Radishes, which form edible root vegetables, are members of the Brassica family (formerly called Cruciferae because of their four-petalled flowers). It was domesticated in Europe before the creation of the Roman Empire. Currently grown and consumed all over the world in its raw form as a crunchy salad vegetable with a high content of vitamins beneficial to humans. It has a huge variety of varieties in shape, root color and ripening time. Sometimes grown together with other vegetables as a compacting crop or as a.
The seeds germinate very quickly in the soil and form a root crop in a short time. For the vast majority of varieties, the main crop is ready for harvest within 3-4 weeks, with the exception of daikons, also related to radishes, which take several months to ripen. Some varieties are grown for seeds for oil.
Sometimes not only root vegetables are eaten, but also juicy tender leaves, which also accumulate vitamins.
The only place where scientists have discovered truly wild forms of radishes is Southeast Asia. India, China and Central Asia became secondary habitats where various forms were developed. Roman and Greek farmers at the beginning of our era introduced into the culture radishes with a round and elongated shape, a sweet and spicy taste, and various fruit colors from white to purple. The largest radish was grown in the mid-16th century, weighing 45 kg.
Biological features of cultivation
Radishes grow very quickly and you can get up to four harvests per season. Seeds in moist soil and at temperatures from +18 to +25 degrees germinate within 3-4 days. In laboratory conditions, when air and water are passed through the seeds, the first sprouts appear within 18 hours. Radishes are long-day plants, and when the daytime solstice lasts more than 13 hours, they begin to flower. The best conditions for the formation of root crops are in the range from +10 to +18 degrees. Under average conditions, the first harvest of most varieties is ready for harvest in 18-25 days; in colder temperatures, this period can extend to 6-8 weeks.
Light sandy loam soils are most suitable for the growth of root crops. It is unacceptable to bring the top layer of soil to a dry state during seed germination, as this can lead to a severe delay in the emergence of seedlings and even their death.
Radishes do not compete with weeds, so the area for sowing must be free of weeds.
After harvesting, root vegetables are stored at room temperature without loss of consumer qualities for 2-3 days, so it is recommended to store them in the refrigerator without leaves at a temperature of +3...+6 degrees.
Radish planting and care has a number of features, which we will consider in more detail.
Sowing methods or how to plant radishes correctly
It is necessary to follow simple rules in order to get friendly shoots. Planting radishes in a greenhouse is done by placing the seeds in furrows at equal distances. The depth of planting affects the shape of the formed radish. If sowed very deeply, the root crops turn out to be elongated; if sowed too shallow, the seeds may dry out, fail to germinate, and a superficial root system is formed, which provides little nutrients to the plant. The optimal seed sowing depth is 1-1.5 cm.
- Manual sowing
The most painstaking, but also the most reliable way of sowing radish seeds. It is used for small garden areas, up to 10 square meters. First, make a furrow 1-2 cm deep in the garden bed. Dry or soaked seeds are used. Take one seed at a time with your hands, gently pressing it between your thumb and forefinger, and place it in the groove. The seeds have rather delicate coverings, so they cannot be squeezed or rubbed too much in your hands; if they are damaged, they lose their viability and die. The distance between the seeds depends on the varietal size of the root crop and ranges from 4 to 10 cm. For the convenience of measuring the same distance, you can use a matchbox with a side length of 5 cm. Having laid the seeds on the bottom of the groove, they are carefully sprinkled with earth, preventing displacement. Then compact the soil from above with a light roller or wide board to improve seed-to-soil contact without over-compacting. After sowing, abundant watering is required until puddles begin to form, but do not overwater, as the seeds may float to the surface.
- Sowing with a seeder
If the bed for radishes is more than 10 square meters, then it is better to use a mechanical hand seeder.
There are various types of planters, including single-row, double-row, and belt. Their main task is to evenly distribute the seeds along the furrow. Planting radishes in a greenhouse with their help is possible only with dry seeds, since they are severely injured with this method. Before use, the seeder is adjusted to the optimal depth and seeding rate. They are usually driven by a wheel on the seeding unit. When sowing, it is necessary to control how the process occurs; to do this, dig up the soil and evaluate the uniformity and depth of sowing. If there is a deviation from the specified parameters, the seeder is reconfigured. The disadvantage of this method of sowing is the inability to correct an incorrectly sown bed, but with sufficient skill it is possible to sow a fairly large area in a short time.
- Sowing with ribbons
On quiet, long winter evenings, there is an opportunity to prepare for the fastest way to sow radishes in a greenhouse and stick the seeds on paper tapes. They should be 0.5 cm wide and 2-2.5 m long. Mark them with a pencil every 5 cm. Boil the paste from starch and water until creamy. Then, using it, the seeds are glued to the designated places on the tape. This is quite painstaking work, but it significantly speeds up sowing.
When the time comes to plant radishes, make grooves of the required depth and place prepared ribbons with seeds on the bottom. They are then sprinkled with soil, tamped down and watered. Water soaks the paste and paper and the seeds germinate freely, being at a precisely specified distance.
There are other ways to plant radishes (sowing seeds, mixing with paste and sowing through a bottle), but they do not provide uniform distribution of seeds and are not considered, because then it is necessary to thin out the seedlings.
The best sowing dates and when to plant radishes in a greenhouse
Taking into account the biological characteristics of radishes, root crops can be obtained from April to June and from September to January in a greenhouse with a film or glass cover. In winter, radishes are difficult to grow due to lack of light, but in summer, radishes bloom.
Under film covers in the spring, sowing dates are determined by soil temperature. Sowing seeds can be done when it is warmed up to +12...+15 degrees; such conditions usually occur in early April. After the emergence of seedlings, the film is opened during the day to prevent overheating of the plants, and closed back at night. When the average daytime air temperature approaches +25 degrees, the film is not closed, but is not removed in case of cold weather. Radishes in a greenhouse tolerate short-term frosts down to -3 degrees, but it is better to cover the plants when they are forecast.
After 4-6 weeks, you can sow radishes a second time in order to continue harvesting them until the beginning of summer. In the second rotation, film covers are used only during the period of seedling emergence. After this, the film is removed completely.
In the autumn in September, radishes are sown in a film greenhouse, when the air temperature drops below +25 degrees. Due to high temperatures, seeds may die or root crops may not form. Autumn radishes are the most delicious, as there is still plenty of sunlight, which contributes to the accumulation of sugar.
From November to January, radishes can only be grown in glass greenhouses. In them, temperature conditions are easily regulated by heating, so during this period sowing is done on any convenient day. During the period of germination it is maintained at +25 degrees, and during the period of growth and setting of root crops during the day + 22...+25 degrees, at night +15...+18 degrees. Selected for winter growing.
We hope that comprehensive information has been provided on how and when to plant radishes in a greenhouse, which will allow gardeners to harvest radishes almost all year round
Seasonal consumption of fresh greens has long become year-round. For this purpose, greenhouses are built even in the coldest regions. Greenhouse farming requires special agricultural technology for growing crops. This comes at a high cost in the dead of winter to heat and light large areas. Growing radishes in a greenhouse, forcing onions and lettuce will cause fewer difficulties. These crops grow quickly; several turns can be made during the winter.
Soil preparation
Radish roots go into the soil to a depth of 25 cm. Therefore, sowing in the ground requires a loose fertile substrate, which will be filled per hundred square meters:
- humus – 500 kg;
- – 3.0-4.5 kg;
- potassium magnesium – 3.0 or sulfate – 1.8 kg;
- ammonium nitrate – 2.5 kg.
Careful digging of the soil with these components will ensure the rapid development of radishes. You cannot use fresh manure; the radishes will be tasteless and tough.
Winter sowing of radishes on the soil requires heating. A warm water or electrical circuit must be installed. Another heating method would be to base the beds using biofuel. Plant residues and manure laid down burn and release heat; the ground remains optimally heated in the middle of winter. Such a bed can work when growing radishes in a greenhouse in the fall.
Without heating the soil, winter cultivation can be done on racks in containers. This allows you to increase the use of the warm circuit many times over. Radishes grow in small containers and are applicable in this case.
It is not economically feasible to grow vegetables in small country greenhouses during the coldest months, December and January. It is difficult to retain heat in a small volume in cold weather. Industrial large heated greenhouses operate regardless of the outside temperature.
Temperature and light conditions
In order for the seeds to quickly sprout, a soil temperature of about 18 degrees is required. Seeds can sprout even at 3 degrees, but development will be slow. When to sow radishes becomes clear once the greenhouse is ready. Only by observing the lighting and thermal conditions can you get a full harvest.
To speed up germination and obtain cotyledons, you can sow thickly in a bowl and plant the finished seedlings in a permanent place. At the same time, the survival rate of radishes is excellent, and the growing period is reduced.
For the development of root crops after germination, the temperature in the ground is 10 degrees, when filling it is 15-18. If the illumination standards of 1300-1500 lux are observed, the root crop will grow standard. The temperature in the greenhouse is regulated. At night it should not exceed 10 degrees; on a cloudy day 12 is enough. With insufficient lighting or with increased daylight, bolting occurs. Therefore, it is important to establish an optimal supplementary lighting regime in the winter greenhouse.
Heating of the greenhouse in winter can be done with a wood waste stove with exhaust pipes running around the perimeter, or by installing propane or electric heaters. In this case, it is necessary to provide for heating water for irrigation and maintaining humidity within 70%.
How to plant radishes
Radish seeds must be greenhouse grown and fresh. Preparation for sowing consists of treating them in a solution of potassium permanganate and germinating them. Sowing radishes can be done in several ways:
- private;
- under the marker;
- cassette.
The seeds in the row and under the marker are buried 2 cm. It is in the depths of the soil that, subject to other conditions, a larger root crop develops. The distance between the rows should be about 10 cm, with continuous sowing 5x5 cm. Sufficient passage is left between the tapes for maintenance. The cassettes are assembled into blocks and have an area for root crop development of 5x5 cm. The blocks are placed both in floor ridges and on multi-tiered racks.
It is the cassette method that allows you to grow radishes in a greenhouse on racks and fully use the heated volume. In this case, radishes in cassettes should be watered by supplying water or a fertilizer mixture from below, through the drainage hole.
How to grow radishes
In an unheated greenhouse, the source of warm earth is biofuel. In this case, the radish roots should not touch fresh manure. The temperature during seed germination should be 18 degrees, when the rosette develops 10, when filling 18-20. Radish seeds grown by seedlings will allow you to bypass the first stage of temperature rise and reduce the time the root crop spends in the greenhouse.
less than 900 lux will delay the development of root crops and become one of the factors for bolting. The elongation of tops is facilitated by daytime temperatures above 24 degrees and daylight hours of more than 12 hours. The higher the illumination and lower the temperature, the larger the root crops are formed. How to grow radishes ,
if the greenhouse is not equipped with lighting? In low light conditions, dense plantings and high temperatures, root crops do not form.
When the soil dries out, the taste of radishes deteriorates. Watering should be 2 times a week with a consumption of 15 liters of water per square area. It is advisable to use sprinkling, especially at high temperatures. Watering plants can be combined with fertilizing. We allow drip irrigation and filling of pallets using the cassette method.
Dangerous pests of radishes in a greenhouse are cruciferous flea beetles. You can get rid of them using ash and tobacco dust. But sometimes an invasion of field mice can be disastrous. You can get rid of them by placing a cat in the greenhouse or catching pests using plant bait.
Bacterial diseases downy mildew and bacteriosis are possible if ventilation is not maintained and plantings are thickened. It is necessary to choose resistant varieties of radish for sowing.
The growing season for growing root vegetables in a greenhouse takes approximately 45 days. It is optimal to harvest two radish crops in the off-season, and then use the greenhouse for growing heat-loving crops.
Video about growing radishes
The consumption of greens and many vegetables has long been all-season. Greenhouse farms are being built and successfully developed even in cold northern latitudes. The colder the climate, the more serious the requirements for equipment and conditions are imposed by agricultural technology for growing heat-loving crops. But some of them can also be grown in homemade non-industrial greenhouses, for example, radishes. It grows and ripens quickly, so you can manage to make several revolutions during the cold period.
Seed selection and preparation
Special varieties can be found on sale for greenhouse cultivation. And, although they, as a rule, have already been processed, they need to be given a little more attention. If there are a lot of seeds, you need to select the best ones. First of all, calibrate, select the largest seeds, preferably 3 mm in diameter and larger. Then pour warm water and wait a while until some of the seeds sink to the bottom. Those that remain afloat are most likely empty and will not sprout. Now you should strain out the seeds that have sunk to the bottom and place them in a weak manganese solution for half an hour. After the disinfection procedure, the seed material should be placed in a moistened cloth for germination. This will take 2-4 days depending on its quality and room temperature.
Soil preparation
It is necessary to start preparing the soil for planting a couple of months in advance. If the greenhouse is located on natural soil, in the fall you will need to remove all roots and plant debris from it and add humus or compost. Digging for planting is necessary at least 25 cm. The crop prefers well-drained soils with a neutral pH. If the land does not meet these conditions, its indicators need to be adjusted. To increase drainage properties, add wood ash, peat or a small amount of river sand. Increased acidity requires the addition of dolomite chips or slaked lime.
Fresh manure is not used in the greenhouse method of growing radishes; its presence will make it tough and tasteless.
You can also grow radishes in a greenhouse in boxes, thick plastic bags, or specially made containers.
The optimal soil composition for greenhouse radish cultivation based on sowing an area of 1 sq.m.:
- 0.5 t of humus;
- 3-4 kg of superphosphate;
- 3 kg of calimagnesia or 1.8-2 kg of sulfate;
- 2.5 kg of ammonium nitrate.
All components must be thoroughly mixed before application, and then the soil must be dug up along with them.
It is recommended to apply complex fertilizing to soil that is depleted after several vegetable plantings; the bark contains phosphorus and potassium.
2-3 days before planting, the soil is watered with hot water and covered with film to increase the temperature. Radish seeds must be planted in already warmed soil. In spring, additional heating is not required; the ground under the film will warm up naturally.
Landing
In the prepared and heated bed, grooves are made 2-3 cm deep at a distance of 8-10 cm from each other. Sowing is carried out manually in previously well-moistened furrows. If the seeds have been sorted, they can be immediately placed in a checkerboard pattern approximately 3-4 cm from each other along the entire length of the furrow. You will have to tinker, but there will be no need for thinning after emergence. If the seeds are planted densely, after the appearance of two true leaves, the sprouts should be thinned out, removing all weak ones and all unnecessary ones.
It is optimal to bury the seeds by 1.5-2 cm. For the superficial root system of radishes, this will be enough, and the root crop at this depth will have an optimal size. After planting and sprinkling with soil, the surface is effortlessly compacted and well watered.
To speed up germination, you can use the seedling method. To do this, thicken sowing into a small container, and then picking the finished sprouts to a permanent place. This crop takes root easily, and this technique shortens the growing season.
Temperature regime and soil heating
In a winter greenhouse on natural soil, it is necessary to lay an electric or water circuit in the ground for heating. In conditions of not too low temperatures, biofuel - manure and plant residues - can become a heat source. The soil will remain optimally heated during fall or early spring planting conditions.
If heating the soil is difficult, container growing using racks raised above the ground may be an option. During the entire growing period, the temperature regime must be adjusted several times. During the first days, it is advisable to maintain low values within 15C, this will speed up germination. Then the thermometer needs to be lowered to 8-10C so that the sprouts do not elongate. After the tops get stronger, you need to create conditions at 18-20C for better formation of root crops.
Watering and fertilizing
The supply of water and nutrient mixtures with the cassette method of cultivation should be carried out through drainage, from below. In other cases, sprinkling is practiced. Before emergence, it is necessary to water daily, then once every 2-3 days. Drying out the soil is unacceptable, since this causes the skin of the root crops to become rough, and then, after abundant moisture, they can crack.
After the watering procedure, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse to avoid increased dampness, which can provoke fungal diseases. Ventilation is also required when the air temperature is too high, above 20-24C.
Greenhouses made of polycarbonate require more careful control of temperature and humidity due to the rapid heating of the structure. In spring and autumn, this has a positive effect on the growth and development of root crops. In winter, too warm air is undesirable, since the radishes will grow as tops, and the root crops will remain underdeveloped.
Fertilizing greenhouse radishes grown in a properly composed substrate is necessary only if several crops of vegetables have already been grown in this place. In other cases it is not required. For feeding, conventional nutrient mixtures intended for vegetable crops are used.
Lighting
The optimal daylight hours for radish ripening is 12 hours. In winter you will have to think about additional lighting. For illumination, ordinary fluorescent lamps are used. In spring greenhouses (late March - early April), additional light may no longer be needed.
Longer daylight hours are also undesirable for growing this vegetable crop in greenhouse conditions, as are too short ones. This can lead to the spontaneous ejection of peduncles, which sharply reduces the quality of the crop. Therefore, in the summer or late spring, it is recommended to use a dark film, which is used to cover the structure from above in the evenings.
Diseases and pests
Using soil from the garden leaves a danger of infection, so greenhouse crops can suffer from the same diseases as in open ground. In addition, increased humidity and heat can lead to the formation of fungus. Against fungal diseases, an aqueous solution of soap or wood ash is used per 10 liters of water, 1 glass of ash or 50 g of fragrance-free laundry soap.
The most common pest that affects radishes is the cruciferous flea beetle, which is also afraid of ash. Tobacco dust also repels her.
In the absence of ventilation or dense plantings, sometimes the crops are affected by bacteriosis and powdery mildew.
During the cold season, field mice can pose an unexpected danger. It’s not easy to fight them, just like in granaries.
You can temporarily place a cat indoors or use other known methods of rodent control.
It is best to grow radishes in protected ground in the off-season, and at other times use the space for growing more valuable heat-loving crops with a relatively short growing season. It should also be taken into account that it is not advisable to plant this vegetable in small country greenhouses in winter, since maintaining the required temperatures in a small circuit is difficult and large daily fluctuations will be observed. In general, growing radishes in protected soil is not a troublesome task. If you supplement your crops with fresh herbs, you can provide your family with a full-fledged vitamin table all year round.
We have two on our site. In one of them grapes grow and bear fruit, in the other cucumbers and nightshades get along well. Everyone knows that even an unheated greenhouse expands the capabilities of gardeners. But often its reserves are not fully used. For example, the opportunity to get an early harvest of radishes and vitamin-rich greens is missed. At the same time, those crops that are already growing in the greenhouse (in our case,) should not suffer. You should also not shift the planting dates for cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and other crops for which the greenhouse was built.
Greenhouse with grapes planted in April
What varieties of radishes do I grow in the greenhouse in the spring?
The first radish is the most delicious. She is good in every way. This is not only a tasty, vitamin-rich and environmentally friendly food product, but also the incomparable satisfaction and delight that you experience when tasting the results of your labors.
Immediately cut off the “tail” with the remaining soil, and then wash the radishes
I sow only early and mid-ripening varieties in an unheated greenhouse in early spring. At this time, I allow myself some “liberty”: I ignore the recommendations printed on the seed bags to grow the variety either in open ground or under cover. I take them into account during later sowings. The area that I allocate for this crop is not so large, so I have to select only varieties that I have tested or those recommended by gardeners I know. Here are a few (in alphabetical order) that I find delicious and reliable:
« Alba"(tender and juicy white root vegetable; growing season 23 - 32 days);
« Virovsky white"(a white, sweet, fairly large root vegetable that can be stored well in the refrigerator; growing season is 23 - 32 days);
« Heat"(red-raspberry root vegetable with mildly pungent sweet pulp; growing season 18 - 27 days);
« Zarya"(red-raspberry root vegetable with a pleasant bitterness; growing season 18 - 27 days);
« Liman"(red root vegetable with a white tip with very tender crispy white pulp; early ripening variety: growing season 22 - 23 days);
« Early red"(intense red large root vegetable with white sweet pulp, perfectly stored in the refrigerator; growing season 24 - 31 days);
« Resident"(red-raspberry juicy sweet root vegetable; growing season 21 - 25 days);
Delicious “Resident” variety with juicy, mildly spicy sweet root vegetable
« Rose red with white tip"(pink-red root vegetable with a slight bitterness; growing season 23 - 30 days);
« Ruby"(a beautiful red-crimson root vegetable with white, slightly sharp flesh, quickly fades; growing season 26 - 32 days);
« Greenhouse"(pink-red root vegetable with a white tip, it has tender juicy pulp; growing season 28 - 32 days);
« French breakfast"(elongated red root vegetable with a white tip, pulp without obvious bitterness; early ripening: growing season 21 - 24 days);
« 18 days"(cylindrical root crop has a pink upper part and a white tip; early ripening variety: growing season 18 - 20 days).
Some details of sowing radish seeds
There is no need to list the advantages of this culture. Everyone knows them. Spring is the best time to grow it, when you shouldn’t bother yourself with various ways to artificially reduce daylight hours to 13 hours. For example, shading with black non-woven material or various boxes and crates. Too short daylight hours are also not suitable for radishes.
Before sowing, I water the soil in the furrows with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and “salt” it with wood ash. I discard small seeds. I place the seeds in grooves at a distance of about 3 cm (large-fruited variety “Early Red” - 5 cm) from each other. Then I sprinkle them with soil so that the sowing depth is 1 - 1.5 cm, otherwise the shape of the root crop may be deformed. Buried crops often lead to unfriendly seedlings or make germination difficult.
Strong thickening reduces the final yield, deteriorates the quality of root crops and lengthens the growing season.
We combine the collection of root crops with thinning
Cool air (even spring frost) cannot destroy crops, but it can slow down their growth. The optimal temperature is 18 - 22°C.
Often when planting, I mix seeds of several varieties with the same growing season. This is a safety net in case of poor germination of low-quality seeds. In addition, it then becomes possible to harvest crops in a short period of time, freeing up land for other crops.
It is worth mentioning the timing of sowing seeds in an unheated greenhouse or greenhouse. I start in April, although there were years when I sowed radishes at the end of March. I carry out the last sowings in mid-May (in cold and rainy weather).
In order to have juicy radishes on the table all spring, it is worth choosing varieties of different early ripening varieties. There is another option: sowing seeds at intervals of approximately 14 days, focusing on two true leaves of seedlings from the previous sowing.
Caring for radish crops
The soil. The most suitable type of soil is loose, slightly acidic or neutral (in acidity) sandy loam, loamy soil or chernozem. In order for a full-fledged root crop to form, well-cultivated soil is needed.
Watering. Radishes have a weak root system, so regular watering supplies the entire plant with moisture, including the rapidly increasing root crop. Otherwise, it will not be juicy and tasty, especially at elevated air temperatures. Bitter radishes are a result of lack of moisture. Bursting is a consequence of irregular watering and sudden changes in humidity.
Feeding. I do not fertilize, since the loose soil in the greenhouse has been prepared and amended since the fall. Fresh manure can ruin everything.
Pests. In early spring, there are no pests in the greenhouse (cruciferous flea beetles and slugs), so the question of controlling them does not arise. With later May sowings, sometimes it is necessary to pollinate the seedlings with sifted seedlings mixed with tobacco dust (from the cruciferous flea beetle). Those scurrying around everywhere (I will fight with them later) do not cause much harm to early spring crops.
We eat both root vegetables and tender green radishes
In good weather, I keep the windows and doors in the greenhouse open, closing them only at night.
Harvesting juicy radishes
At first, I collect the harvest selectively, while thinning the crops. As soon as the space where the radishes grew is free, I dig up the soil, remove all weeds, add wood ash and crumbly mature compost. After this, you can sow the seeds of another crop.
You cannot delay harvesting, otherwise you will have to put the radishes, which have grown coarse, unappetizing root crops, into the humus heap.
Even the tops are edible
There is no need to throw away the delicate vitamin leaves. They can be chopped and put in green salads, in which I mix early greens (cress, lettuce, spinach, garlic and onion), hard-boiled eggs and boiled (healthier baked) potatoes. I season everything with mayonnaise mixed with low-fat sour cream or kefir. The result is tasty, satisfying and healthy food.
Salad of radish tops and other greens on kefir
I add radish roots to a variety of salads and okroshka. They are delicious on their own. We love such a very simple dish as radishes, cut into thin slices and seasoned with salted sour cream.
I even add radishes to Olivier salad, various “meat” and green salads. The root vegetable goes well with fish.
Salads with radishes can be seasoned with vegetable oil, sour cream, mayonnaise and cottage cheese with olive oil (mash to the consistency of sour cream). To do this, I take cottage cheese, pour it with olive oil, salt and bring it to a homogeneous mass (fork or blender). How much cottage cheese and butter should I take? By eye and, of course, by taste.
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Preface
In winter, vegetables can not only sit in the garden bed, waiting for spring to sprout, but also grow fully in the greenhouse. This is also true for such a sun-loving vegetable as radishes. Let's look at all the intricacies of growing.
We select varieties and improve the soil in the greenhouse
Radish is a fairly unpretentious plant and, with proper care, produces a quick and generous harvest. But in order to get a favorable result, you need to properly prepare for planting the root crop. What is needed for this? First of all, you should choose a radish variety for winter greenhouses. D Early, early ripening varieties are suitable for growing in such conditions. The most popular and resilient varieties include Kamelot, Children's F1, Rubin, Mokhovsky, Zarya, Red Giant, Zhara and others. According to experienced gardeners, such radishes will be noted in the greenhouse for productivity, the best indicators in terms of ripening speed and taste.
When preparing seeds for planting, it is recommended to choose the largest and freshest ones. To avoid mistakes, you can simply sift the planting material of the selected variety through a sieve, the meshes of which are about 2 mm. After this, they need to be treated by keeping them in a strong solution of potassium permanganate or heating them for half an hour in hot water. This manipulation will protect future seedlings from possible diseases, prevent rotting and significantly increase the speed of germination.
Not only the degree of yield, but also the taste characteristics of root crops depends on the quality of the soil. To get the best results, it is recommended to properly nourish the soil for future radish plantations using fertilizers with a high phosphorus content, as well as chlorinated potassium. In addition, you need to make sure that the soil in the planting area is loose and well-permeable to moisture, since radishes need a large amount of liquid for normal growth, because the root crop is almost half water. Oxidized soil can cause plant diseases. To avoid this, you should add compost to the soil (at the rate of 1.5 buckets per m2).
How to plant radishes in greenhouse conditions?
Growing radishes in a greenhouse in winter is possible as early as mid-January. This is an approximate indicator; planting dates must be correlated with weather conditions. The minimum temperature level in the greenhouse at night is 0, and during the day the thermometer mark should reach at least 15 degrees Celsius. Immediately before sowing, it is recommended to further warm the soil by covering it with plastic film.
After a few days, when the top layers of the soil have softened sufficiently, you will need to dig up the soil and saturate it with mineral fertilizers. And after that you can begin the planting process directly. Radishes should be sown in rows, which should be 8–10 cm apart, to a depth of about 2 cm. In this case, the distance between the seeds should be at least 2–3 cm. To avoid further thinning, try to arrange the crops in the soil as evenly as possible. After this, cover the area with polyethylene; it can be removed after a few days, when the seeds acclimatize in the soil.
The method of planting radishes in compost heaps is also very popular. This is done extremely simply. First, you should moisten the compost with hot water, pour a small layer of soil on top and place the prepared seeds there. Protect your crops with special cover. At this point, the landing can be considered complete!
How to care for seedlings?
Radishes in a greenhouse are very easy to care for; the gardener should follow only a few simple rules. After the seedlings sprout, they will need to be thinned out so that the distance between them is 2–3 cm. The fact is that if the sprouts crowd out and shade each other, the radishes may turn out small and not juicy. In addition, thinning the beds is recommended to prevent the formation of shoots.
You should also take care of the optimal one. Daylight hours for radishes should be 8–10 hours, but the lighting should be bright and intense. Compliance with this regime will ensure the formation of juicy, large and healthy root crops. Once a week, the soil in which the radishes are planted must be loosened so that it is soft, airy, and absorbs and retains moisture well.
From time to time, radishes should be fed with nitrogen fertilizers, peat, and also. To protect the plant from various garden pests, experienced gardeners recommend sprinkling the beds with a mixture of ash and tobacco dust as necessary. And, of course, timely weeding and regular ventilation of the room will be essential conditions for the successful cultivation of cold-resistant radishes in a greenhouse in winter.
Irrigation features and temperature conditions
Radishes love moisture very much, and therefore the degree of yield and taste of the root crop also depend on the regularity and timeliness of watering. Radishes should be moistened not according to any specific schedule, but depending on the drying out of the soil.
This is very important, because even after a few hours spent in dried soil, the fruits will become bitter and hard.
On average, watering is carried out at intervals of 3–4 days. But if there is excessive moisture, the radish rhizome can simply rot. Therefore, take care to systematically maintain a certain level of liquid content in the soil. After watering, it is recommended to ventilate the greenhouse for ten minutes.
The selected radish varieties are characterized by increased cold resistance. It is believed that this crop can survive even frosts. However, in order to get a good harvest, you should provide the radishes with comfortable wintering conditions. For seeds of the winter variety to germinate, the soil temperature must be about 2–3 degrees Celsius. But, of course, the higher the temperature, the faster the first shoots will appear.
When the seedlings hatch, for their normal development it is recommended to maintain a stable temperature in the greenhouse: 9–10 °C above zero. In this case, soil indicators should not be lower than 11–14 degrees Celsius. After a week, it is recommended to warm the room to 20 °C. This temperature regime is considered optimal for growing radishes in a greenhouse in winter, and compliance with it will ensure extremely early and vigorous germination of the vegetable.
Harvesting and storage methods
Radishes ripen slightly longer in greenhouse conditions than in open ground. This process usually takes one to two months. The time period largely depends on the variety of radish, temperature conditions and degree of lighting. Harvesting should be done when the root crops reach their characteristic size and color. In most cases, vegetables ripen fairly evenly. It is not recommended to delay harvesting, since overripe radishes lose their beneficial and flavorful properties and become dry, hard and hollow.
Knowledgeable people advise collecting this vegetable at lunchtime after preliminary morning watering. It is believed that in this case, radishes are especially juicy and high in nutrients. Harvesting is usually carried out in several stages. After extracting root crops from the ground, they must be properly processed for further successful storage. First, trim the tops (they can be used to mulch the soil in the area) and remove the leaves, being careful not to damage the fruit itself.
Then the radishes need to be thoroughly rinsed in plenty of cold water, and then dried by wiping with a paper towel. After this, we place the root vegetables in a plastic bag and put them in the refrigerator. The shelf life of radishes grown in greenhouse conditions is 3–4 weeks. However, this is an approximate indicator, which largely depends on the type of vegetable.
Greenhouse radishes are also subject to long-term storage. To do this, root vegetables should be placed in special boxes covered with a layer of polyethylene, and then sprinkled with a sand-peat mixture. This will create a certain alkaline environment that will protect vegetables from rotting and the development of characteristic diseases. Storing radishes directly on wooden shelves gives good results. Just remember that in this case it is recommended to ventilate the basement from time to time, and sprinkle the root crops themselves with wet sand or sawdust. These manipulations are necessary in order to disinfect vegetables and also protect them from rotting.
