outside and completely white on the inside.
Belarusian cabbage is more suitable for canning, pickling and pickling, since its leaves remain juicy and crisp during the process of natural fermentation. Fresh forks are stored only in cool, dry basements with good ventilation. In such conditions, the vegetable is stored until April, but can begin to rot even with slight fluctuations in humidity.
How to choose the best early-ripening, mid-ripening, late-ripening variety for pickling and storage
To choose the right cabbage variety for long-term storage And pickling, you need to know the difference between early, mid-season and late crops.
Early white cabbage does not last long. It has loose heads of cabbage, and the leaves contain a lot of moisture. For this reason, forks begin to rot quickly even in a cool, dry basement. It is also impossible to ferment and salt such cabbage: its leaves contain too little sugar, so after fermentation they become soft.
Mid-season varieties are more suitable for preparing preparationsthan for fresh storage. It has succulent and tightly adjacent leaves with a high sugar content. Thanks to this, the fermented product turns out juicy and tasty.
Late-ripening varieties are considered universal. They have a long ripening period, so a maximum of nutrients and sugars accumulate in the leaves. The harvested crop must be sorted. Forks with loose leaves, cracks or other mechanical damage are sent for recycling. Only selected medium-sized forks are placed in the cellar or basement.
Which varieties are better not to use and why?
In theory, any mid-season or late variety of white cabbage is suitable for pickling and pickling. Early ripening hybrids are not suitable for this purpose due to loose heads and leaves with a high moisture content. They soften greatly during the fermentation process, do not crisp, and in some cases the product even acquires an unpleasant taste.
If you plan to ferment cabbage and not store it fresh, it is better to choose special varieties for this purpose, for example, Belorusskaya or Slava. Their leaves contain the optimal amount of sugars for natural fermentation. As a result, the product turns out tasty, healthy and crispy.
This is interesting:
Ultra-early ripening cabbage hybrid Nozomi f1.
Conclusion
We can conclude that only mid-season and late varieties of white cabbage are suitable for pickling and pickling. If the garden space allows, it is better to plant several crops at once. Subsequently, part of the harvest is used for pickling, and special late varieties intended for fresh storage are put into the cellar.