Chinese radish: properties and species, cultivation and use

Chinese radish (forehead) is a popular vegetable not only among Chinese and Japanese, but also in Russia.Its useful and healing properties are known to many, it has been successfully grown on their plots summer residents. And for those who are only going to discover this vegetable for themselves, it will be useful to know what Chinese radish is, what are its properties and what types there are, what is its cultivation and use.

If the forehead is sown in early spring, then it is grown as an annual crop. If in the middle of summer, then it should already be considered as a two-year culture. The plant belongs to the cold-resistant, but despite this, it loves light and is demanding on the soil. Soils with a high content of clay will not work, they are considered to be heavy. And light and medium fertile - this is the environment in which the radish feels great.

In the spring, they also dig up the earth, not forgetting to apply fertilizer, and immediately before planting, they necessarily loosen the soil. Growing this crop is not a particular hassle. Cold is not a hindrance to radish. Seed germination is good, even if the temperature does not exceed five degrees Celsius. The most favorable temperature for ripening fruit is from + 17 to 20 degrees.

When growing this vegetable, it is necessary to form high beds, and not sow the seeds on an even space. With this crop, the seeds will sprout faster, and the size of the grown fruit will delight any gardener. Seeds are placed in a moist soil, after five days the first shoots will appear. Shoots need to be protected from insect pests, which radish is very susceptible. As soon as the first shoots hatch, they need to be treated with a mixture of wood ash and tobacco.

When there will be two full leaves of the plants, you need to make a pick. Next time do it when four leaves appear. It is better to take out sprouts directly with a lump of earth and transplant to free space. After that you need to water them.

The beds must be maintained in good order, it does not require a lot of effort, it is enough to remove bad leaves, weeds and loosen the soil. Periodically need to process radish from pests. To do this, all the same ash mixed with tobacco will do. But you can use and special tools that are sold in large quantities in specialized stores.

The crop must be harvested before the first frosts begin, and the early varieties are harvested as the fruits ripen, and the later ones - all at once. To store cut the tops, whole and high-quality roots can be stored until spring in boxes with slightly damp sand in a cool room.

Root groves vary in color, shape and weight. There are smaller fruits, only about three hundred grams, and there are those that exceed a kilogram. They can be round, oblong, red, green or white. They may vary slightly in taste, one variety more sweet, the other more spicy. Some varieties are more common in Russia, others can be found only in China.

"Elephant's Fang" refers to mid-late varieties. Three months pass from the moment the seeds are grown to full ripening. The radish of this variety has a cylindrical shape and reaches a length of thirty centimeters. The variety gives a good harvest and is suitable for harvesting seeds. Inside radish juicy, white. One of the varieties that is well mastered and successfully grown by Russian summer residents.

"Severyanka", on the contrary, ripens very early. Fruits can be tried two months after the plants sprout.Juicy fruits have white flesh and slightly spicy taste. Fruits grow impressive size - from half a kilogram to a kilogram.

The “red heart” is distinguished by its special coloring: the surface is green, and the pulp is red, this original coloring makes this variety look like a watermelon. This species is interesting because there is no radish taste with juicy pleasant pulp.

"Fireball" corresponds to its name completely. The fruit is round in shape and impressive size, weight reaches one kilogram. The skin of this variety is red, the flesh is white, without bitterness.

“Chinese delicacy” also belongs to early maturing varieties. The sweet taste is attributed to the advantages of this radish, the fruits are long, their weight reaches two kilograms.

"Green Goddess" bred a few years ago. Outside it is green, the taste of the flesh is slightly spicy. This variety is beautifully stored throughout the winter, while not losing the appearance and taste.

Vitamins and minerals contained in Chinese radish are able to provide a person with the daily need for the necessary body substances. This vegetable is rich in calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc. Therefore, the use of this vegetable is indisputable. The calorie content of the product is low, which allows you to include it in any diet. A hundred grams of vegetable contains only twenty calories. In addition, loba contains a large amount of fiber, and this has a positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract. With constipation is simply an indispensable tool.

Chinese radish not only improves metabolism, but also cleanses the body, removes harmful substances, slags. The plant contains essential oils that have the ability to fight bacteria and assist the body in opposing inflammatory processes. Therefore, it is used in the treatment of many diseases.

This vegetable has a beneficial effect on the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, and even the cardiovascular system. This vegetable fights well with cholesterol. With colds, radish is simply indispensable, it helps fight throat inflammation, coughing, and runny nose.

With this root you can remove external inflammation and even anesthetize the affected area. It is enough to grind the radish, wrap it in a bandage and apply it to the sore spot. The easiest recipe to cure a cold and get rid of cough - grate radish on the smallest grater or chop in a blender to a mushy state, add honey. Take this tool you need three or four times a day, one tablespoon.

With all the indisputable benefits of Chinese radish, there are contraindications.

• It is not recommended to eat radish for women who are expecting a child, especially this applies to those who have a difficult pregnancy and are threatened with abortion.
• During the period of lactation, it is strictly forbidden to eat any food that includes radish. Firstly, it can ruin the taste of milk, which the baby refuses, and secondly, the vegetable contributes to the formation of gas in the baby’s stomach.
• In the presence of chronic diseases such as colitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, gastric ulcer, you need to be careful to include radishes in your menu, and it is better to consult your doctor so as not to harm your body.

There are a variety of recipes for dishes where Chinese radish is present as an ingredient. It is tasty in itself, it is enough to rub it on a coarse grater, add salt, pepper and other spices to taste, you can add lemon juice. Fresh, pickled and salted brow is a great addition to meat dishes. Radish is well combined with various vegetables and fruits, for example, with carrots or apples.

You can make a delicious simple and healthy salad, which is suitable for a diet.Carrots and radishes should be grated or cut into slices. Cut the onion into half rings, chop the parsley finely. Mix these ingredients, add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil and spices. You can add this salad with green apple, which will add to the taste of originality.

Another version of the salad, in which, in addition to Chinese radish, you can include radishes, peppers, All vegetables are cut into strips and seasoned with vegetable oil with spices. As for gas stations, here you can safely experiment. Radish will be very tasty if it is filled with sour cream, yogurt or mayonnaise.

The perfect combination of vegetables with meat allows you to make a delicious and nourishing salad with chicken or beef. To do this, boil the meat, cut into thin plastics. Grate radish on a special grater for Korean carrots. Then the vegetable will be very thin. Chop the onion into rings, chop the parsley. Mix all the ingredients and season the salad with mayonnaise. Remove for an hour in a cool place, then you can serve on the table.

You can learn more about Chinese radish in the next video.