Planting radishes under film in early spring, in March

Radishes are planted under film to obtain an early harvest of root crops. In order to properly grow radishes in early spring, you need to know about some planting rules and the nuances of caring for this vegetable crop.

Rules for growing radishes under film

Early sowing of radishes under film implies the use of early ripening varieties that are resistant to temperature changes, sudden cold snaps, and are not prone to the appearance of shoots.

How to choose the right variety

It is no secret to every vegetable grower that there are various varieties of radishes on the market, among which are the most promising specimens. These include:

• • Ice icicle;
    
  • Deca;
    
  • Goddess;
    
  • Pharaoh;
    

•  
• Sora;

• 
• Early red;
  
• Carmen;
  
• Firefly;
  
• Zarya;
  
• Premier;
  
• French breakfast;
  
• White Nights.
  

Each variety of radish selected for planting under film has its own characteristics.This concerns the shape: it can be elongated, oval, round, and also have colors from pink and white to deep purple. On average, the weight of root vegetables ranges from 7 to 25 g.

Advantages of this method

Planting early radishes under film is an opportunity to get fresh root vegetables in early to mid-April. Seeds are planted on the 20th of March, and the vegetable crop ripens 2 weeks earlier than the specimens planted in the greenhouse.

Radish seeds germinate even at a temperature of 2 degrees Celsius; young shoots are not afraid of nighttime drops in temperature. But the main condition is that radishes love light. Without enough sunlight, seeds will germinate less well, which will increase the ripening time of root crops.

How to plant radishes under film

Any summer resident, even a beginner, can grow radishes under a film. The main thing is to monitor the air temperature and the number of sunny hours per day.

When can you plant radishes under film?

Radishes can be planted under film as early as March. Experienced gardeners recommend not waiting for the snow to completely thaw. It is enough for the snow to melt from the soil in a certain area and a thawed area to appear. The seeds only need a 3-centimeter layer of thawed soil. This is quite enough for the radish to begin to grow.

If you plant radishes under film in April, you will need to take care of protecting them from prolonged exposure to sunlight. Light is extremely important for this crop, but too much of it can lead to bolting. Therefore, the most optimal option is considered to be 8-10 hours of daylight.

Site selection and soil preparation

Many radish varieties do well in soil with average fertility. But a variety like French Breakfast is very demanding on the soil. It needs a fertile light substrate. In any case, it is best to prepare the soil so that the young vegetables have enough nutrients to develop.

If a place for radishes was allocated in the fall, then the application of fertilizers also needs to be taken care of during this period. The application of mineral fertilizers and mulching is considered optimal.

In the place where the vegetable will be planted, it is necessary to lay a small layer of humus and cover everything with film or boards. In the spring, when the snow begins to melt, the flooring is removed so that all vital substances enter the soil along with the melt water. However, when sowing radish seeds under the film, excess humus must be removed.

Sowing radishes in spring under film

Radish seeds do not require pre-germination. Therefore, sowing is done immediately in the beds. For those who want to speed up the germination of crops, it is recommended to soak the seeds a few days before planting. This can be done in any of the convenient ways.

Sowing algorithm:

1. First, you need to make several furrows with a depth of 3–5 cm (which is optimal for sowing vegetables) and an interval of 15 cm.
2. Each groove must be shed with warm water.
3. Seeds (if possible) should be sown at a distance of 5 cm from each other. Since they are quite small, it is worth purchasing a point seeder in advance or sowing using a special tape. Otherwise, the grown radishes will have to be pulled apart.
4. Seeds in the furrows should be sprinkled with a small layer of loose soil.
5. Then pour a small amount of water.
6. Cover the sowing with film and secure it around the perimeter.

How to grow early radishes under film (write all the care rules)

A distinctive feature of growing radishes under film is the fact that virtually no care is required. When creating a greenhouse effect, a sufficient amount of moisture is retained in the soil, so even watering is carried out as the soil dries out.

It is important to follow several basic rules for caring for early radishes planted under film:

1. Fertilizer application. Every 10 days it is necessary to feed radishes with urea diluted in water (10 g per bucket). Once (about 15 days after sowing) you can apply any potash fertilizer.
2. Watering. This is carried out as the soil dries out. You should not overwater early radishes, especially at the end of ripening, as this will lead to cracking of the fruit.
3. Loosening. If it is necessary to loosen the soil, you need to use small devices (garden spades or miniature rakes). You should not loosen it with a hoe - you can damage the root crop.
4. After sowing, it is necessary to cover the radishes overnight, especially during frosts. This can be done with any suitable material.
5. If there is an excess of sunlight, the bed is covered with dark material. For radishes, 8 hours of daylight will be enough. If this condition is not met, the crop will begin to shoot.
6. No weed control required.

Pests and diseases

Radishes planted under film may also suffer from various pests, just like vegetables planted in open ground. The only difference is that for early-ripening varieties of vegetables, the use of chemicals designed to combat pests is not recommended. Therefore, many summer residents prefer to make do with traditional methods.

The main enemy of early radish is the cruciferous flea beetle. To get rid of it, you will have to get tobacco dust or fresh ash. These are the only remedies that have the desired effect on flea beetles, even with large-scale damage to the plant. The parasite appears during dry periods, since fleas cannot “make holes” in wet foliage. To combat this pest you need to:

1. Dilute the ash solution by mixing water (10 l) with a glass of fresh wood ash.
2. Water the radishes, getting onto the young tops.
3. If necessary, sprinkle the beds with undiluted ash or tobacco ash.

Another dangerous pest is the blind man. Garlic tincture will help protect against it:

1. A large head of garlic must be chopped.
2. Pour a liter of boiling water.
3. Leave for 24 hours.
4. Bring the solution to 5 liters, diluting with warm water.
5. Spill the radishes.
6. If necessary, repeat the procedure after 5 - 7 days.

The mole cricket attacks radishes only when there is a complete drought in the garden, and the bed with radishes remains wet. It is not always possible to fight this parasite using traditional methods, so many summer residents use a trick - they bury potato tubers in another part of the garden and water the beds abundantly using some kind of poison for the mole cricket. Since the insect usually looks for the most moist places in which to feed, the radish can be considered saved.

Diseases to which radishes are susceptible include mucous bacteriosis, phomosis, fusarium, dry rot, common mosaic, rot, powdery mildew, and blackleg.

If the use of chemicals is not implied, you can prepare a soap solution that combats these pathologies well. Necessary:

1. Grate 100 g of laundry soap.
2. Fill a bucket of water (10 l).
3. Pour 500 g of fresh ash into the water.
4. Add soap.
5. Stir thoroughly.
6. Irrigate the plant with the resulting solution.

What problems may arise

Some gardeners may encounter a number of problems when growing radishes under film. Among them are the following:

Conclusion

Radishes under film can be planted in early spring. This will allow you not only to enjoy your first vitamin-rich vegetables, but also to prepare the ground for planting any other crops. After all, after radishes, the soil becomes of better quality and is suitable for growing the most capricious vegetables.

Recommended Posts

Radish Duro Krasnodar

Radish Cherryat F1

Radish Dabel F1

Radish Rudolph F1

When to plant radishes in a polycarbonate greenhouse in early spring: in March, April, in the Moscow region, in the Urals, in Siberia, according to the lunar calendar

Radish leaves in a hole: what to do, how to process it, photos, preventive measures

What are the benefits of radishes for the body of a woman, a man, during pregnancy, during breastfeeding, for weight loss?

Radishes: planting and care in open ground, sowing dates in March, April, cultivation secrets, planting scheme

Radishes resistant to bolting (Non-bolting): varieties with descriptions and photos