Red radish: growing and care

Garden (sowing) radish has many varieties and types. For most of us, black or white root vegetables are more familiar, but the color of the skin of these vegetables is very diverse. Red radish - it is from the varieties of culture. Although it looks like a large radish, its taste, useful properties and ability to long-term storage characterize it as a real radish. How to grow vitamin roots and which variety to choose will be discussed in the article.

Content

1 Growing radish
2 Popular varieties
3 Video “From seeds to harvest. Growing Algorithm "

Growing radish

The agricultural technology of red radish is no different from the cultivation of black, white, or any other. The culture is planted mainly by seed, and its cultivation takes place in the open field - radish is grown extremely rarely in greenhouses. However, in order to get a decent harvest, you need to know about the peculiarities of planting and care.

How to plant

Sowing is carried out in early spring or in the second half of summer, since the culture needs about 10-12 hours of daylight to grow root crops - with a larger number of plants, an arrow is released. Before planting, seeds are soaked in warm water for a day to accelerate germination. The culture is not very demanding on the soil, but it grows better in loose, fertile soil with neutral acidity.

The distance between plants should be at least 20 cm, so it is easier to plant according to the scheme. For round root crops, the most acceptable scheme is 30x50, where 50 is the spacing in the rows, and 30 is between the plants. Long roots can be planted tightly (20x40). In the previously dug and fertilized soil, holes or rows are made, in which seeds are planted in nests of 3-4 pieces to a depth of 2-3 cm. Next, the holes are covered with earth, the soil is compacted and watered. The row spacing can be mulched to prevent drying out of the soil and the appearance of weeds.

How to care

The yield of a radish, exactly like its quality, depends on three main measures: proper watering, regular weeding and loosening of the soil. Some varieties may need hilling, and late-ripening root crops may need top dressing. The culture loves moisture very much, but its excess is extremely harmful for root crops - they begin to crack. When in dry soil, vegetables grow too bitter, coarse and shallow, so watering should be regular, but moderate (2-3 times / week), depending on the weather.

Weeding and loosening of row spacings are carried out as needed. These procedures are best combined with planting thinning. If the seeds were planted in nests, then thinning is carried out 1 time when 2 true leaves appear in the plants. If the sowing was carried out densely, then the sprouts are thinned out several times until a distance of 15-20 cm is formed between them.

The culture has the peculiarity of protruding above the soil surface, this is especially true for long root crops. In this case, it must be periodically spud up so that the roots do not dry out and other negative factors. As for dressings, they are not needed for early radish, but it is recommended to feed late varieties with a mineral mixture in the phase of root crop formation.

Video "How to care for a red radish"

This video will show you how to properly care for your red radish.

When to collect

The timing of harvesting red radish depends on the varietal characteristics and the purpose of the root crops. Summer vegetables are usually harvested in stages as they ripen.Autumn radish (medium late ripening) is dug up in September. For winter storage, it is advisable to dig up root crops as late as possible, then they can be stored longer. The most important thing is to remove vegetables before frost. Frosts on the surface of the radish are not terrible, but if the soil freezes, the roots will lose their taste and quickly deteriorate.

You should not rush to harvest root crops either. Dug up prematurely, they will soon become lethargic, flabby, and will not be able to store their due date. You can dig up vegetables in any way you can. If the weather is dry and the soil is loose, the radish is simply pulled out. It is better to dig in the roots after rain so as not to damage the peel, as any damage will shorten the shelf life.

Fresh radish can lie in a cool place (basement, refrigerator) for more than a month. For winter storage, root crops should be cleaned of soil, small roots, dried a little, and then put in wooden boxes, sprinkling with sand. At temperatures from 0 to 2-3 ° C and at a humidity of 80-90%, winter radish can be stored until spring.

Popular varieties

Most varieties of red radish are hybrids obtained from crossing Chinese, sometimes Japanese specimens with different forms of radish. Currently, many new varietal forms have been bred, adapted to the climate and conditions of the middle lane, of which the following can be distinguished:

Red winter radish. The most popular variety for the mid-early (60-80 days) ripening period. Root crops are round, even, large in size (150-200 g). The color of the peel is intense red. The pulp is white, very juicy, crunchy, with a mild, spicy-sweet taste, with a high content of vitamins and nutrients. Suitable for growing throughout the season: for summer consumption, it is sown in spring, and for winter consumption - at the end of July. Root crops are stored for a long time, have a good presentation.
Red giant. This is a daikon (Japanese radish) of the early growing season (35-40 days). The root crop is long (12-15 cm), cylindrical, rather large (weighing 150-300 g and 4-5 cm in diameter). The color of the peel is raspberry red, the flesh is white. To the taste, the roots are slightly spicy, very juicy, contain a lot of amino acids, salts and vitamins. The variety is frost-resistant, high-yielding, root crops are stored for a long time (3-4 months) and are well transported.
Red is long. Hybrid of early (40-45 days) ripening period, recommended for summer use. The root crop is elongated, medium-sized (120-150 g), conical, red, sometimes pink in color. The color of the flesh is white, pinkish at the base, the taste is very delicate, spicy-sweet. Root crops are located a quarter above the soil surface, therefore they require periodic hilling.
The beauty of the Moscow region. A mid-season (65-70 days) hybrid of domestic selection (VNIISSOK), derived from the Chinese Loba radish. Included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. Root crops are round, less often oval, weighing 100-180 g. The color of the peel in the upper part of the root is red, and in the lower part with a purple tint. The color of the flesh is white, the taste is soft, sweetish-spicy. The radish is stored for a long time, it is recommended for autumn-winter consumption.
Okay. Summer radish of early (40-45 days) ripening period. Root crops are long (13-15 cm), conical in shape, with a pointed or blunt end. The average weight is 100-150 g, the peel is smooth, red or crimson. The color of the flesh is white, at the base it is reddish, the taste is delicate, mild. Root crops partially protrude above the ground, adaptation to cold is high.
Lady. Variety of average (60-65 days) ripening period, intended for winter consumption. Medium-sized root vegetables (80-120 g), round. The color of the peel is red, sometimes dark cherry. The taste of the pulp is soft, slightly spicy. Root crops have an attractive appearance, are well stored and transported. The variety is unpretentious in terms of light and soil composition.

Separately, I would like to say about the Japanese variety of red radish.As a rule, these are early ripening (30-45 days) hybrids that differ in a very original appearance - the peel and middle of these root crops are pink or red. However, there are varieties with an unusual color: a white skin color, and a red or pink center (Mantang Hong, Red Meat). Japanese radish has a very mild sweetish taste and a rich composition of vitamins. Despite its exoticism, it grows well in our climate, as it is quite cold-resistant and unpretentious to conditions.

Video “From seeds to harvest. Growing Algorithm "

In this video, an experienced gardener will tell and show you how to properly care for a radish.