Is it possible to plant cabbage in the shade and how harmful is direct sunlight?

There are often disputes between gardeners about how to properly grow cabbage - plant in the shade or in the sun. There is no single answer to this question, since it all depends on the type of vegetable. For the harvest to please, you need to create suitable conditions for white cabbage, cauliflower and Beijing cabbage. Our author spoke with a professional agronomist and found out what the lighting requirements are for different plants.

Can cabbage be planted in the shade?

This is a plant that needs long daylight hours and good lighting, so planting in the shade will not have the best effect on the yield and growth rate of white cabbage.

Due to a strong lack of light, the heads of cabbage may not form at all, so the beds should be located in open areas, away from trees and other sources of shade.

Even the shading created by neighboring plants affects the viability of white cabbage, so plantings need to be thinned out in time, taking into account the recommended row spacing for a particular variety. Otherwise, the growing season will increase, and the heads of cabbage will grow small and of poor quality.

At the same time, white cabbage does not like the scorching rays of the sun; the most dangerous is an excess of ultraviolet radiation for young delicate plants. If you do not have the opportunity to cover the beds with a special material that allows light to pass through, but filters out UV radiation, you should not place the beds on the south side.

Kohlrabi and cauliflower - is it possible to grow in the shade?

These two vegetables cannot be called shade-loving - it is better to grow them in open areas, well-lit by the sun. Sometimes they are used as a compactor in beds with other plants, but in this case, the "neighbors" should not create shade.

Kohlrabi and cauliflower get along well with these "neighbors":

• onions;
• undersized peppers and tomatoes;
• radish;
• spinach;
• cucumbers weaving on the ground.

If you plant these vegetables where there is very little light, they will stretch out, bloom poorly, and the appearance and marketability of the heads will greatly suffer. In addition, such conditions contribute to outbreaks of bacterial and fungal infections, since weakened plants are unable to resist disease.

Unfavorable weather conditions also contribute - if the lack of lighting is combined with drought or excessive soil moisture, a sharp drop in temperature, the growth point does not develop, as a result of which the so-called "barren flowers" are formed.

Heat is another reason for low yields. Sometimes gardeners believe that if a plant loves light, then it should be planted in the sun. This is not so: the optimal temperature for kohlrabi and cauliflower is + 20-23 ° C. If the beds are located on the south side, and the thermometer shows +25 ° C and above, from noon to 6 pm, cauliflower should be shaded with lutrasil or spunbond.

How does Peking cabbage grow in the shade?

"Pekingka" tolerates shading well - it does not affect its vitality. Moreover, the lack of light is the key to a good harvest, because it is in such conditions that dense, beautiful and large heads are tied. In addition, the soil warms up worse in the shade, which makes it possible to lower the ambient temperature in summer and make it more suitable for plants, since Peking cabbage does not tolerate heat well.

Growing this vegetable in well-lit areas with a long daylight hours (from 12 to 18 hours), you need to be prepared for mass flowering. The blossomed "Peking" is not suitable for human consumption, such plants can be used only for collecting seeds.

When looking for a planting site in the garden, choose the beds located on the north or east side. If this is not possible, try:

• planting plants next to a fence, gazebo or other structure that will cast a shadow on the cabbage at a time when the sun is most active;
• protect the plantings with a covering material that reflects ultraviolet light (spunbond, lutrasil);
• plan the cultivation of "Peking" so that it falls on April-May or for the period from mid-August to mid-October;
• select varieties and hybrids that are resistant to flowering.

"Peking", although it belongs to the genus Cabbage, is not formally a cabbage - it is one of the subspecies of turnip. At the same time, cauliflower, white cabbage, red cabbage and kohlrabi belong to the type of Cabbage.

The conditions in which cabbage grows have a direct impact on the quality, size and taste of the cabbage. The amount of light, the length of daylight hours and the presence or absence of direct sunlight are some of the most important factors, so they should be taken into account when breaking up the beds in the place where the plants will feel most comfortable.