Key Points of Autumn Cultivation Techniques for Cherry Radish
Cherry radish plants grow 20-25 cm tall, with round fleshy roots 2-3 cm in diameter. The root skin is red and the flesh is white, with a single root weighing 15-20 g. The quality is tender and refreshingly delicious, and it can be eaten raw, stir-fried, pickled or used as a side dish, making it very popular with consumers.
I. Soil Preparation and Fertilization
Soil preparation requires deep ploughing, sun-drying of the soil, levelling, fine harrowing and even mixing of fertilizer with the soil. Generally, small flat beds are used, with a bed width of 1 m. Because the growing period is relatively short and the fleshy roots are small, the requirements for fertilizer type and quantity are not very strict; the main approach should be to apply sufficient base fertilizer, and generally no topdressing is needed. Apply 2500 kg of fully decomposed farmyard manure per mu as base fertilizer, and use 5-8 kg of superphosphate as seed fertilizer.
II. Sowing
For open-field cultivation in autumn, sowing can be carried out successively from mid-September to early October, with harvests taken in stages. Drilling is generally used, with a plant spacing of 3 cm, a row spacing of 10 cm and a sowing depth of about 1.5 cm, using 100 g of seed per mu. Optional varieties include Red Ace, Dutch Red Star Cherry and Japanese Cherry Radish.
III. Field Management
If cherry radish is planted too densely and light is insufficient, the leaf stalks will become longer, the leaf colour will become pale, the lower leaves will turn yellow and drop off, and the fleshy roots will not easily swell. When the cotyledons unfold, carry out thinning once, keeping the seedlings with normal cotyledons and removing the rest, while also thinning where seedlings are relatively dense. Final thinning is done at the 3-4 true leaf stage. Special attention should be paid to keeping the soil moist, and watering should be even; the soil moisture content should preferably be 70%-80% of field capacity. If the seedlings grow poorly and show signs of nutrient deficiency, a small amount of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer can be applied with irrigation. Cherry radish plants are relatively small, so timely intertillage and weeding are needed.
IV. Timely Harvesting
Cherry radish generally grows for 25-30 days, and once the fleshy roots are attractive and bright in colour and reach 2 cm in diameter, harvesting can begin successively. Harvesting too early affects yield, while harvesting too late increases fibre and easily causes root cracking and pithiness.
Lü Hongbo