Summer residents, who are accustomed to spending the entire warm season on their land, miss the beds very much in winter. But inveterate gardeners, even on cold and frosty days in an ordinary apartment, find something to their liking. After all, if you wish, you can grow fresh herbs on the windowsill or balcony. To do this, you need to know the secrets of forcing plants on greens, that is, ways of influencing various crops that begin to grow at any time of the year.
5 basic rules for growing greens in winter
1. Even in the autumn months, you need to take care of the preparation of planting material. He must be undamaged and absolutely healthy. When purchasing material for distillation in a retail network or on the market, carefully examine each copy.
2. All planting material should be stored in a damp and cool cellar or basement. Before use, you need to once again conduct a thorough examination of all root crops and rhizomes and sort out the spoiled ones.
3. The planted plants should be kept in a cool, but darkened area until fully rooted. Watering is recommended only with warm water.
4. During the period of formation and collection of greenery, plants should be in a regularly ventilated area. Watering should be done in moderation, but regular.
5. In order for vitamins in the form of greens to be on your table all winter, you need to plant root crops for distillation 2 times a month, every 15 days. Small root crops should be planted first, and then all the rest.
Forcing parsley and celery
Root crops and rhizomes of these plants are capable of producing a lot of greenery at home, as they are considered quite unpretentious crops. Root varieties will delight with greenery for several months, but in small quantities. Leafy varieties produce a lot of greenery, but in a very short time.
Very often, the smallest specimens are left for planting material. Although everyone knows what you plant is what you reap. Therefore, experienced summer residents are advised to leave root crops for distillation weighing from 30 to 80 grams (parsley) and from 60 to 200 grams (celery).
Forcing greens can begin in any month, but it is better when daylight hours begin to increase. In February or March is the most suitable time, and in other months additional supplementary lighting of plants will be required.
All containers that will be used for planting root crops must be thoroughly washed and treated with a weak manganese solution. Drainage holes and drainage layer are required. After a layer of expanded clay, it is necessary to pour a small layer of sand, and after it humus or peat soil.
The size of the pots should be at least 25-30 centimeters in height and at least 20 square centimeters in area. The soil layer for planting parsley root is about 15 centimeters. They are placed at an acute angle in relation to the soil. A tail that is too long can be shortened.
The roots of parsley are sprinkled with soil almost completely, leaving about one centimeter of the head on the surface. Watering abundantly with warm water is recommended immediately after planting.
The requirements for planting celery are exactly the same, except for the size of the planting container. A pot for forcing celery should be about 20-25 centimeters high and about 50 square centimeters in size.
Parsley and celery care rules
Immediately after planting planting material in pots, do not rush to put them on a windowsill with bright lighting. Within ten to fifteen days, the plants should take root in dark and cool conditions. The favorable temperature for celery is about 10 degrees Celsius, and for parsley - 12-13 degrees.
At the initial stage of rooting, watering is not recommended, with the exception of one watering immediately after planting. Excess moisture can provoke rotting of the still poorly developed root system of plants. By the way, planting the root crop too deep can bring the same result.
The appearance of apical buds is the optimal time for transferring plants to light-colored windowsills in a room with an air temperature of 18-20 degrees Celsius. From this time, watering of plants begins.
Stagnant air and elevated indoor temperatures are considered unacceptable, as this will adversely affect the growth of greenery. Regular airing and maintaining a constant temperature are excellent conditions for forcing parsley and celery.
Proper watering is essential. Irrigation water should be at a temperature of at least 20 and not more than 25 degrees. Watering should be carried out only on the soil, and not on greens or root crops. Otherwise, wet parts of the plant may begin to rot. In winter, the amount of water for the root system should be minimal, and the air exchange should be maximized.
Good growth of greenery is facilitated by timely feeding in the form of liquid herbal fertilizers (based on fallen leaves of domestic plants) or purchased special preparations. For example, superphosphate or "Ideal" top dressing.
The first harvest can be started approximately 15-20 days after planting. It is advisable to cut off the outer leaves of the plants first.
Subject to all the rules of care, celery roots will give vitamin greens for two months, and parsley - one and a half months.
Forcing greens of beets and chard
Beet greens in winter will not only add many vitamins and various nutrients to the salad, but also become its decoration. Unlike parsley and celery, the planting material of this vegetable should be small, even small - weighing from 40 to 60 grams. The smaller the root vegetable, the more greenery there will be. All selected beet heads must be smooth, firm and free from damage.
The roots of beetroot - Swiss chard - must be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected in a manganese solution before planting.
A good soil for forcing beet greens is a mixture of three components - garden soil (1 kg), soil consisting of rotted plants and animals (2 kg) and peat soil (3 kg).
Forcing beets begins with rooting in a dark room with a temperature of no more than 10 degrees Celsius for 10 days. After that, the plants develop at home with a constant temperature of at least 18 degrees.
Once a month, it is recommended to apply fertilizers consisting of ammonium sulfate (10 grams per 2 liters of water) and potassium chlorine (4 grams per 2 liters of water).
The first crop can be harvested 20-25 days after planting.
Forcing rhubarb
Rhubarb rhizomes, 3-4 years old, are used for forcing in complete darkness. This is necessary for the formation of delicate and palatable stems.
It is not recommended to start forcing rhubarb in the fall season. The optimal time for this is the second half of December. From this month until spring, rhubarb will bear its delicious and healthy fruits.
Rhubarb rhizomes are sprinkled with soil about ten centimeters during planting.
Unsuccessful forcing of rhubarb can await those who have not created a special temperature regime for the plant. The plant does not tolerate high temperatures. He needs only five to six degrees of heat and high humidity. When such conditions are created, active growth of petioles will begin in a week.
Rhubarb stalks will be ready to eat when they reach twenty centimeters in height.
