The calorie content of this vegetable from the Cabbage family is only 19 kcal per 100 grams of product, and a separate article will be needed to list its beneficial properties. Yes, we are about radishes.
Want to make the path of the root from the garden to the table shorter? Grow on your own balcony! And your okroshka will taste better.
The article tells about the features of home-grown radishes, how to prepare the soil and sow the seeds, as well as about when and how to harvest.
Can I plant at home?
Radishes are one of the few vegetables that could grow on the International Space Station. If astronauts coped with the task in zero gravity conditions, then we can do it at home. By the way, this unpretentious culture will suit those who are going to make a home garden for the first time. We tell in detail what needs to be done to harvest the first crop.
Features
Radish is a frost-resistant plant that can withstand up to –3 ° C. This vegetable does not like heat. A high temperature (more than +25) can even lead to the fact that it will begin to bloom, the fruits will become hard and rather bitter. That is why the most suitable place for growing radish in the apartment will be a balcony. Ideally, if it goes to the south side - the more light, the better.
Differences from growing on the windowsill
If the balcony is too cold, you can break a mini-garden on the windowsill. But here a problem is possible: the radish does not like heat, and therefore hot radiators. This may prevent the creation of suitable conditions.
Home conditions for the cultivation of radish
For any plant grown at home, It is important to create a suitable microclimate that consists of the following factors:
- temperature;
- lighting;
- air humidity.
At room temperature, the radish stalk will be stretched, bent, and the roots will become flabby and tasteless. Suitable for growing will be 12-18 ° C heat.
The optimum light mode is 12 hours. Increasing the lighting period can lead to flowering. But for high yields, it is important that the plant receives the amount of light it needs. And if the balcony faces the north side, you should think about additional lighting.
From time to time, humidify the air over your bed of the spray gun: radish likes a humidity of 65-80%.
In which capacity to put the seeds?
For planting radish on the balcony will fit a wooden box or capacity from several compartments. At the same time, the height of the walls should be at least 15 cm. But you can simplify your task by picking up 1.5-2 l plastic bottles as pots for growing radish. In the bottom of such a container, you need to make drain holes - the radish does not like overflow.
The right time
In central Russia, the best time to break up beds with radishes on the balcony is April and May. The air temperature at this time rises to +10 ° C, and the light day increases. You can experiment with the timing, starting landing in February.
Growing step by step
Variety selection
When choosing a variety of radish for a home garden, buy early-ripening species, able to give a crop in 3-4 weeks from planting. Drought resistance and adaptability to low light are also important.
Here's what to look for in the store assortment:
- "16 days", probably the earliest variety of radishes. Large bright red fruits are ready for harvest within 16-18 days after sowing. If not collected on time, can become harsh.
- "Diego" - A hybrid of up to 5 cm in diameter. The ripening period is 18-25 days. It tolerates low temperatures well, and its fruits remain juicy and crispy for a long time.
- "Deca" - can be served at a table 20-30 days after germination. Raspberry root crops grow more than 3 cm and are in no hurry to release arrows that can bloom and spoil the harvest. "Champion" will be ready for use in 25-28 days from disembarkation. It should not be afraid that the roots will become sluggish or hollow.
- "French breakfast" - It is famous for its early ripening, as well as for the fact that its pink radishes remain tender and crispy for a long time after ripening.
- "Carmen" - 20-24 days before harvest. Beautiful bright red fruit with juicy sharp pulp.
Where and for how much can you buy seeds?
Buy seeds of various vegetables today is not a problem: racks with them can be seen in ordinary supermarkets, specialized stores. And the price for a bag of seeds on average will be 15-20 rubles. It is worth paying attention to the manufacturer: it must be proven and well-proven.
Necessary inventory
A universal blend for vegetable crops will be suitable as a radish soil. - it is not difficult to find in any store for gardeners and gardeners. It is saturated with oxygen, humus and minerals. Collecting land on the street is not the best option. It may be insects that can destroy the crop. By the way, many home gardeners before planting, even purchased soil is calcined in the oven to destroy pathogens.
It is very important to create optimal lighting. To do this, you can use fluorescent lamps or phytolamps. The latter are made on the basis of LED-panels, do not consume much electricity and produce a favorable light spectrum for plants, which contributes to their early maturation. You will also come in handy: garden gloves, a spray bottle, a mini-rake or a scoop for loosening.
Training
Before planting, you need to sort the seeds and remove the grain with damage or stains - in general, everything that looks suspicious. The correct seeds will be:
- the same size;
- Brown color;
- no gray bloom and musty odor.
A day before sowing seeds should be soaked in a very weak solution of potassium permanganate: This will help to disinfect the surface and protect the seedlings from infections. By the way, soaking in wet gauze will help seed germination, especially those who have been waiting for their turn. But only if the grains are not treated with a special substance that accelerates the growth of the plant.
Landing
The planting of grains in the substrate can be carried out in the apartment, and only then put the container with seedlings on the balcony. For this:
- wet the soil well, but not to the state of the swamp;
- make in the ground recesses of 1.5-2 cm;
- if there are several seeds in one pot, make a distance of at least 6 cm between plantings;
- drop one seed into each planting well;
- sprinkle seeds with soil;
- moisten the soil with water from a spray bottle;
- Cover the pot with a transparent film to prevent the soil from drying out.
Care
3-4 days after the appearance of the first shoots, the covering film must be removed. And then go to the hardening of seedlings. To do this, place the pot for a couple of days in a room with a temperature of 6-8 ° C. This is enough for the radish seedlings to adapt to the new temperature regime and withstand the possible sudden change in the microclimate. In the future, keep the temperature for growing 16-18 ° C.
Watering the radish is necessary as the soil dries. water at room temperature. Overflow can lead to decay of the roots.
It is useful to loosen the ground around young shoots from time to time to ensure better oxygen penetration to the roots. A regular tap would do, but let it stand for 2-3 days.
The precocity of radish reduces the need for fertilizing and fertilizer use, which makes it truly environmentally friendly. But for better yields, you can use biohumus for radish potatoes or carrots, following the instructions on the package. Also, some gardeners feed two weeks before harvesting with a potassium salt solution: 15–17 g per 10 liters of water. If the balcony does not have enough natural light, use additional lighting.
When and how to collect?
Harvesting radishes begin to selectively, as the ripening of the roots. Skip the right moment is difficult: the fruits will already be visible on the surface. Once they reach a size of 1-3 cm, then you can collect. Do not overdo it: the radish will lose juiciness and crack.
What if the night frost? If the weather forecast promises a strong decrease in temperature, you need to cover the pot with a film, arranging a kind of greenhouse. Lamps for additional lighting of plants will also increase the temperature.
Growing radish on the balcony will provide vitamins for the whole season, because the crop can be removed several times. And most importantly, personally grown radish is many times tastier than the one that lies on the counter. See for yourself!
