How to plant a radish and care for it properly

When to plant radishes

This is a fairly cold-resistant culture that easily withstands frosts up to −5 degrees. It can be sown in early spring: the seeds germinate when the soil warms up to 5 degrees.

Radish loves short daylight hours - 10-12 hours. With more light, the plant stops developing the root crop and begins to bloom. Therefore, some summer residents do not plant this vegetable in the summer. You can sow radishes all season if you choose varieties that are resistant to bolting.

How to prepare a bed for growing radishes

Find an area where the sun shines in the first half of the day. A week before sowing, for each square meter of beds, add 5 liters of sand, 1 tablespoon of ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate, 2 tablespoons superphosphate. Dig up the soil onto the bayonet of a shovel and level the surface of the soil with a rake.

How to plant a radish

Sowing this vegetable is easy.

Make furrows

Their depth should be 2–3 cm, and the distance between rows should be 15 cm. Furrows are conveniently made using a long board or plank. Pour water over them well and wait until it is absorbed.

plant a radish

Spread the seeds in the grooves at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Fill them with soil and lightly compact the surface with the palm of your hand. If the soil is dry, you can moisten it with water. It is better to use a watering can with a diffuser nozzle so as not to wash out the soil.

Wait for shoots

Seeds may take 3 to 12 days to germinate. The warmer the weather, the faster the sprouts will appear.

How to care for radishes

She doesn't even need to be fed.

water the radish

Due to lack of moisture, root crops become bitter and friable. Water the radish once every two days, and the heat - daily. Focus on the surface of the soil - it should always be wet. It is necessary to pour water along the aisles, trying not to fall on root crops. Do this early in the morning or in the evening at sunset so that the water from the soil does not evaporate in the sun.

Loosen and weed the beds

Do this at least once a week. After watering, gently loosen the soil between the rows with a chopper or a regular fork, without touching the fruits - this will provide oxygen to the roots. Feel free to delete weeds They draw nutrients from the soil.

When to harvest radishes

This vegetable ripens very quickly, on average in 3-4 weeks. Therefore, as soon as the root crops have reached the size corresponding to the variety, pull them out of the garden. It’s not worth delaying with this: an overripe radish coarsens, loses its juiciness and becomes hollow.