Megaton F1 cabbage from the famous Dutch company Bejo Zaden has been familiar to our summer residents since 1996. At the end of the last century, the productive hybrid was tested in Russian fields and was included in the State Register. Reviews indicate the popularity of the hybrid among summer residents. The hybrid is successfully used by farmers.
Basic information about the characteristics of Megaton cabbage
We begin the description of the variety by describing the chemical composition of the head of cabbage. The composition determines the nutritional value of the variety and the direction of use. The table shows the percentage of substances beneficial to the human body in 100 grams of Megaton cabbage leaves.
| Name | Quantity |
| Dry matter | 8,7 % |
| Sugary substances | 3,8 % ~ 5 % |
| Ascorbic acid | 39.3 ~ 43.6 mg |
| Protein | 0,6 ~ 3 % |
A high percentage of sugars makes cabbage suitable for pickling. This hybrid can, without a doubt, be grown for autumn fermentation. White sauerkraut has an excellent taste and is stored for a long time.
You can understand if you analyze the reviews of summer residents about cabbage that Megaton heads of cabbage are not suitable for fresh use (preparing salads). The leaves are very dense; when preparing the salad, you will need to mash them well to achieve the desired juiciness and tenderness.
Productivity
Megaton is a productive vegetable crop. The hybrid is grown by large and small agricultural enterprises, so data on cabbage yield appears not per square meter, but per hectare. The maximum yield was recorded - 934 c/ha. Average figures may be lower, from 586 c/ha.
In warm climates, Megaton F1 cabbage has a lower yield characteristic. The variety shows best results in temperate climates. The hybrid is not recommended to be grown in the Volga-Vyatka region. This is recorded by the manufacturer and indicated in the data on the hybrid in the State Register.
Characteristics
Hybrid of average ripening time - 130 - 160 days from germination. The crop is grown using seedlings. Cabbage shows good frost resistance. Adult heads of cabbage do not lose commercial quality during short-term frosts down to -8 °C.
The frost resistance indicator does not apply to young Megaton seedlings - they may die with a slight cold snap in spring. This must be taken into account when transplanting seedlings into the ground. If there is a threat of night frosts, cabbage seedlings should be covered.
It is immediately necessary to note an important advantage of the hybrid - a short stump (15 cm). Every housewife will appreciate a short stalk: the less waste when processing cabbage, the better. The shape of the heads of cabbage is round, even, slightly flattened. The outer leaves are light green with a slight waxy coating. The leaves are large, oval, slightly corrugated along the edges. The leaf rosette is large.
The inner leaves are white, dense, juicy, collected in a tight head. The heads of cabbage are large, with an average weight of 3–4 kg. There is evidence that it was possible to grow heads of cabbage weighing up to 10–15 kg. You can get such wonderful results with good care and comfortable summer temperatures.
About the advantages of a hybrid
Briefly, all the valuable properties of the hybrid, its features and disadvantages are outlined in the table.
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Transportability | Short storage period (no more than 3 months) |
| Low dependence on weather conditions | Dense leaves on the head of cabbage |
| Resistance to diseases and pests | |
| Good raw materials for pickling for the winter |
From summer residents about Megaton cabbage
Konstantin, Voronezh:
“I had a bad growing experience. The summer was hot and dry, and the cabbage was watered frequently. At the end we received two-kilogram heads of cabbage. There were no complaints about the shape and density. All the heads of cabbage were tight. They were not stored for long - they were eaten quickly, so it was not possible to evaluate the keeping quality. I will be looking for a new variety for next season. I love big cabbage heads.”
Natalya, Orel:
“We have planted Megaton and plan to plant it in the future. I like the fact that there are no aphids or caterpillars on the cabbage patch. Somehow these pests don’t like our cabbage. It’s easy to grow a hybrid, because it doesn’t need any treatments; we grow it without any chemicals, if it rains regularly and little time is spent on watering.”
Agricultural technology
It is better to grow seedlings in a spring greenhouse or greenhouse. It is difficult to grow strong cabbage seedlings in an apartment. Providing the temperature necessary for normal growth (18 – 20 °C) can be problematic. Seeds for seedlings should be sown in early April. Sprinkle the seeds with a 1 cm layer of humus - do not go deeper, the seeds are small. In the phase of 3-4 leaves, pick up cabbage seedlings. Be sure to pinch the central spine, leaving ⅔ of the entire length.
For seedlings during the growth period, the following are important:
- lighting;
- soil moisture;
- air humidity and temperature;
- feeding.
All about fertilizing
To help a novice vegetable grower, we provide a fertilizer application diagram. By adhering to the recommended scheme, you are guaranteed to get a high yield of healthy heads of cabbage. Cabbage leaves will not contain nitrates harmful to humans.
7 - 10 days after picking the cabbage, we carry out the first feeding. In 7 days, young cabbage will have time to adapt, the roots will begin to grow, actively supplying the plant with nutrients.
To water 55 bushes you will need one liter of aqueous fertilizer solution. To prepare you need to take:
- potassium nitrate - 2 g;
- superphosphate - 4 g;
- ammonium nitrate - 2 g.
When 14 days have passed after the first feeding, the grown cabbage seedlings will need to be fed a second time. For the same liter of water, take the same set of fertilizers, increasing the content of each component by 2 times.
If there is fresh manure, it is better to replace the mineral fertilizer solution with mullein infusion. For watering cabbage Prepare an aqueous solution in a ratio of 1 part infusion to 10 parts water.
Two days before transplanting, the cabbage seedlings are fed for the last time. Fertilizer rate for the third feeding:
- ammonium nitrate - 3 g;
- potassium fertilizer - 8 g;
- superphosphate - 5 g.
To prepare the solution, take 1 liter of settled water.
In summer, it is enough to feed the cabbage twice. The first time the cabbage takes root after transplanting. You can tell that a vegetable has taken root by looking at the leaves - they will begin to grow. At this time, spend 10 liters of nutrient solution on 5 cabbage roots. The first fertilizing is purely nitrogen - ammonium nitrate 10 g per 10 liters.
When the leaves begin to curl into a head of cabbage, the cabbage needs to be fed a second time. Fertilizer consumption is given per 10 l:
- urea - 4 g;
- potassium sulfate - 8 g;
- superphosphate (double) - 5 g.
Caring for the Megaton hybrid is standard. An important component of all summer work will be watering. From transplanting seedlings into the ground until the moment when the leaves begin to curl, water 2–3 times a week. If the weather is rainy, less often. The main guideline is soil moisture.
Diseases and pests
When a summer resident knows what diseases and pests his vegetable plantings need to be protected from, he can carry out disease prevention in a timely manner and purchase pest control medications. When growing a Megaton hybrid, you shouldn’t relax. Although the hybrid is resistant to a number of diseases, it is worth taking precautions against blackleg, powdery mildew and rhizoctonia.
To prevent cabbage from being damaged by blackleg, you need to add the drug “Tiram” to the soil at a dosage of 50 g/m², the seeds must be treated with “Granozan” or a solution of potassium permanganate. Treating seeds helps against powdery mildew. In addition, the heads of cabbage can be sprayed with garlic infusion - leave 100 g of crushed garlic per 10 liters for 12 hours. The preparations “Quadris” and “Hom” will protect plantings from rhizoctonia. Till the soil before planting.
The main pests of cabbage are: caterpillars, aphid colonies, cruciferous bugs, and secretive proboscis.Megaton is a crop that is resistant to pests and diseases, but there is a possibility of insects appearing on cabbage leaves if the soil is contaminated with pest larvae.
Autumn tillage is an activity that should not be ignored. You need to dig up the cabbage bed, treat the soil with Actellik, and do not break up the clods. The same preparation can be used for pre-sowing treatment of cabbage seeds.
Megaton F1 is an excellent hybrid for areas with unstable weather conditions, short summers and early night frosts in autumn. Grow cabbage For fermentation it is not difficult, you just need to carry out pre-sowing treatment of the seeds, properly prepare the soil for planting and regularly care for the cabbage plantings.
