Content
Watermelon radish is a vegetable hybrid with bright pink, juicy pulp. This special root vegetable combines beautiful flesh, sweet taste and piquant bitterness. For Russian gardeners, the plant is unfamiliar, but unpretentious, pink radish is widely used in cooking in different countries, and in California it is considered a hit.
Useful properties of red radish
Red radish not only has an attractive appearance and piquant taste, but can also be of great benefit to the body. Due to the early ripening period, the fortified vegetable can be enjoyed within a month after planting.
The benefits of watermelon radish
Due to the high content of nutrients, the benefits of red radish are great. The variety contains:
- vitamin A, C and B;
- nicotinic, folic and salicylic acid;
- potassium;
- iron;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- mustard oil;
- alimentary fiber;
- glycosides.
The vegetable is recommended to be consumed to strengthen the immune system, to normalize the gastrointestinal tract, increase strength, improve appetite, and strengthen blood vessels.
Despite the beneficial properties, pink radish is not recommended for people with gastritis and ulcers at the stage of exacerbation.
Red radish varieties can be baked, fried and stewed. The peeled pulp is ideal for preparing salads, decorating cocktails and desserts. Not only pink pulp is added to the dishes, but also the green part.
Red radish is also useful for weight loss, since the calorie content is 20 kcal per 100 g.
Breeding history
The variety was bred in Europe, but, despite this, the root crop did not receive much love from Europeans. Then the plant began to be popularized in America. American gardeners and culinary experts have appreciated this vegetable. In Russia, the red radish, or, as it is called, "giant radish" became known only in the 2000s.
Description of varieties
Depending on the place of breeding, watermelon radish is divided into 3 varieties:
- European;
- Chinese;
- Japanese.
Root fruits have different shapes, tastes and colors. The vegetable can be round, flattened, or oblong. The color of the pulp is white, yellow, red, pink or purple. Often when growing a root crop, fruits with a double color are found.
The size of the fruit is 7–8 cm. The peel is pale green and contains mustard oil, which makes the pulp closer to the peel has a bitter taste. Internally, the red radish is sweet and beautiful. The root vegetable acquires a pronounced taste and color as it ripens.
To have an idea of the beauty of red radish, you need to watch photos and videos.
Characteristics of varieties
In recent years, amateur gardeners have begun to grow radish with red flesh inside their homesteads. The hybrid differs from other varieties in unpretentiousness in cultivation, care and gives a good harvest.
Yield
The watermelon hybrid is an early maturing variety. In regions with a temperate climate, it can be planted under a film shelter at the end of March. Subject to the rules of care, the first vegetables appear in the last days of April, one month after planting the seeds.
Since the cultivar has a fast growing season, it can be harvested 4-5 times a year. But the most abundant can be obtained in mid-August.The yield is high, per sq. m, subject to the rules of cultivation, up to 6 kg of radish are removed.
Disease and pest resistance
Watermelon radish is immune to diseases and pests. But in order not to face difficulties, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. Sprinkling, systematic weeding and loosening of the soil is a good prevention.
The variety grows poorly in high soil and air humidity. Therefore, in rainy regions, watermelon radish is recommended to be grown in greenhouse conditions.
Planting and leaving
Before growing watermelon radish, you must choose the right place, prepare the soil and seed. The root crop grows well after legumes, potatoes and cucumbers. The variety is not recommended to be grown after cabbage, carrots, beets and radishes.
The garden bed is prepared in the fall. They dig up the earth, apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, manure and cover with mulch.
Seed material is best purchased from trusted suppliers. For rapid germination and obtaining juicy hybrids, large seeds of red radish are soaked in cold water for a day. Planting is carried out in a heated soil or in a prepared greenhouse. Greenhouse planting is done in late April or early May. On open beds - after warming up the earth to +15 degrees.
Furrows are made on the prepared bed. Seeds are planted to a depth of 3-4 cm, sprinkled with nutritious soil and watered with warm water. Before the emergence of seedlings, the garden bed can be covered with a covering material.
The first shoots appear 3-4 days after sowing. After the appearance of 3 true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out.
Caring for the variety is simple. To obtain a generous harvest, it is necessary to carry out regular watering and feeding.
Red radish is very susceptible to irrigation. Lack of liquid leads to the appearance of an arrow, lignification of the fruit and the appearance of voids in the pulp, and overflow causes fungal diseases. In hot weather, daily moderate watering is necessary. To preserve moisture, the garden bed is mulched. Mulch will not only allow rare watering, but will also save the plant from the scorching sun and will eventually become an additional top dressing.
Watermelon radish is a culture of short daylight hours. If the plant is not shaded, the fruits grow small and bitter.
The first feeding with complex mineral fertilizers is applied 7 days after the emergence of sprouts. During the growing season, it is necessary to regularly remove weeds and loosen the ground. Active access of air accelerates the growth of the root system and favorably affects the formation of fruits.
Harvesting and storage
When growing a watermelon radish, you need to know the harvest time, since an overripe root crop loses its taste, and the pulp acquires voids. The fruits are harvested as they ripen, in dry weather, in the early morning or after sunset.
After harvesting, the crop is left in the garden to dry out. Vegetables without mechanical damage are suitable for long-term storage. The foliage is cut at a height of 2 cm. The selected and dried root crops are transferred to a box, sprinkled with chalk or ash and removed to a cool ventilated room. The shelf life of watermelon radish is 2-3 months.
Diseases and pests, methods of control and prevention
In case of non-compliance with agrotechnical rules, the variety can be exposed to many diseases:
- If red radish is grown in acidic soil, then it can be susceptible to viral keel. As a result, the fruits are deformed, the pulp becomes tough and unsuitable for food. If the soil is acidic on the site, you need to deacidify it yourself. For this, the soil is mixed with slaked lime or with dolomite flour.
- With excess moisture, fungus may appear. Therefore, when growing red radish, it is impossible to overmoisten the soil; it is necessary to carry out timely weeding and loosening of the soil. In wet weather, irrigation is carried out every 7 days.
- On warm spring days, pests can appear on the plant.For cabbage flies and cruciferous fleas, an infusion of garlic and wood ash will help. Plants are processed in the morning.
Cooking applications
Watermelon radish is often used to prepare various dishes. The root vegetable is baked, stewed, added to meat, fish and poultry. The foliage is used to make salads and cold soups. Since the inside of the radish is pink, it is used instead of lime, kiwi and lemon to decorate cocktails. Thinly sliced slices sprinkled with caraway seeds or black salt look very nice.
Watermelon radish salad with cucumber
The salad is easy to prepare, does not require a lot of investment and is an example of healthy food.
Ingredients:
- red radish - 3 pcs.;
- carrots and cucumber - 2 pcs.;
- any greens - ½ bunch.
For the sauce:
- yogurt - 3 tbsp. l .;
- lemon juice - 2 tbsp. l .;
- honey - 1 tsp;
- mustard - ½ tsp;
- spices - optional.
Preparation:
- The vegetables are peeled and cut into small strips.
- Greens are washed and finely chopped.
- Put vegetables and herbs in a bowl, mix and squeeze the juice.
- To prepare the dressing, mix all the ingredients for the sauce and beat with a fork until smooth.
- The salad is transferred to a beautiful dish and poured over with the dressing.
- For a savory flavor, sprinkle with chopped almonds.
Watermelon radish salad with apple
The salad prepared according to this recipe turns out to be beautiful, healthy and very tasty.
Ingredients:
- red radish - 2 pcs.;
- sweet and sour apple and carrot - 1 pc.;
- mayonnaise - 2 tbsp. l .;
- salt and pepper to taste.
Performance:
- The apple and radish are washed, peeled and cut into thin strips.
- Carrots are grated on a grater designed for cooking carrots in Korean.
- All ingredients are laid out in a salad bowl, seasoned with spices and mayonnaise.
- A sprig of dill is used for decoration.
Chrysanthemum salad
Crispy, healthy, beautiful and delicious holiday salad.
Ingredients:
- red radish - 600 g;
- yellow apple - 1 pc.;
- red onion - 1 pc.;
- green onion feathers - ½ bunch;
- lemon juice - 2 tbsp. l .;
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l .;
- salt, pepper - optional.
Performance:
- The radish is peeled and cut into thin slices. Each circle is divided into 4 parts.
- Put the root vegetable in a bowl, add salt and 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice.
- The onion is cut into thin strips and, to remove the bitterness, first pour over with boiling water, and then with cold water.
- The apple is cut into slices 3-4 mm thick. To prevent it from darkening, pour the remaining lemon juice.
- They prepare a beautiful dish and begin to arrange the salad.
- The first layer is overlapped with slices of red radish.
- Put onions in the middle.
- Spread the apple on the radish in the opposite direction.
- Then again radish and apples.
- Spread the onion on top.
- Leaves and stem are laid out from onion feathers.
- Sprinkle the finished salad with vegetable oil.
Conclusion
Watermelon radish is a popular hybrid. She received love from gardeners for an unusual appearance and good taste. Due to the high content of nutrients, the root crop is in demand in the cuisine of many countries.
