It is impossible to feel that finally, after a long winter, spring has come, and the long-awaited summer is approaching inexorably, until a radish appears on the table. Tasty and very healthy, on a table in a salad bowl or even just in bulk on a dish, she kind of says with all her kind - I came, and wait for the summer next. But how to plant a radish?
A little about radish
Crispy, slightly sharp and bright tubers of radish are a real repository of many mineral salts - magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins - C, B 5 , B 2 , B 1 , enzymes and organic acids. And is it not because of this that a person is so positive about the first spring radish that appears on the table at a time when the body is all very necessary for them? This article will talk about how to plant radish seeds.
There are two types of this plant - annual and biennial. The first consists of European varieties and brings seeds with root crops for one year, the second is Asian winter varieties that produce seeds only in the second year. This article discusses the rules for planting radish seeds of European varieties.
Radish is an early-growing, cold-resistant, light-and-moisture-loving plant belonging to the class of cruciferous or cabbage. Depending on the region of cultivation, it can bear fruits from 2 to 5 times a year. To get a good and multiple crop you need to know how and when to plant a radish.
Soil preparation before planting radishes
Many really want to know how to plant a radish in the spring. It all starts in the fall, when they prepare (raise 15 cm) beds and make the necessary organic fertilizers - but carefully, without excessive fanaticism - because from an oversupply, for example, humus, large "tips" and frail "roots" can grow.
Then, in the spring, after the main snow has melted into the beds under the radish, mineral fertilizers can be scattered. The snow left on them, when melted, will enrich the soil with the necessary macro- and microelements. But only not potash - an excess of potassium will make root crops weak and lead the radish in the direction of the arrow.
The beds are made on a sunny and warm place, and for the quickest heating of the soil it is desirable to cover the beds with black polyethylene for 9-10 days. Before planting the seeds, it remains to remove the film and make a digging of the beds deep in the bayonet of the shovel. All - you can plant radish seeds.
Some features of plant compatibility
When planting radish seeds, it is important to remember that all
garden plants obey a certain law of compatibility, violating which you can be left without a crop. How to plant a radish, given all this?
In this regard, a crop such as radish should be planted next to a head of lettuce, which will prevent earth fleas from damaging the plant. And if you surround the radish with beans, then its tubers grow large and have a more delicate taste. In general, radishes are friends with potatoes and spinach, as well as onions, garlic, beets and cabbage. But planting radishes with cucumbers is not recommended.
Outdoor radish under the film
How to plant a radish under a film? When planting seeds in the ground, it is necessary to observe the “rule of three matches”. Seeds are planted to a depth corresponding to the length of the match, the bed from the bed is at a distance of the match, and the seed from the seed is planted in a row for the length of the match.
The earth for the radish is preferably loose, and after planting the radish it is recommended to mulch it - sprinkle on top with river sand, sawdust or peat. Considering that there is still snow when planting the radish, you can plant a larger one on rows with planted seeds, but not in too large a layer. The next step is to install spandbod type material over the garden beds.
The first sprouts appear at the moment the last snow melts. At this point, it is important to pay attention to the density of seedlings and, if necessary, thin out rows or sow seeds. When the spring is warm, it is imperative to do airing by raising the spandbod for a while. The first radish on the table can be collected in three weeks, if good spring allows.
Radishes in greenhouses
How to plant a radish in a greenhouse? Getting Earlier
giving birth to radish is possible when planting it in a greenhouse. Soil in greenhouses is prepared in a slightly different way, because radish is not a leading crop in them. He, so to speak, sits down to what is already planned to be planted in a greenhouse. Therefore, seeds are planted not in the beds of the greenhouse, but between them, and a week or two earlier than the main crop.
How to plant radish seeds in greenhouses can be read on many sites. Basically, the seeds are planted to a depth of half a centimeter and sprinkled with earth. It should not be thickened with seeds, and when the shoots are very elongated, it is advisable to sprinkle them with earth, otherwise you can remain without root crops. Mineral fertilizers should be applied twice - at the very beginning, after planting seeds, and after a week.
Radishes in greenhouses
In greenhouses, radishes are also planted according to slightly different rules. Since it is the leading culture here - everyone else lands after it - the land is prepared a little differently, and the timing of planting is determined by the weather and the design of the greenhouses. Since radishes love both warmth and sunlight, suitable conditions can be achieved in greenhouses somewhere after the first decade of April.
Greenhouse soil should be carefully leveled. If it is excessively dry, it should be watered just before sowing, and when the ground is excessively wet, dig the earth to the depth of the bayonet and ventilate the greenhouse by opening a little frame.
What is the best planting radish? To accelerate the emergence of seedlings, seeds intended for sowing in a greenhouse, it is desirable to germinate. They are soaked for two hours, and then poured with an even layer on cheesecloth in plates, covered with calico and kept warm. As soon as the sprouts begin to hatch, it's time to plant them in the ground. The optimum temperature in the greenhouse when sowing radishes is from 15 to 20 degrees.
Radish on the windowsill
If you really want a radish, but there is no summer house or garden, then those who wish can try to grow this plant on their windowsill. And you can do this without waiting for spring - albeit in December. It is enough to have a soil mixture, a box where radishes are planted, and knowledge - how to plant radish seeds when growing it at home. It needs excellent lighting and a cool place. It may well be a window sill. It is worth noting that despite the fact that the radish is a short-day plant, the winter day is still too short, so additional lighting will not hurt the radish.
Radish seeds are planted in boxes to a depth of 1 centimeter, at a distance from each other of 5-7 centimeters and must be rolled. The main feature of growing radishes on the windowsill is the temperature regime, which must be observed.
After the first sprouts appeared at room temperature, you need to cool the plant, keeping it at a temperature of about 7 ° C for about 4 days, and then set it to 17 ° C in good sunny weather and 15 ° C in cloudy weather. At night, maintain a temperature of about 13 ° C. This can be achieved by regulating the flow of cold air with the help of a window leaf.
Of the fertilizers, cow manure is used in an aqueous solution with the addition of 10 g of potassium salt and 15 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water. The growth of radish root crops occurs within one and a half to three months, so the crop is selected selectively.
Features of care and pest control
Watering for radishes is a necessary thing, so it should be carried out two to three times a day. But if the radish in the open ground receives a lot of moisture - in the rainy spring, it can over-ripen - glass, crack and rot.
The main pest for radishes is the cruciferous flea, which is fought with "clean" solutions that do not have chemistry. This is done because the radish quickly ripens, and the root crops do not have time to free themselves from it.
It can be infused tobacco dust or ash. Such a tool not only has a protective effect, but also is an additional top dressing for radishes.