Cabbage Romanesco is an Italian hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower, the inflorescences of which resemble pyramids, have a rich salad color and have a delicate nut-creamy taste without a characteristic bitterness. Despite the fact that the variety is considered exotic, it can be grown on a personal plot as well as cauliflower. Subject to proper agricultural technology, by the autumn you can harvest star-shaped inflorescences.
Cabbage Romanesco
This cabbage is called romance broccoli in Italy, in France - romance cabbage, and in Germany - pyramidal cauliflower
Romanesco is a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower
Breeding history
Romanesco cabbage, also called Coral cabbage or Romanesque broccoli, is of Italian origin. According to historical records, the variety appeared in Rome in the 16th century, but there is no actual evidence of this.
It gained worldwide popularity only in the 90s of the last century. It is believed that it was bred by Roman breeders by crossing cauliflower and broccoli, which explains the bizarre-beautiful shape of the head, in which the inflorescences are arranged in a logarithmic spiral.
Romanesco is adored not only in Italy, but also in France and Germany. In addition, in recent years, cabbage has been increasingly found in household plots in the CIS countries.
Grade description
Romanesco (Latin Brassica oleracea) belongs to the Cruciferous family and is an original annual plant bearing fruiting exotic and healthy heads, the characteristics of which we will familiarize with further.
Appearance
To understand what this cabbage is, you need to consider its following parameters:
- The form. It is a feature of this annual. Inflorescences resemble pyramids of a lemon-green hue, which are densely located to each other and are surrounded by juicy bluish-green leaves. They form a fractal spiral of many buds of the same shape. A fractal is a complex geometric figure in which a certain part is repeated all the time, constantly changing its own size. So, cabbage consists of buds, each subsequent of which consists of a set of buds of the same structure, but much smaller. In fact, the flowers form a spiral that unfolds from the center.
In connection with this structure, Romanesco resembles the Fibonacci series, in which each subsequent number is equal to the sum of the two previous numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and so on to infinity). When counting spirals in each direction, it turns out that they always correspond to this sequence, although the fractal does not continue indefinitely, but has a breakpoint. - Dimensions. Depending on the growing conditions, specimens of forks can reach a height of 1 m, and heads of cabbage on average weigh 500 g each. Inflorescences no larger than 10 cm can be eaten.
- Taste. The variety belongs to the same group as cauliflower, but tastes more like broccoli. Romanesco has a more delicate texture and a nutty creamy flavor. He does not have the bitterness characteristic of cauliflower and broccoli.
Heads of cabbage can be stored for about 3 days, but they can be disassembled into inflorescences, laid out in sachets, frozen and consumed for 1 year.
Composition and useful properties
The nutritional value of cabbage is as follows (per 100 g):
Element | Content per 100 g |
Squirrels | 2.9 g |
Fats | 0.4 g |
Carbohydrates | 6.5 g |
Ash | 0.9 g |
Water | 89 g |
Romanesco is an easily digestible and dietary product - calorie content per 100 g is only 25 kcal.
This cabbage variety contains dietary fiber, carotenoids, vitamins (groups B, A, C, E, K), macro- and microelements (zinc), antioxidants. Interestingly, in Romanesco, the vitamin C content per 100 g reaches 120 mg, while in broccoli and cauliflower this indicator is 80 and 40 mg, respectively. In addition, it has more carotene and mineral salts, although less fiber.
Thanks to this composition, Romanesco has such properties useful for the human body:
- helps to restore the sensitivity of taste buds and get rid of the metallic taste in the mouth;
- fights cancer cells and other neoplasms due to the content of special substances - isocyanates;
- improves motility of the large intestine, helping to prevent constipation, diarrhea and hemorrhoids;
- normalizes the beneficial microflora in the intestine due to the cessation of rotting and fermentation processes;
- dilutes blood and improves the elasticity of blood vessels, increasing their strength;
- removes excess bad cholesterol, toxins and toxins, helping to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
Romanesco cabbage is useful for absolutely everyone, but it should not be eaten in excessive quantities, as this can lead to bloating and flatulence.
Variety varieties
Four types of Romanesco cabbage, which are recommended for cultivation in private areas, are included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. These include:
- Puntoverde F1. Hybrid of medium maturity - heads of cabbage can be harvested for 110 days after the appearance of the first seedlings. Fruits with heads weighing up to 1.5 kg.
- Veronica. Like the previous variety, it is mid-season, but forms larger heads of cabbage - weighing about 2 kg.
- Pearl. It belongs to medium-late varieties - heads of cabbage can be harvested for 120 days after the appearance of the first seedlings. The fruits are medium in size and weigh 700-750 g.
- Emerald goblet. Variety with a growing season of 110-120 days. Fruits in small fruits weighing up to 400-500 g, which in their external characteristics are more reminiscent of broccoli.
Agricultural technology
It is more difficult to get Romanesco than other representatives of this vegetable crop, since every violation of the technology can lead to the fact that the inflorescences simply do not start. To prevent this, the following agrotechnical rules should be considered:
- To grow cabbage in seedlings, sowing seeds in mid-March - late April, 2 months before planting seedlings in a permanent place. However, in the southern regions, you can use direct sowing of seeds in the ground, but in this case, the forks may not be so beautiful. Landing work in the south can be carried out in the first decade of May.
- Under cabbage, choose well-lit areas on which the following crops previously grew:
- potato (the best predecessor, because after it the soil remains loose);
- onion;
- carrot;
- Tomatoes
- cucumbers
- legumes;
- beet.
According to the crop rotation rules, Romanesco cannot be planted after other representatives of the Cruciferous, that is, all kinds of cabbage, lettuce, radishes, turnips and rutabaga are undesirable predecessors. After them, the plant can be cultivated only after 4-5 years.
- Cultivate cabbage only in alkaline soil, since it is poorly developed in an acidic environment. If necessary, the acidity of the soil can be reduced - in the autumn, lime or add to it a wood dose or dolomite flour at the rate of 200-400 g per 1 sq. Km. m. Desirable fertilizer is also manure or compost (2 buckets per 1 sq. m). When applying top dressing, the soil must be dug carefully so that during the winter pests and disease spores die under the influence of low temperatures. In the spring, immediately before planting, it is advisable to feed the soil with mineral fertilizers containing copper and molybdenum.
- When growing crops, special attention should be paid to the microclimate, since cabbage does not tolerate sharp fluctuations in temperature, intense heat and prolonged cold. In such conditions, seedlings poorly develop, rot or dry out. To obtain a good crop, the plant must also be watered and fed in a timely manner.
With the organization of proper plant care in September - October, you can begin to collect full heads with tight star-shaped inflorescences.
Growing seedlings
Italian exot is grown mainly in seedlings. The heads are actively tied at an ambient temperature of at least 18 ° C. This means that seeds for seedlings must be planted 45-60 days before similar weather conditions occur in a particular region and the threat of new frosts completely passes. As a rule, in the northern and central regions, seeds for seedlings should be sown in late April, and in the southern regions from mid-March.
You can grow strong seedlings in stages:
- Substrate preparation. In a shallow box or container, put expanded clay on which to pour 30% sand, 40% turf and 30% peat. A handful of sod ash should be added to the soil mixture to reduce its acidity. In order to disinfect, pour soil with a potassium permanganate solution or calcine in an oven. Read more about this here.
- Seed treatment. Treat the seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin to protect them from fungal and bacterial diseases.
- Sowing. On the soil surface, make small pits 1 cm deep at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Throw a few seeds into each well for better germination, and then sprinkle with soil mixture and moisten from a spray bottle.
- Care. During the first 2-3 weeks, before the appearance of the first shoots, the room temperature is maintained at 20 ° C. In the future, lower it to + 10 ° C during the day and + 8 ° C at night (for this, seedlings can be moved to the balcony), otherwise the sprouts will not quickly grow and develop. To obtain strong seedlings with a developed root system, it is equally important to provide the sprouts with moderate lighting using special lamps, otherwise the sprouts can stretch out. In addition, seedlings need to be watered in a timely manner, avoiding either overmoistening or drying out the soil, which is fraught with the development of a black leg and death of the plant.
Strong seedlings can withstand adverse weather conditions and form a dense spiral-shaped head of the appropriate size by the end of the growing season.
Landing cabbage in the ground
Transplant seedlings to a permanent place after the threat of return frost has passed. As a rule, this period falls on June. The air temperature should not be lower than + 18 ° C, otherwise the inflorescences will not be able to develop to the desired dimensions.
Fortified seedlings aged 45-60 days can be transplanted to a pre-treated area in this order:
- Prepare the holes at a distance of 45-50 cm. Between the rows it is worth leaving 60 cm for easy access when harvesting. Thus, the optimal landing pattern is 50x60 cm.
- Pour the earth with hot water or a solution of potassium permanganate saturated pink.
- Carefully remove the seedlings from the container so as not to damage the root system, put them in the holes, and then lightly squeeze for good adhesion of roots to the ground. After the seedlings, water again.
If Romanesco is grown in the south through direct sowing in soil, you must adhere to the same planting pattern, laying out seeds with an interval of 50 cm. An acceptable distance between rows is 60 cm.
Seedling Care
After planting at a permanent place for seedlings, it is necessary to provide competent care, which consists in conducting a number of agricultural practices.
Watering and loosening
To set the heads, the plant must be abundantly and regularly watered during the formation of the lashes, since it is water-loving and demanding on soil moisture. In a dry summer, seedlings should be watered every 3-4 days, while not allowing the soil to become waterlogged, since this contributes to the development of putrefactive processes in the root system.
A few minutes after watering, the ground under each plant needs to be loosened superficially for air to reach the roots. At the same time, it is worth carrying out weeding, otherwise weeds will deprive cabbage of nutrients.
Timely weed control will prevent the invasion of cabbage dangerous pests and the development of various diseases.
Top dressing
To get a good harvest during the growing season, cabbage needs to be fed 3 times, adhering to this scheme:
- On the 7-10th day after planting, pour the seedlings with a solution prepared from 0.5 l of mullein or bird droppings and 1 tbsp. l complex mineral fertilizers per 10 liters of water.
- 2 weeks after the first top dressing, make nitrogen fertilizers. To prepare the nutritional composition, mix 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 40 g of superphosphate, 2 g of potassium chloride and boric acid in 10 l of water.
- After another 2 weeks, when the heads begin to be tied, make a third top dressing. To do this, prepare a solution of 0.5 l of mullein or bird droppings, 30 g of superphosphate, 30 g of ammonium nitrate and 20 g of potassium chloride in 10 l of water. Pour 0.5 l of fertilizer under each bush.
In the future cabbage, no top dressing is needed, since their later application can lead to the fact that the heads of the inflorescences do not get tied up, and instead bouquets of cabbage leaves are obtained.
Protection against diseases and pests
For Romanesco, the danger is represented by diseases characteristic of all representatives of Cruciferous. These include:
- keel;
- blackleg;
- mucous bacteriosis;
- mosaic;
- gray or white rot;
- alternariosis.
When infected, dots, dark spots and a white coating often appear on the leaves. In this case, the affected specimens will have to be dug up and burned, and the rest of the planting should be treated with preparations containing copper, for example, Trichodermin or Bordeaux liquid. This will help protect her from becoming infected with a bacterial infection or fungus.
No less threat to cabbage is pests, in particular:
- aphid;
- cruciferous fleas;
- cabbage flies;
- scoops;
- slugs and snails;
- whiteflies.
These insects suck out nutritious juices from the leaves, and also carry bacteria and fungi, causing various diseases in plants. In most cases, infected specimens must be eradicated, and the remaining seedlings treated with insecticides.
To protect Romanesco from insect attacks, next to the cabbage bed, you should plant spicy herbs (dill, sage, cilantro) in advance, because their smell repels pests. In addition, under the bushes, lay laurel leaves and wormwood branches. In the fight against insects, wood ash also helps. It can be used in pure form or in a mixture with mustard powder for dusting plants and aisles.
You can learn about the nuances of growing a Romanesco hybrid from the video below:
Harvesting and storage
Cabbage heads ripen in the fall, and harvesting can last until early October. Despite the fact that the plant can reach a height of 1 m, its inflorescences are small, and it is impossible to prevent their overriding. The fact is that overexposed heads of cabbage lose their tenderness and juiciness, and in the worst case they rot or dry out.
Harvest in the morning, while the sun's rays have not yet had time to warm up the entire plant.
The heads must be carefully cut and stored at a temperature of + 5 ... + 7 ° C for 4-7 days. After cleaning, they must not be immediately transferred to the refrigerator, as they will lose their beneficial properties and begin to deteriorate. However, cabbage can be deep frozen and consumed throughout the year.
Rules and methods of preparation
In order to cook an Italian exotic delicious, you need to consider the following rules:
- Inflorescences can not be overly digested, because with prolonged boiling they become tasteless and unpleasant. If the vegetable is properly boiled, it has a delicate creamy taste with nutty notes.
- You can combine cabbage with cheese, eggs, mushrooms, onions or carrots. It can also be served with stew or cooked spaghetti.
- Season Roman cabbage with black pepper, sea salt, oregano, thyme, basil or garlic.In addition, you can use special sets of Italian herbs, which usually consist of pepper, marjoram, juniper, bay leaf, oregano, nutmeg and coriander.
Romanesco can be used in various recipes, some of which are discussed below:
- Casserole with cheese sauce. Boil 1 head of cabbage for 10 minutes, if in whole form, or 5 minutes, if separate inflorescences. In a dry hot pan, fry 2 tbsp. flour until golden brown, pour 250 ml of milk and beat thoroughly until smooth to avoid lumps. Sprinkle 100 g of grated cheese and stir until melted, and then add Italian herbs to taste. Put the inflorescences in a mold, pour in the sauce and bake for 20 minutes at maximum temperature.
- Batter-fried inflorescences. A great dish for fast food lovers. Inflorescences are soft inside and crispy outside. The head of cabbage needs to be disassembled into inflorescences, boiled for 4 minutes and filled with ice water for a minute. Then beat 3 eggs with 3 tbsp. flour, add spices and salt to taste. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, dip the inflorescences in batter and fry for 20-30 seconds. Put cabbage in a colander to drain excess fat. Can be served with boiled rice, mashed potatoes or meat.
- Vegetable omelet with mushrooms. Boil 150 g of cabbage and a couple of mushrooms, such as mushrooms or oyster mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into slices, 2 tomatoes into rings or slices, and 1/2 onion into cubes. Beat 4 eggs with 1 tbsp. flour and 50 g of cheese, season. Fry the onion until brown, add the tomatoes and wait until the juice evaporates. Add inflorescences and mushrooms, and after a few minutes pour the egg mixture and cook over low heat for 7 minutes.
- Soup. Boil 450 g of chicken and cut into strips. Boil 300 g of broccoli and Romanesco for a couple. Add finely chopped onion, broccoli, salt and pepper to the chicken stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes and beat. In the resulting cream soup add meat and Romanesco, mix and season 2 tbsp. 10% cream or 1 tbsp. butter.
- Italian fritata. Disassemble 150 g Romanesco and 50 g broccoli into small inflorescences. Boil in salted water for about 5-7 minutes. Grate half the carrots and onions in a medium grater, and then fry in hot oil. Beat 2 eggs separately with 10% cream. In a baking dish put carrots with onions, add cabbage and pour the egg mixture. Sprinkle 100 g of grated cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes at 180 ° C.
- Stuffed Zucchini with Cabbage. Skip 450 g of chicken and 1 carrot through a meat grinder. Cut 2-3 medium zucchini rings, and cut the core. Fill the rings with minced meat and put the cabbage inflorescence in the center of each of them. Bake rings in the oven for 30-40 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° C. The baking sheet on top should be covered with a sheet of foil. Rings can be served with 2 tbsp. sour cream seasoned with chopped dill.
- Vegetable salad. Rinse 1 small head of cabbage under running water, and then separate the inflorescences. Boil water with a ring of lemon, toss the inflorescences and cook for 3-5 minutes. Then throw them in a colander, rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Peel 150 g of daikon, rinse, dry and cut into strips. Rinse 1 bell pepper, remove the seeds and cut into strips. Next, cut the tomato into small pieces.
To prepare the sauce in a deep bowl, mix 3 tbsp. granular mustard, 1-2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. squeezed lemon juice.Throw all the ingredients into a salad bowl and add chopped dill, parsley, basil or celery for flavor. Salt the salad, season with ground black pepper, season with the sauce and mix.
Cabbage Romanesco is considered an Italian exotica, although every year it is gaining more and more popularity in our area. It consists of many inflorescences of bright salad color, and if you look closely, you can notice that they repeatedly repeat the mother plant in shape. It is not so easy to grow such original head of cabbage on your site, however, if all gardening rules are followed, every gardener will cope with this task.