Radish is an early ripening cold-resistant photophilous vegetable crop with juicy root crops. It grows both in open ground and under the film. The homeland of radish is China. They began to grow vegetables in Russia at the personal direction of Peter I.
The ripening period is 18-25 days. This is the earliest
spring vegetable, therefore it is grown everywhere, helps the human body to regain strength after winter. The radish has many vitamins (B, C), enzymes, contains
organic acids, trace elements (potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium). It cleanses the body of toxins, breaks down fat.
How to grow a radish
The optimum temperature for radish growth is 16-20 ° C. It gives a good harvest on fertile, drained, slightly acidic soils, likes open areas illuminated by the sun. Beds in the open ground can be done from the second half of April, in greenhouses - from the end of February. When planting a vegetable in the summer, it is better to choose a place with little shade. Root crops withstand frosts up to -5˚.
The selected area is heated by pouring hot water at a temperature of 50 ° C, digged to the depth of the shovel. Then nutrients (peat, mineral fertilizers) are introduced and again digged with a pitchfork. On a bed thus prepared, grooves are made about 12 cm wide and 2 cm deep. Seeds pre-soaked for several hours are sown with an interval of 3 cm.
After a week, the seedlings are thinned out, the weakest and most deformed sprouts are removed with an interval of 5 cm. Then, watering from a shallow watering can is carried out. When the bed dries out a little, loosen and sprinkle aisles to cotyledonous leaves of plants.
As can be seen from the above description, radish cultivation involves a simple. At the initial stages of growth, the vegetable must be watered often at the rate of 3 l / m2. When root crops begin to pour, watering is halved.
Harvested root vegetables are freed from the tops and stored in plastic bags in a cool place (2-3 ° C) or in the refrigerator. After harvesting, you can plant tomatoes in the vacant place. After radish, they grow well.
Radish - growing. The main mistakes:
- severe thickening of crops;
- low temperature;
- excessive watering;
- the introduction of fresh manure, ash or potash fertilizers;
- dry soil;
- untimely harvesting.
This all leads to the fact that the vegetable goes in arrows, blooms, root crops become small, crack, leaves grow.
Radish - growing. Pest control
The most common diseases are:
1. Cruciferous fleas
Dry mustard or ground pepper (black and red) helps to cope with them. They need to be scattered between rows before loosening in the amount of 1 teaspoon per square meter. Top leaves can be sprayed with tobacco dust, ash, garlic infusion.
2. Kila
This viral disease appears on acidic soils. Outgrowths form on the roots of the fruit. It is better to destroy such a radish right away.
Radish - growing. Advice
It is undesirable to grow a vegetable in mid-summer. Under the influence of a long daylight, it becomes bitter, shallow, shoots arrows. To prevent this, the screen from the black film will help for several hours a day.
In order not to injure root crops by thinning, you can immediately sow one healthy seed with an interval of 5 cm.
In dry weather, you can not leave the vegetable without watering for more than 3 hours, otherwise it will develop incorrectly, it will become hard and bitter.
Great neighbors for radishes are onions and carrots. He does not like places after cultivating cabbage, radish, daikon.
Thus, growing radishes is not a troublesome task, the main thing is timely weeding and watering. If desired, the root crop can be planted on the balcony. Shelter with any non-woven material will help protect the crop from pests.