Content
Champion radish is a variety developed by a company from the Czech Republic. It began to be used on the territory of the Russian Federation in 1999.
Description of radish Champion
Champion radishes are recommended for growing in vegetable gardens, farms, and home gardens. Has good resistance to sagging. The harvest is formed quickly, since the variety is early. Radish Champion has many positive reviews among agronomists.
Main characteristics
Main qualities of Champion radish:
Description and dimensions of the tops
The leaf rosette is semi-raised. The leaves are colored rich green, are medium in size, and strongly dissected. The leaves are obovate in shape with a rounded apex. There is slight pubescence.
Shape, color and size of root crop
Radishes have a rich red color. The shape of the root crop is rounded and elongated. The head is smooth, slightly convex, and small in size. The peel is thin, the flesh is tender, white. The weight of the root crop is approximately 20 g.
Taste
According to gardeners, Champion radishes have high taste characteristics.The root vegetable is sweet, but there is a slight bitterness.
Productivity
Champion radish (pictured) is an early variety. Its yield indicators are average. From an area of 1 m² you can get approximately one kilogram of fruit. According to reviews from agronomists, large figures were recorded: from 1 m² - 1.5 kg of fruit. The ripening period depends on weather conditions in the region and ranges from 18 to 27 days after emergence.
Advantages and disadvantages
Based on reviews from gardeners, the advantages of the Champion variety include the following characteristics:
- high immunity to various diseases;
- ability to survive in light frost conditions;
- with a late harvest there is no empty space in the fruits;
- the rosette of leaves is small in size, thanks to which the fruits can be planted close to each other;
- high taste indicators;
- in one season you can get a harvest twice;
- the presentation is preserved for a long time.
In addition to the advantages, the Champion radish also has disadvantages - the small size of the fruit. This is why gardeners very rarely use the variety for planting for sale.
Rules for planting and care
You can plant Champion radishes in open ground, in a greenhouse and at home. Reviews from gardeners indicate that a homemade greenhouse is perfect for planting. The soil for planting should be well loosened and light. To do this, you can use large river sand, which is added to the soil. The substrate must have weak or neutral acidity. Reduce the acidity of the soil by adding lime or wood ash. An area with sandy loam soil is an ideal option for planting radishes, as reviewed by agronomists.
It is imperative to take care of planted root crops.Maintenance includes watering, weeding, loosening, thinning, and fertilizing. It is also necessary to control pests. Watering radishes should be done as needed, i.e. when the soil is dry. There is no need to over-moisten the soil.
After the first two weeks have passed, you can use regular water for watering. Since the Champion variety tends to accumulate nitrates, ash and herbal infusions of rosemary or sage are suitable for feeding it. They also help protect against slugs, snails and fungal diseases.
You can mulch the beds. Fine grass, compost or peat are suitable for this. According to gardeners, mulching helps get rid of weeds, helps preserve moisture, and in addition, you can loosen the soil less often.
Recommended timing
Champion radish is an early ripening vegetable. That is why its seeds are planted in a greenhouse at the end of March. Planting in open ground occurs a little later, around the end of April.
Selecting a location and preparing beds
The Champion variety is early, so it produces fruits quite quickly after germination. Radishes tolerate frost well. The beds need to be prepared in advance, preferably in the fall. Weeds are removed from the selected area, the ground is dug up and manure or humus is added.
Radishes require a sunny area; in the shade or partial shade it will not be possible to achieve a high yield. The tops will grow well, but the root crops will be small, so only the southern side of the garden is chosen for planting.
Landing algorithm
The technology for planting Champion radishes is as follows:
- judging by the reviews of gardeners, there is no need to soak the seeds, so there is no need to do this first;
- the depth of the holes is made no more than three centimeters;
- put a compost mixture in the holes, then another layer of soil;
- sow seeds in holes at the end of March.
Thin out the beds after the first shoots appear. To do this, weak shoots are removed. The distance between seedlings should be five centimeters, in this case the radish will not suffer from a lack of nutrients and the root crops will grow larger.
Features of cultivation
According to gardeners, before sowing radishes, the soil needs to be fertilized; it is better to do this in the fall. There is no need to feed radishes during the growing season.
It is not recommended to use manure and nitrogen-based fertilizers.
Watering
Water as needed when the soil dries out. Overmoistening is unacceptable. It is necessary to water abundantly so that the soil is wet by 10 cm. For the first two weeks, watering is done in the evening, using warm water, then use ordinary water.
Thinning
The first thinning is carried out after all the seedlings have sprouted. Leave the strongest shoots, located at a distance of at least 3-5 cm from each other. Along with thinning, you need to do the first weeding. When thinning, you must adhere to the following rules:
- the procedure is carried out after watering in the evening;
- You need to hold the soil around the seedling with one hand, and remove the plant from the soil with the other hand.
After the thinning procedure is completed, the soil is compacted by hand and the sprouts are watered with warm water.Reviews from gardeners indicate that thinning significantly helps cultivation and increases crop yields by 2-3 times.
Top dressing
If the soil is infertile, you will need to fertilize it twice. If the soil is fertile, then one fertilizing is sufficient. Radishes very quickly accumulate nitrates from the soil, so nitrogen-containing fertilizers are not used as fertilizer. You can use a mixture of compost and humus, 10 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of saltpeter, 10 grams of potassium fertilizer and 0.5 liters of wood ash. According to reviews, this composition will help to grow tasty and juicy fruits. If the soil is saturated with nutrients, then only mineral fertilizers are used.
Pests and diseases
Champion radish is a hybrid variety, therefore it has high immunity and practically does not get sick, but only if proper care is provided. Insects that can attack radishes are the cruciferous flea beetle and the leaf beetle. They attack the leaves, which can cause the plant to die. Homemade solutions are suitable for pest control, for example:
- infusion of tomato tops;
- weak vinegar solution;
- tincture of ash, ground pepper and shag.
Reviews from gardeners indicate that the Champion variety is practically not susceptible to disease.
Conclusion
Champion radish is an early ripening hybrid variety. Gardeners prefer to grow it because it is tasty and easy to care for. According to reviews, it is not afraid of frost and many pests.
