Katran

Katran (lat. Crambe) is an annual or perennial belonging to the Cruciferous or Cabbage family. In nature, the plant grows in the Caucasus and Crimea.

It has been cultivated as a cultivated plant since the 1960s. Currently, it is actively grown in European countries and the Russian Federation. Katran is very good for health; it contains many biologically active substances.

Description

Katran is represented by herbaceous plants, sometimes subshrubs, with cylindrical large brown ones that go 50-80 cm deep. Thanks to this feature, katran does not clog vegetable gardens and garden plots. The foliage of the plants is large, it is leathery, succulent, lobed or feathery, and can be either bare or pubescent.

The peduncles of the crop in question are straight, do not exceed 100 cm in height, and are formed in the third year after planting, sometimes earlier. Peduncles bear small, inconspicuous, whitish flowers. The petals of the flowers are whole and narrowed. The fruits are in the form of non-cracking light yellow pods containing brown spherical small seeds, suitable for sowing for two years. Katran blooms profusely for three weeks, and the seeds are ready for collection in early August.

Features of cultivation

It is preferable to grow katran on loose, moderately moist, permeable, well-cultivated, highly fertile, neutral soils. It is not recommended to plant the crop on acidic, damp, waterlogged, compacted soils, as this risks rotting the roots. The best predecessors for katran are Solanaceae. But you can’t plant it after Cabbage.

Subtleties of sowing

Katran can be sown both in spring and autumn. In the second case, it is important to provide good shelter for the winter in the form of a thick layer of foliage. Spring sowing involves cold stratification. In autumn this procedure is not required. Stratification is carried out as follows: the seeds are immersed in water for several hours, then mixed with wet river sand, and then placed in a cool room, for example, a cellar. You can place the seeds in the refrigerator.

Before sowing, the seeds are cleaned of sand using a sieve and dried. The area of ​​the crop in question is prepared several weeks in advance: the soil is treated with a shovel and rake, and fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. It is necessary to sow kartan in an ordinary way, maintaining a distance of 40 cm. Seeds are planted to a depth of 1-2 cm.

Care procedures

Once the kale seedlings emerge, it”s important to provide them with good care. If planting densely, thin them out. It”s recommended to thin them out when the plants have two leaves. Repeat thinning is possible as needed. Regular but moderate watering is necessary. Fertilizing is recommended; two applications per season are sufficient. Kale will reward you with vigorous growth. Pest and disease prevention is recommended. Kale leaves can be eaten by cabbage caterpillars.

If the plants are left over winter, they will begin growing very early and vigorously in the spring. It”s important not to miss this moment and fertilize them. It”s also important to monitor the soil moisture and looseness. Weed control is also essential. The crop produces fruit in August. They are harvested along with the stems and hung to dry. Before storing the seeds, they must be thoroughly dried. Harvesting

Skae harvesting takes place in September–October. The plant is frost-resistant; even in autumn, the roots continue to develop and grow vigorously, even at the end of the growing season. The skae are dug up with a pitchfork, then the roots are cleared of soil, the leaves are trimmed, the plant is thoroughly washed, dried, and stored in the refrigerator.

Skae