When to plant black radish

Both adults and children love to feast on this vegetable. White and black radish are quite spicy dishes, therefore, it is not surprising that the homeland of this product is the East. It was from there that she subsequently emigrated to Europe. Currently, this root crop is becoming very popular, so every year more and more summer residents grow radish on their plots. Although it is black radish that is planted not as often as white, but in vain. This root vegetable contains a lot of vitamins and useful microelements. Radish belongs to the cruciferous family, as well as cabbage, radish. If you peel this vegetable and cut off a piece, then the radish can be a wonderful dish, this sweetly spicy vegetable is very much loved to serve as a snack or side dish. But the useful properties of this root crop are actually countless. Today we will tell you about when to plant black radish, which varieties are best to choose, and also how to care for these root crops. Perhaps you will once and for all change your opinion about this vegetable, and black radish will forever settle on your personal plot.

What time to plant black radish

The most important condition for obtaining a high yield is the correct planting date. This root vegetable has a black skin, however, in the early stages of development, the vegetable is usually colored white, and then it turns black. In shape, this root crop is quite round, it adapts perfectly in new places, therefore, you will now be surprised that the radish can be planted in seedlings. However, this does not make sense, since you can plant this crop directly in open ground, you just need to correctly determine the planting date. It should be immediately noted that this plant loves a short daylight hours, it is under such conditions that it will form a good root crop, and the green mass will grow intensively. Therefore, it is worth considering that if the daylight hours are more than 12 hours, then a flower arrow is immediately thrown out of the radish.

Many vegetable growers blame the fact that the planted crop is a hybrid, so very quickly the root crop becomes unsuitable for human consumption. However, this is not so, the answer is simple, summer residents very often violate the rules of agricultural technology for everything, so the radish throws out the arrow. Another factor that can provoke flowering is heat. Therefore, it is best to plant black radish closer to the end of the growing season. Then you can reap a good harvest and enjoy a delicious vegetable. White radish has a milder taste, and they differ in sharpness. In addition, it is the white varieties that are earlier. Therefore, they are planted in the spring and harvested in the summer. Usually white radish is planted in April, depending on the climatic conditions of a particular region, the sowing time may move. It is an annual crop that forms fruit and produces seeds in one year.

It usually takes no more than 60 days before harvesting. Of course, radishes bear fruit faster, but the white summer radish is larger in size and should not be stored, so it is best to eat this root vegetable fresh. The seeds of this culture germinate early enough, so short-term frosts are not terrible for this culture. It is best to plant this crop in the spring, until the day becomes long. Therefore, until the critical mass grows and flowering begins. If we talk about winter black radish, then this culture takes longer, usually 90 days. Therefore, the plant bears fruit about once every 3 months. This is how black radish can be stored in winter.Over time, it will become even tastier and sweeter. If you follow the storage rules, then this root crop can lie in your basement for almost 8 months, until the next harvest.

Black radish can be harvested after light frost, so it should be planted rather late. The fact is that she also does not like a long day; in such conditions, the radish throws out the flower arrow early. However, remember that frost has a negative effect on the keeping quality of the root crop. Therefore, it is best to harvest the radish in warm weather. Also, do not forget to correlate the sowing time of the culture with the peculiarities of the climate of the region. Keep in mind that root vegetables usually have to ripen by the time the day is longer than the night. If we talk about winter varieties, then you need to take into account the following: it will be necessary to remove the culture before the onset of frost, preferably on a dry day. If we talk about the southern regions, then black radish is usually planted there at the end of July, in the middle lane - at the end of June. Therefore, you need to strictly focus on the characteristics of the climate. But planting black radish in the spring is undesirable, since the roots can crack, so even fresh you will not try the vegetable. Not surprisingly, even in Siberia, winter radish is planted, as it is a very resistant crop.

Some summer residents believe that it is possible to plant black radish before winter, but is this justified? Usually, vegetables are planted in late autumn in order to taste the fruits as soon as possible in the spring, as well as cut off fresh herbs. If there are winter thaws in your region, then you cannot plant this vegetable before winter, since after 2 weeks at above-zero temperatures the radish sprouts, so you can see the first shoots on your site in November or December, which means there are no early fruits in the spring. will no longer be. Some seeds hatch even earlier, as you understand, you should not plant black radish before winter. If you are sure that there will be no winter thaws, then even early spring shoots do not guarantee an early harvest.

Plants can destroy repeated frosts, but if the black radish was able to survive both winter and early spring frosts, then it may well be destroyed by a cruciferous flea, which in early April, at the end of March already begins to parasitize on wild crops. For this insect, black radish is considered a special delicacy, therefore, as you understand, the expended efforts will be in vain, and you will not get any result. Therefore, it is best to plant a black radish in the summer, but if you still want to get an early harvest, then we recommend that you plant a white radish in the spring, it is also very tasty, and yields a harvest already at the beginning of summer.

Sowing black radish

Currently, there are many varieties of radish. As you understand, it can be black and white. However, this culture has much more varieties. In order to choose the right variety, you need to take into account the climatic characteristics of the region where you plan to grow this plant. Those varieties that are included in the State Register of Russia, in fact, are recommended to be grown practically throughout the entire territory of our country. However, depending on when you plant your black radish, you may get the harvest sooner or later. Therefore, it is imperative to adapt to local climatic conditions. Usually in the northern regions it is recommended to grow frost-resistant radish. In order to choose the right variety in the south of our country, you should focus on those crops that are not prone to shooting.

Usually, both black and white radish, with good care, bears fruit everywhere. However, regardless of where you live, you should dig out the harvest only when the temperature outside is above zero, frosts negatively affect the further fate of the products. If we talk about the flower stalk, then you need to grow this crop in a cool environment when the night is longer than the day.Otherwise, the radish will give an arrow, which means that there will be no harvest. As you understand, there are no specific varieties for specific regions, you can grow almost all varieties of this crop in any area, however, you have to play with the timing of planting and harvesting.

If you want to eat fresh vegetables, then you need to choose white radish, it is this crop that is planted in early spring. However, the fruits are not processed, they also cannot be stored, but it is the white radish that has a more delicate taste, therefore, if you do not like spiciness, then you need to give preference to this particular culture. Therefore, we would like to recommend the following varieties: Delicacy, May radish, Sirius, Agata and some others. Usually, the mass of the root crop for these varieties ranges from 50 grams to 400.

If we talk about ripening, it should be noted that usually root crops begin to ripen in 40-60 days. The root crop in these varieties has a different shape, they are white conical, slightly convex, flattened, oval. However, all the early varieties presented are quite high-yielding, so they should be planted in the country. Some varieties can still be stored, but this does not last more than 1 month. But late autumn radish can also be eaten fresh, but you should not leave root crops in winter, it will definitely not survive until the new harvest. For these purposes, we recommend the following varieties to you: Astronomer, he has a pink peel and conical fruits, this variety ripens in about 65 days; Matchmaker variety with small fruits and ripening period of 50 days and Autumn Luck, which ripens in 75 days.

If you want to keep the product until spring, then it is advisable to choose black radish, it contains many useful substances and trace elements, but it is quite spicy with a little bitterness. Here it is just possible and should be stored in the winter. However, I repeat, usually the radish for winter storage is black, not white. Among these varieties, it should be noted a radish under the interesting name Dyadka Chernomor, as from the tale of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Its fruits ripen in 55 days, round in shape, white flesh, pungent taste. Many gardeners like to plant Winter round white and black radish on their plot. These are old tried and tested varieties that keep well in winter. They ripen in 70-110 days. They differ only in the color of the peel, as you understand, for the White Round it is white, and for the Black it is black. Root crops are small, about 300-400 g. The radish tastes spicy, it can be stored for a long time, but there are more than enough nutrients in these root crops.

Another delicious winter radish variety - Nochka, as you understand, its peel is black, the radish ripens within about 70 days, the roots are also small in size. If you want to grow a root crop in the shape of a cylinder, then you need to plant a radish under the same name - Cylinder. This root crop is a bit like a daikon, the radish also ripens in 67 days, the weight of the root crop is usually no more than 200 grams. As you understand, there are many varieties of radish, so you can choose any, no matter in what region you live, everything will grow with you, but do not forget to adapt the timing of planting crops to the climatic features of a particular area.

Black radish seeds

Usually radish is planted in open ground with seeds. Of course, you can grow a radish in a seedling way, but this does not make any sense, the summer is enough for this plant to form good root crops. Therefore, do not waste your time and energy.

Before planting the radish, you will need to dig deep enough into the soil. If you plant this crop in the summer, then it is best to dig up the soil in the fall, if you plant white radish in early spring, then you will also need to loosen the soil either in late autumn or in March.

It is best to grow this crop on alkaline or neutral soil.You can improve the soil structure with sand, peat, or mature compost. If the acidity in your area is increased, then it is best to add wood ash to the soil. Do not add fresh manure to the soil, since due to an excess of nitrogen, the growth of plants is greatly activated, but roots are formed worse, voids are often formed in them, and such a vegetable will not lie for a long time, and its taste will deteriorate.

If you plan to plant a winter radish, then in order for the space on the site not to be empty, you can first plant some greens or dill there. However, do not plant other cruciferous plants, salads in the same place. This is considered the worst neighborhood. In order to plant a radish, you will need to make furrows. Usually, they are no more than 4 cm deep. It is also recommended to add a little wood ash, a few tablespoons of complex mineral fertilizer there, do not forget to water the soil. Remember the distance, the distance in the row spacing should be at least 30 centimeters. If you plant a sufficiently large radish, then you must also maintain the distance between the plants in the garden. On top of the seeds, it is advisable to fall asleep with two centimeters of loose and light soil.

Usually I do not water the furrows again, so that the earthen crusts do not form on the surface of the earth, you can also wash off the seeds with a stream of water, so you do not need to intensively moisten them into the soil. Keep in mind that in the early stages of plant development, you will need to thin out the beds. Sometimes this has to be done quite often. You can transplant very young plants to a new place, the radish perfectly tolerate the pick.

If we talk about the number of seeds, then about one gram contains a little more than 100 seeds, so when you buy seeds in a store, immediately try on, usually one pack is enough for a long time. Very often, the radish is planted in a square-nesting way, for this they do not make grooves, but holes. Several seeds are placed in each planting hole, and when the plants appear, the excess shoots are removed. Remember that the distance between the pits should be at least 15 centimeters, and if you plant large enough root crops, then the distance should be greater. It is advisable not to leave the seeds in water before planting, as they germinate very quickly, literally within one day, in the future this complicates the planting process.

If you want tight and juicy roots to grow on your site, then you need to remember that this crop requires good lighting, regular watering, top dressing and fertile soil. But do not forget that if the sun shines more than 12 hours a day on the plants, then the radish will start up arrows, so you will not see the fruits. This culture does not tolerate heat, as well as fertilizer containing nitrogen in large doses.

Do not plant this crop on dense and acidic soil, do not allow the topsoil to dry out. Thin the beds in time so that the plants have free space for development. Do not let the soil dry out, as the roots can become dry and fibrous and the flesh may not taste good. If you fertilize the soil before planting, then you do not need to feed the culture, the radish usually has enough of those nutrients that are already contained in the soil.

If the sun shines on the plants for too long in your area, then you should cover the beds with impenetrable agrofibre in order to slightly limit the access of light.

Do not forget about weeding, remove weeds from the site in time. In order to deoxidize the soil, it is recommended to add lime milk every 2 weeks to the soil, and the beds should be watered with this solution.

Usually late-ripening varieties are stored for a long time, so it is advisable to feed black radish on time. The first time this should be done when five good leaves are formed on the plant. The second time - during the formation of the root crop.In summer, it is advisable not to apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers to the soil, replace them with mineral fertilizers. Gardeners especially often add wood ash to the soil; black radish really likes this folk remedy. This powder contains a lot of potassium, which is so necessary for this culture.

A month before harvesting, you need to stop watering the beds.

How to plant black radish

In order to collect the seeds, you will need to dig up the plants that are already bearing fruit, then wash the root crop well and send it back to the ground. This should be done in order to select the best fruits that will fully meet the varietal qualities.

Very often, the radish is cross-pollinated, so the seeds will have to be collected for several years. If you began to receive root crops that do not correspond to the varietal qualities of the mother plants, then this means that the seeds will need to be changed. The radish must be dug out carefully, cleaned of excess soil, then all the leaves, except for the main ones, will need to be cut off. After that, the root crop is soaked in clean water. Moreover, it is important to note: you should leave only those vegetables that drown in water, it is these root crops that are considered more suitable for planting and obtaining seeds in the future.

Vegetables should be planted in a well-lit place, the radish should throw out the arrow, green pods, when the seeds in the boxes turn brown, they can be removed. The radish should be pulled out and placed in a dark and ventilated place. There the radish should ripen. After about 2 weeks, the pods should be broken off. Then the seeds are sifted and collected in paper bags. Do not forget to sign the year of collection, as well as make ventilation holes. Typically, these seeds are stored for up to 5 years. If you are growing a winter black radish, which has a two-year development cycle, then you should plant the root crop only next season. If the radish threw out the arrow this summer, this means that the given root crop is unsuitable either for eating or for collecting seeds. Even if you collect these seeds in the first year of planting, then in the future nothing good will grow from them, in any case, the radish will lose its varietal characteristics.

In order to get quality seeds, you will need to select whole root crops, they should be planted in the garden in late spring. You will need to store these vegetables separately from the rest. Stock up on some good vegetables for selection in the spring. Seeds should be collected in the same way as we described earlier. Many gardeners complain that the radish often goes to the arrow. As we mentioned above, most often this happens due to the fact that summer residents violate the planting dates. If the plant develops with a long daylight hours, then the arrow will necessarily form. In order to adjust the lighting mode, you can cover the bed with black aggro material.

Another factor affecting the formation of flower arrows is this temperature regime. In the heat, the radish throws out a lot of flowers. Therefore, in this case, you should take into account the climatic features of a particular area. If the summer is too hot and dry, it is advisable to moisten the soil more often. However, you should not overdo it with moisture either. What is the reason, you ask? Everything is quite simple, the plant believes that due to a lack of moisture, it will need to discard the seeds as soon as possible, completing its life cycle. Therefore, you need to water the radish beds regularly and abundantly.

If you apply too much fertilizer to the soil, which will contain nitrogen, then the roots will also become fibrous, hollow, and the flowering will be intense. Therefore, also do not overdo it with dressings, excess fertilizers are very harmful to this vegetable. Also, do not add fresh manure to the soil, this negatively affects the development of culture.Another factor that stimulates the formation of peduncles is dense and heavy soil. It is not worth growing radish in such a soil. If you do not thin out the beds, it can also speed up the process of flower formation. Young shoots can be transplanted, well-formed roots can be eaten. Therefore, we do not throw anything away, everything goes into action.

Black radish care

This culture is quite unpretentious, so it practically does not get sick. However, lime milk should be regularly added to acidic soil, as this can contribute to root decay, moist soil is also considered a favorable environment for the development of rot, so do not overdo it with watering.

If we talk about pests, then immediately it should be noted that almost all insects that parasitize crucifers like to feast on this plant. Therefore, in order to prevent garden pests from visiting your backyard, do not forget about wormwood, tinctures from wood ash. Sometimes gardeners spray the beds with solutions using tobacco dust or red pepper. For this, you can use other biological preparations. But malofos is very toxic, so you should not treat plants with it. For example, in Europe it is no longer used at all.

Conclusion

As you understand, radish is a fairly resistant plant, it practically does not get sick, and pests do not parasitize on it. However, these root crops contain many useful substances and trace elements that are so necessary for a person. However, in order for the radish to bear fruit well and not let the arrow go, you need to plant this crop in open ground on time. Therefore, if you follow all the rules for caring for plants, and also take into account the climatic conditions of the area where you live, then you will not have any problems with growing radish. In fact, this vegetable is undeservedly forgotten, so try to plant a radish on your plot, as our ancestors did do it decades ago.