Radish (lat. Radix - "root") is a one-year cold-resistant and light-loving culture belonging to the Radish family of the Cabbage family. The redice is quite unpretentious in its care and little time passes from germination to the first harvest.
The fruits of the radish have a juicy, pungent taste and contain many substances useful for the body. From this article you can learn about how to plant radishes at home, what conditions are required and how to choose the best time for planting.
Only the right combination of the selected variety, time and conditions will bring the desired yield. There are also other important steps to harvest: seed preparation, proper care of the seedlings.
Can I plant a radish at home?
Radishes are easy to plant and grow at home. To do this, you must read information about the correct selection of soil, packaging and the most appropriate varieties, the nuances of planting and caring for the root. Then determine a suitable place for landing in the apartment: sufficiently lit and warm.
In the open ground radishes are usually sown in early March-April. At home, radishes can be grown all year round, thanks to its ability to self-pollination and the ability to maintain optimal heat and light-mode for the plant.
Is it convenient to use the balcony?
If the balcony is not insulated and glazed cultivation is possible only in spring and summer. Depending on the region, starting from April-May (upon reaching a stable daytime positive temperature above 12 ° C). Also if the balcony is located on the north side, the plant may lack lightthat will affect the growth of the fetus plant.
The advantage of the balcony is the availability of more landing space and fresh air. Growing seedlings in this way, you can create a mini-greenhouse in case the balcony is glazed. especially good option, if the balcony has a floor heating system, then the seedlings are not afraid of frost.
The necessary conditions
- The optimal placement of seedlings is the window sill on the south side with a long daylight hours (10-12 hours).
- Additional lighting in the winter.
- The light should fall evenly so that the shoots do not stretch in one direction.
- The average daily temperature for good growth is + 15-17 ° С, at night - + 6-8 ° С.
In the summer, seedlings must be covered with agrofiber after 5 pm manually adjusting the length of daylight.
Important! When growing radish in winter, the pot should not be placed in the vicinity of the battery and other heating devices.
How many days does a vegetable grow?
For growing at home, it is preferable to early-ripening varieties, yielding a harvest for 18-23 days after germination. Re-seeding in the same soil can be performed at intervals of 10-14 days.
What capacity to use?
What to grow radish? As a landing tank, you can use:
- wooden box;
- plastic container with drainage holes;
- special container with individual cells;
- paper or plastic cups;
- egg cassettes;
- clay or ceramic vases.
Any container should have a height of at least 14 cm. and the width corresponding to the sill. Each tank should be provided with a drip pan and have drainage holes to drain excess moisture.
How to choose a time?
People often ask: is it possible to plant radishes in spring, for example, in April, or in winter, how does it grow at home at the window?
It should be noted that Radish on the windowsill can be planted at any time of year. Even in the winter, with proper care, the fruits grow quickly and have the same taste and healthy qualities as the spring harvest.
From the conditions of proper care should be observed the presence of a suitable temperature and lit daylight.
Varieties with photos for growing at home
The best are considered varieties with fast ripening, as they are resistant to tsvetushnosti, drought and insufficient lighting.
Firstborn
Firstborn - ultra early hybrid variety with rounded juicy dark red fruits, has a high yield. The root crop is round, red, the flesh is juicy, sweetish. The ripening period is 17-19 days.
Dabel F1
Dutch early variety, produces large red fruits and low tops, does not tolerate very low temperatures. the variety is resistant to the formation of voids in the cavity of the fetus. Maturation term 18 days.
Camelot
The hybrid variety, unpretentious in the care with slightly flattened fruits with red skin and white oily flesh, has good fruit bearing in conditions of insufficient light. The ripening period is 22-24 days.
Estuary
Estuary - early ripe high-yielding variety, root crops of a rounded elliptic form - red with a white tip. The ripening period is 22-23 days.
Duro
Early variety with large bright red fruits (30-40 gr.), Is resistant to stalling and cracking. The variety has a mild taste and crunches wonderfully. Maturing term - 23-25 days.
Richard
Mid-season variety of a rounded oval shape with a ruby-red root and white weak-sharp flesh, characterized by disease-resistance. The ripening period is 25-30 days.
18 days
Ultra fast variety with medium size cylindrical fruit, the taste of the fruits of the variety 18 days juicy and tender. Maturation term - 18-20 days.
Hussar
Early maturing variety, featuring small tops and fast filling of root crops. The flesh is weak-pointed, juicy, without characteristic bitterness, the fruits are round, red. The ripening period is 22-25 days.
Step-by-step instruction
Inventory:
- capacity for soaking seeds;
- wooden dive stick;
- landing tank;
- drainage (expanded clay, gravel or broken brick);
- soil (substrate);
- seeds;
- water;
- potassium permanganate.
Seed preparation
- It is necessary to sort the seeds. If the grains have a brown tint and a stale look, this may mean that they are old and should be disposed of immediately. To check the seedlings can be lowered into the water - suitable will settle to the bottom, and the empty ones will rise to the edge.
- Soak the seeds in warm water (room temperature) a day before the intended planting of the house.
- Place for 2-3 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and immediately plant (prevention of disease).
Sowing
Note! For planting any suitable soil mixture for the germination of vegetable seedlings.
In the pot
- The soil moistened with water is located in a pot.
- The diving stick makes recesses at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other, the depth of the hole is 1.5-2 cm.
- One seed is placed in each well and sprinkled with earth or sand, and the surface is sprayed with a spray.
- The pot is covered with polyethylene or glass and cleaned in a warm place until germination.
- 2-3 days after spitting, the vegetable is hardened in a cool place at a temperature of 7-9 ° C for several days.
For obtaining a sufficient and uniform shoot need to use large pots.
In egg cassettes
This method is considered the most affordable and hygienic:
- cells from under the eggs are treated with alcohol or heated in an oven at 70 ° C;
- the bottom is cut off, thus forming holes;
- the drainage and the substrate moistened with water are placed in a plastic container with holes;
- cells are pressed into the soil;
- each of the seeds is lowered into the middle of each cell, sprinkled with sand on top and watered;
- container as well as the pot is placed before the seedlings emerge in a warm place and create a greenhouse effect, and then the plant is hardened.
Seedling care
- Crockery with seedlings is located in a bright place, with a lack of light, additional lighting is provided by lamps.
- Watering daily, moderate.
- Loosening and earth spud around seedlings is not recommended.
- If the air is dry, spray with a spray bottle.
- With the quality of the soil dressing is optional.
- The difference in daytime (+ 15-17 ° C) and night (+ 6- + 8 ° C) temperatures must be observed.
If the seed planting was too dense, plants must be thinned, leaving a distance of at least 1.5 cm between each fruit. Otherwise, the roots will not be able to grow and develop freely.
How to make sure that the radish is not stretched?
In order for the plants to grow symmetrically and not to stretch, it is necessary to periodically rotate the container with the seedlings so that the light evenly falls on the crops.
Harvesting
Harvesting is done as the root crop is formed, depending on the selected variety. Perederzhivat radishes in the soil is undesirable - the fruits quickly coarsen and become bitter.
Frequent problems
The growth of tops - a sign of improper development of the root, what may result from:
- excess watering and fertilizer;
- too hot climate;
- lack of light;
- too deep seed placement in the soil.
You can try to cut the tops completely to give the fruit the opportunity to grow.
- Strelkovanie (tsvetushnost)- excessive loosening of the soil and thinning of crops.
- Inexpressive taste. The reason - an excess of fertilizer.
- Bitterness The reason - the uneven irrigation.
- Cracking fruit. The reason is a drop in soil moisture and air dryness.
For proper growth, radish needs sufficient watering and a properly selected temperature. In order to avoid problems in the cultivation of radish is required to comply with the recommendations for planting seeds and caring for seedlings. Growing radish on the windowsill will allow you to eat these vegetables, rich in vitamins and minerals, all year round.