Growing and proper care of Japanese cabbage. Mizuna - Japanese cabbage for the lazy Chinese mermaid cabbage

Japanese cabbage has become of interest to people as a crop ever since they learned about its beneficial qualities. This plant is also called cabbage for the lazy, as it does not require any special care. Japanese coleslaw very picky, and you can even grow it on your windowsill, and then enjoy its taste as part of a gourmet dish.

general information

First, let's get acquainted with what this representative of the flora is. Japanese cabbage, as the name implies, came to us from the Country rising sun, although there are suggestions that its homeland is China. In appearance, it consists of thin long stems, which are collected in the form of bunches. The stem has carved bright green leaves. Belongs to the turnip genus.

This plant takes root well in our regions. We perceive it more like lettuce than cabbage. It is worth noting that in its homeland this plant has been used as food for a very long time. Due to its content large quantity vitamins and nutrients (phosphorus, iron, calcium, etc.), cabbage is recommended for consumption by patients with cancer and those who have digestive problems.

Varieties

Japanese "mizuna" has two varieties that need to be discussed:

“Rusalka” will sing at an average speed for about two months. Cabbage has good productivity and can grow outdoors in open ground. It is believed that cabbage received this name because of the appearance of its leaves, which resemble the tail of a little mermaid.
“Pezhon” will sing quickly, and in a month you will get the result. This variety looks smaller. A plant of this species weighs less than the previous variety. The advantage is that after cutting you get new shoots very quickly.

Planting a plant

As already mentioned, Japanese cabbage is quite unpretentious. In order to plant this plant correctly, you just need to follow a few tips:

It is better to plant cabbage in spring period, although replanting is allowed during the entire warm season until the end of summer, it depends on weather conditions;
cabbage seeds are very small and similar to poppy seeds; they need to be planted in rows half a centimeter deep into the ground, maintaining about thirty centimeters between rows;
Also leave a gap of about ten centimeters between the seeds in the row, but if that doesn’t work, you can subsequently thin out the crop;
after sowing, it is better to cover the ground with film, and within seven days you will see the first shoots;
the optimal temperature is from 14 to 20 degrees Celsius;
water the crops, the ground should be moist;
when the sprouts have sprouted, the film can be removed and the development of the plant can be observed;
do not add too much organic fertilizer to the soil, as cabbage tends to accumulate everything in its leaves, and it is better not to use mineral fertilizers.

Growing Japanese Cabbage

After you have received the first shoots, the matter remains with watering and weeding. If you worry about mulching the soil, then these processes will be rare. Often there is no need, since she does not really like moisture. Only in extreme heat should you make sure that the soil is not too dry.

If it turns out that you delayed watering, after the first bucket of water the cabbage will quickly regain its strength. You also need to weed the plant to avoid problems associated with pest attacks. It is worth noting that with regular cutting, cabbage grows and produces a harvest until mid-autumn. And even the first frosts are not very scary for her. In this mode, the plant can exist for three years. As the crop is thinned out, you need to sow new seeds every spring, and then you will not have a break in receiving the product.

Pest Control

Like any vegetable plant, cabbage can become a victim of pests. One of the most frequent guests is Due to the fact that the plant is used as food, no poisons can be used to combat the pest. In this case, ash and tincture will be a good helper. Having diluted the tincture in a ratio of one to ten with water, you need to spray the cabbage. Also sold in specialized stores natural remedies, which help get rid of the problem, but do not harm health.

In order to respond in time to the appearance of a pest and destroy it, you need to regularly inspect the plant, feel its leaves and stems. If there is any problem, then you will feel that the leaves have begun to wither and the stems have begun to rot.

There are a few useful tips, by listening to which, you will achieve a positive result in growing a plant.

Japanese cabbage does not like areas where crops such as turnips, radishes, and radishes grew before it. This refers to all plants related to
Don't waste time growing seedlings, it won't bring any benefit. Sow cabbage directly into open ground. Otherwise, you risk getting a lot of arrows and flowers instead of the desired leaves.
The plant feels great both in a lit area and in the shade, so there is no need to worry when choosing a place to plant.
If you want to grow cabbage indoors, then you need to dig up several bushes in the area and plant them in a container, watering them thoroughly. Place the container on the veranda or balcony until frost sets in. Except beneficial properties, the plant still has a beautiful appearance and can decorate your home.

Applications of cabbage

When talking about the use of the plant, the first thing you need to pay attention to is that it has a very subtle taste that resembles something between radish and mustard. Some compare it to arugula. Cabbage is used in fresh, and it is also salted, pickled and dried. Mostly the leaves and stems are eaten; the roots are not used. If you store a bunch of cabbage in the refrigerator, do not throw away the root immediately, it will help keep the leaves fresh, just pull them as needed until they are completely used.

Concerning culinary tips, then cabbage is used in various dishes. For example, Japanese cabbage salad, sandwiches with cabbage leaves, an appetizer in addition to meat and fish. In salads, the product harmonizes perfectly with both cheeses and fruits.

There are many recipes that use this cabbage; there is no limit to the culinary imagination. Most importantly, this plant is very useful and is recommended for use even by highly qualified doctors.

Japanese cabbage

Take a few mizuna leaves (the quantity depends on the taste of the owner), some lettuce leaves, two boiled eggs, one pear, one nectarine, cheese (preferably “Poshekhonsky”), teaspoon lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil(their number also depends on your desire). Finely tear the leaves, cut the fruit, cheese and eggs into cubes. Season everything with lemon juice. vinegar and oil. Bon appetit!

Start summer season– this is always the beginning of gardening work. Growing fresh vegetables and herbs on your own plot is a painstaking, but nice job, because its result is always food that is maximally saturated with vitamins and beneficial microelements. One of the new plants in our country is the Japanese cabbage “Mizuna”, the cultivation of which does not cause much trouble.

Characteristics of vegetable crops

Mizuna cabbage, which is also commonly called Mitsuna or Japanese mustard, belongs to the salad crops of the Cruciferous family of the Cabbage genus. This family also includes such familiar crops as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and broccoli.

Mizuna's closest relative is Chinese cabbage. As the name suggests, Japanese cabbage “Mizuna” was brought to our region from Japan. It has been grown in Asia for more than 500 years. The Japanese have long been famous for their concern for nutrition, so doubt the benefits of this plant no need to.

Despite the fact that “Mizuna” belongs to the category of cabbage plants, it does not form a head of cabbage, and therefore is often perceived as a salad crop. Instead of a head of cabbage, this plant forms a rather voluminous rosette of leaves with very long stems.

In addition to being used as food, Mizuna is also valued for its beauty, so it can be used as ornamental plant, but only thanks beautiful leaves, since the flowering of Japanese cabbage is rather faded - with light yellow small flowers.

Another pleasant feature of Mizuna is its early ripening. The first harvest of fragrant spicy leaves can be harvested within 1 month after planting the seeds. It is also resistant to frost, withstands slight frosts both in spring and early autumn, which is another reason to grow such a plant in the middle latitudes of our country.

Useful properties and contraindications

The pleasant spicy taste of Japanese mustard is combined with high benefits, because it is easily digested and absorbed by the body. The beautiful carved leaves of "Mizuna" contain a storehouse of vitamins, such as:

beta carotene– has a positive effect on the appearance of the skin and eye health;
vitamin C– the main antioxidant in the body, which strengthens blood vessels;
potassium and magnesium– have a positive effect on the functioning of the heart;
phosphorus– for bone health;
vitamins B and PP– have a positive effect on metabolic processes in the body.

This amount of vitamins and microelements has a positive effect on the health of the body; Mizuna is often even credited with antitumor properties. Due to its low calorie content, Japanese mustard is an effective dietary product that helps in the fight against high cholesterol, anemia, heart and vascular diseases. Due to its high fiber content, Mizuna has a positive effect on digestive processes.

Contraindications for eating this crop are individual intolerance to the components. This product should also be consumed in limited quantities.

Varieties

There are many varieties of Japanese leafy cabbage "Mizuna", but in Russia there is a small variety. They differ from each other in the shape of their leaves, taste qualities and growing conditions. The most positive reviews Gardeners obtained several varieties.

"Mermaid". This variety got its name due to the special shape of the leaves, similar to a mermaid's tail. Maturity occurs 50–60 days after planting the seeds in the ground. After each cutting, the sprouts recover within 1–2 weeks. The “Rusalochka” variety has proven itself to be resistant to resistance low temperatures, because it can be safely planted in open ground, and with reduced bolting, since other varieties of this plant are better shaded in the afternoon to reduce bolting. The average height of the leaves from the ground is about 35–45 cm, the rosette is quite lush and can reach a diameter of up to 70 cm.

Harvest that can be harvested with 1 square meter landings - about 6 kilograms. The “Rusalochka” variety has an excellent rich taste.

"Dude". Along with “The Little Mermaid”, this salad variety is quite famous among gardeners. Its leaves have beautiful shape with large cuts. It is good for its early ripeness. The time between planting seeds in the ground until harvesting the first juicy harvest is only 1 month. And just like the previous variety, the yield from 1 square meter is about 6 kilograms. After cutting, the leaves recover within up to 2 weeks. The "Dude" variety is especially good for eating raw, both as a component in salads and for decorating hot dishes, since the leaves are very soft and tender. This variety is registered in the state register Russian Federation, like The Little Mermaid.

"Emerald Pattern" - This is another early variety, technical ripeness of which is achieved 1 month after planting in the ground. It has a very lush rosette, in which the number of leaves reaches 120 pieces. The leaves look like sharp feathers. The yield is about 5 kilograms per 1 square meter. This variety is resistant to bolts.

Emerald pattern

Landing

Growing this plant does not require much time or effort, then it’s worth taking a closer look the following recommendations By successful landing Japanese cabbage seeds:

Can be planted in open ground with both seeds and seedlings. The approximate good time for planting is April and May, but during the summer you can plant “Mizuna” several times;
when planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between rows of about 30 centimeters, and between bushes in a row - 10 cm;
the seeds are immersed in the soil to a depth of half a centimeter;
after planting the seeds, it is better to create greenhouse conditions for them: cover them with film until the first shoots appear, and remove them when they first appear;
the optimal temperature for planting is +15–20°C;
the seeds are cold-resistant, they can germinate at temperatures from +3°C, and the sprouts can withstand frosts down to -5°C.

Growing

Some growing tips will help you do it without it. unpretentious plant even more productive and useful.

Lighting. Some Mizuna varieties are susceptible to increased bolting, so it is often recommended to choose a planting location so that the sun brightly illuminates the bushes in the first half of the day. If you choose varieties that are resistant to bolting, then it is better to plant them in sunny places.
The soil."Mizuna" prefers to grow in nutritious, light soil, so it is recommended to optimally add sand and compost to the soil.
Fertilizers. It's better not to use them, in general, especially organic fertilizers, since this plant accumulates all nitrates in the leaves.
Watering. Mizuna cabbage is particularly undemanding in terms of soil moisture, but in severe drought it is still worth watering its bushes additionally.

Pests. All plants of the Cruciferous family suffer from one scourge - the cruciferous flea beetle. The use of chemicals on this plant is highly undesirable, since Mizuna is an early ripening plant. Therefore, you need to try to cope with this scourge using traditional natural methods, such as ash or herbal decoctions.
Weeding. After the first shoots appear, the bed with Japanese mustard must be thinned out, since the bushes grow quite large in diameter. When the plants are still small, careful weeding is necessary. When “Mizuna” grows up, you can use a method such as mulching, and after that the issue of weeding disappears by itself.
Growing on a windowsill. Mizuna cabbage is very unpretentious, so it is not difficult to grow it on a windowsill all year round. It is optimal to use nutrient soil with perlite to maintain the required level of soil moisture.

Growing on a windowsill

Collection and storage

Most often, the Mizuna shoots are cut completely from the bush, after which a small stump remains, from which new leaves subsequently grow. The root of this plant is also edible; in the fall, when harvesting, you can also eat it. Its taste is reminiscent of rutabaga. Freshly picked Mizuna leaves, like any salad greens, are not stored for long.

If it is necessary to extend the life of fresh herbs, then it is better to tear out the plant along with the large rhizome; in this case, Japanese mustard can remain fresh in the refrigerator for a week. In addition to being consumed raw, this plant goes well with meat dishes and in pies. As for preparing Japanese mustard for use in winter, it is dried, pickled and stored in the freezer.

Japanese mizuna kale, or mitsuna salad as it is also called, is still considered something extraordinary in our country. Although such a plant is gaining more and more supporters in its ranks every day. It is often called cabbage for the lazy, because it does not require much care and can even be grown at home in a pot. This plant has a pleasant spicy taste, in addition, it is incredibly beautiful and healthy, for which it is valued in its homeland in Japan.

Description and varieties of Japanese cabbage

Japanese cabbage, as the name suggests, came to us from Japan, but some sources call China its homeland. Be that as it may, it has been grown in the East since the beginning of the sixteenth century, and reached Europe only in the twentieth century. IN North America it was called "Japanese Green Salad" and "Mustard Greens".

In our latitudes, mizuna is no longer perceived as cabbage, but as a salad. In appearance, it most closely resembles and looks like lettuce leaves of emerald green or dirty red color.

This is one of the subspecies of kale, that is, it does not form a head of cabbage. The carved lace leaves of such a plant represent luxury flower, so it is often used in decorative purposes for decorating gardens and vegetable gardens.

The yellowish flowers are quite small, and its taste is not like others vegetable crops. For all its spiciness and pungency, it is quite mild, since mizuna contains less mustard oils than other similar subspecies.

This type of cabbage is distinguished by its early maturity and, thirty-five to forty days after planting, is completely edible.

There are several varieties of mizuna. Most often you can find red mizuna and green mizuna. Also in demand are the Emerald pattern, the Little Mermaid and the Dude.

Rusalochka is a variety of medium ripeness. It got its name due to the bizarre shape of its leaves, somewhat reminiscent of a mermaid’s tail.

Dude is one of the early ripening varieties, and it is famous for the fact that after cutting, new leaves grow much faster than in other types.

Growing and care

Growing mizuna does not require a significant investment of time and labor. This plant is unpretentious to soil and temperature conditions and survives even in frost conditions. You can grow Japanese cabbage both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.

For correct landing such a plant and obtaining a quality product, there are several simple recommendations:

It is best to plant lettuce in the spring, preferably in April;
can be planted using seeds or seedlings;
cabbage has small seeds, somewhat similar to poppy seeds, which must be planted in rows, keeping a distance of thirty centimeters between them;
after the first shoots appear, the seedlings must be thinned out;
for better growth after sowing, cover the seedlings with film;
the best temperature for planting is considered to be 14-20 degrees Celsius;
after germination of the seedlings, the film should be removed;
It’s better not to use mineral fertilizers for fertilizing, and you shouldn’t add too much organic fertilizer, since cabbage is capable of accumulating all this in its leaves.

Mizuna is unpretentious in care. Timely and regular watering is important. At the same time, cabbage leaves cannot be poured, as it will begin to rot. You can cut fresh leaves several times a year, and new ones immediately grow in their place.

To control pests, herbal infusions, tobacco dust, etc. are used. It is also necessary to periodically inspect the plant for pests. Infected mizuna begins to wither and rot.

Weeding the plant is also important, but timely mulching eliminates the need for this process.

Useful properties and contraindications

Speaking about the beneficial properties of cabbage, one cannot help but recall its valuable chemical composition, in many ways similar to . Some even consider mizuna healthier than.

The plant is rich in beta-carotene, which is very good for people with vision problems. It is also good for the skin, promotes its elasticity and softness, and prevents the appearance of acne.

Mitsuna salad contains substances and minerals that prevent the occurrence of malignant tumors and slow down the growth of old ones. This cabbage is considered an effective antitumor agent.

The leaves of the plant contain, and. Potassium deficiency is very harmful to the body, as it helps prevent heart disease. Hypokalemia often manifests itself in convulsive syndrome, arrhythmia, and increased fatigue. Regular consumption of Japanese cabbage reduces the risk of the occurrence and development of such a disease.

With all this, mizuna is a low-calorie product, which also has high nutritional properties. Because of this, it is valued in dietetics and is included in the diet of various dietary programs. You can also use it in the menu.

Eating this salad allows you to normalize the level of content in the body and removes harmful toxins, wastes and salts from it. heavy metals. The vegetable content in mizuna significantly improves digestion processes.

Has long been valued in Japan medicinal properties such cabbage. It helps normalize water and electrolyte balance and accelerates metabolic processes. The vitamins included in its composition significantly strengthen the walls of blood vessels and prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques in them. That is, such a plant must be eaten to prevent thrombosis and atherosclerosis.

But this plant also has its own contraindications for use:

increased individual sensitivity to the components included in its composition;
excessive and uncontrolled consumption of the product.

Use of mizuna in cooking

Japanese cabbage has a mild spicy flavor, slightly reminiscent of freshly ground pepper or. Some say they are very similar to arugula. This salad is mainly used in dishes Japanese cuisine, but if you wish, you can cook absolutely any dish with it.

Most often, Japanese cabbage is consumed fresh, since heat treatment removes a significant part of its beneficial properties. But there are also exceptions. For example, boiled mizuna cabbage leaves are often used as sushi.

Under New Year In Japan, a dish often prepared is nabemono, the main ingredient of which is mitsuna salad. Serve it with

Mizuna cabbage (also Mitsuna lettuce) is an unpretentious crop originally from Japan. Distinctive feature this lettuce is highly decorative - the attractive appearance of cabbage allows it to be grown in flower beds as part of a flower arrangement.

Japanese Mizuna cabbage is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation, however, not all varieties are recommended for cultivation in Russia. The most popular are the ultra-early salad variety Dude and the Mermaid cabbage, which is practically not susceptible to bolting.

Description of cabbage variety

Mizuna kale grows on average up to 50 cm in height, forming a spreading bush with a diameter of about 70 cm. Lettuce leaves are quite long - each from 30 to 50 cm. Shape and color sheet plate varies slightly depending on the variety, but most often the edge of the leaf is openwork, dissected. Characteristic feature Mizuna cabbage is that the cut leaves subsequently quickly grow back.

Despite its name, this lettuce does not form a head. The flowers of the variety are small, pale yellow. At the end growing season culture shapes small sizes a root vegetable whose length varies from 10 to 15 cm. This root vegetable tastes like rutabaga.

Characteristic

Mizuna cabbage is a fairly frost-resistant crop. Its seeds can germinate even at -2°C. The variety also tolerates autumn frosts without any negative consequences. This quality allows Mizuna lettuce to be grown in many regions of Russia.

Productivity and fruiting

This leaf lettuce is an early ripening plant - you can cut the leaves 30-35 days after sowing the seeds. If you plant the Mizuna variety in the spring, the green harvest can be harvested until October and even November in areas with a warm climate. By the second year of life, the lettuce forms a peduncle that produces seeds.

In Russia, the Mizuna variety can be planted several times in a row and harvested in May, July and August.

Application area

Mizuna Japanese cabbage is mainly used for cutting into vitamin salads. The culture is highly valued in cooking for its spicy, mild taste, somewhat reminiscent of mustard.

Cabbage is also added to sandwiches with cheese or feta cheese and soups. Salad-based marinades are no less popular. Finally, the Mizuna variety can be dried or pickled for the winter.

Important! Japanese Mizuna cabbage does not stay fresh for long. If you do not remove the root of the plant, the shelf life can be extended.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Japanese cabbage Mitsuna rarely gets sick, however, beds with this crop attract many pests. The greatest threat to lettuce is:

mole cricket;
cruciferous flea beetle;
snails and slugs.

Young plantings are especially often attacked by the cruciferous flea beetle.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Japanese Mitsuna cabbage has the following strong qualities:

resistance to the formation of arrows;
immunity to clubroot, which often affects white cabbage;
the ability to cut leaves throughout the season;
highly decorative - the variety can be grown as a border plant in a flower bed.

The disadvantage of the variety is the fact that Mitsuna cabbage attracts cruciferous flea beetle, which can very quickly damage a significant part of the plantings. The fight against this pest is complicated by the inability to use chemicals against insects, as cabbage quickly absorbs chemicals.

Growing rules

Japanese Mizuna cabbage is unpretentious and quite hardy. It easily withstands autumn frosts and does not have any special care requirements.

This variety is not picky about soil composition, however, it is best to plant it in light, well-drained soils. In addition, when choosing a place to plant Mizuna cabbage, you should give preference to well-lit areas with slight shading.

Japanese Mizuna cabbage shows good productivity when grown on a windowsill.

Important! Mitsuna lettuce develops best in beds previously occupied by beets, tomatoes, onions, peppers or legumes.

The vegetable is not planted after mustard, radish or other varieties of cabbage, since these crops have similar diseases and are affected by the same pests.

Planting seedlings

Planting dates for Mizuna lettuce vary depending on local conditions. climatic conditions. IN middle lane In Russia this is usually April-May. In order to continuously obtain a harvest of greenery, it is recommended to plant the crop throughout the summer, maintaining a time period of 10-15 days.

Mizuna cabbage planting material is very small. The size of the seeds is comparable to poppy seeds.

Mizuna cabbage seeds do not need to be buried too deeply - just lightly press them down by about 0.5 cm, no more, and lightly sprinkle them with soil. The recommended distance between seeds is 10-12 cm. This will make it more convenient, as the seedlings grow, to take fresh herbs for cutting into salads. In addition, in the future, when plantings become thicker, the roots of neighboring seedlings can easily be damaged during thinning.

After sowing, the seedlings are covered with plastic film. It is removed when the first shoots become noticeable.

The container with seedlings is kept in a room with a temperature of about +20-22°C, the first shoots appear after 8-10 days. When sowing seeds directly into open ground, the beds must be covered with film, which is removed when the first shoots appear.

When the seedlings form 2-3 leaves, they are planted in separate containers or planted immediately in a permanent place.

Transplantation into open ground

Before planting plants in open ground, the area for cabbage must be fertilized. To do this, add ½ bucket of humus and 2 cups of ash to the soil per 1 m2. Then the area is dug up using half the bayonet of a shovel.

Important! Heavy clay soils diluted with fine-grained river sand or rotted sawdust. Sandy soil, on the contrary, mixed with clay.

Japanese Mizuna cabbage is planted at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. Optimal distance between rows - at least 30 cm. As the seedlings grow, it is important to ensure that the top layer of soil does not dry out. Otherwise, the cabbage may begin to form arrows.

Aftercare

Caring for Mizuna lettuce is easy. It is enough to follow the following recommendations:

This variety does not tolerate dryness or high soil moisture equally well, so watering should be regular but moderate.
When watering, avoid getting moisture on the lettuce leaves. This will allow the water to drain down and collect at the core of the plant. In this case, there is a high risk that the cabbage may rot.
It is recommended to mulch the plantings to better retain moisture.
The row spaces must be weeded, as weeds serve as a home for many pests.
For a better set of green mass, cabbage beds are fertilized every 2 weeks. For this, wood ash is usually used, which can either be added to the soil in the form of a solution or sprinkled on plantings. Fertilizers containing nitrogen are not used as fertilizers for Mizuna cabbage.
Cabbage quickly absorbs nitrates, so plantings should not be fed mineral fertilizers. In addition, plants should not be sprayed with insecticides to control pests.
The Mizuna variety is a short crop daylight hours. This means that the cabbage must be shaded during the second half of the day so that the plants do not form arrows.

Advice! To better retain moisture in the soil, it is recommended not only to water the cabbage at the root, but also to moisten the distance between neighboring bushes.

You can learn more about the features of growing the Mizuna variety from the video below:

Pest and disease control

Japanese Mizuna cabbage rarely gets sick, but plantings can suffer from pest invasion. Insect control is complicated by the inability to use chemicals, since the vegetable quickly absorbs everything into the leaves harmful substances. That is why the beds are treated with more gentle means.

All pests, with the exception of mole crickets, are well repelled by wood ash and tobacco dust. These substances are used both to combat insects and as a preventive measure. You can sprinkle them on plants in powder form or dilute them with water and spray the beds.

You can use self-made traps against mole crickets. The preparation procedure is as follows:

1 kg of wheat grain (you can also use oats or corn) is mixed with 30 g of unrefined sunflower oil.
The resulting mixture is diluted with 50 g of Karbofos.
In April, the bait is buried in the ground to a depth of 5-6 cm. It cannot be left on the surface - the bait is poisonous to pets and birds.

Advice! You can also repel insects by planting cabbage in an area where strong-smelling crops previously grew.

Conclusion

Mizuna cabbage is so easy to grow that it is often called "lazy man's cabbage." This plant is undemanding to soil composition and temperature conditions and can easily withstand autumn frosts. Japanese Mizuna cabbage is grown in open ground, in greenhouse conditions or on a windowsill.