Key Points and Common Problems in Radish Cultivation Explained

Radish has a long history of cultivation in China, so its growing techniques are basically fully mature. However, because there have been many novice growers in recent years, some very common problems have appeared in the process of radish cultivation. So the editor has put together an overview of these problems, and also hopes everyone can pay more attention to them in later cultivation. Let's take a look at the key points for radish cultivation below.

1. Soil

For the radish planting site, it is best to choose sandy loam with complete soil structure, fertile soil, soft texture, good permeability, good drainage, and strong moisture and fertilizer retention. Second, the soil pH is best around 5.3 to 7. Also, do not practice continuous cropping, and land whose previous crop was a cruciferous plant is best not used for growing radish, as it is prone to disease.

2. Temperature

We all know that radish is generally not planted in summer, and it is also harvested before Frost's Descent, which shows that it has certain requirements for growing temperature. Radish seeds have a high germination rate and can sprout at 2 to 3 degrees, but the suitable temperature for radish growth is 20 to 25 degrees. When radish is in the seedling stage, it can grow in high temperatures above 25 degrees, and can also grow in an environment of minus 2 to 3 degrees. But when radish reaches the growing period, the normal growth temperature is best 15 to 20 degrees, and the temperature must not be lower than 6 degrees, otherwise the radish will suffer cold damage.

3. Watering

Radish has different water requirements at different growth stages, so we should water according to its water needs. During the radish seedling stage, generally little watering is needed, unless there is drought and high temperature weather; to avoid dead seedlings, appropriate watering is needed. The time when radish needs the most water is its stem and leaf growth period and the period when the underground root expands, so we can water scientifically according to weather conditions and the moisture level of the field soil. Especially during the process of underground root expansion, there must not be alternating dryness and wetness, otherwise radish is very prone to cracking; nor should it be too dry or too wet, otherwise it will lead to poor development or rotting of radish, affecting radish quality.

4. Fertilizing

Radish growth requires a relatively large amount of fertilizer, but fertilizer should not be used indiscriminately; it needs to be applied scientifically according to its growth characteristics. First, before planting, we should apply enough base fertilizer. The base fertilizer is mainly organic fertilizer, combined with an appropriate amount of three-element compound fertilizer and applied together with land preparation. Generally, when the base fertilizer is sufficient, there is basically no need to apply additional growth fertilizer, but if radish shows yellowing stems and leaves or a thin and weak appearance during the growing period, then fertilizer needs to be applied as a top dressing, mainly urea. When the radish root expands, it is best to apply a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer once, which can promote root expansion and ensure radish quality.

Of course, when growing radish, we also need to pay attention to intertillage weeding and pest and disease control. When intertilling, note that it should be shallow cultivation, so as not to damage the radish roots and affect normal radish growth. For pest and disease control, choose suitable pesticides, mix the pesticide concentration reasonably, and spray at the appropriate time.