Contents
Watermelon radish is widely used in cooking in different countries, and in California, dishes from the root vegetable are a hit at all. However, domestic gardeners only “get acquainted” with the new hybrid, carefully studying it before deciding to plant.
Variety description
Radish today is quite a popular plant, common among gardeners. The root crop belongs to the Cruciferous, like the well-known cabbage. Many countries around the world grow the crop to use its delicious root in the preparation of various dishes.
In our country, annual and European root varieties are usually used. Its specific taste and aroma determines the presence of mustard oil in the fruits.
Depending on the place of occurrence, the plant is divided into groups:
- European;
- Japanese
- Chinese
Vegetable fruits have different shapes and colors. The root crop can be either round, flattened at the base, or resemble a spindle in appearance. The color of the fruit is also different: pink, white, red, yellow and even purple. There are cases when the color of a radish consists of several colors at once.
Radishes have even been grown on the International Space Station to better study their genetic makeup. To say that not every plant is subjected to such experiments would be redundant.
In the past few years, the number of gardeners who prefer to grow hybrids has increased. There are many explanations for this phenomenon. Hybrids differ from ordinary plants in their unpretentiousness in cultivation, care, give a good harvest and have an unusual, interesting appearance. The most popular artificial vegetable is the watermelon radish.
The appearance of the watermelon radish hybrid is unusual. It resembles a favorite large berry not in size, but in color. As for the size, the root crop is small, about 0,08 meters. From the outside, the root crop is white-green, which cannot be said by cutting the vegetable. After all, the flesh of the radish is bright pink, and, often, purple-scarlet.
A remarkable characteristic of a vegetable is that, in comparison with other varieties of culture, the hybrid is not so hard, but it also has less juice. The taste of the root crop intensifies depending on the stage of ripeness. However, even for a fully ripe vegetable, the bitterness of the outer skin and the sweet taste of the pulp of the fruit are characteristic.
The energy value and the presence of minerals in a watermelon vegetable are similar to other varieties of the crop. The root crop contains sodium, calcium, magnesium, fluorine, phosphorus, iron, vitamins of groups B, A, C. The vegetable contains nicotinic and salicylic acids. Also, the vegetable is considered healthy due to the high content of potassium in it.
This hybrid is used in cooking. After all, the root crop is an ingredient in various dishes. It is also used as a side dish, as well as a vegetable can be stewed, baked and even fried.
Peeled radish is added to salads, and a specific, but at the same time beautiful, appearance allows the vegetable to be a decoration for cocktails. The “dessert” looks beautiful in the form of chopped pieces of vegetable, sprinkled with dark sesame seeds.
Since ancient times, the root crop has been used as a vegetable. The ingredient of various dishes is not only the root crop, but also its leaves. They are added to liquid dishes, soups and even okroshka.
The watermelon hybrid is also valuable because of its early ripening. In temperate regions, it can be sown in greenhouses or greenhouses as early as the end of March. And the first crop in protected ground conditions can be harvested as early as April.
The high content of vitamins and nutrients in the plant, as well as the ability to get the first harvest in the shortest possible time, are the factors that determine the popularity of the crop among gardeners. Radishes are especially often grown where, at the end of a long and cold winter, it becomes necessary to increase one’s own immunity and normalize metabolic processes in a short period of time.
The culture is also used to designate the seed line of carrots and onions.
Features of agricultural technology
You can grow radishes using seeds, as the culture belongs to the sowing type of root crop. Any variety has a short development cycle, so you can harvest several times per season.
To grow a high-quality and beautiful vegetable, it is necessary, first of all, to properly prepare the soil. In autumn, it is worth saturating the earth with humus, phosphorus and potassium. Both the lack of nutrients and their excess are harmful to the vegetable. The soil should be “airy”, which can be achieved by periodic loosening. You can not grow a vegetable in areas where cabbage or its relative, radish, used to grow.
It is better to sow seeds at the end of May, since it is during this period that the soil is warm enough, and its moisture level is optimal.
Burying the seed into the ground more than 2 centimeters is not worth it. But the distances between individuals and beds must be taken carefully.
Caring for a hybrid involves, first of all, weeding and systematic watering. The root crop is very susceptible to water, so its deficiency provokes a slowdown in the formation of radishes and a deterioration in its taste. Also, in conditions of lack of moisture, the flowering of the crop may begin earlier than the set time.
Long daylight hours can lead to shallowness and bitterness of root crops, therefore, in sunny regions, it is necessary to cover plantings with a thin dark cellophane film.
To collect juicy and even root crops, it is enough to soak the seed in water before planting and let it germinate.
The first sprouts of the culture appear after a couple of days after sowing. The process of forming a large and even root crop takes about a month.
Hybrid diseases
Radish can be exposed to various diseases in case of non-compliance with the basic rules of agricultural technology and violation of the process itself.
If a vegetable grows in a soil with a high level of acidity, then it may be attacked by a viral keel. Due to the disease, growths will appear on the root crop, and it will not be possible to use it.
When warm spring days are established, pests can attack the vegetable. Treating the leaves with garlic tincture or wood ash will help defeat the cabbage fly and cruciferous fleas.
A good preventive measure is sprinkling and systematic loosening of the soil between the beds, which will saturate the soil with air and avoid drying out of the green parts of the crop.
An excess of dampness, that is, increased humidity of the soil and air, has an extremely negative effect on the watermelon hybrid. Therefore, in rainy regions, the root crop is best grown in greenhouses or greenhouses.
So, watermelon-type radish is a hybrid that is popular today. The root crop has largely earned the love of gardeners for its unusual appearance and sweet taste of fruits. The vegetable is used for various purposes: as a medicine, as an ingredient in various dishes, and even to decorate cocktails. Due to its artificial origin, watermelon radish is unpretentious in care, and it does not need to create special conditions for growth. All this made the hybrid popular among gardeners around the world and in demand on the tables of various countries.
Video “Watermelon radish salad”
In this video you will find a recipe for a healthy and very tasty watermelon radish and apple salad.
