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Today, domestic gardeners do not grow black radish very often, which is explained by the spicy spicy taste of the root crop. Usually, the vegetable is used as an ingredient for various salads, as well as as an addition to main courses. However, as a folk remedy for coughing, no culture can compare with radish. Everyone has ever tried such a “medicine”: a root crop with honey, or a compress from a grated vegetable. After using such a “drug”, the cough disappears quickly. Therefore, the root crop is most in demand in the cold season, the season of colds. But for winter treatment, you need to harvest in time and properly prepare it for storage.
When to collect
Depending on the ripening time, black radish is divided into summer, winter and autumn varieties. Having clearly defined which variety the root crop belongs to, you can calculate the period when you need to dig up the crop.
Summer varieties characterized by early ripening are sown at the end of April. They can be removed from the soil already at the beginning of summer. First of all, root crops are harvested, the diameter of which has reached 4 centimeters.
The collection process is carried out in stages. An early root crop is usually stored in the refrigerator, removing green leaves and small roots. The shelf life is about 3 weeks.
Autumn varieties have an average ripening time. It is better to dig them from the beginning of August to the end of September. Vegetables are placed in the sand and in this form can be stored for a month and a half.
Winter varieties ripen the longest, but they can also be stored for a long time. The main condition is to let the fruit fully ripen. A vegetable that was harvested underripe is stored very poorly and not for long. However, it is not worth allowing “overripeness”, since such a radish becomes empty and tasteless.
When to harvest black radish? You need to harvest the entire crop before the onset of the first frost. After all, a frozen fruit loses all its useful characteristics and cannot be stored in principle.
Video “How to grow black radish”
From the video you will learn how to properly grow and care for radishes.
Harvest Rules
Radishes are removed from the garden by hand. The main condition for harvesting is the absence of precipitation. Before harvesting, it is necessary to crush the green leaves of the culture in order to speed up their drying. The dug out root crops are laid out in one layer for several hours, allowing the moisture on them to evaporate.
Before being placed in storage, tops and a long root are removed from each fruit. There are other ways to prepare. It is on how the vegetables were stored for storage that the duration of their preservation depends.
Early varieties are harvested in summer. Harvesting begins with fruits with a diameter of 4 centimeters. The procedure is carried out gradually. This type of plant is not suitable for storage. It is usually grown for human consumption. Therefore, the early culture is stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 weeks. Under room conditions, the vegetable can be stored for only 10 days.
Harvesting the fruits of the “winter” radish is carried out in the fall, at the end of September, before the onset of the first frost. From each fruit, it is necessary to eliminate the remnants of the earth by removing small roots, carefully cut off the green leaves, trying not to harm the vegetable itself. After such preparation, the crop should be allowed to dry out, and then the root crops should be placed for several days in a dark, cool place. For laying for the winter, the crop should be placed in boxes with holes for air circulation and covered with sand on top. Each layer of sand should not exceed a thickness of 0,04 meters. It is best to place the vegetable in a basement or cellar with a temperature of 2 ° – 3 ° and a humidity index of 90%. In this form, winter varieties of radish are perfectly stored until spring.
Preparing for storage
The radish is “pulled” out of the ground carefully so as not to damage the root skins. The earth is shaken off the fruit, and the tops are broken off. A vegetable dug out in dry weather with a bayonet shovel for storage for the winter is dried for a couple of days in a dark place.
Vegetables must be sorted, separating soft, damaged or diseased individuals. After all, only strong and healthy fruits can be stored for a long time. Radish with minor damage should be thoroughly washed and placed in the refrigerator. Such vegetables are used in the first place.
Plants prepared for long-term storage are placed in boxes with paper at the bottom. Instead of these containers, it is permissible to use deep plastic containers. In them, vegetables are laid in several layers, sprinkling each with sand.
Storage in the autumn-winter period
Radish is a popular winter vegetable. This demand is due to the composition of the fruit. The root crop contains a large amount of vitamin C and essential oils, which actively strengthen the immune system of the human body. Also, radish, with systematic use, has a positive effect on a person:
- Improves the functioning of the digestive organs.
- Reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
- Stimulates appetite.
- Actively fights stress and fatigue.
Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to preserve all these beneficial properties of the vegetable as long as possible after harvesting. Following all the recommendations of experienced gardeners, this is not difficult to do.
First of all, it is worth considering that for long-term storage for the winter, only smooth, healthy fruits without damage should be selected. There are several universal ways to preserve radishes:
- In the refrigerator, observing the temperature of 0 °. The crop is placed there immediately after harvest.
- In the basement or cellar in high humidity conditions. The fruits are placed in boxes in several layers, each sprinkled with sand. The room temperature should be between -3° and +2°.
- You can store radishes in plastic bags indoors at a temperature of -1° – +3°. The density of polyethylene should be at least 110 microns.
- Storage is also acceptable in insulated pits in the ground. To do this, the crop is placed in boxes of sand. And then these containers are placed in the pits.
During the storage of root crops, they must be sorted out, removing rotten and damaged vegetables to prevent infection of the crop.
Video “How and where to store radish”
From the video you will learn how and where to store radish.
