When to remove radish from the garden for storage

You can grow a good crop of radish, and then quickly ruin it simply because the root crops were dug up 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 radish competently – based on the biological characteristics of the varieties. You can always adapt your own conditions to the requirements of culture, and it is not much more difficult to do this in a city apartment than in the private sector.

When to harvest radishes in 2019

One type of radish is used for food – Sowing or Garden radish (Raphanus sativus), which is an annual or biennial plant, originating from Asia and not found in the wild. Within the taxon, several edible varieties exist:

• Chinese (lobo);
• Japanese (daikon);
• black;
• white;
• radish.

They are close relatives, but differ in appearance, features of cultivation and storage. The taste and chemical composition of root crops, although similar, are not identical.

All varieties are short daylight plants and prone to shooting. Radish is planted and harvested before everyone – it has the shortest growing season. Root crops are eaten immediately after ripening. Radishes keep for several days in the refrigerator and cannot be processed.

Daikon and lobo, the roots of which have the most delicate pulp, sweetish (often with a slight bitterness) 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 up before frost. Under favorable conditions, they can lie up to 8 months.

When to dig black radish

Since white varieties are stored for a short time, they are harvested 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.

For harvesting black varieties, you need to carefully choose the time. Firstly, they must reach technical maturity, and secondly, weather conditions must be favorable for digging. The task is facilitated by the fact that 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 radishes for storage for the winter, the following conditions must be met:

1. In the southern regions, sowing seeds should be carried out by mid-July. In the Urals, Siberia and the Middle Strip – in the second half of June, the deadline is July 10.
2. Vegetables grown on black soil, light sandy or loamy soils will be best stored.
3. Excess and lack of fertilizers adversely affect the 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 beds.
4. The time that must elapse from germination to harvest is indicated on the seed bags. Previously, root crops should not be dug up – they have not yet matured, they will be stored poorly. But it is possible to 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 black radish when it has not rained for 3-3,5 weeks (of course, it is not necessary to water it at this time).
5. Root crops withstand slight frosts without losing commercial qualities. But it will not be stored for long after being in the ground at low temperatures. So the timing of radish harvesting must be calculated so that the culture does not fall under frost.

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 harvest vegetables? Tons of Trouble:

1. An early frost strikes. Then you can forget about the intention to store radishes for the winter. Of course, she will lie down for a bit, but she will definitely not live until the New Year.
2. 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 … yes, is there a difference, for how long? Favorable days in 3 weeks will not be.

So the poor radish will remain in the ground … Or they will dig it out, in the end, not at all according to the lunar calendar, but after frost or rain – autumn after all. Wouldn’t it be better to rely on the weather forecast and common sense?

Cleaning dates in the regions

It is unrealistic to name the time of harvesting for storage of black radish for different regions with an accuracy of the 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 must be harvested as soon as the root crops ripen and cool, dry weather sets in. It is better to choose varieties with the shortest growing season so that there is room for maneuver – the climate in the region is unpredictable, you cannot rely on weather 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 the keeping quality.

When to harvest radish in the Middle lane

In the Middle lane, you need to harvest in early October. At the same time, one should not forget about the long ripening period of the crop and choose the appropriate varieties.

When to dig a radish in the suburbs

If you look at the frost resistance zones of plants, then Moscow and the Moscow region are a warm island surrounded by colder territory. Why this happened, let scientists understand. But radish in the Moscow region can be harvested until the end of October, as in Kyiv 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 such 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 survive the transplant safely. This is a tricky business, but it is entirely possible.

When to harvest black radish for winter storage

Storing vegetables often takes longer than growing them. During the growing season, they accumulate nutrients, 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, it is necessary to create conditions for them under which the loss of nutrients, mass and other consumer qualities is minimized. To do this, the radish is cut off before storage, cleaned of soil.

If there was no choice, and the roots had to be dug out in wet 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 up excess moisture, but also cool if necessary. During this time, scratches or small damage on the top of the root crops will heal, and they will not have to be rejected.

Then, the radish intended for storage for the winter at home is sorted out, putting aside all root crops unsuitable for this. Among them may be:

• too small;
• with severe mechanical damage in any part;
• affected by rot or mold;
• with minor scratches and cuts on the bottom;
• damaged by pests;
• with deformed roots.

The storage needs to be ventilated, cleaned, disinfected and whitewashed. Only after that, vegetables can be cleaned in the cellar or basement.

How to trim a radish

The tops cannot be left during storage – it actively evaporates moisture and the keeping quality decreases sharply. In addition, nutrients move from the roots to the leaves 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 storage

Black radish is not washed before storage. If the root crops are too dirty, which happens only when digging after rain or watering, they are first dried. After that, the remaining soil is carefully removed with a soft cloth. Do not rub hard or use a brush – this will damage the peel and reduce the shelf life.

How long is the radish stored

Why is it possible to save black radish for the winter, but not white radish? It’s about maturation. All late-ripening fruits and vegetables are stored for a long time, medium – for a short period, and early ones cannot be stored at all.

If you build varieties of seed 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 keeping varieties is indicated. Naturally, in suitable conditions in compliance with the temperature regime and optimal humidity.

How and where to store radishes

The shelf life of radish directly depends on how suitable conditions are created for it. Ideal are:

• humidity 90-95%;
• temperature 1-2⁰ С;
• lack of light;
• limited air supply.

How to store radish in the winter in the cellar

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 rough, fibrous.

It is better to store black radish in the winter in the cellar, laid out in wooden boxes and covered with wet sand. The substrate needs to be watered from time to time, and the roots should 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 with sand and placed away to limit the access of light. To maintain high humidity, buckets of water are placed nearby, and the substrate is regularly checked and moistened.

But warm content is detrimental to culture. Even a temperature of +5⁰ C significantly reduces the keeping quality. Therefore, the storage time is often called not 8 months, but 200-210 days. If there is an outlet in the basement with access to the street, it is worth placing a box near it to reduce the temperature.

How to store black radish at home

Urban dwellers often do not have a basement or cellar. They have to store supplies in the apartment.

How to store radishes in the refrigerator

You can often find advice to store radishes in the refrigerator. Great advice if you use root crops in a month. It should be borne in mind that the temperature in the vegetable section is the highest, and often fluctuates between 4-6⁰ C, but often reaches 9⁰ C. This is unacceptable for long-term storage of radish.

And if you lower the temperature in the vegetable section, it will become even lower on the other shelves. It will be impossible to store other products there.

And one moment. How many root crops can be put in the lower section? And where to put a cut head of cabbage, apples, oranges and other fruits or vegetables?

How to save a radish for the winter in an apartment

It is best to store radish on glazed balconies or loggias in wooden boxes with wet sand. Only need to provide protection against overheating, especially on the south side. You can curtain the glass with foil or reflective film, and adjust the temperature by opening or closing the windows and the 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 root crops.

Humidity can be maintained by wetting the sand. The shelf life of the radish will be the greater, the closer to the ideal temperature on the balcony.

How to store peeled radish

Peeled radish cannot be stored for a long time, besides, in the air it quickly darkens and becomes soft. It is necessary to remove the peel from the root crop immediately before use. In extreme cases, the radish is poured with cold water and put in the refrigerator.

Storing radishes in bags

In thick polyethylene bags, you can store radishes in the basement, cellar or on the balcony. The bag is filled no more than 3/4 and left open. In this case, the humidity in the room can be 80-85%. In a plastic bag, it will be higher, in addition, a high concentration of carbon dioxide will increase the safety of root crops.

Radishes are stored in thick plastic bags. Some varieties can withstand even a month, and then become hollow, but remain firm. It is this kind of radish, harvested no one knows when, 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 store 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 some nitrogen. When wet, they begin to rot and release heat. If they get wet, the process will happen quickly. Sawdust left dry will take the moisture they need from the roots and rot slowly.

As a result, the radish will spoil, and given the presence of nitrogen, this will happen very quickly.

Conservation as a method of food

If there is nowhere to store the radish, it can be pickled and fermented. It doesn’t mix 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 clean and store radish taking into account the characteristics of the culture. White is suitable for immediate consumption, black can lie up to eight months if the root crops are provided with suitable conditions.