Radish

El radish It is the root of a horticultural plant that grows very well both in the garden and in pots, as long as the latter are wide and above all deep.

But What are your needs? What do you have to take into account to get at least decent harvest

Origin and characteristics

Image – Wikimedia / Prenn

Before talking about all that, it is important to know the characteristics of the plant, since this way we will know how much space it occupies, as well as other data that may be of interest. Well then. It is an annual or biennial herbaceous -depending on the climate- native to Eurasia that has a very strong taproot. It reaches a height of about 20 to 100cm, with an erect and little branched bearing..

The basal leaves of up to 30cm, petiolate and appear forming rosettes; and the upper ones are ovate or oblong-lanceolate. The flowers are grouped in clusters of 10-50 units, and are pinkish-white or purple. The fruit is a silique (dehiscent dried fruit) 30-60 long by 6-12mm wide. The seeds are about 3-4mm long, and are brown when ripe.

Types of radishes

There are different types, among which we highlight:

Of spring

They are called Europeans too. The growing season lasts about 30 days after the seeds were sown, and its flavor is mild.

• Cherry Belle: it is big, round and red. It takes about 28 days to mature.
• Early Scarlet Globe: It is shaped like a balloon, and it is bright red. It is harvested in about 23 days.
• Fire candle: it is round, deep red in color, with an elongated or conical shape. Matures in 25 days.

Spring-summer

They are radishes that can be sown from early to late spring, and are harvested until summer.

• French breakfast: it is a red radish with a white tip and an elongated shape. It takes about 23 days to mature. Of course, you have to sow it at the end of spring because it likes the heat of summer.
• Icicle: it is an elongated and conical white radish of about 10cm that matures in about 25 days.

Of winter

They can be Japanese, Chinese and European varieties. They are generally large, which is why they need more time to mature, between 50-70 days. They are usually sown in late summer / early fall.

• chinese rose: it is a pink and elongated radish, which matures in 52 days.
• China White or white radish: It is large and long, and takes 60 days to be harvested.
• Black radish: also known as winter radish, it has a rounded shape and somewhat larger than the rest. It takes 55 days to mature.

What are their cares?

Image – Wikimedia / David Arqueas

If you want to learn how to grow it in your patio or garden, we recommend that you keep the following in mind:

Location

It is a plant that be grateful to be in a bright area, although it also adapts to semi-shade. In any case, it must always be outside.

Earth

• Flower pot: use mulch. The container must be wide, at least 40cm in diameter, and deep. Another option can be to superimpose two tires, and use a piece of mesh and metallic cloth as a base.
• Orchard: it is important to prepare the land before sowing. For this, you must remove the grass and stones, fertilize with organic fertilizers such as manure, install the irrigation system and dig rows to proceed with sowing or planting.

Irrigation

The frequency of irrigation has to be moderate and regular, but avoiding waterlogging. In general, and depending on the weather, It will be watered 2-3 times a week in spring and 4 times a week in summer.. Anyway, if you have doubts, check the humidity of the soil before watering, for example by inserting a thin wooden stick (if it comes out clean when you extract it, you can water).

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Throughout the season the contribution of organic fertilizer and / or home. Thus, it will not lack any nutrients and will be able to grow without problems.

Multiplication

Radish multiplies by seeds in spring, following this step by step:

In seedbed

1. First, a seedling tray (like this one sold here) is filled with universal growing medium.
2. Then, it is watered consciously.
3. Afterwards, a maximum of two seeds are sown in each socket.
4. They are then covered with a thin layer of substrate.
5. Finally, it is watered again and placed outside, in semi-shade or in the sun.

Transplant

You can transfer them to larger pots or to the garden when they are about 5-7cm high.

In the garden

To sow them directly in the garden you first have to dig rows about 15cm deep, leaving a distance of 20cm between them. Then, you simply have to place the seeds leaving a separation of about 20-25cm.

Finally, cover them with a little soil and start drip irrigation 🙂.

The seeds will germinate in 1-2 weeks.

Plagues and diseases

It is quite resistant, but can be affected by:

• Aphids: they are very small insects, less than 0,5cm, that feed on the cells of leaves and flowers.
  You can combat them with diatomaceous earth or potassium soap.
• Cabbage caterpillar: butterfly larvae Pieris cabbage they feed on the leaves and stems. You can fight it with an ecological insect like the Bacillus thuringiensis 
• Mildew: it is a disease caused by parasitic fungi characterized by the appearance of a whitish or greyish mold or powder on the leaves, stems and fruits.
  It is fought by controlling the risks and, if you want, by doing preventive / curative treatments with ecological fungicides, such as sulfur. Black donut: moth caterpillars Spodoptera littoralis they feed on the leaves, but you can avoid it and even prevent further damage with Bacillus thuringiensis. It is also fought with Chlorpyrifos, but being an insecticide harmful to the environment (and humans) I do not advise it.

Harvest

As we have seen before in »types of radishes», it depends a lot on the variety, being the winter ones the ones that take the longest to be ready. But on average, in about 30-40 days they will be.

What uses does radish have?

Culinary

It has many uses in the kitchen: in salads and appetizers, as a condiment, and even with the dried leaves you can prepare soups.

Medicinal

Its medicinal properties are very interesting, since it contributes to the proper functioning of the thyroid, and also it is diuretic and digestive.

What did you think of the radish?