Among summer residents and gardeners there has always been an opinion that radish is the most unpretentious early vegetable crop, which almost does not require maintenance. The seeds were sown, pests were prevented and watered. The first crop can be harvested in less than a month. It seemed that radishes can grow on their own at all and always bring a good harvest.
Unfortunately, the current owners of land plots have a lot of complaints and questions about the cultivation of radishes. Either the seed germination is poor, or the roots do not develop to the required average size. Let's try to figure out why these problems arise and how to avoid them?
The main problems when growing radishes
Low seed germination
The reason is that the soil was too cold and with an excess of moisture. Under such conditions, the seeds do not grow, but begin to rot and do not germinate.
The solution is to soak the radish seeds before planting. So that they do not rot from excess moisture, it is better to place them in a bag made of natural fabric and bury it in a small hole on the site about seven days before sowing (no more than twenty centimeters deep). The fabric will maintain moisture, but will prevent decay. Before sowing, the seeds must be dried for two hours.
Root formation does not occur
The reason is that the bed is in the shade (lack of light and heat), and there is also a lack of potassium in the soil.
Solution - when planting seeds, wood ash must be added to the soil, and the radish bed should be in a sunny place.
Poor quality radish - with many fibers or "empty" inside
Causes:
- The soil contains an excess of nitrogen;
- Improper watering (a lot or little moisture in the soil);
- The seeds are sown at great depth;
- Late harvest.
Decision:
- Observe the rules of watering.
- Do not exceed the rate of application of nitrogen-containing dressings.
- Plant the seeds at a depth of no more than five millimeters.
- Do not use manure as fertilizer.
- Root crops should not be overexposed in the beds, but collected on time.
Radish goes into arrows and blooms
Causes:
- Old and too small seeds were used for planting;
- The root system of the plant is damaged;
- The influence of long daylight hours;
- Dry air and too high air temperature.
Decision:
- It is necessary to choose the best quality and only fresh seeds for planting.
- For early planting, use a cover material (opaque).
- Use pinching when thinning crops. Pulling out one plant can damage the root of another nearby.
When to sow radish seeds
Climatic conditions are of great importance for this vegetable crop.Recently, snow can be observed almost mid-April, and after about a month and a half, the real summer heat begins. This spring is practically shrinking in duration. But radishes are most favorable to grow at temperatures from fifteen to eighteen degrees Celsius. It turns out that the hottest weather already begins in May, when the radish should grow and develop. As a result, instead of juicy root crops, bouquets of blooming "tops" are obtained.
Given the current climate change, planting for radishes in May will not yield the expected harvest. Favorable time is March - April or July - August. June is generally not suitable for planting this root crop because of the longest light days, which will only harm the formation of "roots".
There are several options for sowing seeds.
Winter sowing - from October to November
During this period, you need to choose a well-lit area on a small hill, so that in spring the soil warms up faster and melt water does not stagnate. The grooves in the bed should be at least five centimeters deep. The seeds do not need to be presoaked. After sowing the seeds, the grooves must be covered with peat soil or humus (approximately two centimeters), and then with garden soil.
Winter sowing - December to February
Sowing radish during this period is more convenient for those who live in their own home, and the garden is located next to it. The beds should be located in the same area as in the first method. Seeds are planted directly into cold ground, clearing snow from it if necessary. Be sure to cover the beds with a compost or peat layer.
Early spring sowing - from early to mid-March
In the presence of a closed greenhouse, this sowing can be safely carried out in it. With timely and regular watering, in April it will be possible to feast on juicy root crops.
When planting in open ground, it is better to first carry out preparatory work that will help warm up the bed and will not let the seeds die. After about a week, add a special solution with effective microorganisms to the soil and cover the area with a thick film. This will help "revitalize" the soil. Feel free to plant seeds in such soil.
In general, early spring sowing can be carried out directly into the snow or on ice. Snow and ice will seep into the soil as it melts and take the seeds with them. However, too long exposure to wet and cold conditions can destroy the seeds.
Late sowing - July to August
The radish planted during this period usually turns out to be no worse, and sometimes even better, than the early one. It can be planted in areas where vegetables have already been harvested. It is recommended to cover the soil with dry grass immediately after sowing the seeds. Radish grown in these periods of time leaves in arrows in very rare cases.
Radish sowing rules
The place for the radish beds should be in an open area, away from trees and large shrubs, well lit by the sun.
Radishes should not be planted after cruciferous plants, especially after cabbage. The ideal precursors to this crop would be cucumber, tomato, potatoes, squash, beans, and pumpkin.
The soil for planting is suitable for any composition, but always loosened. The grooves are made 2 centimeters deep (on fertile soil) or 4 centimeters (on "poor" soil).
Before sowing seeds, a small layer of fine sand and wood ash should be poured into the beards, and compost will also be the first layer in the "poor" soil. The distance between the seeds is about 5 centimeters, and between the rows - 15 centimeters. With such sowing, plant thinning will not be required in the future. Planting seeds should not be deep - no more than half a centimeter, otherwise the roots will be fibrous.
It is recommended to sow only early maturing radish varieties. Late varieties may not have time to grow and will go to the arrows.
To accelerate the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to soak the seeds (at least for 15-20 minutes) and pre-sort them. Root crops are formed earlier from large seeds. Sowing wet seeds, seedlings will appear in a day, and dry ones will give seedlings only after 4-5 days.
Radish care rules
Radishes need abundant and regular watering (every day, morning and evening). From a lack of moisture, the plant will begin to bloom. The first watering should be done immediately after sowing the seeds.
Immediately it is necessary to mulch the aisles. Freshly cut grass, pine or spruce needles, sawdust are excellent mulch for radishes. She will be able to maintain the necessary moisture in the beds for a long time, which is very important for the growth and development of root crops.
With a free chaotic planting of seeds without observing the intervals between plants, thinning will have to be carried out. Young, but weak plants, five centimeters in height, are recommended to be pinched from above, but in no case pulled out, so as not to damage neighboring, stronger and stronger ones.
It is necessary to take care of the protection of plants from pests in advance. One of the main ones is the cruciferous flea. She feeds on young tender immature seedlings. As protection, you can use a cover made of dense material that will not allow moisture and air to pass through.
At the stage of fruit formation, a large amount of light is contraindicated for radishes. To reduce daylight hours, you can use an opaque cover material, which is used in the afternoon (after about 18.00).
Overexposure of ripe fruits in the soil leads to a loss of juiciness and hollowness, so you need to harvest on time.
