In this article we want to tell you about the daikon - the root crop, which is very popular in the East and is gradually beginning to attract the attention of domestic farmers. What is daikon, what are the nuances of planting and caring for this plant, and what can be said about the timing of its planting and collection, you will know in a few minutes.
Did you know? Daikon has healing properties, which are caused by the content of phytoncides and specific proteins that inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Description of Daikon, the best varieties for planting
Before planting a daikon, it’s worth figuring out what this plant is and how it is used. So, Daikon - root vegetable, which is a subspecies of radish. This plant is very popular among the Japanese. In the land of the rising sun, daikon is consumed daily, and the planting volumes of the plants are comparable to those of the cereals in Europe. "Japanese radish" has significant taste differences from the radishes and radishes we know (it is more juicy and devoid of sharpness). Root is used both fresh and after heat treatment.
Important! The young leaves of daikon are eatenalso,like root vegetable.Consider what is so valuable this plant. Daikon is loved for the substances contained in it: potassium, calcium, fiber, vitamin C and much more. In addition to biological value, the Japanese radish also has a good yield (about 800 centners per hectare) and shelf life (2-3 months). Thus, we have a product rich in vitamins and microelements, whose yield is higher than that of beets, and the cost in the “market” is ten times higher.
However, it should be understood that the climate of Japan is very different from ours, so it is important to choose the right variety of daikon, which will take root well and give an acceptable harvest.
Daikon has many varieties. We will tell you about the most "running."
- The Dragon. Mid-season variety, which is often used by farmers. Has a length of 55 cm, weight about 1.8 kg. The root crop fully ripens in 70 days. Long stored and has dietary quality.
- Minowace. Very popular mid-season (60 days) variety of daikon. It is resistant to diseases, has a root length of 50 cm and weighs up to 1.5 kg. It is perfectly stored, without losing its taste.
- Elephant Fang. This variety is suitable for southern areas. Mid-season variety (80 days), the length of the fruit is equal to 60 cm, but the weight is not as great as the previous varieties - only 0.5 kg.
On the Internet, you can find other species that you may find more valuable, but do not forget that the difficulty is also the search for seeds and their price. Therefore, we have presented you varieties, the seeds of which you can find without much difficulty and expense.
Did you know?Daikon is able to clean the liver and kidneys, as well as dissolve stones.
Features landing daikon
We continue to consider daikon, especially its landing and proper care. We turn to the section in which we describe how to plant daikon. After buying the seeds, you need to prepare the soil and properly plant the root crop, which will help to get the expected yield.
When to sow daikon
Daikon should be planted either in early spring or late summer. If you land at another time, the root crop will start the arrow (if that happens, forget about the harvest). When planting Japanese radish in the open ground in the spring, you should know that if you live north of 55˚ latitude, then the root will immediately go to the arrow. When planting, it should be borne in mind that the plant does not tolerate temperatures below +10, therefore, the concept of "early spring" is customized for real weather conditions. If you feel that at night the temperature may fall below the required - cover with a film or other light insulation.
Important!Daikon requires a lot of space, so do not sow it close to each other. If possible, keep a distance of 30 cm.Landing in late summer or early autumn. In this case, it is worth more to be afraid of entering the arrow, and not frost.
Simply put, the most important task for you, when landing a daikon, is to prevent it from entering the arrow or freezing.
Soil preparation for planting
You’ve probably already seen that the daikon is worth your attention, now we’ll take a closer look at its planting and the subsequent care of the root crop. It is worth knowing that it grows well after legumes (they well saturate the earth with nitrogen), tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots.
Important! You can not plant daikon after cabbage (any varieties).Before planting in the ground, you need to dig and fertilize the soil (but not with the help of fresh manure). If the soil is very acidic - make lime. Some farmers use the drill as a tool for planting. They make holes, which are then filled with chernozem or other fertile soil. This preparation of the soil can be considered complete.
How to care for daikon
We have already figured out how to grow daikon in the open field, now let's turn to the peculiarities of caring for the plant and controlling its pests.
Daikon does not require any special care, it is enough to weed the bush in time, water it and cover it from frost. However, if there is no particular difficulty with leaving, then you will have to "sweat" with pests.
Cruciflo flea. This insect can damage your root vegetables by spoiling its leaves. The parasite settles on the usual radish and cabbage. Therefore, if cabbage was struck in your garden, then daikon will be next. To get rid of the pest, you need to brush the bush with ash or tobacco dust mixed with ash.
Cabbage Fly - a type of flower flies, which lay larvae on cruciferous roots. Worms eat the root and the plant dries. In this case, the fly is dangerous in the first 2 weeks, until the root is strong, so you need to deal with this pest quickly. The methods of this struggle involve the use of lime with carbolineum or a mixture of lime and tobacco dust, which is sprinkled on the earth around the plant.
Harvesting and storage
After the expiration of the required period for each variety, the daikon must be properly removed. This is done exclusively in dry weather, pulling out the plant for the tops (if the daikon is firmly seated - use the forks).
Important!Root crops, even with the slightest damage, will not be stored for a long time. Therefore, when harvesting, you need to carefully separate the ground and carefully examine the underground "body" of the plant.
Immediately set aside the roots for sowing. Mainly, spring crop daikons are used with cut petioles 10 cm long.
Daikons without damage put in boxes, and each layer is poured with moss or sand. In the storage temperature should be kept at + 1- + 2 degrees. So the root crop will remain the longest, without losing elasticity and taste.
Conclusion
We told you about an interesting Oriental Root Vegetable - Daikon. Japanese radish has too many advantages not to plant it on their own plots, especially since you already know when to plant and clean the daikon and how to deal with pests and the arrow.
