Content
- 1 When to harvest radish in 2019
- 2 When to remove black radish for winter storage
- 3 How and where to store radish
- 3.1 How to store a radish in a cellar in winter
- 3.2 Storing radish for the winter in the basement
- 3.3 How to store black radish at home
- 3.4 How to store radish in the refrigerator
- 3.5 How to keep a radish for the winter in an apartment
- 3.6 How to store a peeled radish
- 3.7 Storing radish in bags
- 3.8 Is it possible to store radish in sawdust
- 3.9 Preservation as a way of storage
- 4 Conclusion
You can grow a good harvest of radish, and then quickly ruin it simply because the roots were dug out at the wrong time or put in the wrong place. Also, do not expect from white varieties that they will lie all winter. It is necessary to clean and store the radish competently - based on the biological characteristics of the varieties. You can always adapt your own conditions to the requirements of culture, and in a city apartment this is not much more difficult to do than in the private sector.
When to harvest radish in 2019
One type of radish is used for food - Sowing or Garden (Raphanus sativus), which is an annual or biennial plant, originating from Asia and not found in the wild. Within the taxon, there are several edible varieties:
- Chinese (lobo);
- Japanese (daikon);
- black;
- white;
- radish.
They are close relatives, but differ in appearance, characteristics of cultivation and storage... The taste and chemical composition of root vegetables, although similar, are not identical.
All varieties are short-day plants and tend to shoot arrows. Radish is planted and harvested before everyone else - it has the shortest growing season. Root crops are eaten immediately after ripening. Radish is stored for several days in the refrigerator and cannot be processed.
Daikon and lobo, whose roots have the most delicate pulp, sweetish (often slightly bitter) taste, can lie from 1 to 4 months, depending on the variety. They are sown in the middle or late summer, harvested before the onset of frost.
White and black radish have the sharpest taste. The first is sown very early, harvested in late spring or early summer (after 50-60 days), stored for no longer than a month. Black varieties are often called winter varieties, planted in the middle of summer, dug out before frost. Under favorable conditions, they can lie for up to 8 months.
When to dig up black radish
Since white varieties are not stored for long, they are removed after the onset of technical ripeness, which is indicated on the seed bags. The main thing here is not to overexpose the culture in the garden, otherwise a flower arrow will form - after its appearance, the root crop becomes hollow and unsuitable for food. It is impossible to save white radish for the winter.
Harvesting black varieties requires careful timing. First, they must reach technical maturity, and second, the digging must be weather-friendly. It makes the task easier because the black radish is a plant with a two-year development cycle. In the first year, she ties a root crop, in the second, she forms a flower arrow.
When growing and harvesting radish for storage for the winter, the following conditions must be met:
- In the southern regions, sowing seeds should be carried out by mid-July. In the Urals, Siberia and the Middle zone - in the second half of June, the deadline is July 10.
- Vegetables grown on black soil, light sandy or loamy soils will be best stored.
- Excess and lack of fertilizers negatively affect keeping quality. Nitrogen can only be given in the first feeding. Potassium increases the shelf life of vegetables - it is on it that the emphasis should be placed when fertilizing the garden.
- The time that must elapse from germination to harvest is indicated on the seed bags. Previously, you should not dig up root crops - they have not yet ripened, they will be stored poorly. But you can overexpose the culture in the garden - with a two-year life cycle, the flower arrow will not wake up at low temperatures. It is better to harvest the black radish when there has been no rain for 3-3.5 weeks (of course, you do not need to water it at this time).
- Root crops can withstand slight frosts without losing marketability. But it will not be stored for long after being in the ground at negative temperatures. So the timing of harvesting the radish must be calculated so that the crop does not get frozen.
Lunar calendar and radish harvesting
There are gardeners who try to do everything according to the lunar calendar. The following information is specifically for them. In 2019, the best time to harvest root crops:
- September - 8, 9, 16-21, 25, 26;
- October - 3-6, 15-19, 22-25.
But what can happen if you thoughtlessly wait until the lunar calendar allows you to pick vegetables? Lots of troubles:
- Will hit early frost... Then you can forget about the intention to store the radish for the winter. Of course, she will lie down a little, but she will definitely not live until the New Year.
- It will rain. Well, what can you do, on October 14 it was still dry, and on October 15 it began to rain. And loaded it ... but does it make a difference for how long? There will be no favorable days in 3 weeks.
So the poor radish will remain in the ground ... Or they will dig it up, in the end, not at all according to the lunar calendar, but after the freeze or rain, it will be autumn after all. Isn't it better to rely on the weather forecast and common sense?
Cleaning times in the regions
It is unrealistic to name the time of harvesting for storage of black radish for different regions up to date. It depends on the variety, sowing time, weather forecast. But general recommendations can be given.
When to harvest radish in the Urals in 2019
Black radish in the Urals should be harvested as soon as the roots are ripe and cool, dry weather sets in. It is better to choose varieties with the shortest growing season, so that there is room for maneuvers - the climate in the region is unpredictable, you cannot rely on forecasters' forecasts.
It is advisable to focus on September, although in the Urals the weather usually allows cleaning in mid-October. But at this time, rains are possible, which will not give a dry "window" in 3 weeks before the first frost, which will significantly reduce keeping quality.
When to harvest radish in the Middle Lane
In the Middle Lane, you need to harvest at the beginning of October. At the same time, one should not forget about the long ripening period of the culture and choose the appropriate varieties.
When to dig up a radish in the suburbs
If you look at the zones of frost resistance of plants, then Moscow and the Moscow region are a warm island surrounded by colder territory. Why this happened, let the scientists figure it out. But radish in the Moscow region can be harvested until the end of October, as in Kiev or Astrakhan.
When to dig up black radish in Siberia
In the cold climate of Siberia, the radish must be removed before the beginning of October. Under these conditions, many varieties may simply not have enough time to reach maturity. Those who do not want to limit themselves in their choice can grow a crop through seedlings - round root crops for the most part will safely undergo a transplant.This is a troublesome business, but quite possible.
When to remove black radish for winter storage
Storing vegetables often takes longer than growing them. During the growing season, they accumulate useful substances, then spend them. During storage, vegetables continue to live - they breathe, absorb and evaporate moisture, and two-year-olds prepare for the next season.
In order for root crops to lie for a long time, they need to create conditions under which the loss of nutrients, mass and other consumer qualities is minimized. To do this, cut the radish before storing it, clean it from soil.
If there was no choice, and the roots had to be dug out in damp weather, they need to be dried. Vegetables are laid out in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for a period of several days to a week. So they will not only give off excess moisture, but also cool down if necessary. During this time, scratches or small damages on the top of the root crops will be tightened, and they will not have to be rejected.
Then the radish intended for storage at home for the winter is sorted out, putting aside all unsuitable roots for this. These may include:
- too small;
- with severe mechanical damage in any part;
- affected by rot or mold;
- with minor scratches and cuts in the lower part;
- damaged by pests;
- with deformed roots.
The store needs to be ventilated, cleaned, disinfected and whitewashed. Only then can the vegetables be removed to the cellar or basement.
How to trim a radish
The tops should not be left during storage - it actively evaporates moisture and keeping quality decreases sharply. In addition, nutrients are transferred from the roots to the leaves in order to increase their vitality.
The tops are cut off, leaving columns of 1-1.5 cm. Too long, broken or dried roots can be shortened, it is better not to touch even and intact ones.
Do I need to wash the radish before storing
Do not wash the black radish before storing it. If the roots are too dirty, which only happens when they are dug up after rain or watering, they are first dried. After that, the rest of the soil is carefully removed with a soft cloth. Do not rub hard or use a brush as this will damage the skin and reduce shelf life.
How much radish is stored
Why is it possible to save black radish for the winter, but not white? It's about the timing of ripening. All late-ripening fruits and vegetables are stored for a long time, medium-sized ones - for a short period, and early ones cannot be stored at all.
If you build the varieties of sowing radish according to keeping quality, starting with the most perishable, you get the following sequence:
- radish - up to 2 weeks;
- white - up to 1 month;
- daikon - up to 2 months;
- lobo - up to 4 months;
- black - up to 8 months.
The maximum shelf life of the most mature varieties is indicated. Naturally, in suitable conditions with respect to temperature and optimum humidity.
How and where to store radish
The shelf life of a radish directly depends on how suitable conditions are created for it. Ideal are:
- humidity 90-95%;
- temperature 1-2⁰C;
- lack of light;
- limited air access.
How to store a radish in a cellar in winter
The cellar is ideal for storing vegetables. It is believed that radish can be stored in it right on the floor, in a large pile. But this root crop does not like active air ventilation. If the room is opened frequently, the top layer of vegetables will become coarse, fibrous.
It is better to store black radish in the cellar in winter by spreading it out in wooden boxes and covering it with wet sand. The substrate needs to be watered from time to time, and the roots must be sorted out.One spoiled vegetable can infect an entire crate.
Storing radish for the winter in the basement
The basement is not always suitable for storing vegetables. If it is easy to maintain the required temperature in it, no problem. The radish is put in boxes of sand and put away to restrict the access of light. To maintain high humidity, buckets of water are placed next to it, and the substrate is regularly checked and moistened.
But the warm content is detrimental to the culture. Even a temperature of + 5⁰C significantly reduces keeping quality. Therefore, the storage time is more often called not 8 months, but 200-210 days. If the basement has a vent with access to the street, it is worth placing a box near it to lower the temperature.
How to store black radish at home
City dwellers often do not have a basement or cellar. They have to store supplies in the apartment.
How to store radish in the refrigerator
You can often find advice to keep radishes in the refrigerator. Great advice if you use up root crops in a month. It should be borne in mind that the temperature in the vegetable department is the highest, and often fluctuates between 4-6⁰C, but often reaches 9⁰C. This is unacceptable for long-term storage of radish.
And if you lower the temperature in the vegetable section, it will be even lower on the other shelves. It will become impossible to store other products there.
And one moment. How many root vegetables can you put in the lower section? And where to put the cut head of cabbage, apples, oranges and other fruits or vegetables?
How to keep a radish for the winter in an apartment
It is best to store the radish on glazed balconies or loggias in wooden boxes with damp sand. You just need to provide protection against overheating, especially on the south side. You can curtain the glass with foil or reflective tape, and adjust the temperature by opening or closing the windows and door to the room.
In severe frost, the box is covered with an old blanket, outerwear, or insulated in another way. It is important not to overdo it; to control the temperature, a thermometer intended for the street is placed between the roots.
Moisture can be maintained by wetting the sand. The shelf life of the radish will be the longer, the closer to the ideal temperature is on the balcony.
How to store a peeled radish
The peeled radish cannot be stored for a long time; moreover, in the air it quickly darkens and becomes soft. You need to remove the peel from the root crop immediately before use. As a last resort, the radish is poured with cold water and placed in the refrigerator.
Storing radish in bags
In bags made of thick polyethylene, radish can be stored in the basement, cellar or on the balcony. The bag is filled with no more than 3/4 and left open. At the same time, the room can have a humidity of 80-85%. In a plastic bag, it will be higher, moreover, a high concentration of carbon dioxide will increase the safety of root crops.
Radish is stored in thick cellophane bags. Some varieties can withstand even a month, and then become hollow, but remain firm. It is such a radish, harvested at an unknown date, that is often sold in supermarkets and on the market.
Is it possible to store radish in sawdust
Quite often, you can find advice to keep vegetables in sawdust. Such a recommendation can only be given by a person who has a poor idea of the properties of chopped wood. Sawdust contains a large amount of carbohydrates and a little nitrogen. When moistened, they begin to rot and generate heat. If they get wet, the process will proceed quickly. Sawdust left dry will pick up the moisture they need from root crops and rot slowly.
As a result, the radish will deteriorate, and if you take into account the presence of nitrogen, this will happen very quickly.
Preservation as a way of storage
If there is nowhere to store the radish, it can be pickled and fermented. It does not go well with other vegetables. Radish salads are obtained, frankly, "for an amateur". But you can make jam with honey and nuts from it or dry it in the oven.
Conclusion
It is necessary to remove and store the radish taking into account the characteristics of the culture. White is good for immediate consumption, while black can last up to eight months if the conditions are right for root crops.
