Unusual-looking and pleasant-tasting watermelon radish: why it’s good and how to grow it
Watermelon radish (radish) is a hybrid crop, named for the similarity of the pulp to melon berries. Its color varies from pink to purple. The taste of the root vegetable combines spicy bitterness and pleasant sweetness. Interesting appearance, early ripeness and the possibility of widespread cultivation make the crop popular among gardeners.
In this article we will talk about the technology of growing watermelon radish, its beneficial properties, advantages and disadvantages.
Hybrid characteristics
Watermelon radish, or rather radish, is a hybrid belonging to the cruciferous family.. The culture was developed by European breeders, and quite quickly it gained recognition throughout the world. Depending on the place of growth, there are: European, Japanese and Chinese varieties of watermelon radish.
In Russia, culture appeared in the early 2000s, and in the EU countries and the USA the root vegetable is included in restaurant dishes.
Reference. The culture was grown under the conditions of the international space station in order to identify genetic characteristics.
Description of fruits, yield
Root vegetables come in different shapes: oblong, fusiform, round. The color of the pulp varies from light pink to deep purple. The skin is white-green.
The diameter of the round root vegetable, the most popular in our country, is 8-9 cm.
The structure of the pulp is denser and drier compared to ordinary radish. The skin has a bitter taste, and the middle is sweet and pleasant to the taste.The intensity of bitterness depends on the amount of mustard oil. The intensity of the taste gradually smoothes out as the root vegetable ripens, but the ratio of the sugary center and bitter skin remains the same.
Watermelon radish - high-yielding crop, characterized by cold resistance, withstands short frosts down to -5°C. If the rules of agricultural technology are observed, several tens of tons of root crops are collected from 1 hectare of land. The productivity of the crop depends on the size of the seed; the larger the seeds, the higher the yield.
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Benefits and harms
Watermelon radish contains:
- vitamins A, C, group B;
- minerals: potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium;
- nicotinic, salicylic and folic acid;
- glycosides;
- mustard oil.
The rich chemical composition makes the product incredibly healthy. Frequent consumption of root vegetables:
- increases the body's defenses;
- reduces fatigue;
- increases performance;
- normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and increases appetite;
- strengthens hair follicles;
- increases skin turgor;
- improves blood supply to the brain.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- calorie content – 35 kcal;
- proteins – 2.5 g;
- fats – 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates – 2.9 g.
Low calorie content and large amounts of easily digestible protein allows you to include radishes in your weight loss menu.
Important! The use of the product is undesirable for stomach ulcers in the acute stage, gastritis with high acidity due to the irritant effect on the gastric mucosa.
Agricultural technology of watermelon radish
The culture is included in the seed radish group, therefore, the technology for growing these root crops is almost the same. The short growing season (about a month) allows you to get 4-5 harvests per season.
The best results are achieved when sowing in July. Comfortable weather conditions for the crop: average daily air temperature +20-25°C, minimal precipitation.
Landing
Watermelon radishes grow best on sandy and loamy soils with a neutral pH (equal to 7). Acidic soil (with a pH greater than 7) is “deoxidized” with dolomite flour, chalk, and lime, and alkaline soil (with a pH less than 7) is treated with peat.
Soil that is hard and poor in minerals is not suitable for growing crops., as well as “overfed” with organic matter. Radish loves loose and fertile soil. Therefore, before sowing, the plot is dug up in the fall to the depth of a bayonet shovel and fertilized with manure (4-5 kg per sq. m), superphosphate (13-20 g per sq. m), and potassium chloride (16-20 g per sq. m). In spring, the soil is loosened and ammonium nitrate (12-18 g per sq. m) is added. The area is mulched with peat, hay, and straw.
Reference. The best predecessors of watermelon radishes are cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, beans and peas.
Seeds are sown directly into the soil, heated to +8°C.. The period depends on the region of growth. In the southern regions, sowing work begins at the end of April - beginning of May, in the middle zone - two weeks later.
The material is soaked for 24 hours in cold water for swelling, acceleration of germination and formation of even root crops.
The holes are formed with a depth of 3-4 cm. A pinch of superphosphate is poured into each and sprinkled with a small layer of earth. The seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm, covered with soil, lightly compacted and watered with warm, settled water. The distance between plantings is 40-50 cm - radish loves space.The first shoots appear after 2-3 days.
Care
The main condition for successful cultivation of watermelon radishes is compliance with watering rules.. Lack of moisture leads to bolting of the ground part, slow formation and woodiness of root crops, the appearance of internal voids, deterioration of taste, and a decrease in beneficial properties.
Excess moisture provokes rotting and the addition of fungal and bacterial infections. Regular and moderate watering once a week is the best solution. In hot weather, sprinkling is carried out.
Loosening the soil and weeding is carried out once every 3-4 days. This allows you to saturate the horse system with oxygen and accelerate the formation of root crops.
Watermelon radish is an early ripening crop, does not like an excess of minerals and organic matter, so potassium-phosphorus fertilizing is applied once before sowing.
Diseases and pests
Failure to follow the rules of agricultural technology leads to infection with viruses and bacteria.
Against the background of increased acidity of the soil, a fungal disease occurs - clubroot.. In an unfavorable environment, fungal spores that are carried by worms quickly develop. Root crops become deformed, covered with growths and become too hard. There is no cure for the disease. For prevention, before sowing, the soil is deoxidized with lime, chalk or dolomite flour, and treated with copper sulfate (50 g per sq. m).
Excess moisture in the soil, untimely weeding, non-compliance with crop rotation provokes the development of powdery mildew, gray rot and white rust.
Powdery mildew appears as a white coating on the leaves and petioles. Later the plaque turns brown, the leaves dry out and become deformed.
gray rot recognized by brown spots on the leaves with a gray fluffy coating.
White rust - one of the most common diseases of the cruciferous family. The stems and leaves are covered with an oily white coating. Without treatment, plant tissues turn brown and dry out.
Used to treat fungal infections copper sulfate, Bordeaux mixture, “Ridomil Gold MC”, “Skor”, “Oxychom”, “Hom”, “Fundazol”, “Ditan M”. To prevent the fungus from developing resistance, medications are alternated from season to season. For better adhesion of the products to the green mass, add 50 g of laundry soap shavings to the solution.
In spring, plantings are affected by cabbage fly and cruciferous flea beetle.. Insects feed on the green mass, which causes the plant to dry out.
The following products are used to control pests::
- mix tobacco shag, ash, naphthalene, camphor in equal parts and pollinate closer to the petioles twice with an interval of a week;
- prepare a solution of ammonia (5 ml per 10 liters of water) and water the plantings;
- water the plants under the bush with a saline solution (200 g per 10 liters of water);
- prepare an infusion of bay leaves (10 g per 1 liter of boiling water) and spray the radish;
- powder the plantings with a mixture of ash and road dust;
- take 200 g of garlic arrows and tomato tops, grind in a meat grinder, pour in 10 liters of warm water and add 20 ml of liquid soap;
- spray the plantings with a vinegar solution (200 ml of 9% vinegar per 10 liters of water);
- in the evening, treat the plants with insecticides “Sherpa”, “Decis”, “Aktara”, “Arrivo”.
To prevent infection, plantings are covered spunbond, agrospan or lutrasil, follow the rules of agricultural technology.
Harvesting and application
Root crops are collected as they ripen, in the morning or evening in dry weather and finish before the onset of frost.
The collected radishes are left to dry in the garden bed.For storage use a cool room. The fruits are inspected for damage, the tops are cut off, leaving 2 cm, placed in a box and sprinkled with ash or chalk.
The shelf life is 2-3 months at temperatures from 0 to +6°C.
Not only root vegetables are used for food, but also tops. The green part is added to salads, soups, cold dishes, and okroshka.
The fruits are baked, stewed, boiled, added to vitamin salads, snacks. Radishes are combined with meat, fish, and vegetables. It is recommended to cut off the peel before cooking. The pulp is cut into thin slices and sprinkled with salt, decorated with sandwiches and soft drinks.
Watermelon radish salad with cucumbers and carrots
Ingredients:
- 300 g watermelon radish;
- 300 g cucumbers;
- 200 g carrots;
- a bunch of dill;
- 150 g sour cream 15%;
- juice of half a lemon;
- 1 tsp. liquid honey;
- 0.5 tsp. French mustard;
- sea salt, ground black pepper to taste.
Preparation:
- Wash, peel and chop the vegetables into thin strips with a sharp knife or use a Chinese carrot grater.
- Rinse the dill under running water, dry and finely chop.
- Prepare salad dressing: mix sour cream, mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk the sauce until smooth.
- Place the vegetables in a bowl, add dill, pour over the dressing and stir.
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Features of growing in closed and open ground
In the regions of the middle zone sowing begins in the third decade of March in greenhouses or greenhouses. The first harvest is harvested in April.
Seeds are sown in unprotected soil in May. and in a month they get a harvest.Subsequent planting is carried out in July and August.
When choosing a site for planting watermelon radishes, take into account the light level. An excess of sunlight is harmful: bolting occurs, flowers appear, which reduces the growth and formation of fruits. Therefore, sowing seeds is carried out near bushes and trees that create partial shade, or the plantings are covered with agrofibre.
Advantages and disadvantages
Virtues of culture:
- fast ripening period;
- high productivity;
- keeping quality;
- disease resistance;
- pleasant taste;
- bright, unusual color of the pulp.
Flaws:
- demands on soil composition, lighting and watering;
- loss of taste due to untimely harvesting.
Reviews
Growing watermelon radishes is popular everywhere. Farmers note the relative ease of care, high yield and pleasant taste.
Ekaterina, Kirs: “I plant watermelon radish three years in a row in July, in the garden. Caring for it is no different from ordinary bitter radish. The crop loves moisture, so I water it often, otherwise the fruits will grow too dry. In the spring I fertilize with humus and superphosphate".
Oksana, Gorodets: “I first saw such a radish at a friend’s house. I really liked the taste and color. The pulp is sweet, with a slight bitterness in the skin area. I wanted to try growing a crop in my dacha. I decided to sow in a greenhouse at the end of spring. The harvest was harvested in about a month. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, there will be no problems with radishes. The main thing is to water regularly and remove weeds. Then the plant won’t get sick.”.
Ilya, Tsimlyansk: “Last year I came across watermelon radish seeds. I decided to plant it at the dacha for the sake of experiment. Before this, I read the growing technology.It turns out there is nothing complicated about it. The culture grows like an ordinary black radish. I dug up the soil in the spring and fed it with manure. I planted the seeds at a distance of 50 cm. I watered them once a week and applied potassium-phosphorus fertilizer once. I sowed it in early July and harvested it in August.”.
Conclusion
Watermelon radish (radish) is a crop that is demanding on the composition of the soil, the level of light and moisture. Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology (loosening, weeding, regular watering), preparing the soil before planting and fertilizing with organic matter, phosphorus and potassium allows you to harvest a rich harvest of bright and tasty root crops.
The culture is resistant to many diseases of its family. But in unfavorable conditions it is affected by fungi, cabbage fly and cruciferous flea beetle. Copper-containing preparations and fungicides help fight fungal infections. Dusting with tobacco shag, ash, spraying with vinegar, ammonia, and insecticides will get rid of pests.