Daikon Sasha: description, photo, reviews

The classic "spicy" root vegetable in the Russian vegetable garden is, of course, a radish. But we are not talking about her, but about a more exotic root vegetable, daikon. We will tell in this material about the recently appeared Daikon Sasha variety, tell about its characteristics, pros and cons. You will also learn about the rules for planting and growing daikon Sasha. We will also touch on the topic of correctly collecting and storing daikon.

Daikon Sasha: variety description

Daikon Sasha: photo

Daikon first appeared in Japan and is currently one of the most popular cultures in this country. The daikon is also widespread in India, Thailand, America and in some parts of Europe. The root crop was introduced to our country at the end of the nineteenth century. Daikon quickly became popular. It does not contain mustard oil and has a mild delicate taste. Daikon is sometimes also called white radish or sweet radish. If you follow the correct agricultural practices of this crop, then you can achieve excellent yielding results, and your fruits will grow crisp, large and juicy. The Sasha variety appeared relatively recently. It has a high level of productivity, so it quickly fell to the taste of summer residents. Also, Sasha has good resistance to cold temperatures, ripens quickly enough, and is also well stored and does not lose its properties.

It must be admitted that most of the varieties grown by the Japanese are not suitable for the climatic conditions of Russia. For this reason, our breeders have come up with a large number of varieties that are adapted to our realities. The Sasha variety officially appeared in the State Register in 1994. Daikon Sasha grows best in the middle lane, but in general it is also suitable for other regions of the country.

Daikon of the Sasha variety belongs to the Cabbage (Cruciferous) family. The fruit has a round shape. Sometimes it is elongated or flattened. The size of root crops is different, usually from five and a half centimeters to eleven centimeters in length. In its middle, the root crop usually has a diameter of five to ten centimeters. The surface of the daikon is usually smooth in texture. The color usually has a slight yellowish tinge. Inside, the daikon is white, dense in texture, crunches well, and usually has no voids.

The daikon tastes slightly sweet with a tangible pungent component. Has a delicate aroma. Daikon foliage is green in color, resembling a lyre in shape. The surface is slightly pubescent. The line of the leaf is usually between 30 and 55 centimeters. Leaves are grouped in a rosette.

Daikon Sasha: characteristics

The Sasha variety is early ripening, even very early! Just imagine, the fruits reach their ripeness in just thirty-five to forty-five days. If the weather is right, then the roots can be harvested in a month! Many experienced gardeners, using this property, grow not one crop in one season, but two or even three. As a rule, about 2.5 kilograms of daikon are collected from one square meter. This is from an open area. And in greenhouse conditions, you can achieve a harvest of four to five kilograms. As a rule, one fruit in its weight reaches two to four hundred grams. When the daikon reaches its full maturity, it can be said to "climb" out of the ground. This greatly simplifies its collection.

Daikon bears fruit well if the soil is sufficiently fertilized. The soil prefers not heavy, neutral.

Sasha can be attacked by harmful insects or infected with diseases. The list of pests and diseases is standard for all cruciferous crops. In order not to have such problems, it is better to carry out the necessary preventive procedures, and also not to forget about weeding weeds and loosening the soil.

After a single planting of the daikon, it is not worth planting the same culture again in the same place, as there is a risk of disease.

This variety has many good qualities. He gives a good harvest at a stable level, is not whimsical in his care. If you have a greenhouse, then you can grow Sasha all year round. Daikon has a good storage capacity. Root crops ripen very quickly, and the seeds of daikon Sasha are capable of storing germination for as many as eight years! This variety does not make high demands on the soil, it is perfect for children. Daikon Sasha is not characterized by early formation of stems.

There are also some disadvantages to the daikon Sasha variety. So, for example, this culture needs stable watering, otherwise there is a risk that Sasha will begin to bloom, and the quality of root crops will become worse. If there are sudden changes in temperature, then the structure of the pulp becomes worse, coarser and too dense. The fruits do not have a uniform size, both small and large roots can be found. If the rules for care are not followed, then the roots may crack.

Daikon Sasha: landing and care, landing dates

Daikon Sasha is planted, as a rule, through seedlings, but the seed method can also be used. It will be good if beans, peas, carrots, tomatoes, beets grew in the garden before the daikon. Do not plant the daikon after crops that are in the Cruciferous family.

Usually in shifts daikon Sasha lands two times per season: in spring (March) and in summer (July). A prerequisite for a normal daikon harvest is the presence of a short daylight hours. Otherwise, the plant will go into color, and you will not wait for root crops. Young plants should be transferred to the garden at a stable daytime temperature of +10 degrees. Root crops after planting in spring can be harvested in May. However, keeping them low. As for April and May, at this time the culture is planted by and large for seeds.

When to plant Daikon Sasha in open ground? It is best, of course, to give preference therefore in the summer. It will give better results. At this time, the day is shortened, the risk of flowering decreases. If you live in the middle lane, it is better to plant the daikon in August. This way you have a better chance of avoiding blooming. Those fruits that you harvested in the fall are able to maintain their qualities for two to three months.

How to fill the ground before planting daikon Sasha? Preparation of the land for planting daikon begins in the fall. Choose areas with lots of light. In the fall, you need to dig up the earth to the depth of a shovel bayonet, and also add one and a half kilograms of organic matter, superphosphate (forty grams), ammonium sulfate (twenty grams) and potassium sulfate (twenty grams). This amount is enough for one square meter. Lime the soil a couple of weeks before if the soil is too acidic.

Level the ground with a rake before sowing your daikon. Seeds are laid in grooves, to a depth of three to four centimeters. The distance should be about sixty centimeters.

Before placing Daikon Sasha seeds in the groove, moisten the soil well, the planting depth should be two to three centimeters. Do not place the seeds too close, as then it will come to thin out your seedlings. The distance between the plants after thinning should be approximately 25 centimeters. It is necessary to leave only the strongest shoots.

It is best to leave the seeds in a manganese solution for a while before sowing. This is necessary for disinfection.

When growing daikon Sasha in a seedling method, sow the seeds in separate containers. These can be glasses, peat pots. So you do not need to dive them into the ground, thereby the safety of the root system will be higher.

Place young plants in the soil, remembering to leave a distance between the plants. Compact the ground a little and mulch. If there is a risk of cold night temperatures, it is better to use a covering material.

This culture does not require much attention. Usually these are standard procedures: removing weeds, watering. You also need to periodically loosen the ground and feed your daikon. The soil should always be slightly damp. When fruits begin to form, water the daikon more often. If there is too little water, then the plant will begin to go into arrowing, and the fruits may crack.

It is also imperative to loosen the soil so that the root system receives the required amount of air. Sprinkle soil over the roots as they grow. After you have thinned your plantings, apply fertilizer. Suitable, for example, nitroammofosk (at the rate of 60 grams per 1 liter of water).

How to properly collect and store daikon

As a rule, harvesting begins after 30 to 40 days. Overripening of root crops should not be allowed, as the formation of arrows will begin, and the taste of the fruits themselves will leave much to be desired. The collection must be carried out in good weather, you cannot wait for the onset of the first frosts. To reach the root vegetable, pull on its green part. If difficulties arise with this, you can carefully use a shovel. After that, dry the daikon, remove the remnants of the earth and tops. You need to put a small part of it, about one to two centimeters.

Do not regret throwing away too small, dry and unhealthy fruits. It is best to store the daikon in a sufficiently cool place (one to two degrees), the air should be sufficiently humid (about 80 - 85%). Ideally, you place the roots in wet sand in a cellar.

If this is not possible, then you can keep the daikon in an untied sachet in the refrigerator. A balcony is also suitable, but this is an extreme option, since it is rather difficult to control the temperature. The fact is that if the roots are kept in subzero temperatures, then their use will become impossible. And if the temperature is more than two degrees, then the daikon will begin to rot.

If you have chosen a refrigerator as a storage facility, then remember that the proximity of a daikon with pears and apples is highly undesirable. Both those and others will lose their taste.

How long is the daikon kept? It depends on the conditions under which root crops are stored. In a room, this is usually a couple of weeks. A daikon can stay on a refrigerator shelf for about one month, but in a basement, a shelf life can reach three months.

About harmful insects, daikon diseases and methods of control

The daikon Sasha variety is attacked by pests and diseases rather infrequently. If it so happened that the plant got sick with some kind of infection, then Bordeaux liquid and copper sulfate can come to the rescue. Inspect your plants from time to time for signs of disease and take appropriate action in time. If the situation is neglected, then you will have to get rid of almost the entire crop and even change the land.

Do not allow your planting to thicken, there should not be too high a temperature and high humidity.

Slurry can be used as a prophylaxis against pests. You can also use tobacco infusion, mustard infusion